Keurig Coffee Machines

Who out there uses one of these Keurig coffee machines? Everyone I know seems to have one but I just don't get it. It seems like an expensive way to get a cup of coffee and I'm not at all sure it tastes as good as my old drip coffee maker. What do you all think?

I haven't been tempted by these as I make a ten cup pot of drip coffee every morning, seven for me and three for the rest of the family. A single serving coffee maker doesn't make sense for us. I have friends who don't drink nearly as much coffee who love them, though.

[Robin Garr]

There's a lot of hate out there for Keurig, Ken. Well, "hate" is a strong word, but a lot of people feel as you do about buying an expensive machine that uses mediocre coffee in environmentally sketchy packets when it's easy and relatively inexpensive to work with simple options like a Mellita paper-cone filter, Aeropress, or old-fashioned coffee pot and the beans of your choice.

It is offered at work so that's what I use.

My brother has one at home. As I understand it, he and his wife drink coffee only occasionally -- 1 or 2 a week -- so making a pot is never worthwhile.

[Robin Garr]

making a pot is never worthwhile.

But but but! There are tons of other options to make one or two cups. Aeropress, Melitta, french press ...

Agree with Ken 100%, but have enjoyed a cup in other's homes when people are drinking something else.

My problem with Keurig is the environmental impact. Coffee grounds and paper filters can be composted.

-Paul W.

Aeropress, Melitta, french press ...

And everyone of those involves keeping coffee on hand, possibly having to grind it on the spot, and filters, and washing, etc.

There is no lazy answer quite as lazy as Keurig.

[Jenise]

We make single serving French Press coffee at home using double-hulled Bodum mugs built for this purpose. Which means: we get the utmost flavor and freshness from choosing and grinding our own beans to order, the superior flavor of French press vs. drip, and all the instantaneous convenience of a Keurig machine. Hot water at the perfect temp is on tap at our kitchen sink all day long. And if we have early morning appointments? The coffee mug goes with us. The coffee stays hot for about two hours without development that stale burner taste that drip coffee developments after about 15 minutes.

For the life of me I can't imagine why anyone would choose any other method. Best possible coffee, and it couldn't be more convenient or portable. The flavor of Keurig style coffee doesn't come anywhere close. I've never, in fact, had a cup of Keurig (and many a hotel has given me the opportunity) that I truly savored or enjoyed. I just put up with it because it's there.

[Robin Garr]

There is no lazy answer quite as lazy as Keurig.

Noted.

I've got to tell you, though, the Aeropress in particular is pretty lazy. it's small. It comes with a tube to keep the itty-bitty filters in. And I keep the parts, the filters, and a can of Illy's finest in a counter-top container. The whole process, including boiling the water, takes about two minutes. (Okay, after careful analysis and blind tasting, I've decided that Illy pre-ground, vacuum-packed is indistinguishable in taste from Illy beans, ground at home. Others with more refined tastes may differ, but I dropped the grinding step and I'm fine with that, assuming a small can that gets used up in a couple of weeks.

We make single serving French Press coffee at home using double-hulled Bodum mugs built for this person.

Is it on this page?: http://www.bodum.com/us/en-us/shop/prodlist/301/

There is no lazy answer quite as lazy as Keurig.

Noted.

I've got to tell you, though, the Aeropress in particular is pretty lazy. it's small. It comes with a tube to keep the itty-bitty filters in. And I keep the parts, the filters, and a can of Illy's finest in a counter-top container. The whole process, including boiling the water, takes about two minutes. (Okay, after careful analysis and blind tasting, I've decided that Illy pre-ground, vacuum-packed is indistinguishable in taste from Illy beans, ground at home. Others with more refined tastes may differ, but I dropped the grinding step and I'm fine with that, assuming a small can that gets used up in a couple of weeks.

Remember, you're preaching to the choir here. I have beans, whole and ground, in the freezer and Melitta cones. I also have a small drip machine.

[Jenise]

We make single serving French Press coffee at home using double-hulled Bodum mugs built for this person.

Is it on this page?: http://www.bodum.com/us/en-us/shop/prodlist/301/

No, it's here. The Travel Press.

http://www.bodum.com/us/en-us/shop/detail/11057-01BUS/

Agree with Robin that the Aeropress is very quick and easy to use for single cups, and it's comparatively cheap and much easier to store than a Keurig machine. We do grind our beans, though (for both drip and Aeropress use).

We make single serving French Press coffee at home using double-hulled Bodum mugs built for this person.

Is it on this page?: http://www.bodum.com/us/en-us/shop/prodlist/301/

No, it's here. The Travel Press.

http://www.bodum.com/us/en-us/shop/detail/11057-01BUS/

That does look like an excellent device.

[Jenise]

That does look like an excellent device.

We bought them for our boat. But before we transferred them over, one day one of us got up significantly earlier and made a single cup for themselves, so when the other got up they did likewise. And so it went every day for about two weeks, and then we reverted and made a pot in our drip coffeemaker and discovered that what had tasted great for 20 years didn't taste good any more. The mugs never got on the boat. Now we have six of them.

I swing both ways here.

In the morning a big pot of thick-as-a-brick French Roast.

During the day, as needed, my Nespresso machine for an espresso or lungo jolt.

In the afternoon or evening, a French Press with just the right amount of grounds and water (we also have a hot-water dispenser so again I'm shortcutting and cheating, but boy is it easy.)

[Jenise]

Just read about a new player all you boy astronauts might be interested in: "Coming soon to a cup near you: space-age coffee (literally). A former NASA intern has utilized space rover technology to build a new coffeemaker, the Blossom One Brewer, that precisely controls temperatures to produce a better, more consistent cup. The Blossom One is a single-cup brewer marketed to coffee shops, but a home version of the high-tech machine could be in the company's future."

Voila: http://www.blossomcoffee.com/

[Robin Garr]

Voila: http://www.blossomcoffee.com/

I felt the siren song of "MUST HAVE THIS!" until I clicked through to the order page and checked the price: $5,950!

And it doesn't even make espresso ...

[Robin Garr]

Agree with Robin that the Aeropress is very quick and easy to use for single cups ...

For the record, Mary and I easily get two good mugs out of it, especially by using the procedure that adds a little hot water to its output to make a sort-of caffe Americano. In theory, it claims you can fill it up to four, but it gets mighty hard to press down once you fill it more than halfway. Anyway, I love the bright, clean flavor I get with it. More intense coffee than with Melitta filters, and without the sediment that invariably creeps into the French press.

You make the AP sound very appealing. I'll have to go look at one. (At least two coffee shops in my neighborhood have a 'coffee technology' shelf behind the counter.)

Thanks for all the great replies, particularly those who brought up what an environmental disaster those K-Cups are. I had forgotten to mention that in my original question. I am a real gadget guy but I think I'll take a pass on this one.

BTW, I was in my local supermarket today and for the first time noticed that about 2/3 of the coffee section was filled with K-Cups of every description. At the very least 3 or 4 dozen different ones. I'll grant that a Palm Beach supermarket is pretty upscale, (it has valet parking), but that still stunned me. Someone is using a lot of those things.

Agree with Robin that the Aeropress is very quick and easy to use for single cups ...

For the record, Mary and I easily get two good mugs out of it, especially by using the procedure that adds a little hot water to its output to make a sort-of caffe Americano. In theory, it claims you can fill it up to four, but it gets mighty hard to press down once you fill it more than halfway. Anyway, I love the bright, clean flavor I get with it. More intense coffee than with Melitta filters, and without the sediment that invariably creeps into the French press.

You can also "tune" the thing to your tastes by varying the coarseness of the grind, the length of time the grounds steep, the amount of water, etc. The first few cups that I made were too intense, and I had to learn to use a little less coffee and water it down a little more than I thought I'd need to. One slight criticism of the AP is that they tell you that you can make espresso with it and this is not correct. Just expect a really good cup of coffee and you won't be disappointed.