There Are Coffee Grounds In My Keurig Brewed Cup (Solved!)

Do you see coffee grounds on the bottom of your cup every time you brew a Keurig coffee? If you’re nodding in agreement, this guide is made for you.

Getting grounds in Keurig coffee is a common problem. In this step-by-step guide I’ll show you exactly how to fix it!

How To Fix A Keurig Coffee Maker That Pours Grounds In The Coffee?

Replace the damaged or missing needle gasket to prevent grounds from leaking during brewing.
Clean the top and bottom needles to remove old coffee residue and prevent clogs.
Check the bottom needle for damage. Replace if needed or pierce the K-cups manually if the needle is not sharp enough.
Avoid using old K-cups that might burst during brewing due to excess internal pressure.
Ensure reusable K-cups are sealed properly and filled with coarse-ground coffee.
Hold the lid down during brewing if it’s loose.

Let’s dive into some more detail below!

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Replace The Needle Gasket

There is a small needle in the lid that punctures the K-cup when you close the lid. There is supposed to be a small O-ring around the needle. This tiny rubber gasket is essential. If it’s gone, water and coffee might leak around the K-cup into your cup during brewing.

If the O-ring is still there, take it off and examine it very carefully. Over time, this ring may dry out and possibly develop a tear in it. Even a tiny rip in the O-ring can cause a leak.

If you find any damage, or the ring is missing, you’ll need to replace it. You can buy a new replacement gasket on Amazon.

Clean The Top Needle

In the needle inside the lid of your Keurig Coffee, old coffee residue can accumulate overtime. This can cause the grounds to spill into your cup while brewing, so always make sure the needle is clean.

To clean the needle of your Keurig, you can use a maintenance cup or a paperclip.

With the maintenance cup, turn off your coffee machine and fill the cup halfway with water. Place the cup inside the machine, open and close the lid five times, remove the cup, and turn the machine back on.

Alternatively, you can unclog the needles with a paperclip. Unplug the coffee machine, turn it on its back, and open the lid. Use a paperclip to clean the three holes around the needle located in the lid.

Reassemble the machine, run water through it to clear out remaining grinds, and optionally descale. Your machine should now be ready to brew coffee again.

The Bottom Needle Might Be Broken

If you open the lid of your Keurig and look inside the K-cup holder, you’ll see a small needle at the bottom. This needle pokes a hole in the bottom of the K-cup. If this needle is bent or broken, it won’t be able to make a hole in the K-cup.

This can lead to two problems. First, instead of flowing through the K-cup, the water can spill over it, carrying coffee grounds into your cup. Second, the pressure from the brewing process can burst the bottom of the K-cup, again leading to coffee grounds in your cup.

If your needle is bent or broken, here are your options:

If your Keurig is still under warranty, get in touch with their customer support. They may send you a new machine or K-cup holder.
If your Keurig is out of warranty, you could manually make a hole in the bottom of each K-cup before putting it in the machine.
Another option is to buy a new K-cup holder from Amazon. The linked K-cup holder fits most Keurig coffee makers.

Clean The Bottom Needle

Besides being broken, the needle at the bottom of the K-cup holder can also get clogged with minerals or old coffee.

This blockage can cause too much pressure to build up inside the K-cup. As a result, coffee can spill over the top of the K-cup and carry coffee grounds into your cup. This can also cause your Keurig to leak all over the counter.

You can clean the bottom needle like the top one. Just take a paperclip, push it into the needle, and wiggle it a bit. After that, rinse it out by brewing a cup of water without a K-cup in the machine.

Puncture The K-Cups Before Use

The final potential issue with the bottom needle is that it might not be sharp enough to pierce the K-cups anymore, you’ll have to do some things manually in this case.

When you place the K-cup in the holder, push down on it slightly to make sure the needle pierces the bottom.

Or, you could use a needle to pierce the K-cup before you put it in the holder.

This could be more necessary if you’re using K-cups from a brand other than Keurig. Some brands use different types of seals, like paper, which can be harder for the coffee maker to puncture.

Don’t Use K-Cups That Are Too Old

The ground coffee in a K-cup begins to release gases over time. This causes pressure to build up inside the K-cup. If you then use this old K-Cup that has too much pressure, it might burst when you shut the lid and begin brewing.

This could cause a large rip in the K-cup’s seal. When the coffee brews, coffee grounds will then leak from the K-cup into your cup.

Reusable K-Cup

If you’re using a reusable K-Cup, double-check to make sure it’s tightly sealed before placing it in your Keurig coffee machine. These reusable cups can lose their seal more quickly than regular K-cups.

Also, don’t use coffee that is too finely ground. The Keurig coffee maker could have a hard time getting the water through, leading to an overflow and grounds ending up in your coffee or your Keurig only brewing a half cup of coffee.

Instead, use a coarse grind and fill it up to the lower part of the brown strip, which equals around 2.5 tablespoons.

Hold The Lid Down While Brewing

Another suggestion is to keep the lid of your Keurig coffee machine pressed down while it’s brewing coffee.

Over time, the lid might lose its firmness, preventing it from closing correctly and again, causing coffee grounds to end up in your drink.

Conclusion

Keeping your Keurig coffee maker in top shape involves several steps, from replacing worn or damaged components, cleaning the needles, using K-cups properly, to ensuring a tight lid closure.

Regular maintenance can help prevent coffee grounds in your brew.

However, if these solutions don’t rectify the problem, don’t hesitate to reach out to Keurig customer support, if you’re still under warranty they may send you a replacement machine.

Thanks for reading!