Are you having trouble with your Keurig leaking water or coffee from the top? This can cause a messy situation and be a nuisance to clean up. Many Keurig users have experienced this issue.
Fortunately, understanding why this is happening and how to fix it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are some simple tips you can take to prevent your machine from leaking on top.
Let’s get started!
Reasons & Fixing Keurig Leaking From Top
Overfilling Reservoir
If you have a Keurig that has a removable water tank, it is important not to fill it all the way up to the top. When the water gets hot, it will expand, and if the water tank is already full to the top, the pressure from the expanding water will cause it to leak over the edge. To avoid this, leave some room at the top of the water tank when filling it with water.
For Keurig Mini users, since the water tank is not removable, you should use a measuring cup or mug to add water. It is important to make sure you add between 6-12 oz of water. If you add more than 12 oz of water, it could lead to leakage. Following these steps and ensuring that the water tank is not overfilled can help prevent leaking from the top.
Defective K-Cups
Using the wrong coffee pod can be a source of your Keurig leaking from the top. Third-party coffee pods or reusable capsules might not fit properly in the K-cup holder and can lead to a misaligned lid, which prevents the needles from penetrating the pod, causing water to leak out. To fix this issue, try using an official K-cup instead to see if it solves the problem. If it doesn’t, you may need to move on to the next step.
Descale Keurig
If your Keurig coffee maker has started to leak from the top, descaling it is a great place to start. Descaling helps remove mineral buildup and other contaminants from the machine’s internal parts, preventing further potential problems. It’s important to descale your Keurig every three to six months or more frequently if you use Hard Water. If your machine has been sitting for a long time, you should descale it immediately.
To descale your Keurig, you only need a descaling solution and a few minutes of your time. Follow the directions on the packaging of the descaling solution, then run multiple brewing cycles of plain water to remove any remaining residue inside your brewer. Doing this regularly will keep your Keurig working properly and prevent it from leaking.
- Better tasting beverages: Reduces flavor carry over between brews
- Quickest way to clean your k cup pod holder: Rinse away residue and oils that can build up in your coffee maker
Lid Not Closing Tightly
When troubleshooting your Keurig leaking water or coffee from the top, the first thing you should check is that the lid of the machine is closing tightly. To do this, simply lower the lid and make sure that it is completely shut. This will help to provide the necessary pressure in order for the K-Cup to be held securely in place. If the lid is loose, then this can cause the water pressure to build up in the chamber and push the grinds of coffee into your cup. In this case, it is best to contact Keurig support to see if they can guide on fixing the issue.
Dirty Entrance Needle
One reason Keurig leaks from the top could be that the entrance needle is dirty or clogged. The entrance needle is located inside the K-Cup holder and is used to puncture the coffee pod so that the hot water can flow through. If the entrance needle is blocked or clogged, the water may not be able to get through and will end up spilling out of the top of the machine.
To clean the entrance needle, check my needle cleaning instructions.
Damage K-Cup Holder
After trying all the above steps and still, the leaking problem is not solved. There are two possible causes of them. The first is that you have not cleaned out the needle properly. To resolve this problem, try to clean the needle again according to the instructions above. If it still does not work, the other possible cause may be an issue with the cup holder housing.
Replacing the K-cup holder is pretty easy. To do this, turn off your brewer and unplug it from the power outlet. Then take hold of the edge of the pod holder and gently pull it away from the brewer. Attach the new holder by aligning the tabs with the holes and gently push them into place. Once you have done this, plug in your brewer and turn it on. You may need to run a cleaning cycle before use.
More Advance Issues
Leaking from the top of your Keurig coffee machine is often caused by damaged internal parts. This could include broken seals or valves, pipe holes, or water chamber blockages. To diagnose the exact cause of the leak, it is important to disassemble your machine and inspect the interior components.
Therefore, I highly recommend you contact Keurig Support for help at 866-901-2739 or look for one of these Keurig replacement alternatives. With their help, they can provide you with advice on how to identify and replace any damaged parts that may be causing the leak.
