Keurig’s K-Elite machine was made for iced coffee lovers

Iced coffee is a delicious way to get your morning dose of caffeine.

But, as anyone who’s ever ordered one knows, iced coffee tends to be more expensive than your average cup of joe. A plain, grande-sized iced coffee at Starbucks, for example, will cost you more than $2. Making the morning treat at home, however, isn’t as simple as just brewing a pot of coffee. That is, until now.

The geniuses at Keurig have come up with a new solution to make iced coffee right at home — and for a lot less money.  The new K-Elite coffee maker is the first Keurig with ice capabilities, meaning it has an actual button specifically for iced coffee.

How does it work? Simply fill a 16-ounce tumbler (not glass) with ice, insert your favorite K-Cup pod (any kind will work!), then select the “iced” button. The beverage will come out hot and chill over ice for a full-flavored iced coffee.

I know what you’re thinking — can’t I just, you know, put a cup of ice under a different Keurig? Yes, you can.

However, Keurig says if you brew hot coffee with the non-iced setting and then put it over ice, it will end up watered down and with melted ice. The iced button is designed, instead, to make the coffee hot so it has the full flavor of brewed coffee, but with the correct strength and flavor so that when it cools over the ice, it ends up tasting like full-flavored coffee that happens to be iced.

Keurig also partnered with some recipe creators for the launch of the K-Elite, coming up with some drinks that include an iced caramel macchiato that includes your favorite K-Cup, milk, vanilla syrup, whipped cream and caramel.

The K-Elite coffee maker costs $139. The price of a box of K-Cups varies depending on the brand, but for an idea, a 72-count box of medium roast coffee from Amazon costs $28.79, or 40 cents a cup.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, Mr. Coffee has its own version of an iced coffee maker that retails for just $34.99 at Target.

Are you an iced coffee lover or do you prefer it hot?