Singingmom Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Hi, all :) . I'm new to posting here, but I have been lurking for weeks. My broken coffee maker has pushed me out of lurkdom! I figured you would be a great group to ask about what coffee maker would be best. I am the only coffee drinker in the family, but will sometimes drink a whole pot of decaf in a day:blush::. I know the k cups can be kind of costly. Is it worth it taste wise? Oh, and how about those filters that you can buy and still use your own beans? I would love to hear any and all reccomendations. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 If you are the only coffee drinker and drink only one or two cups a day, then the Keurig is perfect! I have one and love it. But if you drink a whole pot at a time, or like to keep it on all day, then I think a traditional drip pot would be better. For the Keurig, I have both the ready to go K-cups, and the make your own filter. The make your own filter is fine, but in a way defies the reason for having a Keurig in the first place, which is (for me) to have a quick single-cup coffee without the hassle! I think I figured out once that it costs about 50 cents for each K-cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 lol I want a kurig.....I think you can use those little "k cups" and do different things besides just coffee--hot chocolates---hot teas--flavored coffees......I hope I have the right machine LOL not a big coffee drinker but love hot cocoas and capuccinos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firestar Academy Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 :bigear: robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I know SpecialMama loves hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singingmom Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Can you buy the little coffee pods in bulk to get the price down? Anybody get them at Costco? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 My dh is the only coffee drinker in the house. The Keurig is perfect for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedmom4 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 My husband loves coffee and is generally the only one in the house to drink it. Occasionally my mother-in-law comes over and likes to have a cup. My concern after reading these posts is that you can't put your own coffee in them? Is that correct or am I missing something. My dh is really particular about his brand of coffee. Thanks, Elise in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singingmom Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 No, there is some piece of separate equipment you can buy ( I think it's called My K cup) that allows you to use your own coffee. I just wonder if it works well? I'd love to hear from someone who uses this with their Keurig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigail4476 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I love my Keurig! The K-cups are more expensive, but it seems like they last longer than my coffee canisters since we only make a cup at a time. I have the little cup you can use with your own coffee grounds, but I still prefer the convenience of the K-cups. I also keep a drawer full of chai, tea and hot chocolate mixes for the kids. They tend to only make a few cups per week, so I've only replenished my K-cup drawer one time in about 6 months. PROS: --less waste --convenient --very easy cleanup --easy for the kids to use CONS: --cost --takes longer to serve coffee if you have a lot of guests. It's a good idea to keep a big coffee pot in the pantry for entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 For the Keurig, I have both the ready to go K-cups, and the make your own filter. The make your own filter is fine, but in a way defies the reason for having a Keurig in the first place, which is (for me) to have a quick single-cup coffee without the hassle! I agree entirely. Using your own coffee works fine, but being able to go from an empty cup to drinking coffee in about a minute is what I love about it. My husband was skeptical when I wanted one, but now he loves the thing. I was pretty excited about the chocolate and chai, as well, but the only ones I've seen for sale near me have artificial sweetener (along with regular sugar). I'm hoping to find some with just sugar. Anyone know of some? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanezomom Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I love my Cuisinart SS-700. My mil asked last Christmas if I would like a Keurig. I said "Heavens, no, I would never let anyone spend that much on a coffee maker." Then the more I thought about it and read reviews, I relented. I told her where the lowest priced place was to buy it (I think Best Buy last year) and instead of $199, I think she paid $150 for it. I am so in love with my coffee maker that I now even take it camping. I am spoiled. It came with a re-useable coffee filter so instead of paying so much for the little K-cups, I just grind my dark French roast and load my little cup. I make at least 4 mugs of it per day. I had been buying boxes of 50 K-cups on Amazon for about $37. I think they are rapidly going up. Timothy's Midnight Roast was a great dark, smooth coffee. Bottom Line: I would say go for it it if you can afford it. The speed and quality of the task are wonderful. The high temperature and quick infusion of water make a great cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Martin Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 A relative sent a Keurig to me for Christmas one year. I love it. I'll sometimes use K-cups for guests, but I generally use a spoonful of instant coffee in my mug. Hot water on tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 My husband loves coffee and is generally the only one in the house to drink it. Occasionally my mother-in-law comes over and likes to have a cup. My concern after reading these posts is that you can't put your own coffee in them? Is that correct or am I missing something. My dh is really particular about his brand of coffee. Thanks, Elise in NC I think you might be able to get a little "cup" where you can use your own coffee (I've seen it advertised on the tv shopping channels hsn or qvc specials) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I got a Keurig for Christmas last year. I only drink a cup of coffee a day (and sometimes none). The instant hot water is wonderful for hot cocoa, hot tea, instant noodles/soups/etc. Just this week DS came down with a horrible cold and I made him drink tea with honey all day for three days. It was so nice that the tea was always fresh and hot. The K-Cup came with mine, but I didn't like it (spewed coffee everywhere). I use the EkoBrew Cup (http://www.amazon.com/ekobrew-Refillable-K-Cup-Keurig-Brewers/dp/B0051SU0OW) and it is wonderful. I do have a collection of K-Cups that I get at JPenney or Kohls. They tend to send me a free $10 coupon about every six weeks and I apply that toward my K-Cups - thus getting about 18 cups for $3.00 (like 16 cents a cup). When our Keurig goes, we will buy another to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristyND Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Do the keurigs have a water reservoir? You dont have to add water each time you want to brew a cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 My DH uses a mug-sized French press. I'm a tea drinker, so I have a machine that keeps water hot-but-not-boiling all day, so DH dispenses water from that. The only wait is for the coffee to 'steep' as long as he likes it. I have no idea how long that is :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I LOVE LOVE my Cuisnart (comparable to Keurig but a bit larger) - I got it earlier this year, and my whole family uses it (including the kids for hot cocoa, Granny for hot water for instant coffee, Granpa, hubby & me for coffee!). I also use the hot water for cooking - our well water is icky, so when a recipe calls for hot water I'd rather use the super-filtered stuff. We got a solofill for using our own coffee grounds, and it actually physically works great - the big downfall is that Grandpa is the only one who was using it & he likes his coffee STRONG (we call it cowboy coffee!). Unless you use the 6oz setting for a cup, using your own coffee often doesn't make it super-strong (even when we tried stronger blends). He got tired of making 6oz at a time, so he switched to Granny's instant coffee with Cuisnart hot water (he doesn't care how it tastes, as long as it is strong! :D ). My hubby and I SHOULD learn to use our own coffee... but we already have favorites in the Kcups and we also love to use several different kinds during the day. I have also used it for hot tea at nighttime, when I was drinking that. The only con I can think if is the price of the Kcups - argh!! But the savings in ease & tidiness is immeasurable to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigail4476 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Do the keurigs have a water reservoir? You dont have to add water each time you want to brew a cup? I have the Keurig mini brewer, and you have to add it each time. There are larger models with a reservoir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Love, love, LOVE my Keurig! I drink about 1-3 cups a day and it is perfect for me. Even for larger quantities, it's great. I was first exposed to the Keurig when one of my Girl Scout moms brought hers to our GS camp weekend. It was so fantastic because every mom had fresh coffee brewed according to her taste, whether it was flavored coffee, french roast, dark roast, decaf, etc. Even for people who drink a lot of coffee I think it'd be great if you like variety, rather than making a big pot and drinking the same type of coffee for each cup. On days when I am drinking 3 cups or more, I'm usually picking a different type each time. I like to mix it up! It is more expensive than using a conventional machine, you're paying between 40-60 cents per k-cup. That's acceptable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsquared Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 No, there is some piece of separate equipment you can buy ( I think it's called My K cup) that allows you to use your own coffee. I just wonder if it works well? I'd love to hear from someone who uses this with their Keurig. I have a Cuisenart version. I can use the cups or my own coffee. Both work great. I get big cases of the cups off of Amazon for less money. Otherwise buying at the store is expensive for not very many. I just love how fresh the coffee always tastes. So yummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 We love our Keurig, conditionally. The waste squicks me out so I cut the cups open and add the tea and coffee to the worm composter. DH uses it for coffee. I use it for tea and sometimes hot chocolate. It is super convienent. However, the machines are prone to breaking. So if you get one, make sure you register it with Keurig because odds are, you will be using the warranty. We've never had a coffee maker from Keurig actually make it to one year. This is our third "new" coffemaker. I suspect they are pretty cheaply made because I'm guessing the company makes almost all its money from the coffee pods. Keurig is pretty good about replacing the machine. You have to call them up and go through a maintenance test cycle with them and then you mail back the filter. In the meantime, they send a new one out quickly. I hate the waste of throwing the darn machines out!!! They kind of make me laugh because on it's busiest day ever at my home, I think the machine made 8 cups of coffee. And usually it rests for weeks or months at a time because DH wants cappuchino instead. So I don't think we're abusing the machines. The first one konked out after 3 months. The second one made it 8 months and the third has so far made it since April. So we like it. It's fun for entertaining because we just set a basket out with a bunch of different varieties but we keep a backup coffeepot in the house because you never know when that darn thing is going to poop out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnsinkableKristen Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 We've had ours for a year and a half and it's still working beautifully. We probably make 2 - 3 cups a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. DH likes REALLY strong coffee, so he either uses a bold KCup or uses the My KCup and brews another blend he likes. We tend to use the KCups on the busy weekdays, and the My KCup on the slower weekends. I order all of our cups in bulk from amazon and have them shipped to our house automatically every month. It saves a TON of money. When we want to try something new, we either get a variety pack or we get a box from Bed Bath & Beyond and use their 20% off coupon. Buying them from the grocery store is VERY expensive. My kids love it, too, because it takes no time at all to make hot cocoa :) Our Keurig was the BEST anniversary gift we ever gave eachother! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I got myKeurig for my birthday. I really like it. It can get expensive for each cup is about $.45-$.70 each. We find that amazon has the most reasonable prices. However, I did get a coffee filter thing that I can use my own coffee with. I also like to use the Keurig for hot water for instant oatmeal or cocoa for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsanmb Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Love, love, love my Keurig. I get the coffee cups at Bed Bath and Beyond and save all those 20% off coupons just for coffee. My town has recycling so I can recycle the plastic cups. I'm the only family coffee drinker so it works for me. I would never have bought it for myself but received it as a gift and I just love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tearose Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Can you buy the little coffee pods in bulk to get the price down? Anybody get them at Costco? Besides the buying them in bulk online as other posters have mentioned, my local Costco carries a few flavors in bulk packages. Recently I saw two Caribou varieites and one or two Donut House ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I love my Keurig! The K-cups are more expensive, but it seems like they last longer than my coffee canisters since we only make a cup at a time. I have the little cup you can use with your own coffee grounds, but I still prefer the convenience of the K-cups. I also keep a drawer full of chai, tea and hot chocolate mixes for the kids. They tend to only make a few cups per week, so I've only replenished my K-cup drawer one time in about 6 months. PROS: --less waste --convenient --very easy cleanup --easy for the kids to use CONS: --cost --takes longer to serve coffee if you have a lot of guests. It's a good idea to keep a big coffee pot in the pantry for entertaining. :iagree: I love mine! I'm the only coffee drinker here so it works for us. I use the "my k-cup" and I think I have to use more coffee to get it how I like it...I have to fill it to the top and it can be kind of messy which is a con. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 With the amount of coffee you drink, a keurig would not be my first choice. They run about .50 per cup unless you get the basket that lets you use your own grounds, and at that point, I don't see why to get a keurig. I would opt for something that can make more coffee at a time. There are such a wide variety of options out there. French Press, Chemix, Toddy, and many others that are not your traditional drip machine. http://coffeegeek.com/ has reviews on everything you would want to know and much, much more!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Uh, I still have the $12 drip maker from wallyworld. If it breaks, maybe I'll take the leap... I looked into Keurig near Christmas and would've been happy to receive one but maybe I was a bad girl because Santa skipped me entirely. Anyway, with regards to the "My K Cup" I remember reading reviews and some people didn't like it but recommended a different brand of cup that you add your own coffee to. So, do a little research, because if you want to get that little basket or cup or whatever, you might want the other brand if it works better. There is a little family-run "Bargain Mart" in town that sells old, damaged, and not so popular merchandise that often has K-cups inexpensively. So, if your town has this type of store (I have no idea how popular these stores are, they are often in run down parts of town), check that out, otherwise Amazon is probably the way to go. I really, really liked the Keurig at the hospital lounge near the Ped's ward. Last year, my dd spent 9 nights in the hospital and DH and I split our time being with her. When I would show up, I'd fill my insulated mug with coffee from the Keurig (a free perc for parents). They only had regular and decaf coffee from one company but it sure was nice. Their unit was plumbed into the wall so instead of a water reservior, it had a water line, like your refrigerator's ice maker. And, my hairdresser has a Keurig at her station and that is a good thing. She's got a rack with all sorts of coffee, tea, and cocoa in it and when a customer wants a cup of something, it's ready in a flash. So, it makes sense for her. I'd say go for it if you have the money for the machine and all those little cups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warneral Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I personally would not. I don't like hot anything + plastic. Kcups are expensive Coffee is not exceptional. Get a SS tea kettle, French press & grinder. Find locally roasted, single origin beans and enjoy :) Or at least, that is what I prefer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anneofalamo Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 This thread has helped me tremendously!! I am a grandpa "cowboy" coffee drinker, and drink alot of it! Ilove my BUNN for it's quickness and ability to add more scoops for my 4-5 scoop expresso POT of coffee! we were wondering about this Keurig, and this thread saved me enough money, I am gonna go get some deep dark s. american beans today! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I'm the only coffee drinker in my family, and let me put it this way: If my house was on fire, I'd grab my Keurig on my way out the door. :D I love love love it. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I didn't really like my Keurig, so I wasn't heartbroken when it broke after a little over a year. I babied that thing - only used filtered water, and periodically descaled it. And it didn't even get used a ton. But it stopped brewing w/ a message that it needed to be descaled. I ran about a gallon of vinegar through before giving up. What I didn't like: the price, and the taste. I like brewed coffee better. What I did like: the convenience when we only needed 1 or 2 cups. My parents' Keurig broke after a year also. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I personally wouldn't go for the Keurig. There was a recent article breaking down the cost, and they came up with $30 -$50 per pound. I can't imagine paying that much for coffee. Then there's the waste. I think about all those little K-cups in landfills, and can't bring myself to add to that. While I would love the idea of being able to just make one cup of coffee quickly and easily, the trade off isn't worth it to me. And if you drink as much coffee as you say, it wouldn't really be convenient for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Can you buy the little coffee pods in bulk to get the price down? Anybody get them at Costco? I don't own a Keurig but my son and several of my friends do. Yes,they buy the cups at Costco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwin Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 It makes a good cup of coffee. It would be great for those days when I want decaf and my husband needs his caffeine fix, or for tea, or when we have guests who have flavor preferences... If I was using my own beans, I'd stick with a regular coffee maker, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Just so you know, Keurig will replace them for free if they break. I didn't really like my Keurig, so I wasn't heartbroken when it broke after a little over a year. I babied that thing - only used filtered water, and periodically descaled it. And it didn't even get used a ton. But it stopped brewing w/ a message that it needed to be descaled. I ran about a gallon of vinegar through before giving up. What I didn't like: the price, and the taste. I like brewed coffee better. What I did like: the convenience when we only needed 1 or 2 cups. My parents' Keurig broke after a year also. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 These were my reasons too. If you google price of coffee keurig, it is quite eye opening. I personally wouldn't go for the Keurig. There was a recent article breaking down the cost, and they came up with $30 -$50 per pound. I can't imagine paying that much for coffee. Then there's the waste. I think about all those little K-cups in landfills, and can't bring myself to add to that. While I would love the idea of being able to just make one cup of coffee quickly and easily, the trade off isn't worth it to me. And if you drink as much coffee as you say, it wouldn't really be convenient for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Just so you know, Keurig will replace them for free if they break. Costco refunded my $. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I personally would not. I don't like hot anything + plastic. Kcups are expensive Coffee is not exceptional. Get a SS tea kettle, French press & grinder. Find locally roasted, single origin beans and enjoy :) Or at least, that is what I prefer! :iagree:Yes, me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Bunn Bunn Bunn! I have the one with the thermal carafe, and it keeps the water HOT for a good 5 hours. By HOT, I mean ready-for-a-tea-bag HOT. And, I love having a pot of HOT water at the ready. I can have coffee (I use instant) in the morning and use the rest of the water for making iced tea, or hot tea, or instant noodles, or whatever. And, I don't have to buy funky cup things. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 They run about .50 per cup unless you get the basket that lets you use your own grounds, and at that point, I don't see why to get a keurig. :iagree: Nobody has mentioned this (I don't think), but we bought an espresso machine last year. It was about $350 (at Costco Business Center), and it has been worth every penny! I mostly use it as a single-serve coffee maker--I run a little more water than what would typically be used for a couple espresso shots and have a nice Americano. We've also saved money on DH's expensive lattes...and would save even more if I could convince him to make one in the morning before he leaves for work (or if I got up and did it myself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I did mention it. This is what I do as well. It is well worth the effort and I did it even when I had to leave the house at 6:30am for work. Once you get used to it, it is easy. Dawn :iagree: Nobody has mentioned this (I don't think), but we bought an espresso machine last year. It was about $350 (at Costco Business Center), and it has been worth every penny! I mostly use it as a single-serve coffee maker--I run a little more water than what would typically be used for a couple espresso shots and have a nice Americano. We've also saved money on DH's expensive lattes...and would save even more if I could convince him to make one in the morning before he leaves for work (or if I got up and did it myself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I am so glad I am not the only one that does not love a Keurig. It's convenient but I'm too frugal to continue with the kcups, especially since I drink a lot of coffee. The filter to use your own grounds is very messy. I'm ready to put mine on craigslist, but DH likes it. I'm also disappointed that I don't love it because I have heard they have wonderful customer service, and I love purchasing from companies that take good care of customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 The kuerig is one of the little luxry's dh and I enjoy. During the winter I leave it on all day and the kids use the hot water for cocoa(I keep a container of swiss miss near the keurig,), instant soup or oatmeal. I really like the keurig hot apple cider and iced teas and tully k-cups and sometimes I splurge on Star Bucks k-cups. DH prefers Green Mountain breakfast blend, caribou and donut house. We have been able to purchase cases of k-cups on e-bay for around $.50 a cup or I purchase through Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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