This Mini Coffee Maker Saves Me So Much Money Every Week

While I love a good coffee run before class, the cost adds up alarmingly quickly – especially in New York City, where I’ve seen some cafes charge more than $10 for a latte. So when I had the chance to try out the Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker and K-Cup pods, sent to me by the brand, I immediately took it. 

As a daily coffee drinker, I used it most days in June, and it really helped me save money and time. After making my coffee with the Mini Mate, I see why college students highly recommend it — after all, it won “best coffee maker” in the 2026 Dorm Therapy Awards! If you’re a coffee stan like me and wondering if this is the solution for having a cup every morning in your dorm, I’m here to tell you it’s exactly what you need, no matter how you like your coffee. 

The Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker is a small (4-inch wide) coffee maker that uses pods to make one 12-ounce cup of coffee at a time. It has a hollow cylindrical space that fits a mug up to 7.25 inches tall (great for travel mugs!), a clear plastic reservoir that holds up to 12 ounces of water, and a flip top that fits one K-Cup pod.

To use it, you fill the reservoir with 6-12 ounces of water (depending on how much coffee you want to make) and place a mug under the spout in the hollow space — the maker only has one brew button, so if you want your coffee stronger, you can add less water. Then, flip up the lid and insert a K-Cup pod, then close the lid and press the “K” button when it lights up to brew your coffee.  

The Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker is only 4 inches wide, 11 inches deep, and 9 inches tall, which means it fits perfectly in small rooms (especially dorms!); I keep mine on my desk. The K-Cup pods come in hundreds of different flavors from a variety of brands like Starbucks, Dunkin’, Cinnabon, and Peet’s Coffee. Although you can only brew hot coffee in the K-Mini Mate, you can always add ice cubes to make an iced coffee, and further customize your drink by adding milk, sugar, syrups, or any other add-ons you keep in your dorm coffee station.

I have the Matte Black version of this coffee maker, but it also comes in three other colors: Glamping Green, Red Rocks, and Pink Sands. It sells for $89.99 on the Keurig website, but as of publication, it’s on sale for $79.99.

I use the Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker most mornings to make a cup of coffee before I start my day. If I’m working from home, I dispense coffee into a 10-ounce mug, but if I’m on the go, I use my 16-ounce travel mug, which fits perfectly into the hollow space. 

I prefer my coffee more sweet than bitter, so I add vanilla syrup and milk to an 8-ounce brew — I measure 8 ounces of water to add to the reservoir — of the Global Trek brew (one of the four flavors in the Keurig Coffee Collective Variety Pack). When I remember to freeze ice cubes, I add them in before the milk so the cup doesn’t overflow. I love that having a coffee maker lets me customize my coffee until it tastes just the way I want it to — oftentimes, coffee shops make lattes too sweet or milky for my taste.  

Even though the initial cost of the Keurig K-Mini Mate Coffee Maker and K-Cup pods might seem intimidating (and I didn’t have to pay for mine since it was sent by the company), they’ve saved me money and time that I used to spend on coffee runs before or between classes. 

If you bought the machine for $89.99 and a 20-pack of K-Cup pods for $18.49, and you usually pay $7 for your morning coffee, you’d have saved the cost of the machine and pods in just about 16 uses if you swapped out the cost of your daily coffee for one at home. Of course, you need to buy all your favorite coffee accouterments, but my milk and vanilla syrup were just under $11, and I used them to make dozens of coffees. So if you’re able to shoulder some upfront costs, you’ll likely save money over time. 

I still go to coffee shops when I’m out with friends or want to try a specialty coffee (like the new Starbucks s’mores drinks!), but making coffee frequently in my dorm is so much more affordable and sustainable long-term than buying them from cafes every day, especially when some places charge extra to add flavored syrups, milk alternatives, or even ice.

I also love no longer worrying about running late in the morning because of unpredictable lines at coffee shops. The K-Mini Mate takes less than a minute to brew a cup of coffee, which is so helpful if you’ve woken up late but still want a caffeine boost before you leave your dorm. Making your own coffee in a reusable mug is also much more sustainable than buying coffee in a plastic cup and drinking it with a plastic straw multiple times a week, which I love. 

The Keurig K-Mini Mate™ Coffee Maker makes it much cheaper and more efficient to get your daily dose of caffeine, leaving more money in your bank account for other little treats! Especially if you’re particular about how you like your coffee, I’d highly recommend making room (you don’t need much space) for one of these cute coffee makers in your dorm.