Keurig coffee makers are some of the best pod coffee machines on the market, but that doesn’t make them invincible. If you’ve owned your Keurig machine for a while and have started to notice decreased performance, slower brewing times, or weird sputtering noises it’s probably time to give the machine a cleaning. Specifically, you’ll want to clean the entrance and exit needles.
You may have noticed that a new coffee pod is whole and intact but that there is a hole in the top and bottom after it’s used. The two needles are responsible for puncturing the pod to allow water to move through it. Otherwise, there’d be no coffee. If the needles are clogged you’re going to get subpar performance. Cleaning the needles is easy since they are hollow (that’s what allows the water to run through). You’ll need a clean paperclip and a sink, and that’s it. Essentially, just use the paper clip to unclog the inside of the needles and use the water to wash away all the bits of coffee that were stuck.
The step-by-step
You’ll start by opening the Keurig machine by lifting the lid, just like you would if you were about to make coffee. The place where you normally put the pod is called the pod holder. Gently grab hold of the pod holder and lift it out of the machine. The pod holder consists of two pieces, one on top and one on bottom, which come apart when you twist them. You’ll notice that the top part has a small tube that juts out — that’s the exit needle. Take your paperclip and bend it so you have a long piece of metal to work with. Use your paperclip to unclog any debris that might have built up in the exit needle. When you’re done, rinse both parts of the pod holder with some water and set them aside to dry.
Go back to your Keurig machine and look at the top half, just above where the pod holder was. You should see a sharp piece of metal sticking out. This is the entrance needle. Take your paperclip again and stick it up into the hollow part of the needle, moving it around to unclog any debris. Be careful since the needle is quite sharp. When you’re done, place the pod holder back into the machine and set a large mug beneath it. Lastly, run two cycles of hot water through to flush out everything you’ve loosened up.
