As an owner of Keurig K-Cafe, you are probably a fan of milk based coffee drinks and have chosen that model for the built-in milk frother.
This frother, sadly, can encounter some issues and stop working out of the blue. But, it does not mean it’s dead. So in this post, I’ll help you try several solutions to get your K-Cafe to start working again.
Possible Reasons Your K-Cafe Frother Is Not Working And How To Fix It
Let’s break down common issues with the frother that can cause it to stop frothing and work on fixing them one by one…
You’re Trying to Froth and Brew at the Same Time
You’re pressing the Latte, Capp or Cold button to start the frothing process but nothing happens. The frother is not responding at all. Other times, the lights might start flashing but nothing is happening.
The Reason:
K-Cafe can’t brew and froth at the same time. If it used to be able to do that when you first bought it, it won’t continue as it ages. If you have just turned the machine on, and you hear some ‘gargling’ type of sound, that is the machine working to bring the water to hot temperature.
The Fix:
If you are indeed hearing the boiling water sound from the machine, then wait until it has finished heating up the water. After that, you can either brew or froth. If you choose to froth first, wait until it has finished completely then brew your K-Cup. If you attempt to press the brew button while the machine is frothing, nothing will come out, and vice versa.
You can press LATTE or CAPP on the frother while the machine is brewing. What will happen is the button will flash (indicating your choice), and it will wait until the brewing cycle is done and it will automatically start frothing. Sometimes, it will heat up water between the brew cycle and frothing, so you’ll have to wait for that to finish, too.
The Whisking Disc is Not Seated Properly
This is similar to the issue of the K-Cafe frothing beeping continuously. Sometimes, the frothing disc inside will move and bulge out. It is not noticeable, so you’ll have to check by hand.
The Fix:
After the frother is set in place, and before you add the milk, press the disc down to make sure it is seated properly in its place. If that doesn’t work, you can also try flipping in over.
The Whisk Disc Is Missing
The whisk disc (the small black piece the spins inside the frother) is what froths the milk. Without it, the frother does not work at all.
The Fix:
If you lost the disc inside the frother, you can get a replacement from Keurig.com.
The Frother Base is Not Clean
Sometimes, milk can drip into the base where the frother sits in the machine. This can cause the switch in the base to clog not allowing power to reach the frother.
The Fix:
You’ll want to make sure that there’s no milk residue or anything blocking that area. Never wash it with water, simply wipe it with a damp cloth and make sure to wipe it dry before using it.
Your Frother Is Working, But It’s Not Making Froth
If all is working fine, but the results of the froth is not what you have expected, it could be caused by the type of milk you are using.
The Fix:
Try different type of milks. Unfortunately, plant based milks always make the worst froth but if you want, you can try brands that have ones made specially for coffee use.
As for regular milk, full fat milk works best.
Conclusion
K-Cafe’s frother is known to be a bit fickley and wonky. From experience, most problems come from the disc not being placed correctly in place or because of dry milk residue not being cleaned out properly which is causing a block between the whisk and its base. The second reason would be the water heating and the machine simply having a mind on its own… it will just start heating up water delaying or stopping either the frothing or brewing process. So always be mindful of any ‘boiling’ sounds you hear. If you hear the water heating up, wait for it until it has finished before performing any task.
If all fails, you could have a faulty machine at hand. Make sure to call Keurig’s customer service for a replacement if your machine is still covered by warranty. If not, they’re most likely to offer you a discount for a new machine.
