Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker

This is the 2nd Keurig machine that I have owned, the previous being a K145 OfficePro that I had for almost 10 years. I bought the new machine because the K145s cup size selector switch started to malfunction, probably from the contacts getting worn out from use. Being an engineer, I know that this only happened because of inferior design and/or parts quality. Neverthless, I was able to grab this unit on sale for labor day. I'm not sure if I would have paid full price for it, but it seems to be worth what I paid. I have made several observations after using this machine for over a month, hopefully to help the rest of you make an informed buying decision. Pros: - Makes better coffee than my K145. I would imagine this is due to Keurig changing the time and/or water delivery speed of the brewing process. Using good-quality K-Cups, it makes coffee on par with using a good-quality drip machine (like my Ninja). The coffee is notiably richer and more full-bodied compared with the K145 using the same K-Cups. This was a surprize to me, as I expected just a more expensive version of the old machine. Being that I love good coffee, this alone would have justified the purchased in my book. - The pump makes half of the noise that the K145 did. This is also a plus because I get up early for work and don't want to disturb the rest of the family. The brew time is about the same. - The machine now allows 2 extra cup size selections -- 14oz and 4oz, 1 larger and 1 smaller (by 2 oz) than on the K145. - The machine will dispense hot water to make tea or hot chocolate. I can't comment on this feature yet, as I have yet to use it. - The water tank is 20%-30% larger than on the K154, leading to more time between refills. - This machine is compatible with non-Keurig K-Cups, as there is no barcode reader in the machine. Don't get me started. Cons: - The water tank was a product of the 'function follows form' perspective of some marketing idiot. The tank doesn't have any convenient surfaces to grip it in one hand, and due to it's compound curves is difficult to reinsert into the machine correctly. It's a 2-handed operation, due to their wanting to hide the water tank and make it look like the other half of the machine from an industrial design perspective. Mildly annoying. - The water tank doesn't have a window on the front to check the water level. Another brilliant design choice. Now I have to peek around the side to determine how much water is left. - The menu system of the digital pad is mildly confusing, and takes a little getting used to. It's not terrible, but it could be more user friendly. Playing with the settings using trial and error is more useful than trying to read the manual, which was probably written by the same person who designed the water tank. All-in-all, the better quality of the coffee, the larger water tank, and the quieter operation justifies the upgrade. Reccommended, with a few reservations.