Ekobrew Universal Coffee Maker Review
Jennifer’s Rating: 3.8 Stars
In my research, one of the main things that people want to know : is a coffee maker “open platform”? It’s a more worry-free experience to not have to be concerned about the K-cups you are using not fitting, or being rejected. That’s when I began to explore the Ekobrew in greater depth.
UPDATE: As of today’s date (12/23/22) the Ekobrew has been discontinued. You can still find the reusable k-cup accessory here.
 This review is about the brewer, of course, and what makes it different from the other models. There are a number of great accessories sold separately, but first on to the nitty gritty of the Ekobrew brewer, which also includes a refillable pod for your enjoyment.
Dimensions
Measurements: 14″ L x 9.25″ W x 15.5″ H; 6 pounds.Â
The removable drip tray, once removed, it will accommodate a taller cup up to 7 inches Â
What’s Included
In addition to the unit, there is also the added bonus of a refillable K-cup for you to use your own grounds.The Ekobrew includes a 1 year warranty.
 Compatible Ekobrew Accessories
- Ekobrew Stainless Steel Elite Refillable K-Cup
- Optional Coffee Paper Filter for Ekobrew
- Ekobrew Cleaning Tablets, Package of 10
- Ekobrew Refillable K-Cup for Keurig 2.0 and 1.0 Brewers
Features
- Color: Black with stainless steel accents.
- A stop and restart option, illuminated water level indicator.Â
- Included with your brewer is a reusable brown K-cup filter for your own grounds. Flexibility with all kinds of K-cups.
Buttons and Controls
The Ekobrew has Auto shutoff, 6, 8, and 12 oz brew sizes. Three buttons on the front, below the power button that indicate the different cup sizes.
Now if you’re not too technophobic, you can reset the brew size settings on this machine (factory settings are aforementioned, 6, 8, and 12) following the directions in the included user manual. 4, 8, and 10 oz, OR 8, 10, and 12 oz are the other size options. A far as how accommodating with cup/mug size, it can manage a 16 oz travel mug with no problem.
The brew size lights flash on and off indicating “not ready†mode.
Reservoir
The water tank will hold 46 oz of water which is mid-range and should last through at least 6-7 brewings of the same size before refilling.  I like the blue LED lighting on the water level side and the little pinhole near the top max fill line where you know you aren’t supposed to pour water beyond.
General Use
The process is pretty cut and dried. When you’ve loaded ‘er up, you’ll want to hit the power button and wait for the flashing light to cease, from then you’ll choose your brew size on one of the 3 buttons on the front. Two beeps later, and presto, hot coffee!
One thing you’d come to appreciate with this unit is the fact that you can do a periodic stop and restart.
Ekobrew Consumer Reviews
The positive reviews followed a typical pattern of “small kitchen footprint†“appealing in appearance†“fast heatup from a cold start†and “no k-cup type ambiguity†Walking away from the unit and auto-shutoff kicking in made for a worry-free experience.
As I always try to remain impartial when discussing what one-cup coffee makers do and don’t do well, I did run into a few not-so-good issues here and there regarding the Ekobrew. One reviewer said regarding the motor noise that her daughter said it sounded “like a plane about to landâ€
It seemed this opinion was voiced a good number of times-including the 5-star reviews which is telling me that it’s a minor inconvenience; plus the noise is mostly vibrational from the drip tray, which could be easily remedied by using a measure of absorbance such as a towel or mouse pad under it. This seemed to be a prevailing opinion of at least half the owners. Although I have a 
friend who owns one of these, it didn’t seem that bad when I watched it in action.
I felt like, up-close, and a few others did as well, that the channel for the mug to go in seemed narrow. Like many units, it does have a fairly good height however, the width threshold is only about 3.25″. Ergo…I think the Ekobrew would be great for people on the go as it seems to have a greater allowance for slightly taller, narrower travel cups.
There is the occasional reporting of grounds spewing, however this was an isolated case that necessitated replacement which appeared to be handled well. (If you were to toss a quarter in a room it would certainly hit someone who knew of one of these coffeemakers doing this. You’re bound to hear this story regardless of the unit.)
This video is brief but shows a good live demo of the Ekobrew in action here (Video Courtesy of fubag)
Pros: What I liked best about the Ekobrew
- Nice size
- Quick heatup from a cold start
- Small pinhole in the water reservoir to make it easy to avoid overfilling
- Open platform brewing with which you can use any Kcup brands
- Option to stop and restart brewing cycles
- Great customer service
Cons: What I didn’t like as much
- Under-chamber brewing clearance space is a little more narrow than most units
- A little noisy according to some
- A few negative performance reports
Price
Personally, it’s great – hard to beat for what you are getting – a machine that can brew your own grounds and is compatible with Keurig 1.0 and 2.0 K-cups, plus you’re getting the addition of a refillable pod too.
At the time the price I saw was under $100; you can check here to see if that’s still the case
UPDATE: The Ekobrew is no longer available but you can still buy the Universal K-cup here
Conclusion
For those of you who have never heard of them, they sound like a great company and based out of Washington State (but don’t quote me on that one for sure) and are breaking ground with their refillable K-cup line that earned them a Housewares Design award.
As their name implies, their products have an eco-awareness game plan. So if you live by the motto “Make coffee, not waste” the refillable K-cups are definitely worth a look and are compatible with many brewer models, with a few exceptions
Customer service accessible, the EkoBrew company can be reached through Amazon on their seller page.
A versatile coffee maker that is affordable and enjoyable for multiple uses, without all the bells and whistles. I would recommend this brand and brewer based on extensive research, as well as Ekobrew’s line of related accessory products.
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