One of the easiest and quickest ways to make an iced coffee is to use a single-serve coffee maker with an Over Ice setting. And that’s exactly what Keurig has to offer in these two coffee machines.
And since Keurig has several models with the Iced coffee function, I came across this question a lot recently:
What’s the difference between Keurig K-Iced vs K-Slim + Iced?
The main difference is quite subtle, but has a big impact:
- Keurig K-Iced (released 2023) allows you to brew Over Ice using any of its serving sizes (8, 10 or 12 oz).
- Keurig K-Slim + Iced (Released 2022) doesn’t allow you to select a serving size when doing Over Ice. Instead, it only does one standard over ice size.
Below, I’ll write the differences between Keurig K-Iced and K-Slim + Iced in details.
But before that, let me explain what exactly Keurig Over Ice is and what it does.
Keurig Over Ice: What Does This Setting Do?
I know many people are under the impression that for a coffee maker to make Iced coffee, it has to brew coffee cold. But that’s not possible, because there’s no way for coffee grounds to extract using ice cold coffee.
What is Keurig Over Ice, then?
Using the Over Ice setting, your Keurig will do the following:
- It will adjust the temperature of the brew, only slightly. It will start by using hot water, because that is required for coffee grounds to brew, then it will cool it down a bit.
- It will take the amount of ice into your brew size. So, to make an 8 oz over ice coffee, Keurig will dispense 4 oz of concentrated coffee only. The other 4 oz is accounted for with the ice you added. Because as soon as the coffee hits the ice, it will start to melt and add into the coffee volume.
Using these two factors, Keurig Over Ice makes a strong iced coffee that will not taste diluted when mixed with ice, water or milk.
Keurig K-Iced vs Keurig K-Slim + Iced – Top Differences
When comparing Keurig K-Iced and Keurig K-Slim Iced, there are few differences to consider. The K-Iced is a newer model and it’s less expensive than the K-Slim + ICED. And despite the price difference, the K-Iced offers more features and has a sleeker and more compact design.
Keurig Over Ice Serving Sizes
One of the major differences between the two models is the Over Ice setting.
The K-Slim + Iced has a button that brews 6 oz through a coffee K-Cup to give you a concentrated coffee to brew into ice. It doesn’t give you the choice of selecting which brew size you want, it simply assumes you’re making a full 12 oz coffee and does a 6 oz coffee brew.
On the other hand, Keurig K-Iced allows you to select either 8, 10, or 12 ounces for Over Ice setting. When you brew an 8-ounce coffee with the Over Ice button selected, it will brew 4 oz of coffee and the remaining volume will come from the ice. Same goes for the other serving sizes.
Keurig Hot Coffee Serving Sizes
Keurig K-Iced and K-Slim + Iced also do hot coffee, just like any other Keurig coffee machine.
Hot coffee servings work just as expected, you will get the full serving size you select.
Both K-Iced and K-Slim + Iced have the same serving sizes: 8, 10 and 12 oz.
Strong Brew option, which steeps your coffee longer for a stronger flavor, is available on K-Iced only.
So two main differences stand out here:
- Keurig K-Iced will allow you to select your Over Ice serving size, while K-Slim + Iced does one serving of Over Ice.
- Keurig K-Iced has a strong brew button, K-Slim + Iced does not have this feature.
Design Differences
| Keurig K-Iced Dimensions | Keurig K-Slim + ICED Dimensions |
| 12.9″D x 5.1″W x 12.6″H | 15.2″D x 4.76″W x 12.14″H |
There are actually some design differences between Keurig K-Iced vs Keurig K-Slim + Iced:
Keurig K-Iced is overall more compact in size. It has less depth than the K-Slim, but other dimensions are about the same, give or take.
It has its buttons on the front panel of the machine, and has a 42 oz removable water tank in the back.
Keurig K-Slim + Iced has a larger 46 oz reservoir, but that’s hardly a major difference. The buttons on the K-Slim are on top of the machine on its lid.
Overall, both machines have that classic Keurig brewer look, but the K-Iced has a modern and sleeker touch to it.
Keurig K-Iced vs K-Iced Plus – What’s the Difference?
Keurig K-Iced Plus is a version of the K-Iced that is exclusive to Target. And from what I’m seeing, it’s a rebranded and improved version of the K-Slim + Iced:
Features of Keurig K-Iced Plus
- Serving sizes: 8, 10 and 12 oz
- 46 oz water reservoir
- Over Ice function – works with all serving sizes.
- Strong Brew option
The design of the Keurig K-Iced Plus is identical to K-Slim + Iced, with the same button placement and overall design.
But they’ve added the ability to brew Over Ice using any serving size and added the strong brew option. So Keurig has over-corrected the K-Slim + Iced with the K-Iced Plus!
Comparing Coffee Quality
When it comes to the taste of the coffee, both the Keurig K-Iced and the Keurig K-Slim + Iced do a great job. They both produce a hot cup of coffee with a temperature of around 163 degrees. However, the K-Iced has a strong brew option, which the K-Slim + Iced does not have. So, if you prefer a stronger cup of coffee, the K-Iced might be a better choice for you.
Essentially speaking, both K-Iced and K-Slim + Iced are the same machine, so you can expect the same quality of coffee. The difference here in brew options, only.
Which One To Buy?
At this point, the K-Slim + Iced is considered old and outdated, so I won’t recommend it unless it’s deeply discounted. But never for its full price, it’s totally not worth it.
So it’s between Keurig K-Iced or K-Iced Plus, which of these should you get?
The only added benefit you are getting from the K-Iced Plus is the larger water reservoir. Which is only larger by 4 oz, that’s barely a reason to pay more.
Design wise, the K-Iced has it’s buttons on the front side of the machine, while K-Iced Plus has the buttons up on its lid, which actually makes them more accessible.
Between the K-Iced and K-Iced Plus, you’re really getting the same coffee and same experience, you just have to decide on the design you want. It’s that simple.
Keurig Compatible Pods
As both machines are Keurig brewers, K-Iced and K-Slim + Iced use Keurig K-Cup pods only. K-Cup pods are widely available from so many coffee brands, and they can be easily purchased online or from grocery stores and supermarkets. You won’t have any trouble getting K-Cup pods that you like.
Iced Coffee K-Cup Pods
Since we’re all about Iced coffees here, you’ll be happy to know that brands like Dunkin’, Green Mountain, Donut Shop… they all make Iced Coffee K-Cup Pods.
How are these different than hot coffee k-cup pods?
They’re just roasted darker so they taste strong and hold up to the added iced, cold water or milk. You can still brew them hot, if you want, but the suggested serving is over ice.
Iced Tea K-Cup Pods
Want to switch things up from Iced coffee to iced tea? there’s a K-Cup pod just for that! You’ll also find several iced tea k-cup pods that are also formulated to taste great as an Over Ice brew.
Hot Coffee Pods
There’s a huge selection of coffee K-Cup pods from any brand that can cross your mind! And whether you go for Keurig K-Iced or K-Slim+ICED, you can still brew hot coffee in your favorite serving size.
Refillable K-Cup Pods
If you don’t want to keep purchasing K-Cup pods, you have the option of using a refillable K-Cup pod that you can fill using your favorite coffee ground.
There’s a refillable K-Cup pod available from Keurig, or you can purchase generic refillable K-Cup pods, all are compatible with Keurig brewers.
Features of Keurig K Iced
The Keurig K-Iced has the basic features you need in a Keurig brewer:
- 3 serving sizes: 8, 10 and 12 oz
- Over Ice Setting
- You can brew over Ice or regular hot coffee.
- Strong brew setting
K-Iced has simple button controls, with a dedicated button for every brew size. It does not have any advanced features like temperature settings, or an LCD display or WiFi connectivity.
This brewer is for anyone who wants a simple K-Cup brewer that can does several cup sizes, over ice and strong brew with a push of a button.
K-Iced is simple to use, compact in size and can be used anywhere around the house, in an office or even a dorm room where space it limited.
Features of Keurig K-Slim + Iced
Keurig K-Slim + Iced is a previous model to the K-Iced. It has almost the exact same features:
- Over Ice setting
- Serving sizes: 8, 10 and 12 oz.
- Button selections for each serving size.
But it actually lacks two of K-Iced features: Strong Brew option and the ability to choose any serving size for Over Ice brewing.
Like the K-Iced, K-Slim is one of Keurig’s basic brewers with no advanced features. It was released as a slim and compact model and a great choice for anyone limited in space. And it does exactly that.
