I've had a Keurig for about a year now and I'm so spoiled I can't tolerate coffee from a pot anymore. The coffee tastes better from a Keurig in my opinion.

I don't know about your other questions.

He likes it but I prefer using an espresso machine with everyday ground coffee for cappuccinos or just a cafetiere for normal black coffee.

They'll take away my Keurig when they pry it from my cold, dead hands!

especially with heat. I wouldn't buy or use one under any circumstances.

It's a little metal mesh basket. You put any coffee you want in it and stick it in the machine.

I love the fact that I can make a cup at a time and have access to different roasts and blends.

I love that I can make relatively instant hot water for tea

Costco now has San Fransisco brand coffee in recyclable non plastic pods and it's at a reasonable price per cup

However... The cup of coffee, is just not as excellent as what I brew in my Capresso grind and brew by the pot.


I have used the reusable K cups. Check Amazon, they have a number of different options. I have the red one. I don't remember the brand off hand. I found it a PITA. It was annoying to fill and I found it messy. Once I found the Costco coffee, I stopped using it.

Never the less, I am in the middle of a kitchen renovation so I use my Keurig as my regular pot right now. I have grown accustomed to having my cup of Decaff in the afternoon now so I suspect it will find a home on my new counter-top.

The best thing about the Keurig is the convienience. As far as quality goes, you can beat it if you are grinding your own beans, but if you're using preground coffee, Keurig is a good way to go because each serving is sealed.

Keurig has different models at different price points. I don't think there's a big difference in quality between them, if any, but the more expensive models get you extra features like a water reservoir instead of having to pour in water for each cup.

I'm not that big on the reusable K-cups, but some people swear by them. I think it defeats the purpose of the Keurig and if you're going to go that route you'd be better off with an Aeropress and a kettle as the quality will be better and the cleanup will be easier.

As far as comparing it to other brands, I don't know if there's a big difference in quality. The main thing to look for is how much the pods (K-cups) are going to cost you as this is going to be your biggest expense over time. Staples seems to have the best prices on the K-cups. Sometimes you can find better deals.

This is my favorite K-cup:
http://www.bonton.com/sc2/shop/home/kitchen/coffee-tea/single-serve-coffee/the-original-donut-shop-extra-bold-coffee-36-pk-k-cup-portion-pack_715597.html

Add promo code FEBWHSE2014 and it takes the price down to $17.99 for 36 K-cups. Add code FREESHIP at checkout to get free shipping. This brings the price down to about 50 cents per cup, which is just about the best you'll find anywhere. If you are ready to buy a Keurig now I suggest you hop on this deal because it probably won't last long.

No tank. You just pour in the water, add the cup, and away it goes. Been much more durable than the tank machines, and oh so much quieter!

1) I loved it at first because it makes a great cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate very quickly. Now I wonder about it because sometimes it doesn't release all the water, so I only get half a mug of whatever I was making. I should google it and see if some part just needs to be cleaned or something.

2) I don't know because I have never used any other brand.

3) I bought a reusable cup and it works great. You'll save a lot of money if you get one and use it.

When k- cups were around 30 cents each, sure! Loved it. Now i have a kitchenaid single cupper using regular coffee and filter. Pod brewers are good too, and pods can be used in k cup holsters, but the whole point is cost vs convenience and they have now lost me but not before buying one b40 and two b30s (two bc one leaked).

B40 takes 30 seconds to brew, b30 takes one minute. I like the b30 better for this big difference: no holding tank, just enough for the one cup you are going to make. Because a holding tank gets grundgy and has to be cleaned with vinegar now and then. Stagnant water not worth the convenience.

Not all reuseable kcups work the same, but there are more choices now than when i used them.

I really loved using it before the price went up for kcups. Dont get a $150 fancy dancy thing, try a b30 should be under 100 bucks. B30 regular was better than b30 elite i forget why besides the fact it was the b30 elite that started leaking.

I think l lied about the brewing time, but the b30 is considerably slower ... maybe it was one minute v. three minutes.

The my k cup was worthless.

One thing i might try sometime, tho, is there are now k cup hot health juices, and of course there are teas.

The amount of waste involved in the k-cup machines is enormous.

However, I roast my own coffee and use a regular drip machine to make it...

I use one at work and don't like that the cup is pre-measured and the water is predetermined. It's better than a Mr. Coffee though.

But I'm obsessed with coffee and have tried just about every kind of coffee maker. My brewer of choice is a french press. I can adjust the amount of coffee and the brewing time based on my taste preference.

I also use a Bialetti stove top espresso maker which is, in my opinion, just as good as a $$$ brewer.

Both of these are inexpensive and don't need a power cord to function.

have you tried both and have opinions on them? I drink my coffee black with no sugar if that makes a difference...and I usually drink a pretty large cup a day but that's it - once in the morning and done.


as for OP, I tried one at a friend's house and thought it was just OK. She likes it though. I have other friends that got rid of theirs but I'd have to ask why as I don't remember the reason. He is just a gadget freak and buys every damn thing that comes out and loses interest in them quickly...

incidentally the gadgety friend wants me to get a chemex so he can see if he'd like it lol.

All I know is the best coffee I ever had was at a hotel banquet hall during a special dinner for work. Maybe it was being all dressed up and having fancily dressed waitstaff pouring coffee into real china cups out of silver coffee pots...No idea what coffee or brewing method they used but it was far and away the best coffee I've ever had and I haven't been able to duplicate it since then. Maybe I should get a butler. How much would that add to my daily cuppa joe budget?

The chemex is good too but it's a passive process; the hot water drips down through the grounds into the chamber below. With a french press, you time how long the water sits in the grounds and brews before plunging and forcing the coffee up away from the grounds.

For my taste, I like a dark roast bean (grinding your own is a must) - let it brew for about 4 minutes, stir, then plunge. I don't add sugar or cream either. You'll need to figure out the amount of coffee and how long to brew for your taste.

My experiences with banquet coffee has been horrible - sounds as if you got lucky! (btw, a french press is a whole lot cheaper than a butler )

"Hey Butler! Go buttle me some coffee!"


Actually, that's probably a good way to get spit coffee. Probably better if I buttled myself.


Thanks for the info!

And yeah, most all of my other banquet coffees have been just horrible. This was a fancy awards dinner in a fancy-ish hotel and I guess the boss sprang for the good stuff. I was shocked by how much I loved that coffee but didn't think to ask the waiter what they used. (For all I know it was just one of those big metal cans and I just got really lucky).

A French press is a full immersion method of making coffee, meaning the grounds are fully immersed in water and the brew time is controlled by you. The French press uses a metal filter which means more of the essential oils from the beans are going to make it through, which is a good thing (at least for some). It also means you get more sediment, which for me is no big deal because it will settle to the bottom of the cup and you just toss the last little bit. The Chemex is a pourover drip coffee maker meaning the water will start to drip through as soon as you pour the water over the grounds. The proprietary Chemex paper filters are heavier than normal drip coffee filters meaning they will absorb more sediment and essential oils. So the character of the coffee produced by the French press and Chemex will be quite different. You can also buy 3rd party reusable metal filters for the Chemex. There are other pourover coffee devices which work similar to the Chemex. The simplest of which is simply a filterholder which holds usually a conical paper or metal filter over the vessel of your choice (I like to use a glass vacuum carafe).

There is a device that's kinda like a pourover filterholder except it's also a full immersion device similar to the French press in that you pour in the water and you control the brew time. It's called the Clever Coffee Dripper. It starts to drip when you place it on top of your vessel as there is a valve on the bottom which activates. I haven't used my Chemex in some time because I like this one so much.

Got it at Teavana at the mall...

I saw Clever Coffee mentioned in some of the reviews for french presses but didn;t look it up then -so thanks! Looks pretty cool and I already understand the concept lol.

I suspect they are made by the same company.

I must be typing in a coma. The b40 holding tank is removeable, clean it like any other dirty dish. But the vinegar cleaning is needed like any coffeemaker or else you can use something made for cleaning them out. Without a holding tank you may still need to occasionally clean it like 2x /year, but using only springwater instead of tapwater for coffee helps, also healthier and tastes better.

costco has kirkland brand kcups for $75 after rebate (200 cups).

http://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature%E2%84%A2-Pacific-Bold-Coffee-200-K-Cup%C2%AE-Packs.product.100019128.html

Each cup is 11.5 grams of coffee, or 0.4 ounces. Multiple that by 200 cups, you are getting 81 ounces of coffee for $75. Rounding a bit here, that's a dollar an ounce or $16 per pound of coffee.

Kirkland brand whole coffee beans, depending on the roast you buy, average around $6/lb according to their website.

Personally, I wouldn't get into a scheme where the price of a normal product I use daily is jacked up 200-300% because of disposable packaging.

I just use a french press. My husband's office just got a cafejo (french press that uses k-cups), and the first thing he did is buy himself a reusable cup for it so he can still use normal coffee. But I don't see why someone would get that instead of a regular french press.

1) Love. Not as good as french pressed coffee from fresh ground beans, but way better than any drip coffee maker I have ever had.

2) Don't know.

3) I have the reusable "EZ Cup", which I use with little tiny filters (also made by EZ Cup) to make cleaning easier. Not sure if the filters are required or optional. I had another reusable pod (the one made by Keurig) and I didn't like that one at all. With the EZ Cup, you have to experiment to get the right grind (I grind my own beans fairly fine), and I really pack it in pretty firmly. About half the time, I use prepurchased pods, and half the time I use the EZ Cup.

Mine is a fancy expensive one with a reservoir and all kinds of settings -- only reason I have it is because I got it at an auction for a nonprofit. (If I were buying new in a store I would have gone for a less fancy model.)

He fills a travel cup from the home machine, but frequently needs additional coffee once he gets to work.

We figured a Keuring was cheaper than the daily 1-2 cup Starbucks he was indulging in. We're looking into the reusable K-cups, but have also discovered Trader Joe's has a line of K-cup coffee that have recyclable cups.

It's also good for tea and hot chocolate.

We're considering a home machine as well - we just wish that there was a machine that did both reliably (there is only one that I've found, and the reviews are not terrific); single cup and pot.

If you buy one and register it on their website, they will send you two free boxes of k-cups.

I get my k-cups at SAMS.

...and, yes, it does bother me about all that plastic.

Last edited Sun Feb 9, 2014, 10:50 PM - Edit history (1)

It is very, very convenient. Coffee is decent. And fast. To the degree that one can love an inanimate object, I love it.

I have a Keurig, not a knockoff. But I am agnostic about these things - nothing wrong with a knockoff.

I have a couple of all stainless reusable K cups I ordered from Amazon. If you want reusable, the all stainless ones are definitely the way to go. But - the instant gratification is more instant with the single time use and throw away cups. And so I tend to use them rather than the reusables.

Mostly,I love it. I love having a variety of different coffee flavors as well as tea and hot cocoa. I live alone and used to waste coffee. It's very fast and quiet,and with regular cleaning/descaling,very reliable. The only thing about it I don't love is that it could be just a bit hotter. Of course,I've had it over 4 years and it has had very heavy use,so may just be wearing out. I will hate replacing it,though,as I've got a limited edition green one.

I bought a reusable K-Cup at the same time that I bought my brewer,and have never even used it once.

The first time I heard about K-cups I overheard my wife and some women talking at a party. I exclaimed "Wow, those things must be huge!" They looked at me like I was nuts. I walked away.

and the capsules are recyclable, and aluminum- coffee inside stays fresh indefinitely.

With proper technique amd practice, it offers a much better end product.

Im also a countertop clutter fanatic, I cannot stand a countertop cluttered with kitchen appliances, so a press tucks perfectly into a cabinet in a way that a coffee maker simply cannot wthout being a PITA.

I live with housemates, so I have an electric kettle and a french press. I can make coffee, or hot water for tea etc. I don't have to get dressed to go to the kitchen in the morning just to have my cup of joe and I can have my Sleepytime tea at night.

and I'm not a big fan. The coffee isn't anywhere near strong enough for me. I also don't think the coffee tastes that great but that might be just because it's all pre-ground and getting stale.

The Keurig makes a great cup of coffee and it's very clean and convenient, but price-wise it just doesn't make sense. I can get two times as many cups for the same money from my drip coffee pot. Also, there is something to be said for the smell of a fresh pot of coffee vs a single serving. I only use the Keurig when I have company and want to make something special for my guests.

If you do get one, I would go with the K-cup version rather than the Vue; you can find K-cup coffee at most markets but Vue cups can only be found at specialty stores or online.

I don't have time to brew a pot. I like the different flavours too. I bought an adapter so I can put my own coffee in its well. I usually use it in the morning to make a cup for the drive to work. The one i have doesn't brew a big enough cup, so i have to use the large cup setting, then the medium cup setting after to fill my travel mug.

And yes, I use the reusable cup--in fact I got two of them. It saves money on coffee and it saves on waste.

(Also, when you brew one cup at a time you don't end up throwing out any coffee that you don't drink.)

It uses ground coffee, k type cups, tea bags, coffee pods etc ... It does everything and does it better. It works on the same principle as the larger BUNN coffee makers in that it displaces water. There is no tank so you do have to get fresh water for each cup but that's not an issue at all. It's fast, maybe even faster than the Keurig at making a cup of anything.
I absolutely love mine and if you look around you can get a pretty good deal on one.

http://www.amazon.com/MCU-Single-Multi-Use-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B009PLQ5H2/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1392126850&sr=1-1&keywords=my+cafe+bunn


Product Description

Multi-Use - 4 Machines in One!
The BUNN MCU gives you the convenience of single cup brewing plus the ability to brew flavorful coffee or tea using K-Cups, ground coffee, soft coffee and tea pods, tea bags and loose tea. Includes 4 interchangeable, front-loading drawers for brewing flexibility. The MCU also features a stainless steel water tank, jet action sprayhead and removable drip tray.

Name calling (sort of) and yes I know it's a quote and not something you thought up ... Name calling is really not a polite way to jump into a conversation.

aA

and use Kohls cash...I think I got a B60 for like $60 or less

I live in a hard water area, so I only use bottled water in mine...stops chalky build up
Had very few problems, and when I did, found a youtube handy that helped to clear it up...

I use the San Francisco Bay coffee. Less plastic in the pod and it says it's biodegradable. I like making one cup at a time and this is the most convenient way I've found.

1 - I hate them
2 - I have no idea
3 - They are no good.

Alright, I don't understand the Keurig craze. It produces nasty tasting colored water.

Yes, I call it nasty tasting colored water because what it produces is obviously not coffee.

It is too bland and tasteless, no matter how strong the coffee in the small cup says it is.

It fits our needs well. My wife likes the variety of drinks it makes - hot chocolate, iced tea, decaf, etc. I grind my own beans like I have for years and use the reusable cup. I had several cheap ($50) cappuccino makers over the years which took a lot of effort but made great coffee. The last one I had (Mr. Coffee) exploded one day on my countertop. If I had been standing closer to it I could have been badly burned. I'll never have another one of those.

We are still trying different brands of coffee and haven't really settled on a favorite yet.

It does not make the greatest or cheapest coffee in the world, but I like it. It's mainly a convenience thing.