9 Best K-Cups to Buy at Starbucks: Our Favorite Flavors

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 1st, 2023

Now more than ever, the popularity of K-Cups has been at its peak. This is not surprising because brewing through this method is easy and provides you with a delicious cup of Joe.


But with its fame comes the rise of the K-Cup variants in the market, and choosing which to try is almost overwhelming. So here, we’ll give out our best bets on Starbucks K-Cups and break them down for you too!

Starbucks Cups

Who does not know Starbucks? I bet pretty much no one! The coffee brand has over 21,000 stores in around 65 countries, supporting around 150,000 employees. The brand serves more than 40 million people weekly and holds 4 billion worth of coffee sales annually. 

Thankfully, we can now brew the Starbucks way as they now offer K-Cups! A K-Cup has unique components:

  • Plastic outer casing to block air and moisture to preserve freshness
  • Foil seal to also block out oxygen and moisture 
  • Permeable paper filters for maximum extraction

 Let us walk you through the different flavors and hear what we have to say about them.

Best Starbucks K-Cups for Keurig

Starbucks Pike Place K-Cups

This is a roasted medium with delicious notes of toasted nuts and cocoa. It gives off an insanely rich flavor with that beautiful aroma. The coffee beans are 100% arabica and do not contain any cholesterol. Each pack comes with 40 pods, and this roast is also available in a decaf opinion. However, the brand has received reviews that the pods look inflated only to give a fuller illusion.

Top features

  • Toasted nuts and cocoa hints
  • 100% arabica beans
  • Keurig-compatible

Pros

  • Delicious and rich coffee
  • Available in decaf
  • Easy to use

Con

  • Over-inflated

Starbucks Breakfast Blend K-Cup

The Starbucks Breakfast Blend is roasted medium with an exotic and rich flavor with a hint of citrus flavors. It also comes in zero cholesterol and is 100% arabica. Plus, this is free from any calories! A downside is that this variant sometimes gets stale or damaged. 

Pros

  • The exotic and tangy flavor
  • 100% arabica beans
  • Easy to use

Con

  • Sometimes arrive stale or damaged

Starbucks French Roast Coffee K-Cup

Do you like dark coffee? Then this Starbucks French Roast Dark Coffee K-Cups is a must-try! The pods are very easy to use and come with no cholesterol. The coffee beans are made of 100% arabica as well. However, note that this may not be as strong as you need if you’re a chronic dark coffee drinker. 

Pros

  • Dark and rich-bodied coffee
  • 100% arabica beans
  • Zero cholesterol

Cons

  • It may not be as strong
  • Loose foil lids

Starbucks Plus Madagascar Vanilla K-Cups

This variant is a mix of the sweetness of vanilla and the strong taste of coffee. This coffee is strong enough to keep you up without that extreme bitterness, especially since it’s made of 100% arabica beans. Some users, however, reported experiencing stomach upset with this coffee.

Pros

  • 100% arabica
  • Easy to use
  • Sweet vanilla flavor

Cons

  • Subpar packaging
  • Loose foil covers
  • May cause stomach upset or cramps

Starbucks Caramel K-Cups

As the term implies, the Starbucks Caramel K-Cup Pods offer a rich caramel taste that’s buttery smooth, and sweet. It’s easy to use and is also made of 100% arabica beans. However, this variant has got users complaining of packaging issues and staleness upon arrival.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Buttery smooth
  • Caramel flavor

Cons

  • Not the best flavor on our list
  • Loose foil covers
  • Some cups are defective

Starbucks Dark Roast Earthly Aroma Sumatra K-Cup

The Starbucks Dark Roast Earthly Aroma Sumatra K-Cup is an affordable pod with a spicy aroma of herbs. It is made of 100% arabica beans and is roasted dark.

Top features

  • Spicy notes
  • 100% arabica beans
  • Recyclable pods
  • 60 K-Cups a pack

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Full flavor in a cup
  • Delicious

Con

  • Not as dark as we hoped

Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Flavored Blonde Roast K-Cup

With flavors combining cinnamon and brown sugar, anyone with a sweet tooth would enjoy this. It is roasted blonde and is made of 100% arabica beans. It comes in a pack of 6 boxes, with each box containing 10 K-Cups. 

Top features

  • Blonde roast
  • 60 pods a pack
  • Delicious cinnamon and brown sugar notes

Pros

  • Balanced flavor
  • Reasonable price

Con

  • Unmarked package

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Flavored Seasonal Blend K-Cup

Who does not know what Pumpkin Spice is until now? This is a seasonal blend from Starbucks and is now available in K-Cups. It is made of 100% arabica beans which house flavors from natural nuts mixed with pumpkin and cinnamon. Each box houses 32 K-Cups!

Top features

  • Natural flavors
  • 100% arabica beans
  • 32 pods a pack
  • Pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg blend

Pros

  • Rich body
  • It tastes closely to Starbucks’ actual Pumpkin Spice
  • Perfect for fall

Con

  • Some find it a little bitter

Starbucks Blonde Roast Veranda Flavor K-Cup

This easily wins our best bet for a lighter roast. It comes in a sour flavor and is roasted blonde using 100% arabica beans. It tastes bright with notes of toasted malt flavor you’ll surely enjoy! Every cup of this brew has a lighter body and tamed flavors, giving off a delightful balance. 

Top features

  • Blonde roast
  • 100% arabica beans
  • 32 pods a pack

Pros

  • Strength is lighter
  • Reasonable price
  • Rich and full-bodied

Con

  • The pod does not brew well in the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

Advantages of using K-Cups

  • Available in different flavors and coffee types
  • Maximum coffee extraction
  • The manufacturer sets the machine to brew using the correct coffee standards.
  • Easy to use, clean, and store

Buyer’s guide

Health benefits

We all know that coffee is packed with antioxidants that help fight diseases. Additionally, K-Cups are built with paper filters that eradicate cholesterol-raising compounds found in coffee.

Easy to use

With K-Cups, you no longer have to grind your beans nor buy and install paper filters. K-Cups scream convenience!

Roast level

  • Light roast: acidic and less bitter
  • Medium roast: balance in flavors with richness and smoothness
  • Dark roast: very bitter without the sourness

Compatibility

K-Cups may differ in size, so make sure only to purchase those compatible with the machine you have.

Nutrition

If you want extra nutritional value from your coffee, there are available K-Cups with turmeric or other herbs.

FAQs

Why should I opt for Starbucks K-Cups?

Arabica coffee from Starbucks isn’t your regular arabica beans. Instead, the company sources and grows only with the highest standards, so you’ll have the best quality.

Can K-Cups be harmful?

K-Cups are made of BPA-free plastic to ensure safety. So yes, it’s a safe way to brew your coffee!

How much caffeine does a Starbucks K-Cup contain?

Generally, a Starbucks K-Cup has 130 mg of caffeine per 8 liquid ounces.

Final thoughts

We have listed down our top picks for Starbucks K-Cups. But if you want more, you may also look into the best-tasting hazelnut K-Cups and strongest K-Cups!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. Remember to support us by purchasing through the Amazon/Walmart/Impact Radius links provided. Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.