I had been considering one of these but all the comments about cold and weak coffee leave me cold. Coffee is hot and strong and like most good things, takes a bit of effort to achieve. I will stick with my Aeropress, an updated version of the french press. One of the most highly rated products on Amazon. Check it out.
My $.02: This unit is only going to be convenient to (1) the occasional coffee drinker or (2) a household in which there is only one coffee drinker. Otherwise, this is too small (no water reservoir) and the K-Cups are too expensive to justify having this thing. And there’s only one strength/brew size. Also, this coffee drinker’s tastes should be closer to the Dunkin Donuts crowd than the coffee snobs.
This would probably be good if you spend a lot of time at your desk. I’ve seen a lot of very well paid attorneys who keep these in their offices.
Keurig units admit they don’t quite get hot enough. I think the top end on the older units is 192*F. You get less flavor extraction this way, but it’s better than most of the home drip machines on the market. Again though, coffee snobs will not be satisfied.
On average, Internet deals put the K-Cups around $.50/cup, but you can find them for cheaper on SD. (e.g. $.32/cup) They used to be cheaper. Not sure if it’s the price of coffee or the popularity of the machines, but prices have gone up. In any event, having to scour the Internet does detract somewhat from the convenience.
Someone mentioned the quality of the K-Cups going down, but I think it has more to do witha push to make them more environmentally friendly by using less materials (e.g. thinner plastic). They do a good job of keeping the grounds fresh, but obviously they are not the same as grinding your beans fresh every morning. (That’s how a coffee bean works.) Also, check the “use by” dates on the boxes to make sure you’re not being sold coffee near expiration.
If you want to brew your own coffee, the My K-Cup works great so long as you use a french press/coarse grind as the instructions say. Although I’d swap out the filter for the Medelco replacements (on Amazon) as they are larger and allow you to get a stronger cup.
Finally, to maximize the lifespan of these things (or any coffee or espresso maker, really) use filtered water; can’t stress this enough. I’ve had my Breville Keurig unit for probably close to four years at this point and it has never given me a problem. I think it asked me to descale it once. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to a super-auto espresso unit and regret not going in for the Saeco the other day. My Keurig has served me well though. Although I think this unit lacks too many of the conveniences that make them worthwhile, in my opinion Keurigs are better than they are getting credit for in this thread.
I’ve been on the fence about one of these for months, but at this price it is tempting.
I’ve heard much of what’s been said here before: Keurigs break easily and coffee lovers consider the taste weak. However, I have two questions if anyone knows the answer:
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Are Mr. Coffee branded Keurigs any more/less reliable than the bigger, hyped up Keurig branded ones? Anyone used one for 1+ years? Any warranty stories?
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Coffee purists will shudder, but I’m wondering if anyone can compare K-cups to instant? While I’m sure they’re excellent I’m not in the market for gourmet coffees, and K-cup level of costs are roughly my coffee ceiling. Worth it, you think, or will I wish I just stuck to instant? I already have an electric kettle that makes hot water easily.
Would also be interested in alternatives in a similar price/effort bracket. I saw someone suggest Black & Decker “Brew’n’Go” single cup machine earlier, and I plan on looking into that too. Thanks!
EDIT: Thanks poster right before me, helpful write-up!
We have this exact machine and my husband got the reusable Keurig K-Cup and it works just fine when I use it,however make sure you have the lid on tightly. Hmm wait here and I will make some coffee and make sure…yep worked fine for me.
Though I do find the coffee on the weaker side but I do like how it doesn’t heat the water up until it’s piping hot and I can’t drink it.
I also would not recommend Cafe Escapes mainly because they put sucralose in the Mocha and Hot Chocolate and I just cannot handle artificial sweetners.
i was wondering if this could use the regular coffee adapter that keurig has?
A few notes on Keurig-style coffee:
Is it the best coffee you’ll ever taste? No. If you get your nose out of joint at the thought of drinking anything less than Starbuck’s, Keurigs are not for you.
What does Keurig offer? Convenience. Stumbling out of bed and into the kitchen in the dark at 5:00 AM, fumbling a k-cup into the holder, placing your cup under the spout, pushing a button, and thirty seconds later, you’re sipping a steaming cup of quite passable, if not exactly excellent, coffee. For cleanup, you throw the used k-cup in the trash and rinse out your coffee cup.
Amazon regularly runs deals on the cups, and anything less than fifty cents each is an okay deal. You can also find them at many supermarkets, often at prices equal to or even less than online. Other sources of cheap k-cups include office supply places like Staples, Office Max, or Quill. If you can combine one of their easily-obtainable coupons with a clearance, you can get the cost down to as little as a quarter a cup.
Know what the problem is with these fancy k-cup things? Three words: Fresh. Ground. Coffee. (and I’m doing it with a cheap $5 coffee grinder. Mucho delicious.) Need to save time? I’m no purist, I grind it the night before and just flip the on switch.
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Keurig cups equal to 50 cents a cup. Is there anyone that has used something else besides the cups? My husband and I aren’t too keen on spending $2.00 a day on coffee (2cups each) I would like to buy my grinds and manipulate the cups into taking them? Any possible way? I have yet to own this machine so I don’t know much about them. Thanks, in advance, for your response.
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i know the keurig has an adapter $17 @walmart that you can use your regular coffee with but i am unsure if it works in this machine i am waiting on a reply
i just bought a keurig and right next to it was an adapter so you can put your regular grounds in and brew through in case you want to “treat” yourself with the k-cups and use your regular coffe the rest of the time the option is available they are around $17 in walmart ot lowes
anyone recommend this for guests? I’m not a coffee drinker myself… so trying to figure out what I should use to serve guests…
[QUOTE=labrosse0529, post:89, topic:341167]
i just bought a keurig and right next to it was an adapter so you can put your regular grounds in and brew through in case you want to “treat” yourself with the k-cups and use your regular coffe the rest of the time the option is available they are around $17 in walmart ot lowes
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Thanks for the response… I’ve thought about using something like that. I’ll have to look into the economy of that, I admittedly don’t really know my way around ground coffee.
[QUOTE=mattlscc, post:90, topic:341167]
anyone recommend this for guests? I’m not a coffee drinker myself… so trying to figure out what I should use to serve guests…
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Just an fyi, this model has no reservoir, so it serves one at a time, and folks have said it takes 90-100 seconds per cup (plus how long it takes you to fill the water each time), so the 3rd or 4th person would be a bit behind the rest. It would work, but if you wanted to serve a few guests, a larger model that can hold more water would probably be better.
I got this for Christmas & like it so much I gave one to a friend for their birthday a couple weeks ago. Works great, brews in a couple minutes, k-cup compatible, great quality in the build. K-Cups are a little spendy but you can get more for your money by buying them on amazon or at Sam’s Club. This is a definite bargain for a single cup brewer.
Anyone what the coffee cup dimensions are for this.? Wondering if my taller cups would work.
I bought one and I am a Utah born Momo…It’s part of my plan to rule over the non-coffee drinkers. BOW BEFORE ME DRINKERS OF COLD CANNED CAFFEINE SODA! KNEEL TO YOUR MASTER BUWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Actually K-cup beverages are really diverse and this is a great price. But that’s just boring.
FEAR ME YOU SUBSTANCE PURISTS OF THE MOUNTAINS I AM YOUR MASTER NOW…!
Absolutely! The local Lexus dealers (Dallas) use a built in Keurig coffee/tea machine. All the costumer has to do is select his coffee or tea, insert it into the machine and voila!
I love Starbucks Americano coffee. They now have a K-cup called Cafe Verona that approximates their in-store Americano…very delicious. Of course, in my Keurig unit, you can select the size of cup. This way, if it’s too strong, you just select the next size up. Works like a charm for my wife and i.
Information on Coffee Prices
Brazil is expected to yield a record crop of over 55 million bags in 2012. The expected yield will still not satisfy the 62 to 64 million bags needed to meet demand in the coming two seasons though, according to Rabobank. To accomplish an ideal yield, there will need to be sufficient precipitation for a healthy flowering season. The threat of another La Nina this winter will heighten the supply risk leaving prices volatile.
If Brazil comes close to producing a record crop for 2012, it could be a bearish force on prices.
The large crop forecasted for Vietnam, the second largest producer and exporter, could also weigh on prices. These strong crops may relieve pressure on prices, but will only be a short-term solution. It takes three to four years for a new coffee tree to become productive, leaving coffee in short supply for the next few years.
Outlook
Tightening supplies, not only in coffee, have increased global commodity prices over the past two years. Inelastic coffee demand and limited supplies should keep prices elevated, even with potential record high yields for 2012. Any sign of issues related to the 2012 crop may send prices back towards $3.00. Keep a close eye on the La Nina weather pattern forming.
Wake up and smell the coffee, it might be too expensive tomorrow.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/298094-will-coffee-prices-continue-to-soar
I’m looking for this type of coffee machine, but it has to have a timer (want the water hot when I get there!), a decent resevoir and has to handle the reusable drip filter.
You can use your old k-cups again with your own coffee. Just tear off the foil top (after you have already used the pre-filled cup) and rinse out the coffee grounds then let the cups dry. Then you can refill then all at once and over the top with foil. You will have plenty of your own fresh ground coffee or tea ready for use. I know it is work, but if you get a few uses out of those little cups it’s better for your wallet and the landfills…I think.
Is the convenience worth the cost and lack of quality?
This product is for people who want the minimum of effort to get an “adequate” cup of coffee and are willing to spend more money, while adding to landfill waste.
I was intrigued by the cartridge coffee system, but not enough to plunk down over a $100US for the machine and .50 cents (or more) for an 8oz “adequate” cup of coffee. While visiting my son in the U.S., I had an opportunity to use their Keurig and was not even a little impressed. If one really enjoys one or two cups of coffee/espresso per day then you’ll know what I mean. My adult children certainly don’t! 
I’ve owned a single serving expresso maker for the last 15 years. It costs me less than half the cost for the finest coffees, I get steamed milk that doesn’t cool my coffee, and this while costing me minimal time and effort.
There are dozens of automatic, semi-automatic, and manual expresso makers on the market below $50. Amazon Seach And a “btw”, these machines make a superior cup of coffee too; just use a good quality,drip grind coffee.
The choice is yours.
[QUOTE=Serverdaemon, post:97, topic:341167]
I’m looking for this type of coffee machine, but it has to have a timer (want the water hot when I get there!), a decent resevoir and has to handle the reusable drip filter.
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Check-out the Keurig branded machines at either Costco or Sam’s.
Also available at Bed, Bath and…