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Hacking for Dummies: Keurig 2.0 How to Brew Any and All K-Cups in the Keurig 2.0 By: Ronald Ryder Introduction So you recently bought a Keurig 2.0 and can’t contain your excitement; you run home, rip it out of the box and set it up, throw in an old k-cup and behold…the high-tech coffee maker won’t brew it (see Figure 1)! How could this be you ask? Keurig has sneakily implemented a design meant to give them the upper hand in K-cup distribution and production. Beginning with the Keurig 2.0, Keurig brewers now include a scanning system that looks for a code on the K-cup in order to proceed with brewing. Simply put, if the product in the machine does not contain the code, the machine will not allow brewing. The implementation of such a system has caused problems for customers who choose to use different, cheaper brands of K-cups. In addition, customers who choose to use K-cups that leave smaller carbon footprints, which do not include the plastic casing the traditional K-Cup has come under environmental scrutiny for, run into problems as well. However, do not fear, a simple hack that takes minutes to implement is here! The following is a comprehensive instruction set that will show you how to make your Keurig 2.0 brew any type of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate you put in it. Material/Tools Needed: - Keurig 2.0 Brewing Machine - One (1) new K-Cup with barcode Figure 1: Error screen on Keurig 2.0 when a non-Keurig certified K-Cup is placed into brewer.

Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

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Page 1: Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

Hacking for Dummies: Keurig 2.0How to Brew Any and All K-Cups in the Keurig 2.0

By: Ronald RyderIntroduction

So you recently bought a Keurig 2.0 and can’t contain your excitement; you run home, rip it out of the box and set it up, throw in an old k-cup and behold…the high-tech coffee maker won’t brew it (see Figure 1)! How could this be you ask? Keurig has sneakily implemented a design meant to give them the upper hand in K-cup distribution and production. Beginning with the Keurig 2.0, Keurig brewers now include a scanning system that looks for a code on the K-cup in order to proceed with brewing. Simply put, if the product in the machine does not contain the code, the machine will not allow brewing. The implementation of such a system has caused problems for customers who choose to use different, cheaper brands of K-cups. In addition, customers who choose to use K-cups that leave smaller carbon footprints, which do not include the plastic casing the traditional K-Cup has come under environmental scrutiny for, run into problems as well. However, do not fear, a simple hack that takes minutes to implement is here! The following is a comprehensive instruction set that will show you how to make your Keurig 2.0 brew any type of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate you put in it.

Material/Tools Needed:- Keurig 2.0 Brewing Machine- One (1) new K-Cup with barcode- Scissors- Tape- Non Certified K-Cup

Figure 1: Error screen on Keurig 2.0 when a non-Keurig certified K-Cup is placed into brewer.

Page 2: Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

Warning: Keurig brewers contain sharp needles that pierce K-Cups in order to inject water through

them and make coffee and other drinks. Whenever working in the interior of the cup insertion area, use extreme caution and make sure to use a flashlight to avoid injury.

When working on the inside of the Keurig 2.0 brewer, unplug the system to prevent any chance of electric shock or burns from hot water.

Page 3: Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

Step One:Acquire a new, Keurig certified K-Cup (See Figure 2).

Note: Cheap sample packs that include four K-Cups are available at most grocery stores for around $2. Ensure the packaging clearly displays that the K-Cups are certified with the Keurig 2.0 brewer. If you can see the actual K-Cup, use the following diagram to ensure the K-Cup is Keurig 2.0 certified:

Step Two:With scissors, puncture the bottom plastic portion and begin to cut the top off of the Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup.

Note: Ensure to do this over a trash can, as coffee will surely fall out of the K-Cup. If you do not wish to waste the coffee, you can save the coffee in a small plastic bag and put it into a refillable K-cup (pictured in the materials/tools needed section) for later use; this hack will ensure the refillable K-Cup’s compatibility with the Keurig 2.0.

Step Three:

Figure 2: The above figure shows the difference between 1) a Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup (Left) and 2) a non Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup (Right). Notice the outer ring on the left K-Cup that includes a scanning code beneath its surface.

Page 4: Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

Continue to cut the Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup, keeping in mind that it needs to be as flat as possible in order to prevent interference with the Keurig 2.0 brewer.

Note: Take your time when cutting and ensure you do not cut any part of the label itself, otherwise revert back to step one and begin the process again.

Step Four:You are just moments away from freedom with your Keurig 2.0 brewer! Now simply attach the lid of the Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup to the top of any other brands K-Cup or refillable K-Cup with tape, or simply place the non Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup in the brewer and tape the top you just created to the machine itself. Both scenarios are pictured below.

Step Five:Insert your “hacked” Keurig 2.0 certified K-Cup into the Keurig 2.0 brewer.

Note: You can now enjoy any brand of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate sold on the market. For confirmation of success, you should see the following screen when using your “hacked” K-Cup:

Page 5: Instruction Set Keurig 2.0

Tips and Tricks:

Keep an eye out for lawsuit outcomes in the next few months. There are several class-action lawsuits against Keurig for their self-made monopoly over K-Cups with the introduction of the Keurig 2.0. You may be entitled to compensation once the outcomes to the above mentioned lawsuits come to fruition.

For a permanent solution to the problem, research San Francisco Bay Coffee Company, who is developing a specially fabricated piece that can be glued into the system to fix the problem simply and permanently.