single cup coffee makers

[redwing]

the ones where you use the little pucks for brewing;

anyone have one of these??

swmbo is REALLY interested in getting 1;

keurig seems to come up alot;

any reviews/comments/reccomendations from any & all would be appreciatec;



i still like my french press tho...

 

[JPDyson]

I've had both the Bosch/Tassimo system and the Keurig system. Two different Keurig brewers, in fact.

I started with the Keurig B70. A wonderful machine, very reliable. The K-cup selection and cost per unit is what drew me in. I found MANY K-cups I really liked (pretty much anything branded "Coffee People..." is great), but I got a little bored with it. Sometimes, it seemed to lack flavor to me. So, I sold it and bought the current Tassimo machine by Bosch. The cost per cup is higher, but the coffee seemed more robust. There were a lot of cool espresso-based drinks, latte combo-packs, etc... but I ran short of flavors I liked. The Starbucks T-discs are great (they're double-height, so they're bolder - really good) but you can only drink the same four flavors of Starbucks T-discs for so long, you know? So I shelved my Bosch/Tassimo and bought a refurb'd Breville K-cup maker This time around with the K-cups, they don't seem so bland. It might be that the Breville is a superior machine to the B70 - it's certainly quieter, and easier on the eyes. If you really want it strong, the B70 and the Breville both have a small brew size, and you can use that size to brew two K-cups into one good sized cup of coffee.

So that's a big YMMV, but for the money, K-cups are my current pick.

 

[boomer56]

At risk of going against the latest technology, I'd recommend a small Bodum press...the best single cup of coffee I enjoy on a regular basis.

Well worth it, and at much less cost...

Best,

Boomer

 

[stobes21]

At risk of going against the latest technology, I'd recommend a small Bodum press...the best single cup of coffee I enjoy on a regular basis.

Well worth it, and at much less cost...

Best,

Boomer

This is absolutely true. However, a french press requires more equipment (press, kettle, thermometer, timer, and probably a grinder if you're going for the best flavor), is messier, it takes quite a bit longer to make a cup, and your drink selection is limited. I enjoy french press coffee at home. But at work I don't want the hassle of the french press and enjoy being able to offer my clients many types of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate with the press of a button. So I use a Keurig B40 at work. I have dozens of drinks available, cleanup is as simple as opening the lid and throwing the used cup in the trash, and I can make a cup of whatever in just a few seconds. The quality of the coffee is fine -- equivalent to and sometimes even better than standard drip coffee from a home coffee maker when using pre-ground beans. It won't blow you away by any means, but it is a very satisfactory brew. In my office environment I am willing to accept the lower quality end product for the convenience the machine offers me.

As for the OP: I like my keurig. It's a lower-end model but I think the coffee it brews is fine. Most of the "extra bold" offerings make a strong cup without being too bitter. The higher end models give you more choices as to how many ounces it brews. For obvious reasons the smaller brew sizes will make for a stronger brew with the same k-cup. You may need to experiment a bit to find the best combo of k-cup and brew size for your tastes. I will second the recommendation for the Coffee People offerings. Donut Shop is probably my favorite k-cup. I will also recommend you buy most of your k-cups through amazon. They are significantly cheaper there and you can even set up a recurring order every month or 2 weeks or whatever to make sure you are always stocked. Try to pick up a sampler first though so you can try a bunch of different types.

Also note that you can buy a refillable k-cup that you put your own coffee into. This would end up being cheaper per cup and with good fresh beans and fresh grinding would almost certainly give you a better brew than with a commercial k-cup. But if you are going to go through that hassle you might as well just get a French Press.

 

[timmy]

I know this if for tea but works great with coffee as well.



It is a Finum Brewing Basket very fine mesh. Works great for a single cup of coffee. Unlike tea I wouldnt use coffee grounds twice.

 

[crankymoose]

I just picked up a Keurig B70 a couple weeks ago and am loving it.

No matter what method you use it is all about the coffee, you got to have good coffee (beans) to make a good cup no method can make bad coffee taste good.

I have a percolator, several drip machines and a Bodum, my favorite machine is my Capresso Teamlux which measures and grinds the beans so as long as the beans I buy are consistent each pot/cup is very consistent which is the strength of Keurig system.

 

[danek]

I've had the Keurig, but have gifted it to a bother. My parents still use theirs daily and we all are/were very happy with it.

My opinion is that it's a matter of cup quality vs. convenience. It is VERY convenient to have a grand selection of different flavored coffees at the push of a button. There is no clean-up, and it's terrific for guests to be able to have a cup of their choice at the precise time they are ready for it.

On the other hand, there are other methods that produce a better cup, but they all are messier, take more time, and require more devices.

I think the Keurig is a fine machine, and with the huge selection of k-cups available, there is a flavor for everyone.