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Do Keurigs Get Hot Enough to Kill Bacteria? (Everything YOU Need to Know to Be Safe!)

If you’re a coffee drinker, chances are you’ve seen a Keurig in action. And if you’re a coffee drinker who likes to keep things clean, maybe you’ve wondered if those Keurig machines are actually as sanitary as they seem.

The short answer is yes—Keurig machines get hot enough to kill bacteria and germs, so your coffee will be safe to drink.

The longer answer is that not all germs are killed in a Keurig machine. The temperature and time it takes for Keurigs to kill bacteria vary depending on the model.

Key takeaways

  • Keurig machines can reach temperatures high enough to kill most bacteria, with most single-serve coffee machines reaching about 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • The minimum temperature to kill bacteria is usually between 140 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and Keurigs can exceed these temperatures.
  • While Keurigs can kill bacteria in the water used for brewing, they do not produce sterilized water suitable for medical purposes.
  • Regular cleaning and maintenance, including using vinegar or peroxide to clean the machine, cycling out water regularly, and using distilled water, can help prevent bacteria growth and mold formation in Keurig machines.
  • It is important to be cautious with the hot water produced by Keurigs to avoid burns, as the water can be very hot and may cause damage if mishandled.

Does Keurig get hot enough to kill bacteria?

A Keurig can get hot enough to kill bacteria, which it often does. Most bacteria die at about 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Most single-serve coffee machines get to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. For those bacteria that do not die at 104, the vast majority of bacteria cannot sustain a temperature of over 140 degrees.

What temperature kills bacteria?

The minimum temperature to kill bacteria is usually between 140 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Some bacteria are highly resistant to extreme heat.

In most cases, almost 99% of all bacteria are killed at boiling point temperatures above 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

The optimal temperature for bacteria to flourish is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature at which bacteria begin to grow at their fastest pace.

This is why you’ve seen that the FDA has recommended that the internal temperature of chicken be above 165 degrees Fahrenheit for at least a certain amount of time.

How long should bacteria be exposed to that hot water

Not only are 140 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit the lowest temperatures that will kill all bacteria, but you also have to take into account how long the bacteria are exposed to these temperatures.

The FDA has recommended that you keep the temperature at 165 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 minutes. This should be enough time to kill the bacteria that are present.

The science behind Keurig’s ability to kill bacteria

Keurigs can reach a hot water temperature of 192 degrees Fahrenheit, which is enough to kill most bacteria that grow on them.

The heat from the hot water ends up breaking through the cell walls of the bacteria, letting the outside world see what’s inside the bacteria. This basically destroys the bacteria.

The benefits of Keurig’s bacteria-killing ability

There are tons of benefits to how quickly Keurig can kill bacteria.

First, it does help you ensure that the water you are getting is clean and free of bacteria. It can also be used to sanitize things like baby bottles and formula water.

It is also going to help you ensure that your machine does not grow bacteria and that it stays clean and bacteria-free.

This also means you are not going to have to worry about bacteria growth in the water that you are getting from your Keurig each time that you use it, which can be beneficial if that is something that you are worried about.

The drawbacks of Keurig’s bacteria-killing ability

There are some drawbacks, however; this means that the water coming out of the machine is going to be very hot.

This means that burns are very possible and even very probable if you are not being very careful with your Keurig.

Also, water this hot can cause some cups and plastics to melt, which can also be dangerous.

Very hot water, hot enough to kill bacteria, is going to be hot enough to scald and to cause a great deal of damage if you do drop it on yourself or other people, so you do need to be very careful when using this temperature of water.

What’s the hottest water you can get out of your Keurig?

If you go into your Keurig settings, you may discover that you can change the default brewing temperature.

Most Keurigs have a setting that controls the temperature up to 187 degrees Fahrenheit by default.

To change the brewing temperature on your Keurig, follow the steps below:

  1. Make sure the Keurig is turned on.
  2. Click on the Menu button several times until you see a flashing 3-digit number and a thermometer icon on the display. This is the brewing temperature.
  3. Click the up arrow button until the number is up to 192. Some Keurig models may have even higher numbers but most can get as high as 192 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. Press the Menu button again to save it.

What is the ideal temperature for brewing coffee?

Most people would say that the ideal brewing temperature for coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

This temperature range is hot enough to kill bacteria, making it safe to drink.

In their more advanced models, Keurig, Nespresso, and Tassimo are all popular coffee brands that meet this criterion.

However, many brands can only get as high as 195. But that’s okay. Most temperatures below 200 degrees Fahrenheit keep that bitter flavor from coming out of the coffee grounds.

Temperatures above 200 degrees Fahrenheit may also taste burned.

Why do coffee makers not boil water to make coffee?

Coffee makers, like Keurig and others, don’t need to brew at boiling temperatures.

Coffee makers use a heating element that heats the water to about 187 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius) at a minimum.

The optimal brewing temperature for coffee is somewhere between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90 and 95 degrees Celsius).

So why not just heat the water until it boils?

The answer lies in the science of coffee-making.

Boiling water would cause over-extraction of your grounds and produce an overly bitter brew.

To get this ideal flavor profile, you want your water heated just right—just enough to release all those delicious aromatic oils but not so much as to overdo it on bitterness or acidity.

Do Keurigs produce sterilized water?

There is a difference between water that has been cleaned and that does not have bacteria and water that is sterile.

Keurig coffee makers do not make sterilized water.

Keurig coffee makers can heat the water enough to kill the bacteria in that particular cup of water, but they will not produce sterile water that can be used for medical purposes.

How do I kill the bacteria in my Keurig?

If you have a Keurig and want to keep it clean and free of bacteria, you can clean the inside of the machine with vinegar or peroxide.

To do this, you need to put white vinegar into the machine and run a cleaning cycle.

The vinegar will kill off any bacteria inside the machine and will help to remove any buildup that might be present as well.

You can also run peroxide through your machine, as peroxide will also help to remove the bacteria and will help to clean the interior of the machine very well.

The best way to remove the bacteria in your machine is to use distilled water and clean your machine often.

Why does mold form in my Keurig?

There are a few reasons why you might have mold in your Keurig.

The first and most obvious reason is that you have a machine that has water in it when the cycle is done, and the water allows mold to grow in the warm and wet interior of the machine.

Many Keurig machines grow mold due to the machine not being used often enough.

If the water is allowed to sit in your Keurig for too long without being used or cycled out, it is going to likely help with the growth of bacteria.

How to prevent Keurig from forming bacteria\

1. Cycle clean your Keurig with vinegar

To begin, you should clean your machine on a regular basis. Make sure you clean it thoroughly and even use distilled vinegar to remove the buildup from inside the machine.

You also need to make sure you are running cleaning cycles often to help keep your machine free of things like calcium buildup and hard water buildup inside the machine.

2. Cycle out your water regularly

Make sure you are cycling out your water every couple of weeks. This means changing your water completely and cleaning the reservoir tank as well.

This is going to help prevent mold growth and remove any mold or bacteria that might be present in the tank.

3. Distilled water keeps your Keurig clean

Use only distilled water. This is not only going to help prevent mold growth, but it is also going to help prevent the growth of mold and mineral build-up as well.

4. Use the clean button feature

Running the cleaning cycle of the machine is also a great way to cut down on mold and help ensure that the internal components of the machine are clean and ready for daily use.

5. Use bottled water

Keurig says to use filtered or distilled water, but we think you should stick with bottled water.

Bottled water is regulated by the FDA and other agencies, so you can be sure that it is free of any dangerous bacteria.

6. Clean your Keurig regularly

You should clean your Keurig at least once a week to make sure it doesn’t get mold or mildew on the inside, which could contaminate your coffee or tea (or worse) when you make it in the future.

We recommend using vinegar as part of this cleaning process—vinegar has been shown by many studies over time to be effective at killing roughly 80 percent of all household germs and bacteria.

This isn’t considered a great disinfectant, but it’s better than water alone.

7. Clean the brewing chamber between uses

The brewing chamber where you put your K-Cups often gets dirty from residue from previous brews if left uncleaned for too long.

This means that every time someone uses their machine, they could potentially be drinking bacteria-infested liquid!

Make sure to give yours a good scrub with soap and hot water after each use so no one gets sick!

At the very least, you should try and rinse this chamber out with some running water.

8. Don’t let your Keurig become old and unused

The last thing you should do is use your machine frequently. Even if you are not using it to make coffee, at the very least run a cycle and run the water through the machine every day or so.

I know it sounds a bit silly, but leaving your electronics on a shelf and not using them for a long time might sometimes be bad for the machine.

It can either be from collecting dust and debris over the years or from being stalled for so long.

So dust off that Keurig and take it for a spin!

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