Most Keurig machines have the ability to install a carbon water filter unit in the water tank which makes better-tasting coffee and decreases the frequency you need to descale your machine.
But if you’re anything like me, and can’t remember the last time you swapped it out, then how often should you? And how exactly do you install a replacement?
In this article, we’ll explain exactly how to replace the filter unit and answer any questions you may have along the way.
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Table of Contents
How Often Do You Need To Replace Your Keurig Water Filter
Keurig recommends on their website to replace the water filter every 2 months or 40 gallons of coffee produced – whatever comes first. You can also change it out sooner if you start to notice your coffee tasting bad or do what we do and swap it out every time we descale.
OF course, if you’re a 1 coffee-a-day kind of person, then you’ll probably need to replace your filters less frequently than a family of coffee-holics.
The table below recommends your filter replacement frequency based on your coffee consumption.
| Number Of Coffees Brewed Each Day | Suggested Filter Replacement Frequency |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Year + |
| 2 | 8 Months |
| 4 | 4 Months |
| 8 | 2 Months |
How To Replace The Keurig Water Filter (Step-By-Step)
Your Keurig coffee machine also has a small carbon water filter cartridge that has the purpose of removing impurities from the water that comes out of the water reservoir.
The Keurig user manual recommends replacing these every 2 months, although we find it easier to do it every time we descale the machine.
What You’ll Need:
To get started, you’ll need to get a pack of replacement water filters.
We normally buy these K&J Keurig-compatible filter pods from amazon which come in a 12-pack and cost less than $9.
Keurig also sells this cleaning kit which comes with 2 filter cartridges, 4 rise pods, and a bottle of descaler. This is convenient if you want to just buy one thing, but we don’t ever use the rinse pods and think you get better value by buying the filter cartridges and the DeLonghi Eco Decaulk separately.
You’ll also need, a glass of water (to soak the filter cartridge)
How to replace the filter unit:
[Time Required: 6 Minutes]It’s really simple to swap out a filter cartridge.
- Take the filer out of its package and place it in a glass of water for 5 minutes to soak.
- While it’s soaking, remove the plastic filter unit from your Keurig machine’s water reservoir. disassemble the unit and dispose of the old filter cartridge.
- Rise the mesh filter in the base of the unit to clear out any debris that’s become lodged there.
- After 5 minutes have passed, take the filter out of the water and give it a quick rinse under the faucet/tap to rinse off any filter material.
- Finally, insert the filter back into the base of the plastic filter unit, and clip the unit back together. Inset this assembly back into your keurig’s water reservoir and you’re done!
This video from Keurig’s official Youtube channel shows exactly how.
What Happens If You Don’t Change The Filter?
As time goes on the performance of the filter will degrade and it will stop filtering the water effectively. Each filter is filled with activated carbon which only can absorb so many impurities before it becomes ‘full’.
You’ll notice the taste of your coffee change, particularly if your town’s water is highly chlorinated as this taste will come through.
You may also find your filter starts to grow mold if left long enough – but we hope you don’t let it get that bad!
