I've read reviews about keurig, flavia, hamilton beech, cuisinart, and a few others. None of them seem to be a clear winner. The k-cup seems to be big as keurig seems to be a dominant player.

Which of the single coffee cup makers do you all have experience with and how good is the coffee? I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I like the capuccino/coffee maker we have a work (a flavia).

thanks.

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All I ever really needed to know, I learned from watching Star Trek.
Nassau County, NY

I've been using one of these essentially as a single-cup, with the flexibility of being able to make a larger pot when needed, and like it very much.

If you do end up going for the Keurig, follow this link and be sure to avoid the listed model numbers:

Quote
Black's e-mail
A message to PapaNicholas Coffee Fans that own Keurig brewers:
Dear Papa Lovers,
Over the past few years we have received numerous requests to package PapaNicholas Coffee in K-cups. As a company, we strive to listen to our customers, and work diligently to exceed their coffee expectations. We have seriously looked into developing K-cups, however, we continue to be disappointed with the cup of coffee that is produced by the K-cup and the Keurig brewer. Please understand that we will not compromise our standards for quality coffee.
For fans of the Keurig, there is hope! Our research on K-cups led to one very disturbing fact . . .there is not enough coffee in a K-cup to make a decent cup of coffee. Additionally, from a cost perspective, the price that consumers are paying, for what we consider to be a very weak cup of coffee, is ridiculous. Moreover, the amount of non-recyclable waste that is generated per ?bad cup? of coffee is significant. The answer to all of these problems is the Ekobrew refillable/reusable K-cup for the Keurig brewer. This easy to use, easy to clean cup performs better than any K-cup we tested and allows the user to put in enough coffee, resulting in a rich, flavorful cup of Papa! Please follow the link below and start enjoying GREAT COFFEE (a.k.a. PapaNicholas Premium) out of your Keurig today!

[idevmail.americaneagle.com]

Edit-- added missing link

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2012 09:30PM by Black.

just wanted to put a bug in your ear that in the fall Starbucks is marketing a single cup espresso/brewer machine. the target competitor is Nestle's Nepresso which is supposed to be pretty popular in europe. the machine will be called Verisimo. that's all Starbucks has told anyone at this point.

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"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

Quote
graylocks
just wanted to put a bug in your ear that in the fall Starbucks is marketing a single cup espresso/brewer machine. the target competitor is Nestle's Nepresso which is supposed to be pretty popular in europe. the machine will be called Verisimo. that's all Starbucks has told anyone at this point.

Would be cool if that turned out to be next week's Celebrity Apprentice task. Look for Lou Ferigno to be the face of the new machine.

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]

I know this doesn't strictly fit, but the best single-cup coffee maker is an Aeropress. You need a kettle to boil the water, and you provide your own (preferably freshly ground and freshly roasted) coffee. The Aeropress virtually cleans itself, and it provides a delicious cup of coffee. It ends up being much, much cheaper than the single-cup machines, takes about 5 minutes total (and you can do something else while the water boils), and tastes 100% better.

Aeropress -- hands-down the best cup of coffee and only one-tenth the cost of K-cups.

[www.amazon.com]

-mj

A great cup of coffee is more than just the device. Buy great beans (or roast your own), grind to the proper grind just before brewing, use a quality device. I highly recommend French press. Drip coffee from pre-ground coffee through a machine is like Bud compared to a craft beer.

Edit: AND DOESN'T TAKE ANY MORE TIME!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2012 11:02PM by Drew.

Quote
Drew
A great cup of coffee is more than just the device. Buy great beans (or roast your own), grind to the proper grind just before brewing, use a quality device. I highly recommend French press. Drip coffee from pre-ground coffee through a machine is like Bud compared to a craft beer.

Bingo we have a wiener *(:>*

---

“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"
"There are only two mantras yummm and yuk "
"There is a fine line between a rut and a groove"
"I got to that part and I knew there was going to be some weapons grade stupid to follow"Lux Interior
"When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then
will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ Cree Prophecy

We have the Keurig and it does it's job well and quickly. Turn it on, two minutes later insert the k-cup, press go, and about 30 seconds later there's a coffee. I think it couldn't get much simpler without a butler.

On the downside it does draw a lot of power so if your circuit is already carrying a significant load it can cause the breaker to pop. Also, all of the k-cups are plastic and get thrown away. Not sure if they can go into the recycle bin or not but something to consider if you are eco minded.

Quote
haikuman

Quote
Drew
A great cup of coffee is more than just the device. Buy great beans (or roast your own), grind to the proper grind just before brewing, use a quality device. I highly recommend French press. Drip coffee from pre-ground coffee through a machine is like Bud compared to a craft beer.

Edit: AND DOESN'T TAKE ANY MORE TIME!

Bingo we have a wiener *(:>*

Of course, some people walk by the fresh fish to buy frozen fish sticks too.

Lazydays. Mine is on in the morning and all I need to do is put the kcup in, press the brew button and coffee is done.

For convinience, hands down its Keurig.
Only complaint is the coffee isnt as strong.

J.Carm

Shouldn't somebody have answered "my wife" by now?

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]

Ya, mine has a timer that would turn it on in the morning also but I don't use it. Our coffee maker is located in the bedroom and I think the noise would wake me up on the weekend if I had it set to turn on at 6am.

I'm not a big coffee guy myself. The Keurig is for my wife. I have managed to start using the iced coffee k-cups and I like them. Five ice cubes and run the keurig on the small cut setting to get it as strong as possible. I'm just not into hot drinks for some reason.

Quote
Black
Shouldn't somebody have answered "my wife" by now?

Yeah, I did but I ["ouch!"] decided it was ["hey, stop it!"] a good idea ["oof!"] to edit a bit.

Nespresso

[forums.macresource.com]

That's what I have and it is truly awesome.

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Quote
Tofer
I know this doesn't strictly fit, but the best single-cup coffee maker is an Aeropress. You need a kettle to boil the water, and you provide your own (preferably freshly ground and freshly roasted) coffee. The Aeropress virtually cleans itself, and it provides a delicious cup of coffee. It ends up being much, much cheaper than the single-cup machines, takes about 5 minutes total (and you can do something else while the water boils), and tastes 100% better.

Quote
MacJeepster
Aeropress -- hands-down the best cup of coffee and only one-tenth the cost of K-cups.

[www.amazon.com]

-mj

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

My wife. He also looks cute in only a lace apron.

---

in tha 510.

Yeah, I'd have to agree about the Aeropress. I've had mine for about a year now and I love it. I did buy a Saeco 101167 50-Ounce Electric Water Kettle for $53 to simplify using the Aeropress (and it turns out we use the kettle often for other uses as well.)

It takes me 3 minutes and 15 seconds to make a cup of coffee from start to finish. That's including filling the kettle and grabbing a mug all the way through rinsing off the Aeropress and putting it on the dishrack so it's ready to go the next time. I use it three times a day, on average.

I'm neither a coffee snob nor a connoisseur. I'm fine with Maxwell House brewed in a Mr. Coffee, left a couple hours and then reheated in the microwave. Yes, the Aeropress makes much better coffee, but for me, the draw is walking into the kitchen at 7:15 and out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee at 7:18.

It does use more coffee than a drip machine would, but it costs a fraction of K-cups and the like.

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That's a lot of pesto.

I've had my Keurig for several years and love it. If you buy the dark or bold k-cups, you can get coffee that is plenty strong. I'm a weeny and go for light roasts mostly. I love the variety. You can get the filter and put your own freshly ground coffee in if you are more eco-minded.

Quote
pinkoos
Nespresso

I use a Nespresso, too. It's pretty much the standard over here for single cups. Senseo is also popular. I had a Senseo in the US and bought another one when I got here. But then my wife developed a taste for coffee (espresso) and the Senseo was a piss-poor espresso maker. That's when I got the Nespresso. I use the Luongo capsules for a bigger coffee, and Ristretto for espresso.

Quote
Drew
AND DOESN'T TAKE ANY MORE TIME!

How do you figure? Roast, grind & brew versus push a button. I'm not going to argue the point of which is better, as I have never roasted my own, but the convenience? Oh hells yeah!

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Lux Interior

Quote
Drew
AND DOESN'T TAKE ANY MORE TIME!

How do you figure? Roast, grind & brew versus push a button. I'm not going to argue the point of which is better, as I have never roasted my own, but the convenience? Oh hells yeah!

OK, point conceded on roasting. Grinding, 20 seconds. Boiling water, couple of minutes. If you can't incorporate that into your morning workflow (watched water never boils ya know), then go ahead and drink Bud.

Quote
Drew
If you can't incorporate that into your morning workflow (watched water never boils ya know), then go ahead and drink Bud.

I would love to wake up, go for a 15 minute run, then cool off with a 15 minute swim, sit in the sauna or hot tub another 10 or 15 minutes, then take a nice long bath (much like Eddie Murphy in Coming to America - ahhhh), prepare a nice breakfast of eggs, toast made from freshly baked bread, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee made from freshly roasted and ground beans, strawberries with fresh cream from the cow out back, and then walk to work.

But I actually have to be at work before 5 PM and have to cut corners somewhere!

Quote
Lux Interior

Quote
Drew
If you can't incorporate that into your morning workflow (watched water never boils ya know), then go ahead and drink Bud.

I would love to wake up, go for a 15 minute run, then cool off with a 15 minute swim, sit in the sauna or hot tub another 10 or 15 minutes, then take a nice long bath (much like Eddie Murphy in Coming to America - ahhhh), prepare a nice breakfast of eggs, toast made from freshly baked bread, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee made from freshly roasted and ground beans, strawberries with fresh cream from the cow out back, and then walk to work.

But I actually have to be at work before 5 PM and have to cut corners somewhere!

Work? Isn't that what a wife is for?

I don't know about all these fancy gizmos. I use a Black and Decker Brew 'n' Go; cost about $25 in the hardware store. Works best with paper filters in addition to its own mesh one.

/Mr Lynn

---

"Hillbilly at Harvard"
Honky-tonk Country and Bluegrass
Founded in 1948 by Pappy Ben Minnich
Saturdays 9am - 1pm Eastern
WHRB-FM, Cambridge, MA
Streaming at [www.WHRB.org]
Be there!
New blog! [hillbillyatharvard.wordpress.com]

On the river in Saxonville.

Quote
mrlynn
I don't know about all these fancy gizmos. I use a Black and Decker Brew 'n' Go; cost about $25 in the hardware store. Works best with paper filters in addition to its own mesh one.

Does it work as well with sawdust as it does coffee?

Quote
mrlynn
I don't know about all these fancy gizmos. I use a Black and Decker Brew 'n' Go; cost about $25 in the hardware store. Works best with paper filters in addition to its own mesh one.

/Mr Lynn

Just ran across this, if anyone wants one of these.

[www.buy.com]

Get a Black & Decker Brew 'N Go Personal Coffeemaker w/ Travel Mug for $14.99 at Buy.com, a $15 Savings! Valid through 03/29/2012

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Alpharetta, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Keurig is coming out with a new line, a new, incompatible to K-cup coffeemaker. It just so happens that this gets released as the K-cup patent expires. It's called the Vue" [www.singleservecoffee.com] This new line will create a "bolder coffee" and the v-cups can be recycled. The temperature is hotter, closer to the ideal 200 degree F brewing temp.

I prefer pod single-serve coffee systems like the Senseo, Grindmaster OPod, Bunn MCP. The pods are slightly cheaper, but there is a greater variety, as it is an open format which doesn't have any licensing fees. The pod system is also more earth-friendly. The pod consists of the filter paper and the coffee, that's it.

[www.thecoffeeartisan.com]
[www.thecoffeeartisan.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2012 07:13AM by Sam3.

Quote
Mike Johnson
Yeah, I'd have to agree about the Aeropress. I've had mine for about a year now and I love it. I did buy a Saeco 101167 50-Ounce Electric Water Kettle for $53 to simplify using the Aeropress (and it turns out we use the kettle often for other uses as well.)

I heat 1 3/4 cups of water in the microwave for 2 min. (comes out about 175 degrees). They say a full boil dissolves more of the bitter stuff from the coffee (but I do it that way because it's easy).

Wowzer,

It isn't as simple as which is the best single serve coffee maker. It isn't a one size fits all situation. For me, it's a Keurig K-Cup machine. Without a doubt. It makes a perfectly good cup of coffee quickly, efficiently with minimal effort and waste. But, it may not be for you.

I've had pod systems. I've had drip systems. I've rigged pod systems to use regular coffee. I've made my own pods. I've used drip coffee makers. I’ ve used reusable k-cup devices in my k-cup machines - several of them including disposable make your own k-cups. I've used the brew and go. I've used systems that grind coffee on the spot and brew it. I've tried french presses. I haven't used the aeropress but if it's remotely like a french press, I ain't interested. I've used percolators. You name it, I've used it.

I go back to the Keurig machine and use it with off-the-shelf k-cups. Sure, some of the other systems and methods produce a better cup of coffee but they all require more work and cleanup and/or have other issues that make me go back to k-cups. IEase of use, minimal mess, minimal cleanup, minimal waste and tasty enough coffee.

Search the forum if you want more information including a more detailed description of why I stay with a k-cup machine. There is a plethora of great posts about coffee, coffee makers, coffee systems and such. For example, the email from PapaNicholas Coffee was discussed in a previous thread. I was leery of it.

As I said in the previous thread, I wonder which k-cup machine, which settings and which brand and flavor of k-cups. PapaNicholas doesn't offer any details other than to say the coffee produced by whatever k-cups they used proved disappointing and they didn’t like the fact that k-cups are more costly and are non-recyclable. The last part of the email is a suggestion to buy regular coffee and a reusable k-cup device. (They gave their coffee as an example)

While the brew from a k-cup and k-cup machine may not be as good as from a traditional brewer using their coffee, it's definitely not nearly as bad as they've implied in the email. To me, the email was just an advertisement for their coffee and a reusable k-cup device.

Robert

Quote
rjmacs

Quote
Tofer
I know this doesn't strictly fit, but the best single-cup coffee maker is an Aeropress. You need a kettle to boil the water, and you provide your own (preferably freshly ground and freshly roasted) coffee. The Aeropress virtually cleans itself, and it provides a delicious cup of coffee. It ends up being much, much cheaper than the single-cup machines, takes about 5 minutes total (and you can do something else while the water boils), and tastes 100% better.

Quote
MacJeepster
Aeropress -- hands-down the best cup of coffee and only one-tenth the cost of K-cups.

[www.amazon.com]

-mj

yay, Aeropress! getting some good play here. I have been using mine for about 5 years and it's so easy and gives a great cup. and it's made in the U.S., if you care about that sort of thing. it's not easy finding a domestically-produced coffee maker these days.

Keep in mind there are many people on here who are retirees. So take the advice and suggestions with a grain of salt. A 925'r like myself goes for ease of use and quick clean-up.

3d,

To true. I can't speak for the number of retirees in the forum but as a 925'r, ease of use and quick production and cleanup are very important. They are three of the main reasons I like the Keurig machine.

Robert

French press.

K cups aren't recyclable and they aren't compostable. Keurig's website gives the environment a bunch of lip service, but it amounts to nothing substantial. They are just using gilded language to state that they have no solution whatsoever at this time.

[www.keurig.com]

The most laughable statement is that "We are working to identify the right definition of "environmentally friendly" for our packaging." Sure, this is typical corporate behavior. If you can't meet an environmental standard, redefine the standard. Please do not fall for this pathetic attempt at a smokescreen.

Traditionally ground and brewed coffee is, on the other hand, completely compostable, as well as 3-to-4 times less expensive per cup.

The only things K cups have going for them are convenience, and a slight edge in freshness of flavor.

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[www.giyf.com]

Decay,

Your post is missing some notable details. If you look at the site, you'll find k-cups may not contain recyclable plastic but the new system Keurig has developed - vue - does in fact use recyclable plastic. So, they are not just offering a bunch of lip service masked in gilded language. This may not be a huge step but it is definitely a step in the right direction and for that Keurig deserves some credit. Same goes for the other steps they've taken to become more environmentally responsible.

Robert

The Keurig is convenient.

But, if you break down the price of the k-cup to price per pound of coffee, you end up paying $67/per pound of k-cup coffee.

At that price (not to mention the cost of the brewer and the electricity), it makes much more economic sense to brew at home with a French Press or other home device.

Mac,

Economic and environmentally but those don't outweigh the other reasons I (and other people) use a K-cup machine. 'course, I buy k-cups in bulk which reduces the price considerably.

Robert

my wife is the only coffee drinker in the house -- and shes sorta picky -- and stopped using the coffee pot

she now swears by the stabucks instants -- buys them in bulk at costco -- says they taste great.

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----

The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs [www.fakesteve.net]

Wow...everyone is passionate about coffee. I've read everyone's advice and am now reviewing the various links and brands. Thanks, everyone.

---

All I ever really needed to know, I learned from watching Star Trek.
Nassau County, NY

The perfect cup of hot coffee is all about the research *(:>* and the coffee


[www.katu.com]




This coffee is going to perk you right up

---

“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"
"There are only two mantras yummm and yuk "
"There is a fine line between a rut and a groove"
"I got to that part and I knew there was going to be some weapons grade stupid to follow"Lux Interior
"When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then
will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ Cree Prophecy




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2012 12:56PM by haikuman.

to be fair, i went back and found that info i re-posted, and it was from a year ago. maybe Keurig has improved since then?

in any case, disposing of massive amounts of plastic isn't good for the environment, no matter how you slice it.

just my opinion.

Robert,

I'm curious as why you didn't like the pod system. I find it just as convenient as a Keurig; pop open the pod holder, add a pod, close holder and press brew, but less wasteful. I think the pod coffemakers like the Bunn MC make a better cup of coffee. The K-cup coffees I've had seemed a little weak to me.

Sam,

Funny... You asked me that nearly a year ago! - lol!

<[forums.macresource.com];

I'll build on it and say that there is no consistency among pods and pod brewers. Pods that work well in a Bunn may not work well or at all in a senseo which may not work well or at all in a grindmaster or any other brewer. There is no standard size of pod. Some are thick, some are thin, some have a larger diameter than others. End result is inconsistent coffee at best and a huge mess when a pod doesn't work well in a particular brewer.

The k-cup system is consistent. Meaning, unless a k-cup is defective, it will work n your brewer. No pod holder popping open during the brewing process, no issues with the k-cup fitting into the holder. Consistent design. There is even consistency in coffee produced. "X" k-cup from Brand Y will nearly always result in the identical cup of coffee when used in a Keurig at the same settings. That doesn't mean each k-cup is great. I prefer some over others. But, even in the ones I don;'t like, the resulting brew is consistent. Maybe consistently mediocre but consistent nonetheless. So, I know not to buy that particular k-cup.

Robert

I have 2 different keurigs, and the filter to use your own grounds....don't use it. Not hot enough, not strong enough.

Don't like the grounds in french press and my cuisinart pot is on its last leg.


Boil water in Zojirushi hot pot which keeps it hot. Hario paper cone in a Hario ceramic dripper cone, oversized mug. I grind coffee while water is heating and I also rinse the paper cone of bleach with hot water. This is the best cup of coffee bar none. Right temp, fresh ground quality beans and no bitterness.


I usually want a second cup and the water is ready to go. All the fancy coffee shops are using this "hand crafted" method. For a good reason.

I might get a technivorm, or the bonavita maker, when I have money to burn.

Quote
decocritter
Hario paper cone in a Hario ceramic dripper cone, oversized mug. I grind coffee while water is heating and I also rinse the paper cone of bleach with hot water. This is the best cup of coffee bar none. Right temp, fresh ground quality beans and no bitterness.

This, hands down, best and easiest coffee-making method. I want a pretty Hario, although the cheap Melitta version works fine for me.

Polly - the price can vary and some of the coffee sites put them on sale. Check amazon and ebay.

What makes a big difference is the filters from Hario - they are very thin. I found them locally for $6.99 for 100 from Batdorf and Bronson coffee shop, so no shipping charges. I buy 3 packs at a time.