Keurig or off brand? Which one??

[ProudGrandma]

My husband and I like different strengths of coffee, so I thought a single serve coffee maker might be a fun gift for Christmas.  But there are so many on the market and I have no idea which one to get.  I know we would probably use pods we make ourselves, not the premade ones since those are way more expensive.

What do I need to consider?  What don't I need?  Give me some specific ones that I should look at.  THANKS!

[Carol in Cal.]

I don’t like. Keurig coffee that much, but Nespresso coffee is great.

I don’t know whether it’s possible to make pods for them or not though.

[ProudGrandma]

6 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I don’t like. Keurig coffee that much, but Nespresso coffee is great.

I don’t know whether it’s possible to make pods for them or not though.

why don't you like Keurig?

 

[Carol in Cal.]

47 minutes ago, kfeusse said:

why don't you like Keurig?

 

It just doesn’t taste good.

[ProudGrandma]

3 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

It just doesn’t taste good.

so it's not the machine that you don't like, it's the coffee. I want to find a good machine to make the coffee.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Dh complains that Keurig made items taste like plastic.  We use quality reverse osmosis water in our Keurig.  I don't have quite the same complaint, but I'm not in love with our Keurig.  It definitely doesn't taste the same as items made in stainless steel and then poured into glass or ceramic. We got it in September because we were running a kettle 24/7.  I think we'll try something else when it dies. (And Keurigs tend to last only 2-3 years, so that is a real thing.)

[Spy Car]

They produce far too much waste are too expensive per cup of coffee for me personally to consider such systems, but I've had the opportunity to try them and have found the Nespresso coffee much preferable to my taste than Keureg.

Not sure how the cost of "pods" compares. But a better cup, for sure.

Bill

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Spy Car

[prairiewindmomma]

Keurig offer this reusable filter/pod: https://www.keurig.com/My-K-Cup®-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/p/universal-my-k-cup

Nespresso has similar options: https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Nespresso-Capsules-Refillable-OriginalLine/dp/B01CBWDY0C/ref=pd_sbs_79_3/133-8230876-3868018?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CBWDY0C&pd_rd_r=b088b575-217a-4c3e-9657-2b3b79802333&pd_rd_w=7Sxum&pd_rd_wg=elEEh&pf_rd_p=ed1e2146-ecfe-435e-b3b5-d79fa072fd58&pf_rd_r=P3D7WYX0X99A7JGDEXN7&psc=1&refRID=P3D7WYX0X99A7JGDEXN7

[ProudGrandma]

5 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Keurig offer this reusable filter/pod: https://www.keurig.com/My-K-Cup®-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/p/universal-my-k-cup

Nespresso has similar options: https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Nespresso-Capsules-Refillable-OriginalLine/dp/B01CBWDY0C/ref=pd_sbs_79_3/133-8230876-3868018?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CBWDY0C&pd_rd_r=b088b575-217a-4c3e-9657-2b3b79802333&pd_rd_w=7Sxum&pd_rd_wg=elEEh&pf_rd_p=ed1e2146-ecfe-435e-b3b5-d79fa072fd58&pf_rd_r=P3D7WYX0X99A7JGDEXN7&psc=1&refRID=P3D7WYX0X99A7JGDEXN7

thanks.  I am still trying to pick out a machine...but it's good to know these are available.

[Katy]

Look for reviews on YouTube. I’m not a coffee drinker but most of the influencencers I follow are slowly switching to Nespresso and raving about the taste. Though I think the pods are slightly more expensive. 

[alisoncooks]

I've had this one for over a year and I like it. 

https://hamiltonbeach.com/flexbrew-single-serve-coffee-maker-49974

You can use any kcup or the refillable one that comes with it. 

[MercyA]

We bought this instead of a Keurig and really like it:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EI7DPS0/ref=afx_dp_prime_egress?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh

It's a single-serve coffee maker that doesn't use pods. Very convenient, easy to use, easy to clean. Uses regular ground coffee. You can brew two strengths and a large or small cup.

We are not picky about our coffee, though. Folgers all the way. 😉 

[ProudGrandma]

6 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

I've had this one for over a year and I like it. 

https://hamiltonbeach.com/flexbrew-single-serve-coffee-maker-49974

You can use any kcup or the refillable one that comes with it. 

 

5 minutes ago, MercyA said:

We bought this instead of a Keurig and really like it:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EI7DPS0/ref=afx_dp_prime_egress?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh

It's a single-serve coffee maker that doesn't use pods. Very convenient, easy to use, easy to clean. Uses regular ground coffee. You can brew two strengths and a large or small cup.

We are not picky about our coffee, though. Folgers all the way. 😉 

do either one of these have a reservoir for more water than just one cup? 

[Bootsie]

1 hour ago, kfeusse said:

so it's not the machine that you don't like, it's the coffee. I want to find a good machine to make the coffee.  

Some may be the machine (process) and some may be the particular coffee.  The Keurig has a wider variety of coffees/flavors.  To make a larger or smaller cup, you use the same pod but more or less water will go over the pod.  With the Nespresso, capsules are different for smaller versus larger cups--so there is a difference in the quantity of coffee.  Some Nespresso machines are higher pressure than Keurigs, resulting in more of an espresso type drink with crema.  Keurig would be more akin to a drip still coffee.  If you prefer drip coffee or flavored coffees, Keurig would probably be preferred.  If you are trying to get close to an Italian-style espresso, the Nespresso would probably be preferred.  

[ProudGrandma]

8 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

Some may be the machine (process) and some may be the particular coffee.  The Keurig has a wider variety of coffees/flavors.  To make a larger or smaller cup, you use the same pod but more or less water will go over the pod.  With the Nespresso, capsules are different for smaller versus larger cups--so there is a difference in the quantity of coffee.  Some Nespresso machines are higher pressure than Keurigs, resulting in more of an espresso type drink with crema.  Keurig would be more akin to a drip still coffee.  If you prefer drip coffee or flavored coffees, Keurig would probably be preferred.  If you are trying to get close to an Italian-style espresso, the Nespresso would probably be preferred.  

thank you for that clarification.  Very helpful. 

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, kfeusse said:

My husband and I like different strengths of coffee, so I thought a single serve coffee maker might be a fun gift for Christmas.  

If your husband doesn’t mind the same blend of coffee, then maybe dilute with water for the one who wants a milder cup? I like my coffee strong so I add milk for my husband’s cup. If we are out of milk, I just add water. 
 

I had a Keurig and had tried the Nespresso several times at Macy’s, William Sonoma and Bed Bath & Beyond. I still prefer my pour over coffee. I have been drinking pour over coffee since I was 5 so it’s probably an acquired taste. 
 

My Keurig needed descaling from time to time.

[MercyA]

1 hour ago, kfeusse said:

do either one of these have a reservoir for more water than just one cup? 

The maximum amount of water it will hold at a time is 14 oz.

[Bootsie]

4 hours ago, kfeusse said:

My husband and I like different strengths of coffee, so I thought a single serve coffee maker might be a fun gift for Christmas.  But there are so many on the market and I have no idea which one to get.  I know we would probably use pods we make ourselves, not the premade ones since those are way more expensive.

What do I need to consider?  What don't I need?  Give me some specific ones that I should look at.  THANKS!

Is it that you prefer different roasts of coffee or that you prefer different quantities of water?  

[Carol in Cal.]

The thing about the Nespresso is, I only use it at work. 

There is no kitchen there, and only a little pedestal sink in the half bathroom.  So I pretty much regard that sink as a swamp of germs, and don’t rinse out dishes in it.  So I need something more or less disposable for that application, and the Nespresso coffee is so good but I normally don’t drink it often, as I drink coffee at home in the morning and usually not again through the day. So for occasional use where I really want easy disposal, it’s absolutely fantastic.  I do recycle the pods back to Nespresso, which has free shipping—I know it’s still pretty consumptive but on the whole it seems like a good compromise to me.  

I would find it wasteful for home use.

What I did before I had it was bring pour over brewed coffee in in canning jars, and warm it in the mug in the microwave.  That worked pretty well but the Nespresso is better, fresher, and easier.  And every Keurig coffee I have ever tried tasted nasty.

 

[alisoncooks]

2 hours ago, kfeusse said:

 

do either one of these have a reservoir for more water than just one cup? 

The one I posted: whatever goes in will come out. There's no cup size setting/water saving. 

[katilac]

We have a Keurig and so do several family members, and we've like all of the models/variations just fine. My aunt has a Cusinart brand (that takes Kcups and refillable Kcups) and that one's just fine as well. I'd say the Cusinart has a better look and a heftier feel (more metal), so something to consider if you have a nice kitchen. 

We drink - well, let's just say a lot of coffee. I grew up on manual drip coffee (quite literally, we drank it from a very early age) and in adulthood I've used and enjoyed manual drip, electric drip, pour over, pod, French press, espresso (cheap and fancy styles, lol) and of course Keurig. As long as I like the grounds that it's made with, I like the resulting coffee. We find the Keurig is the easiest way to make single servings, and I love me some single serving coffee. I don't like my coffee to sit when made in an electric drip pot, and I don't like to pour into a carafe to keep warm because I am very fickle and often don't want several cups of the same type of coffee. Manual drip isn't a lot more work, but it's enough more that I prefer the Keurig most days, lol.

We mostly use the reusable K-cups, so we can buy whatever grounds we want and it's no more expensive per cup than any other way. We do use the ready made K-cups as well sometimes; it's a luxury built into our carbon footprint budget, lol. Coffee at home is a pretty cheap endeavor no matter what coffee maker and/or type of grounds you use. You can buy really expensive grounds or beans and still come out pretty good making it at home, just like I can buy really expensive groceries and still come out way ahead versus eating out.