Keurig ?

[Aunty Social]

We need to replace our coffee maker sooner rather than later. My dh really (really, really, really:lol:) want to get a Keurig - but I'm not convinced.

 

My main concerns are how the coffee will taste and the durability of the machine.

 

Our current coffee maker is about 8 yrs old, and I'm very upset that it is leaking - in my mind, we bought a quality brand (krups) and it should have lasted 15 yrs or more. It's ok to tell me I'm crazy - my dh has repeatedly.:tongue_smilie:Anyway, with that in mind, how well do these machines hold up? I've been looking at the Cuisinart Brewing System, if anyone has that brand in particular.

 

The next issue is taste. I really like good coffee - which is very subjective - but in my case means not watery, not burnt (I detest Starbucks!). I like a good, full flavor. I can adjust quantities in a "regular" maker to my taste, but will I be able to tweak a Keurig? I plan on getting the reusable cup if we do this, so how much wiggle room is there?

 

Finally, I like being able to brew a pot when we have guests, and I like being able to add my own flavorings (cinnamon, vanilla, etc). I know the pot will be history, but can I add things other than coffee to the kcups? How well do these work for entertaining? When we have a pot on the table, people will just pour a warmer or full cup when they want - has anyone had any experience with guests and the Keuring? Do people just get up and make another cup if they want, or do they do without because they don't want to ask?

 

Replacing a coffee maker should not be this hard!:willy_nilly:

[Mom2J112903]

We bought ourselves a Keurig for Christmas-we LOVE it!

 

It came with a variety of different coffees and even a tea K-Cup. Let me say WOW some of the brands are STRONG and VERY flavor-full. Almost TOO strong for *me*, actually Emeril's was-I didn't even finish the cup as it was going to take way too much sugar and creamer to "fix" it.

 

We do not entertain so I can not answer your question about mulitple cups. We have the most basic version since it just DH and I using it.

 

My sister and her DH purchased a Tasimo and they really enjoy it as much as we enjoy our Keurig. It is just a bit more expensive both in the intial purchase and their pods, or whatever they call them.

[CalicoKat]

We need to replace our coffee maker sooner rather than later. My dh really (really, really, really:lol:) want to get a Keurig - but I'm not convinced.

 

My main concerns are how the coffee will taste and the durability of the machine.

 

Our current coffee maker is about 8 yrs old, and I'm very upset that it is leaking - in my mind, we bought a quality brand (krups) and it should have lasted 15 yrs or more. It's ok to tell me I'm crazy - my dh has repeatedly.:tongue_smilie:Anyway, with that in mind, how well do these machines hold up? I've been looking at the Cuisinart Brewing System, if anyone has that brand in particular.

 

The next issue is taste. I really like good coffee - which is very subjective - but in my case means not watery, not burnt (I detest Starbucks!). I like a good, full flavor. I can adjust quantities in a "regular" maker to my taste, but will I be able to tweak a Keurig? I plan on getting the reusable cup if we do this, so how much wiggle room is there? Get two resuable k-cups so you can make a cup for you and dh without having to wash it out in between. Yes you can adjust the amount of water (coffee strength) or add your own ingrediants to the k-cup. Loose-leaf tea or coffee flavors.

 

Finally, I like being able to brew a pot when we have guests, and I like being able to add my own flavorings (cinnamon, vanilla, etc). I know the pot will be history, but can I add things other than coffee to the kcups? How well do these work for entertaining? When we have a pot on the table, people will just pour a warmer or full cup when they want - has anyone had any experience with guests and the Keuring? Do people just get up and make another cup if they want, or do they do without because they don't want to ask? Yes, your guests will love being able to make their own cup. We just showed them how for the first cup and asked that they make themselves at home and help themselves. Our guests all commented how nice it was to have a variety of flavors to choose from (coffee & tea) and how convenient it was to help themselves rather than having to wait for a whole pot to brew.

 

Replacing a coffee maker should not be this hard!:willy_nilly:

Love my Keurig!

[Aunty Social]

Thanks! I think I'll make dh very happy and tell him we can get one.

[d.g.]

I LOVE my Keurig. I've had it for several months and it gets used every day. No problems whatsoever.

 

We use the Keurig not just for coffee, but for instant hot water for cocoa, tea, and other drinks. When it was still hot out, I would brew a kcup over a mug of ice and choc. syrup for great "quickie" iced coffees.

 

If/when this Keurig dies, I WILL be buying another one ASAP. I love it that much!

[Rich with Kids]

I love my Keurig. We use it everyday. The pods are expensive, so we bought the insert that allows you to use regular coffee. I use Folgers.

[LidiyaDawn]

I can't decide between the Keurig or the Tassimo ..

[JudoMom]

I love my Keurig.

 

I have a regular coffee pot I store in the garage for when we have a lot of guests. I'll brew a pot and put it in a carafe. However, if it's just another family, I'll use the Keurig and k-cups (I normally use the refillable k-cup).

[d.g.]

If you're deciding between the Keurig and the Tassimo, consider the long-term cost. The Keurig has a refillable cup/filter, and recently I've even seen kcups being released from common brands like Folgers. As far as I know, Tassimo doesn't have a refillable option because of the way the machine "reads" the pod.

[Catwoman]

Add me to the list of Keurig lovers! I'd secretly thought it would be one of those "looks nice on the counter but we never use it" kinds of things, but we use ours all the time.

 

We bought the B70 model as a QVC Today's Special Value and it's great! Sam's Club and BJ's have the B60 model for $129.99, and it includes quite a few extras, like lots of coffee samples, which are so helpful when you're trying to figure out which K-Cups to buy. I think it also includes the My K-Cup thing that lets you use your own coffee, which normally costs around $15.00.

 

The B70 is nice because it gives you more cup sizes and a larger water reservoir, but if I hadn't gotten the one on QVC, I was going to get the B60.

 

Be sure to check Kohls.com for pricing, too, especially when they're having those 15-20-30% off sales. There are always 30%-off codes posted online when those sales are running. There's almost always a 20%-off code for Bed, Bath, and Beyond, too.

 

Cat

[dsmith]

I would skip the Cuisinart and go with the standard Keurig machine. We have the Cuisinart and it has been giving us trouble. Also, it uses filters which need to be replaced after 60 days or 60 uses. We could get 60 uses in less than a week! We are long time Keurig users, and when they first came out for the public, there were some problems that have been worked out, but the Cuisinart seems to act like some of the earlier models did. Also, don't buy k-cups from the supermarket. They are very expensive, and the boxes are smaller. They are better to buy online. If you have hard water, I would recommend using one of those water pitchers with the filters for filling the Keurig. All in all, we love our Keurigs, and we love K-cups. We even have one for travelling.:D

[Mom-ninja.]

DH bought me one for Christmas. I don't know if I'm going to keep it. I stopped drinking coffee two weeks ago. DH forgot I stopped when he bought it.

 

I don't think I'll keep it for just tea and hot chocolate.

 

I miss coffee. :(

[Doodle]

I'm trying to decide between the different models. For the mini model, it seems that the biggest difference is that you need to pour the water in for each cup. Does anyone have any knowledge of this one? Often it will be just my husband drinking coffee.

[Krista in LA]

We just got the Cuisinart for Christmas, and so far we love it. We chose it for the bigger water capacity among other things. The k cups are a little strong for me, so I make sure to use the 12 oz size brew with them. We have used the My k cup a lot with it and you can adjust how strong to make it by adding more or less coffee to it - just make sure you put the lid on tight enough or you'll end up with colored water. The other thing I like is that we drink flavored coffees and don't always want the same flavor or I'll want decaf, and with this, we can have whatever we want without worrying about what the other one wants. We've always been Green Mountain fans and are Cafe Express members (free) so we can get a discount on the k cups, including free shipping if we buy 4 boxes at a time, and no sales tax for us.

[parias1126]

We love our Keurig and use it everyday. I have found that Amazon is usually the cheapest for the machine and the coffee.

[CalicoKat]

I can't decide between the Keurig or the Tassimo ..

My sister has the Tassimo and she mentioned that she regretted it because the pods are harder to find and the variety isn't the same as the Keurig. She loved my Keurig too.

[Mom2J112903]

I'm trying to decide between the different models. For the mini model, it seems that the biggest difference is that you need to pour the water in for each cup. Does anyone have any knowledge of this one? Often it will be just my husband drinking coffee.

 

This is what we have and it works out well for us since it is usually just myself. There is no "resouvior" for water, but honestly since it is one cup per day, I would rather pour it each time than having water sitting for days ;)

[Dolphin]

My dh got me a Keurig for Christmas, and I love it. He also got me coffee people kcups. They are so yummy. I am not a Starbucks fan either, I love coffee people and can now have it everyday in my own kitchen.

[Doodle]

This is what we have and it works out well for us since it is usually just myself. There is no "resouvior" for water, but honestly since it is one cup per day, I would rather pour it each time than having water sitting for days ;)

 

Great. That's what I needed to know. I don't think I'd want water sitting in a reservoir from day to day either.

[CAMom]

Just adding to the list of lovers.;)

 

I wanted to say that my guests love it! We have folks over every Sunday for Bible study and they all love looking at my assortment of kcups and trying whatever suits their fancy that week-coffee, decaf, fancy flavors, chai latte, apple cider, tea, hot chocolate, etc. They just get up and make themselves a second cup whenever they like!

 

Mine gets used every single day and every guest I've had since I've gotten it loves it!:D

[hsmom27]

I love mine. I really, really love mine. Guests love it too. But I really, really love it more. My sister did have a minor issue with hers and called Keurig. She was told to use a pin to pierce the lid of any "puffed lid" K-cups, before inserting into the machine. That's the only problem I've ever heard of any one having.

[Catwoman]

My dh got me a Keurig for Christmas, and I love it. He also got me coffee people kcups. They are so yummy. I am not a Starbucks fan either, I love coffee people and can now have it everyday in my own kitchen.

 

I love the Coffee People Donut Shop coffee kcups! I also love the Cafe Escapes Hot Cocoa, but am not thrilled with the Green Mountain hot cocoa. The Emeril Extra Bold (I think that's the name) is good for a stronger cup of coffee, too. I don't like the hot apple cider, though.

 

Cat

Edited December 28, 2010 by Catwoman

[yslek]

Huh. I think the Keurig coffee is just OK. Dh thinks it tastes stale and refuses to drink it. I much prefer my coffee freshly ground right before brewing. I love the Aeropress, though it's not great for serving more than 1-2 people coffee. (We keep a coffeemaker around, but only use it when we have company.) I can't believe I'm the only dissenter in 3 pages! Maybe I'm more of a coffee snoot than I thought? ;):D

[Spy Car]

These Keurig systems are environmentally irresponsible way to package and brew coffee. Shockingly so!

 

They are also a financially wasteful "convenience" item.

 

Just say no.

 

Bill

[Frontier Mom]

I love mine and have had it for about 16 months. I've never had any problems with it. I have the Special Edition and love the water reservoir. I use the strong coffee so I can use it twice!! I have the K-cup but get some "residue" in my cup when I use it. Not sure if I am filling it too full or not but I much prefer the pre-made pods.

 

I got mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond with the 20% coupon. I also use the coupons for the boxes of coffee. Love mine!

[DawnM]

I wouldn't get one. I am a control freak as well and want to grind my own beans fresh in the grind I choose and I don't use a regular coffee pot. I have one for guests/parties, but I use my overpriced espresso machine daily and have for the past 7 or 8 years. I LOVE it. I make Americanos when I am lazy, or I can whip up a latte without too much more effort. Once I have gotten the hang of it, I am surprised by people who say using an espresso machine is a lot of work. It takes MAYBE one or two more minutes than getting a filter out and scooping up grinds into a coffee maker.

 

Keurig often is at Costco and I never turn down a free cup of coffee, so I have tried it, and it isn't bad, but I prefer a real shot of fresh ground espresso.

 

Someone told me the Tassimo had a cappuccino pod, but when I looked it was powdered milk and already added sugar.....ick.

 

Want to read more than you would EVER want to know about coffee machines? http://coffeegeek.com/

 

Dawn

 

Huh. I think the Keurig coffee is just OK. Dh thinks it tastes stale and refuses to drink it. I much prefer my coffee freshly ground right before brewing. I love the Aeropress, though it's not great for serving more than 1-2 people coffee. (We keep a coffeemaker around, but only use it when we have company.) I can't believe I'm the only dissenter in 3 pages! Maybe I'm more of a coffee snoot than I thought? ;):D

Edited December 28, 2010 by DawnM

[MaMa2005]

I got a Keurig for Christmas :party:. I am in love! I am not a coffee snob as I have just recently started drinking it. However, I got the K-cup, flavored coffee (holiday flavors) on clearance at Target and some flavored creamer yesterday and boy, does that taste good. My MIL had some tea on Christmas day that she really enjoyed. I also loved that when DS asked for a cup of noodles today, it heated the water super fast and lunch was in front of him in just a couple of minutes.

 

DH got a great deal on mine. Our Kroger had them on sale for $89.00 (Platinum Edition). Then he saw it at Staples, they price matched, plus he had a coupon for $25 off his purchase. He said he just couldn't resist at that price! Who would have thought to buy one at an office supply store!

[Catwoman]

Huh. I think the Keurig coffee is just OK. Dh thinks it tastes stale and refuses to drink it.

 

I think it depends which of the coffees you use. Some of them are kind of watery, and others are downright strong. I like mine somewhere in the middle. You have to experiment with the different varieties to see which ones you like.

 

That said, I love the Aeropress, too! :)

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

Someone told me the Tassimo had a cappuccino pod, but when I looked it was powdered milk and already added sugar.....ick.

 

 

:ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

 

That sounds disgusting!!!

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

These Keurig systems are environmentally irresponsible way to package and brew coffee. Shockingly so!

 

They are also a financially wasteful "convenience" item.

 

Just say no.

 

Bill

 

Too late. Already said yes. ;) :D

 

And Bill, we're all here trying to be good little enablers, so Shawna will get her Keurig, and you're being all sensible and responsible. :eek: If you don't cut it out, she might not buy one, and where's the fun in that?

 

And you have to admit that the little kcups are cute. :tongue_smilie:

 

Cat

[Aunty Social]

These Keurig systems are environmentally irresponsible way to package and brew coffee. Shockingly so!

 

They are also a financially wasteful "convenience" item.

 

Just say no.

 

Bill

Sorry, Bill. I have a husband to keep happy.:lol: If it makes you feel better, I don't plan on using the pre-done cups. We'll get the reusable ones. Besides, I can, garden, make my own cleaners and personal care products, compost and recycle. That should offset the Keurig. :D

 

Grrr. I can't scroll to the bottom of the next quote on my phone. I just wanted to say you crack me up, Cat. :lol:

 

Too late. Already said yes. ;) :D

 

And Bill, we're all here trying to be good little enablers, so Shawna will get her Keurig, and you're being all sensible and responsible. :eek: If you don't cut it out, she might not buy one, and where's the fun in that?

 

And you have to admit that the little kcups are cute. :tongue_smilie:

 

Cat

[Ravin]

We really like our Keurig--it's a hand-me-down from DH's best friend. We've had problems related to hard water--even the standard filtered water was making it have to descale every couple of days. We've started using distilled water and it works fine.

 

We seldom use K-cups, just the refillable one. You can adjust the strength both by how much grounds you put in the cup, and by choosing cup size--there's a small/strong cup setting on ours, a standard cup, a larger cup, and travel mug size.

 

Anyway, I vote for the Keurig. We do have an inexpensive (actually it came free from Gevalia) coffee maker that makes a full pot; we bring it out for times when we want a whole pot at once, which given our schedules isn't often.

[lvbnhome]

We LOVE espresso and not coffee..Don't want to highjack the thread..but I think your answer could help lots of people..even those who want to come to my house for a latte:) Thanks, Lacy :)

I wouldn't get one. I am a control freak as well and want to grind my own beans fresh in the grind I choose and I don't use a regular coffee pot. I have one for guests/parties, but I use my overpriced espresso machine daily and have for the past 7 or 8 years. I LOVE it. I make Americanos when I am lazy, or I can whip up a latte without too much more effort. Once I have gotten the hang of it, I am surprised by people who say using an espresso machine is a lot of work. It takes MAYBE one or two more minutes than getting a filter out and scooping up grinds into a coffee maker.

 

 

Want to read more than you would EVER want to know about coffee machines? http://coffeegeek.com/

 

Dawn

[DawnM]

You asked what machine I have. I have one that isn't made anymore. I have a KitchenAid Proline. I got a good deal on it, but wish I had gone with a Rancillio Silva.

 

Ah, well, this one will break some day! :D

 

What do you have?

 

Dawn

 

We LOVE espresso and not coffee..Don't want to highjack the thread..but I think your answer could help lots of people..even those who want to come to my house for a latte:) Thanks, Lacy :)

[katilac]

We love our Keurig so much that we took it to Disney World with us. Didn't want to go a week without it!

 

We use the reusable filters for the most part. We bought the off brand from Amazon so we can have several; no worries, easy to use.

[StaceyinLA]

I've had it nearly 2 years. I have the reusable filter AND we get K cups. I also use it just to do hot water over my Tazo tea bags. We use it daily, and I'd replace it in a nanosecond if it broke!

[LidiyaDawn]

I can't decide between the Keurig or the Tassimo ..

My sister has the Tassimo and she mentioned that she regretted it because the pods are harder to find and the variety isn't the same as the Keurig. She loved my Keurig too.

 

Hmmm. I definitely want variety - I love flavored coffee! :D

 

Right now, I just drink instant with flavored creamers - we don't even own a normal coffee pot. And really, there'd be no sense in making a whole pot of coffee - dh gets his at the gas station on the way to work, so it's just me here having one or two cups in the morning and another in the late afternoon. If these things can also make stuff like hot chocolate and apple cider - well now, THOSE I would drink more of too. :lol:

 

It looks like there's a cute little "mini" version that doesn't cost much...

[Pam in MA]

We were early adopters of the Keurig. We loved the convenience, thought the coffee quality was mediocre, and felt guilty about the environmental impact. When it irreparably broke after not even two years, we did not replace it. It's so expensive to buy the coffee and we're enjoying having a bag of coffee that cost under $10 last for at least two weeks. So I got a nice new Thermos for Christmas instead! I agree with Bill. And I like his whale.

[Catwoman]

We really like our Keurig--it's a hand-me-down from DH's best friend. We've had problems related to hard water--even the standard filtered water was making it have to descale every couple of days. We've started using distilled water and it works fine.

 

 

Ours has some sort of water filter attachment thingie. It came as a bonus item when we bought our Keurig (Platinum B70 model) on QVC. It fits into the Keurig and you don't even see it once it's in there. I would tell you how it goes in, but ds10 is my official appliance assembly person and he did it for me, so I don't have a clue. I don't know if the filters fit other models, but it might be worth checking out.

 

Also, we bought a Cuisinart Clean Water system and it's great if you have hard water. We have the 1.5 gallon model and it sits on a countertop. We got it at BJ's and I can't remember exactly how much we paid for it, but I think it was around $100 and it came with an extra filter. Here's a link to the same product at Amazon. I don't know if it comes with two filters, though -- I paid 12.99 for additional filters, but they last for 3 months, so the price isn't too bad.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LFV8C6/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0030VL8MK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0RQEBSHCCN8SPER2DWGW

 

Cat

Edited December 28, 2010 by Catwoman

[UnsinkableKristen]

We adore our and I, too, would replace it in a nanosecond.

 

It's made my mornings so lovely. I don't have to remember to set the coffee pot up at night (or curse myself when I have forgotten to), and I don't wake up the kids grinding my own beans. I just stumble in the kitchen all blurry eyed, press the "on" button, stumble wherever else, then back to the pot stick a KCup in and press go. A minute later I have my steaming cup of awesome.

 

For me, it's just streamlined one more part of the day and it fits right in with our family mission statement "To Live As Stress Free As Possible" :lol:

[rafiki]

.

[Stacie]

I'm also in the "love my Keurig" camp. However, if and when it goes out I will likely replace it with the current model of Bunn My Cafe Home. This machine is getting rave reviews. I also like that it uses totally compostable pods, you can either buy the pods premade or make your own, and it has an excellent brewing system. You can choose the strength of your cup by the size of the pod and the amount of water you add.

 

I don't like throwing out the plastic k-cups so I usually use the refillable attachment. However I don't want to throw out a perfectly good brewer either so I will continue to use it until it dies, then revisit the type of machine I want. I love the simplicity of a single cup brewer and really can't be trusted to operate a machine too complicated before my first cup. ;)

[SonshineLearner]

There are little paper filters that you can purchase on Amazon for the K-cup. You stick the filter in "their" reusable thing and then you just throw the paper filter away. Has anyone used the paper filter? I'd love for Keurig to develop refills with brown paper filters that are "filled" and then you pop those in.... Instead of the plastic.

[parias1126]

I'm also in the "love my Keurig" camp. However, if and when it goes out I will likely replace it with the current model of Bunn My Cafe Home. This machine is getting rave reviews. I also like that it uses totally compostable pods, you can either buy the pods premade or make your own, and it has an excellent brewing system. You can choose the strength of your cup by the size of the pod and the amount of water you add.

 

I don't like throwing out the plastic k-cups so I usually use the refillable attachment. However I don't want to throw out a perfectly good brewer either so I will continue to use it until it dies, then revisit the type of machine I want. I love the simplicity of a single cup brewer and really can't be trusted to operate a machine too complicated before my first cup. ;)

 

 

I wa curious about that machine so I googled it. I haven't found any great reviews, just pages of recalls because of a burning hazard.

 

http://m.consumerreports.org/?redirurl=/cro/appliances/kitchen-appliances/coffeemakers/pod-coffeemaker-ratings/models/overview/bunn-my-cafe-mcp-99012399.htm

[Stacie]

I wa curious about that machine so I googled it. I haven't found any great reviews, just pages of recalls because of a burning hazard.

 

http://m.consumerreports.org/?redirurl=/cro/appliances/kitchen-appliances/coffeemakers/pod-coffeemaker-ratings/models/overview/bunn-my-cafe-mcp-99012399.htm

 

 

I couldn't access the full page of info that you linked, but it looks like the machine you are linking to is not the one I mentioned. The link is to the MCP model, which is a commercial grade model that has been around for a while and has been known for a few problems.

 

The model to which I referred is the Bunn My Cafe Home, a smaller home model that has no recalls of which I am aware. I am watching it, though!

 

ETA: Here is a link to it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/BUNN-MC-Cafe-Home-Brewer/dp/B004EBUWHM

And here is a link to a discussion of it on Single Serve Coffee Forums http://www.singleservecoffeeforums.com/new-bunn-my-cafe-home-single-cup-pod-brewer-t8110.html

Edited December 30, 2010 by Stacie
Adding links

[Aunty Social]

Well, we got a Keurig! Went with the B70, and got two of the "my k cup" inserts. DH is very happy, me....eh. It makes ok coffee - I think once I tweak the water and grounds enough to find my "perfect cup" then I'll like it too. It's certainly not any easier than making a pot though. Every time I want a cup, I have to fill the k cup, and then dump it and rinse it after. Easier to just fill the regular pot's filter basket once and brew a whole pot into my thermal carafe. So, I don't hate it or love it, but my Dh is very happy, and we don't have a leaky coffee machine anymore.

 

If anyone knows more about those paper filters for the reusable kcups, I'm :bigear:. They would make the whole clean up the used grounds portion a lot easier.

[rafiki]

.

[Guest papercupmachine]

i got a paper cup machine for preparing paper cup and i started that business what happen is, it gives lot of damaged cups and trouble now i sold to other person

[MarinesWife]

Kristen, you can set the timer to turn your machine of f and on at certain times.my water is hot and ready for me in the morning.

 

We are big tea drinkers also and have to refill our reservoir at lady once a day. The one cup machine is not worth the price not do you really get the benefit .of a Keurig