# K-cup coffeemakers



## 4HiMarks

I started a new job, and they have a Keurig coffeemaker. It seems pretty convenient, and I see now that there is a refillable filter cup so I wouldn't have to purchase those expensive k-cups if I didn't want to. So I'm thinking of getting one for home. I looked at a few in Kohl's last weekend and the less expensive ($100) ones look like cheap plastic crap, while the substantial ones are well over $200. Online reviews of many models seem to indicate trouble with needles clogging and pumps breaking, so I was wondering about the real-life experiences of people on this board. 

Are they worthwhile spending the money on? We would only use RO water in it.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

The Keurig technology is also licensed to other manufacturers....so the K-cups can be used by brands other than Keurig alone.

One example is Cuisinart.

We purchased their high-end unit on sale ( a terrific price) during this past holiday season. There are sales on various units all the time...so watch for those - but in the end - the more expensive units bring a couple of things to the table over the cheaper ones:

1) Greater capacity water storage containers - this impacts how often you have to refill them.

2) More coffee (or other product) cup size support - large mugs, medium mugs, etc. The smaller Keurig-compliant units tend to only support 1-2 cup sizes. 

3) Reliability. With the unique opportunity to know a local retail store manager, we got the "inside information" on K-cup device returns. That helped steer us toward Cuisinart, but there are other good units. The simple lowdown was that the cheaper units break down more often (not a real surprise there).

4) Warranty - the more expense units (some brands) come with longer warranty terms than the cheaper ones.

Ironically - I don't and never have been a coffee drinker. My wife and daughter are. But I do love the hot chocolate and apple cider these units can also produce with K-cups.

One last thing - we have had great success buying K-cups online, especially when you get them in quantity packages. The price can be 1/2 or less in large boxes when compared to smaller ones found in your local grocery store.

Enjoy.


----------



## heathramos

I have a couple K-cup coffee makers (I buy a lot of coffee makers for some reason).

The coffee is somewhat weak and expensive per cup but has a lot of flavor options, is super convenient and at least you don't waste coffee.

As for the makers themselves...

I have the cheaper one and the more expensive one (I had points from buying coffee so didn't pay full price). The only issue I had with the cheaper one is the plasitc started to wear out and it became difficult to open it fully to insert the k-cup. I later replaced the coffee maker because I found it annoying. The expensive one had an issue with the pump but it was under warranty and they shipped me a replacement coffee maker.

I bought an expresso maker so don't use it at home anymore but still use it at work.

Also...keep in mind that not all of their coffee makers can use the refillable filter cup (my expensive one can't).


----------



## Herdfan

hdtvfan0001 said:


> That helped steer us toward Cuisinart, but there are other good units.


Our experience with the Cuisinart is the opposite. We bought one at Bed, Bath and Beyond and after a couple of months it started to not pull water. We used nothing but filtered water in it. Took it back and exchanged it for another. Couple of months later, same issue. Took it back again and got the high end Kuerig and have had no issues with it. The clerk at BBB did say they have not really had any returns of the Cuisinart so maybe our experience was unusual.

As for the ordering online, absolutely the way to go. Orders from Kuerig.com over $35 get free shipping. Plus you can make sample boxes so you can try other flavors without having to buy a box.

Several Dr.'s offices here have them in the waiting rooms so my wife will take her own pod (she likes the Donut Shop when she runs out of the Dunkin Donuts (expensive and hard to get if you don't have one nearby)).


----------



## Cholly

You might want to check Costco or Sam's - they carry some of the better models. Also, the other day I was in Walmart and noticaed several brands, including Cuisinaart.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Herdfan said:


> Our experience with the Cuisinart is the opposite. We bought one at Bed, Bath and Beyond and after a couple of months it started to not pull water. We used nothing but filtered water in it. Took it back and exchanged it for another. Couple of months later, same issue. Took it back again and got the high end Kuerig and have had no issues with it. *The clerk at BBB did say they have not really had any returns of the Cuisinart so maybe our experience was unusual.*


I suspect it was. We know 5 people with them now, and all are trouble free and really enjoyed. That said, you can always get a "bad one" in almost anything you buy these days.

There was one model that had the problem you described in 2011 for a batch manufactured in July. Those got replaced for free to anyone with them. Other than that, I have only read, seen, and experienced good things with Cuisinart units.

The one key point that impacts ALL BRANDS I suspect is that the cheaper ones simply don't hold up like the higher-priced units.

We really lucked out and "double-dipped" on a sale price deal (coupon and sale)...so the top end unit cost only $47 more than the lower end unit. My advice is to find an expensive one on sale and go that route. The $50 - $70 price difference will be well worth it in reliability and features.


----------



## dmurphy

I absolutely adore my Keurig. Wouldn't be caught without one these days.

I have two of the "Platinum" brewers and I'm pretty happy with them. Just make sure to descale them as the manual says!

As for the coffee itself - I buy mine online from www.shoffee.com - they're a local business here in NJ and do a great job. Very friendly staff too.


----------



## 4HiMarks

I was absolutely thinking of other brands. In addition to Cuisinart, I know that Mr. Coffee, and Breville also make them. We have a Breville Smart Grill that we absolutely love, having replaced a Food Network model in which the plastic base disintegrated after only two years. It seems to be really well built, but the k-cup unit did not get very good reviews. A lot of people have indicated the pumps stopped pumping in a relatively short time. 

I know that reviews can often be skewed negative as people like to complain more than they like to brag, but so many claiming the same problem could point to a manufacturing or design defect.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

4HiMarks said:


> I was absolutely thinking of other brands. In addition to Cuisinart, I know that Mr. Coffee, and Breville also make them. We have a Breville Smart Grill that we absolutely love, having replaced a Food Network model in which the plastic base disintegrated after only two years. It seems to be really well built, but the k-cup unit did not get very good reviews. A lot of people have indicated the pumps stopped pumping in a relatively short time.
> 
> I know that reviews can often be skewed negative as people like to complain more than they like to brag, but so many claiming the same problem could point to a manufacturing or design defect.


I suspect you are right - the squeaky wheel is normally the only one heard.

The Keurig "design" is patented and licensed to other manufacturers, including the "K-cup" format. After running well over 200 of the K-cups through are unit, things are running just like new.

These units do have a cleaning process which keeps the system flushed from plugging up...and I suspect some folks are not as diligent at doing that as others....contributing to "issues".

One thing that we have also noticed is that there are certainly differences in coffee, chocolate, cider, and other blends...in terms of flavor. It typically comes down to personal taste - I like one kind of hot chocolate, for example, much more than others. We never buy them at the grocery store - too expensive there. We keep a dispenser of 50 k-cups right next to our unit...also nice to have.


----------



## Laxguy

What's the cheapest price per cup of coffee or espresso using these pre-filled cups?


----------



## 4HiMarks

Laxguy said:


> What's the cheapest price per cup of coffee or espresso using these pre-filled cups?


The cheapest I was able to find online was about $0.60 per cup, although I saw 12 packs of Green Mountain k-cups on sale at Safeway for $5.99.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Laxguy said:


> What's the cheapest price per cup of coffee or espresso using these pre-filled cups?


It depends on where you buy it, how big a package you buy (quantity lowers the price), and what brand and type of coffee.

We've gotten good brands (in bulk) online with sale prices at about 39 cents per cup. But you have to really shop to get things at that level. The average is more like 55-60 cents a cup.

By the way...there is also one nice added feature in our higher-end unit...

We can use any brand coffee, including freshly ground from a bag, and use it with a substitute filtered container in place of the K-cup. This container came with the unit....but you have to buy a new filter for it about every 4-5 cups.


----------



## Laxguy

Thanks, Gents, Ladies, boys and girls.

I'm a grind my own, direct into the portafilter, pull the lever kinda guy. Or French press pot. One of these days I will figure out the per cup bits!


----------



## sum_random_dork

Check out Amazon for cheaper coffee, they carry the San Francisco Bay Coffee. They developed their own packaging that works with the K-cup but they don't have to pay the fees for the technology. It seems to work well and people that have tried it said it's good coffee. I believe Costco also carries it at some of their locations. If you sign up for the Amazon Subscibe and Save you can get even a better deal.


----------



## SayWhat?

My Mr. Coffee 10 cup does all I need. Don't need no Yuppie maker.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Laxguy said:


> Thanks, Gents, Ladies, boys and girls.
> 
> I'm a grind my own, direct into the portafilter, pull the lever kinda guy. Or French press pot. One of these days I will figure out the per cup bits!


Then THIS is for you..... (also for anyone with K-cups).....

http://www.my-kap.com/MYK/


----------



## BattleScott

4HiMarks said:


> I was absolutely thinking of other brands. In addition to Cuisinart, I know that Mr. Coffee, and Breville also make them. We have a Breville Smart Grill that we absolutely love, having replaced a Food Network model in which the plastic base disintegrated after only two years. It seems to be really well built, but the k-cup unit did not get very good reviews. A lot of people have indicated the pumps stopped pumping in a relatively short time.
> 
> I know that reviews can often be skewed negative as people like to complain more than they like to brag, but so many claiming the same problem could point to a manufacturing or design defect.


It was definitely a design issue. The original Keurig units had a traditional mechanical pump that was very noisey, the problem started in '09 when the switched to a quieter impeller type of pump that fails with even the slightest buildup of scale. It is my understanding that they have since switched back to the original pump design (i believe around early 2011) so any newer units should be fine. But i'd be happy to sell you a non-funtional platinum B68 

I will probably end up buying another one at some point, but for now the old HB "The Scoop" is working just fine, $49.99 and I can use my own grinder or pre-ground coffees.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

The Cuisinart issues were back in 2010...

http://www.singleservecoffeeforums.com/trouble-with-my-cuisinart-ss-700-t7413.html

That happened soon after they bought the rights to the Keurig holder assembly design...and a 3rd party pump that caused hiccups/stops.

All that went away in 2011, with the exception of a July batch that happened to use the old pumps. Bottom line - old news.

When it comes right down to it...there were comparible experiences with Mr. Coffee units having problems (for a while), as well as other brands.

The newer units seem to be much improved on multiple fronts.


----------



## Nick

Guess I'll stick with my old reliable Cuisinart tanker. 
A big 16oz cup of steaming hot joe runs me about 5_¢_.


----------



## Laxguy

Nick said:


> Guess I'll stick with my old reliable Cuisinart tanker.
> A big 16oz cup of steaming hot joe runs me about 5_¢_.


Coffee type and roast? How much a pound?


----------



## SayWhat?

^^ I still get the Folgers plastic bucket for about $5 or so if I watch the sales.

Two scoops gets me about 12 cups.


----------



## Davenlr

You guys are light weights. I have a Bunn Wave, and make 3 liters at a time (one half cup of ground beans). Usually find good deals on beans from the coffee companies I work on equipment for... If not, I get good old Folgers at the grocery store. My 3 liter airpot keeps the coffee hot a good 12 hours, and my friends and I go through it about once a day. K-cups would kill me at the bank.


----------



## photostudent

We use Nescafe Clasico singles with the Keurig. Tastes better than K-cups and about a quarter of the cost. Of course that is for the occasional single cup. In the AM it is fresh ground Trader Joes Medium Roast in a drip maker. I see Longmire likes press pot.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Davenlr said:


> You guys are light weights. I have a Bunn Wave, and make 3 liters at a time (one half cup of ground beans). Usually find good deals on beans from the coffee companies I work on equipment for... If not, I get good old Folgers at the grocery store. My 3 liter airpot keeps the coffee hot a good 12 hours, and my friends and I go through it about once a day. K-cups would kill me at the bank.


WOW - I don't drink coffee....but if I did - that would keep me awake for a month. 


photostudent said:


> We use Nescafe Clasico singles with the Keurig. Tastes better than K-cups and about a quarter of the cost. Of course that is for the occasional single cup. In the AM it is fresh ground Trader Joes Medium Roast in a drip maker. I see Longmire likes press pot.


Cool info.


----------



## Laxguy

hdtvfan0001 said:


> WOW - I don't drink coffee....but if I did - that would keep me awake for a month.


Are you vying for the most interesting man in the world, non-alcohol division??


----------



## spartanstew

I've never really like Coffee, but when I traveled (and had an expense account), I'd drink a Starbucks Mocha every day.

When I stopped traveling I needed to find a cheaper way for my caffeine fix and the Keurig was the answer.

I bought one on Black Friday last year for pretty cheap ($70 for the mid-tier IIRC) and I'm always looking for deals on K-Cups - 2 months ago I bought 5 boxes of 24 for $40 or 33 cents per cup from Quill.com. Before that I bought 66 cups for $25 from Kohls or 38 cents per cup. 

I'm strictly a flavored coffee guy though (Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla Creme, HazelNut and Mocha Almond Fudge are my current rotation), so standard brewers wouldn't do it for me.

And my kids love the hot chocolate.


----------



## phrelin

We tried the K-cup system, but really prefer our Jura-Capresso machine, buying our beans from these folks. We have gone through three Jura-Capresso machines over a 20+ year period.

We're not flavored coffee folks, preferring to experience the flavors of various coffees from small cooperatives around the globe. It's more like a wine tasting experience.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Laxguy said:


> Are you vying for the most interesting man in the world, non-alcohol division??


!rolling

Then again... don't drink Dos Equis either.... :lol:

After seeing more posts...I'm learning to appreciate (more) that the higher-end Keuring-compatible units can also be used to make virtually any brand coffee or other hot beverage using the K-cup substitute container.


----------



## wingrider01

dmurphy said:


> I absolutely adore my Keurig. Wouldn't be caught without one these days.
> 
> I have two of the "Platinum" brewers and I'm pretty happy with them. Just make sure to descale them as the manual says!
> 
> As for the coffee itself - I buy mine online from www.shoffee.com - they're a local business here in NJ and do a great job. Very friendly staff too.


Been doing business with this company for years, they run some pretty decent sales also

http://www.coffeewiz.com/

Although I do find the name of the site amusing

I have one of the original K-cup brewes, been seriously looking at upgrading to one of the new models that came out


----------



## klang

I switched to a Keurig Platinum model earlier this year. My wife quit drinking coffee last year and for me, only needing one cup a day, the K-cup makes sense. So far the Platinum has worked fine. I've been trying out the Extra Bold and Dark blends available from Keurig and have found a few I really like.


----------



## bjamin82

I have had one for 4 years now... its my second unit, the first one just wore out, but we drink a lot of coffee. To get the best price, Costco or Amazon, at least a 50 pack.. I try and find 84 packs, starts getting down to $0.40 per cup. For me, its still cheaper than going to starbucks everyday.


----------



## 4HiMarks

BattleScott said:


> It was definitely a design issue. The original Keurig units had a traditional mechanical pump that was very noisey, the problem started in '09 when the switched to a quieter impeller type of pump that fails with even the slightest buildup of scale. It is my understanding that they have since switched back to the original pump design (i believe around early 2011) so any newer units should be fine. But i'd be happy to sell you a non-funtional platinum B68
> 
> I will probably end up buying another one at some point, but for now the old HB "The Scoop" is working just fine, $49.99 and I can use my own grinder or pre-ground coffees.


That's good to know. We will check some out the next time we are in BB&B, where we can use a 20% off coupon.


----------



## Herdfan

phrelin said:


> We're not flavored coffee folks, preferring to experience the flavors of various coffees from small cooperatives around the globe. It's more like a wine tasting experience.


Have you ever tried roasting your own? My wife used to do that before she got the Keurig. Her favorite was a Sumatran bean that you could only get once a year.


----------



## Nick

Laxguy said:


> Coffee type and roast? How much a pound?


In the midst of this sophisticated, coffee-connoisseur crowd, I'm almost embarrassed to say, Maxwell House 'Lite' (1/2 the caffeine), $8 and change for a 33oz jug at WM. I drink coffee, black, all day, about a pot or so w/no _heebee jeebees_.

It's what keeps me alive. Literally.


----------



## jdskycaster

If you decide to get one skip the refillable filter cup. I tried many different grinds and types - none of them gave satisfactory results. I used up our coffee k-cups last spring as I am the only coffee drinker in our house. It is now relegated to making tea and hot chocolate for the wife and daughter. 

I think it works OK for that purpose but how hard is it really to microwave a cup of water and empty a packet of Swiss Miss or place a tea bag in it? Pretty expensive machine for just that purpose and it requires maintenance to keep it functioning as the sugary drinks do clog up the needle. If you are just making hot chocolate run an extra hot water only cycle to keep that from happening. Now that I am not using it for coffee it sits idle for months at a time.


----------



## jdskycaster

Nick said:


> In the midst of this sophisticated, coffee-connoisseur crowd, I'm almost embarrassed to say, Maxwell House 'Lite' (1/2 the caffeine), $8 and change for a 33oz jug at WM. I drink coffee, black, all day, about a pot or so w/no _heebee jeebees_.
> 
> It's what keeps me alive. Literally.


Nick,
I think there is no need to be embarrassed at all. The big brands continue to do well with coffee drinkers in blind testing.


----------



## dmspen

We have the Keurig Platinum. We generally don't use it for daily coffee consumption. However, when company is over, it's priceless to offer various flavors, caff/decaf, etc.

It's also great for those 'I need coffee' in the afternoon times.

We did have a failure in our original machine purchased from Costco (came with 60 K-cups). The amount of liquid reduced by about half due to pump failure. It had nothing to do with scaling as it had pure filtered soft water only. Keurig replaced the whole unit with a new model. It's worked fine for quite a while now.

look a www.bigcatcoffees.com. You can create your own packs of KCups. Order enough and shipping is free. Bed Bath and Beyond has fair prices also, especially if you get the $5 coupon in the mail every couple of weeks. They'll also deliver free.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Cool beans (pun intended). 

Some good info for the original poster.


----------



## Laxguy

Nick said:


> In the midst of this sophisticated, coffee-connoisseur crowd, I'm almost embarrassed to say, Maxwell House 'Lite' (1/2 the caffeine), $8 and change for a 33oz jug at WM. I drink coffee, black, all day, about a pot or so w/no _heebee jeebees_.
> 
> It's what keeps me alive. Literally.


Whatever floats one's vessel! I happen to live in a coffee loving mecca so to speak. Father of both Starbuck's and Peet's. We have a number of independent roasters here, too, and I am blessed that I grew to love coffee at an early age.

Odd thing, perhaps, I didn't drink more than one or two espressos a year until a GF had a machine on her counter, and I started to experiment. Long story shorter, I now have a lever La Pavoni on my counter, and start the day with 2-4 cappuccinos (cappuccini?). That's only in the last two years.

Otherwise, black and thick, unless it's a bit on the ragged edge, then I add milk and sugar.


----------



## Laxguy

phrelin said:


> We tried the K-cup system, but really prefer our Jura-Capresso machine, buying our beans from these folks. We have gone through three Jura-Capresso machines over a 20+ year period.


I've offered to try to fix one of these a friend has, but other than de-scaling it, I dunno what to do. The steam pressure is weak. Does it use a pump for the steam wand, or is it just pressure from boiling?


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Laxguy said:


> Whatever floats one's vessel! I happen to live in a coffee loving mecca so to speak. Father of both Starbuck's and Peet's. We have a number of independent roasters here, too, and I am blessed that I grew to love coffee at an early age.
> 
> Odd thing, perhaps, I didn't drink more than one or two espressos a year until a GF had a machine on her counter, and I started to experiment. Long story shorter, I now have a lever La Pavoni on my counter, and start the day with 2-4 cappuccinos (cappuccini?). That's only in the last two years.
> 
> *Otherwise, black and thick*, unless it's a bit on the ragged edge, then I add milk and sugar.


Kinda reminds me of the oil change experience my wife had last week on her car with 140,000+ miles. :lol:

Perhaps it explains why I don't drink coffee.


----------



## p010ne

Tassimo is my favorite!


----------



## hdtvfan0001

p010ne said:


> Tassimo is my favorite!


62 cents a serving is a bit pricey...but if you like the products...go for it.


----------



## dennisj00

Wife got one of the high-end k machines over a year ago and within 6 months it started having problems with scaling. A month after the warranty expired, she called and they replaced it with a newer model.

I know the k-cups range ~.50 - 75 per cup, but that's better than any trip to SB.

I still make a pot of my 50/50 mix of regular / decaf - usually big bags of Dunkin from BJs or Sams.

On the mornings I only want a cup or two, I'll use one of her k-cups the second time. Perfect for me.


----------



## Nick

Some of you guys and your [strike]_pussy_[/strike] effeminate, frothing, limp-wristed flavored coffees. As my irascible and curmudgeonly dad once said to a waitress's question, "If I wanted cream and sugar, I would've ordered hot chocolate!"

Occasionally, I'll jokingly tell a server, 'I'll my coffee the way I like my women, "hot, black, strong and bitter!" I get looks. 

But, seriously, if you're a bloke who likes to sip his froth out of a _demitasse_ cup with two fingers, and your pinky held high, move to France.


----------



## Nick

dennisj00 said:


> ...On the mornings I only want a cup or two, I'll use one of her k-cups the second time. Perfect for me.


Kinky! Does your wife know you're reusing her used, wet k-cups?


----------



## SayWhat?

I'm not into the froo-froo stuff. I like flavored coffees sometimes and I use flavored creamers. In the summer I'll drink iced coffees.

But I've never been in a Starbucks or really anyplace similar.

These contraptions sound like there's a lot of waste. All the separate packages and apparently they aren't especially efficient if you can re-use the teeney-weeney cup things.

I'd rather get my fix from Athena than Starbuck.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

SayWhat? said:


> These contraptions sound like there's a lot of waste. All the separate packages and apparently they aren't especially efficient if you can re-use the teeney-weeney cup things.


Actually a few posts back...there was a link to a product which supports reuse of K-cups.


----------



## lparsons21

Herdfan said:


> Have you ever tried roasting your own? My wife used to do that before she got the Keurig. Her favorite was a Sumatran bean that you could only get once a year.


I've been roasting coffee for a number of years. There is nothing you can buy anywhere that is already roasted that beats it imo!!

I do have a Keurig and use the little K-cup use your own adapter and it can produce a tolerable cup of coffee, but it will always be a bit on the weak side. And that is as much because the Keurig doesn't get the water nearly hot enough.

But most coffee I drink comes in the form of an Americano started with a monstrously big espresso machine that I talked myself into quite a few years ago!


----------



## dennisj00

Nick said:


> Kinky! Does your wife know you're reusing her used, wet k-cups?


Yep. We have a system. She stacks them by the k maker and if I don't use them, throws them out.

I like a good cup of coffee, but I don't like it to walk over by itself. So the second use is ok for me. And I must say, a normal (?) cup of coffee at SB is crap!

Edit: And she's a D cup . . .


----------



## hdtvfan0001

If you guys are so enthralled with your coffee...it would seem you're not "complete" without one of these. I'm looking at mine 3 feet away here right now...

http://www.cafepress.com/+ce_large_mug,367117416


----------



## Nick

dennisj00 said:


> Yep. We have a system. She stacks them by the k maker and if I don't use them, throws them out.
> 
> I like a good cup of coffee, but I don't like it to walk over by itself. So the second use is ok for me. And I must say, a normal (?) cup of coffee at SB is crap!
> 
> Edit: And she's a D cup . . .


 :grin:


----------



## jdskycaster

I prefer this one... Simple, to the point, holds 18oz and only $6.95 at Crate&Barrel.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

jdskycaster said:


> I prefer this one... Simple, to the point, holds 18oz and only $6.95 at Crate&Barrel.


Obviously it came with instructions for coffee drinkers right on the cup.


----------



## dennisj00

One thing I forgot to add to the coffee story, a few years ago, we went to Galapagos - great trip - do it if you can.

While waiting in the Quito, Equador, airport for the connection, I was amazed at the coffee dispenser. In what you would think much closer to the coffee capital of the WORLD??? the coffee was Maxwell House INSTANT!!


----------



## TBlazer07

4HiMarks said:


> The cheapest I was able to find online was about $0.60 per cup, although I saw 12 packs of Green Mountain k-cups on sale at Safeway for $5.99.


 Check out STAPLES. Haven't paid more than 35c - 40c a cup in over 3 years. We always get them from Staples when they have a $25 off $75 coupon. They have the "commercial" size boxes and often have a "penny sale" in their "Facilities" dept. You have to search for the 24 packs which are usually $1 LESS then the 18 packs. For some reason they don't show up online by normal search.

Example (this was before the $25 off $75 coupon):

707196 Keurig® K-Cup® Green Mountain® Breakfast Blend Coffee, Regular, *24 Pack** 6 ¤10.99* ¤65.94  Delivered 
 777824 Keurig® K-Cup® Green Mountain® Breakfast Blend Coffee, Regular, *18 Pack 1 ** ¤11.99*  ¤11.99 Delivered

Edit: Here is the 24 pack collection. Seems they went up a buck.  But they often have buy 3 get 1 for a penny sales. http://www.staples.com/Food-Beverages/cat_CL158895


----------



## p010ne

:eek2: We have had our sodastream for several years, but do not know that one can make coffee pop?


----------



## Laxguy

lparsons21 said:


> I've been roasting coffee for a number of years. There is nothing you can buy anywhere that is already roasted that beats it imo!!
> 
> But most coffee I drink comes in the form of an Americano started with a monstrously big espresso machine that I talked myself into quite a few years ago!


What do you use to roast? What machine for espresso?

I plan to try roasting once I get a new place in which to set up same. For now, lucky enough to have good local roasters. Going to try to time my purchases better, to coincide with the day's batch.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

TBlazer07 said:


> Check out STAPLES. Haven't paid more than 35c - 40c a cup in over 3 years. We always get them from Staples when they have a $25 off $75 coupon. They have the "commercial" size boxes and often have a "penny sale" in their "Facilities" dept. You have to search for the 24 packs which are usually $1 LESS then the 18 packs. For some reason they don't show up online by normal search.
> 
> Example (this was before the $25 off $75 coupon):
> 
> 707196 Keurig® K-Cup® Green Mountain® Breakfast Blend Coffee, Regular, *24 Pack** 6 ¤10.99* ¤65.94  Delivered
> 777824 Keurig® K-Cup® Green Mountain® Breakfast Blend Coffee, Regular, *18 Pack 1 ** ¤11.99*  ¤11.99 Delivered
> 
> Edit: Here is the 24 pack collection. Seems they went up a buck.  But they often have buy 3 get 1 for a penny sales. http://www.staples.com/Food-Beverages/cat_CL158895


Some good tips there...


----------



## phrelin

Herdfan said:


> Have you ever tried roasting your own? My wife used to do that before she got the Keurig. Her favorite was a Sumatran bean that you could only get once a year.


We tried that a few times more than ten years ago when we could get the beans. I don't think we understood what we should be doing. That why we felt lucky to find these folks in the town west of ours:

​


----------



## tgater

A quick note here, the "K" type brewers give you a better brew than the common drip type coffee makers. DD and SB brew their coffee between 196 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Some “K” cup models go up to 197 degrees Fahrenheit. I usually drink DD or SB while the rest of the household is like whatever. I was on the fence about the system up until this past December when I got one from a DD at no cost to me. I use that one in my office and my wife bought me one for the house. We have had no problems with either unit so far and easily brewed over 700 cups in the one at the house since January of this year without any issues. I will say that we only use bottled water being we have a well at the house and the office. I know people in our area that have complained about the scaling and I can see in the posts here that is an issue. The “K” type system allows you to brew tea and hot coco as well. When the nieces and nephews come over in the winter to go sledding or skating it’s pretty nice to have.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

tgater said:


> A quick note here, the "K" type brewers give you a better brew than the common drip type coffee makers. DD and SB brew their coffee between 196 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. *Some "K" cup models go up to 197 degrees Fahrenheit*. I usually drink DD or SB while the rest of the household is like whatever. I was on the fence about the system up until this past December when I got one from a DD at no cost to me. I use that one in my office and my wife bought me one for the house. We have had no problems with either unit so far and easily brewed over 700 cups in the one at the house since January of this year without any issues. *I will say that we only use bottled water being we have a well at the house and the office*. I know people in our area that have complained about the scaling and I can see in the posts here that is an issue. The "K" type system allows you to brew tea and hot coco as well. When the nieces and nephews come over in the winter to go sledding or skating it's pretty nice to have.


Those are several important points.

We use the filtered water from our refrigerator door and have no scaling effects whatsoever.

Tap water might be different, depending upon the part of the country you live in and the quality of your tap water. *Calcification comes from the water, not the coffee maker - the heat simply evaporates the water and leaves impure water residue*.

The quality of the water also impacts the taste of any beverage made in these units.

Yes, our unit gets the water temp very hot (197), and does so pretty quickly.


----------



## lparsons21

Laxguy said:


> What do you use to roast? What machine for espresso?
> 
> I plan to try roasting once I get a new place in which to set up same. For now, lucky enough to have good local roasters. Going to try to time my purchases better, to coincide with the day's batch.


I use the Behmor 1600, here's a link to their site : http://www.behmor.com/behmor-1600.php

It is available at a lot of the green coffee suppliers and usually comes with some greens of various types. It works very good and will do 12oz of greens at once to about any roast level you'd care to take it to. They claim it will do a pound, but that really only worked for some lighter roasts, which isn't what I want.

My espresso machine is a Izzo Alex HX type machine. Here's a link to the newest version of it:
http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/alex

Mine was one of the first sold in the US and didn't cost nearly as much as the new one. And I was moving up from a different machine that I got a good price for and allowed me to purchase that one.

A good place to read more than you ever wanted to know about all things coffee is the CoffeeGeeks site. Here's a link to them :
http://www.coffeegeek.com


----------



## Laxguy

That's a beauty! I am wondering if I'll ever give up my lever machine; I feel it gives a lot of feed back in my feeling the pressure I use to pull the arm down. If I had a household where a lot was consumed each morning, I might be tempted towards a fully automatic one, like the Juras. 

And I've practically memorized the coffeegeeks site. Now I cannot imagine ever ordering a cafe latte! :nono2:


----------



## lparsons21

Laxguy said:


> That's a beauty! I am wondering if I'll ever give up my lever machine; I feel it gives a lot of feed back in my feeling the pressure I use to pull the arm down. If I had a household where a lot was consumed each morning, I might be tempted towards a fully automatic one, like the Juras.
> 
> And I've practically memorized the coffeegeeks site. Now I cannot imagine ever ordering a cafe latte! :nono2:


Thanks. I have a review of it on Coffeegeeks that you could look at. When I got it, it had a normal power relay in it that went out once a year at about $80 a pop, then they offered me a solid state one for a shade over $100 and that has been in it for about 3 years now with no problems. I wanted an HX for the hot water availability and would have taken a dual-boiler but there weren't many in that price range at the time. Mine runs about 12 hours a day, every day and is on a timer. I have it fully plumbed in with well filtered and de-ionized water.

I drink mostly Americanos, but often just coarsen the grind to get a 5oz pull of very strong delicious coffee which is called a Cafe Crema`.

I've looked at the automatics and decided I don't like them for no real reason.


----------



## SayWhat?

lparsons21 said:


> When I got it, it had a normal power relay in it that went out once a year at about $80 a pop,


I can probably buy 4 Mr.Coffees for that and each one of them would last far longer than a year.


----------



## lparsons21

SayWhat? said:


> I can probably buy 4 Mr.Coffees for that and each one of them would last far longer than a year.


True! But then you're stuck with drip coffee! :lol:

Better coffee takes a better machine, freshly roasted beans, proper grind, proper water temp and proper timing of a shot pull.

I like great coffee and the best I've ever had is what I roast and brew myself in equipment that is made to provide the best in preparation. Others don't care for the hassle, cost or even the stronger coffee. I have no problem with that.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

lparsons21 said:


> True! But then you're stuck with drip coffee! :lol:
> 
> Better coffee takes a better machine, freshly roasted beans, proper grind, proper water temp and proper timing of a shot pull.
> 
> I like great coffee and the best I've ever had is what I roast and brew myself in equipment that is made to provide the best in preparation. Others don't care for the hassle, cost or even the stronger coffee. I have no problem with that.


Then again....I can pop open a quenching cold beer in seconds and save all that laborious work.


----------



## SayWhat?

Same reason I'm not into whole lobster or crab legs. I don't like to struggle with my food or drink.

Five minutes and I've got a pot that will last a couple of hours at least.


----------



## lparsons21

hdtvfan0001 said:


> Then again....I can pop open a quenching cold beer in seconds and save all that laborious work.


Very true. But if you were a real beer fan, you'd be brewing your own!! 

And I don't drink, so beer doesn't do it. Coffee does, and it is good for you according to today's thinking about food products that are good or bad depending on day of the week, year, month or how the scientist is holding his/her mouth...

Remember cranberries can give you cancer? Turned out it took about a ton a day to increase your chances a miniscule amount. Well, that is unless you were the mouse they tested on! :lol:


----------



## Laxguy

Heh.... Just left an all morning coffee seminar in nearby Beserkley. Am over caffeinated right now, and on an iPhone. Report later.


----------



## jdskycaster

Still have the Mr. Coffee I purchased back in 1988 for $10. I guess it has paid for itself.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

lparsons21 said:


> Very true. But if you were a real beer fan, you'd be brewing your own!!


I'm here to enjoy beverages, and let the labor to others. These newer devices make that feasible.


Laxguy said:


> Heh.... Just left an all morning coffee seminar in nearby Beserkley. Am over-caffeinated right now, and on an iPhone. Report later.


No wonder the FDA is looking at regulating Caffeine as a drug. :lol:


----------



## Laxguy

Indeed. I can't remember the last time that's happened; thank God there was no heavy machinery involved..... 

The seminar was interesting, but mostly about specialty coffees. The rest was tasting coffees and eating sweets. No wonder my head exploded!

PARTICIPANTS 2012

COFFEE

Berkeley Coffee & Tea
Anfilo Coffee
Catahoula Coffee
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Caffe Mediterraneum
Roast Co
Cafe V
Catracha Coffee

TEA

Red Circle Tea
Silk Road Teas
Five Mountains
Tisano Tea

SWEETS

Madecasse Chocolate
Genuto Gelato
Jade Chocolates 
Clarine's Florentines
Nothing Bundt Cakes
The Tea Room
Cafe Clem
Five Restaurant


----------



## phrelin

Laxguy said:


> Indeed. I can't remember the last time that's happened; thank God there was no heavy machinery involved.....
> 
> The seminar was interesting, but mostly about specialty coffees. The rest was tasting coffees and eating sweets. No wonder my head exploded!
> 
> PARTICIPANTS 2012
> 
> COFFEE
> 
> Berkeley Coffee & Tea
> Anfilo Coffee
> Catahoula Coffee
> Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
> Caffe Mediterraneum
> Roast Co
> Cafe V
> Catracha Coffee
> 
> TEA
> 
> Red Circle Tea
> Silk Road Teas
> Five Mountains
> Tisano Tea
> 
> SWEETS
> 
> Madecasse Chocolate
> Genuto Gelato
> Jade Chocolates
> Clarine's Florentines
> Nothing Bundt Cakes
> The Tea Room
> Cafe Clem
> Five Restaurant


There are times when I miss being closer to the Bay.


----------



## TBlazer07

jdskycaster said:


> Still have the Mr. Coffee I purchased back in 1988 for $10. I guess it has paid for itself.


 He and the Misses must be on Social Security by now.:lol:


----------



## Laxguy

It's occurred to me there is some competitiveness in this thread over coffee consumption.

Categories: 

1. Most daily consumption
2. Cheapest per ounce production
3. Cheapest maker
4. Strongest coffee
5. Most special coffee
6. Least special coffee
7. Easiest operation

Did I miss any?


----------



## heathramos

I know this is off topic but has anyone tried one of those Nexpresso machines?

I make lattes at home but something like the nexpesso might be interesting for work if the coffee was good.


----------



## 4HiMarks

Wow, I really opened a can of worms!. Definitely some good advice here. I will certainly check out Staples once we pick a machine. For now, we're going to stick with the Cuisinart drip machine with a thermal carafe until we can get to BB&B to compare models. We haven't gotten into roasting our own beans, but I do understand the importance of the water (chemistry and temp.), the beans, and the grind. 

I do brew my own beer, so I am not averse to tinkering with food products, and have toyed with the idea of roasting, but our counter is too cluttered already, now. Perhaps when our kitchen is remodeled.


----------



## Laxguy

Hey, worms are good! Though not in most roasts I like....

I think that a fresh grind is more important than a (very) fresh roast. So, whole beans from a supplier that can tell you the date of the roast and you're on your way to a great cuppa. —That rules out Starbucks and virtually anything you can buy in a supermarket, though I am betting there are regionals where that's not true- anyone got any candidates?


----------



## BattleScott

Laxguy said:


> Hey, worms are good! Though not in most roasts I like....
> 
> I think that a fresh grind is more important than a (very) fresh roast. So, whole beans from a supplier that can tell you the date of the roast and you're on your way to a great cuppa. -That rules out Starbucks and virtually anything you can buy in a supermarket, though I am betting there are regionals where that's not true- anyone got any candidates?


They're not in your neck of the woods (yet...) but Earth Fare has a great selection of roasted beans and they feature a lot of "local" products. So the stores each have some really unique varieties they bring in from local specialty vendors and are always very freshly roasted.

I agree that the difference between fresh grinding and pre-ground is a much bigger difference than the fresh-roasting. Not to say the fresh-roasting doesn't kick it up another notch, but the fresh grind is several notches.


----------



## lparsons21

Yes, a fresh grind is very important. The reason is that air is the enemy of coffee and with preground coffee, once you open the bag or can, the freshness drops off dramatically. That even happens with whole beans, but not nearly as fast.

The best combo is a freshly roasted, then properly age that roast which depends on the bean, and then grinding within a week or two of that roast. That's why the gourmet roasters can roast and send you a really good coffee, they wait until they have a fresh batch to send. So what you get is only a very few days old.


----------



## paulman182

Nothing wrong with good ol Folgers.

My wife has the Keurig and the Starbucks, I'm fine with the cheap stuff.


----------



## 4HiMarks

So do the k-cups count as "fresh-ground" since they are hermetically sealed (presumably within seconds of grinding) until you are ready to brew?


----------



## Laxguy

4HiMarks said:


> So do the k-cups count as "fresh-ground" since they are hermetically sealed (presumably within seconds of grinding) until you are ready to brew?


Great question! I am sure the makers and their marketers will say yes, but I have my doubts. Devising a parallel test would be difficult at best.


----------



## lparsons21

4HiMarks said:


> So do the k-cups count as "fresh-ground" since they are hermetically sealed (presumably within seconds of grinding) until you are ready to brew?


Not really.

I've used the K-cups fairly often and there is no real fresh roasted taste there at all.

And I've used the little roll your own adapter and used some of my freshly roasted and ground coffee and the difference was amazing. And I've used beans ground just in time from a gourmet roaster, with a much better flavor.

But frankly, the Keurig doesn't get the water hot enough to make really excellent coffee no matter the source. And before someone jumps on me about that, most consumer coffee makers don't get the water hot enough either.

Ideally the brew temperature should be 203 degrees and that is what good espresso machine and prosumer coffee makers provide. Of course that is a bit too hot to drink, so you blow on it or wait a bit for it to cool enough to drink comfortably.

I use my Keurig when I want a really quick cup on the way out the door, otherwise I use my espresso machine.


----------



## lparsons21

Laxguy said:


> Great question! I am sure the makers and their marketers will say yes, but I have my doubts. Devising a parallel test would be difficult at best.


You are right to have doubts. It is nearly an impossibility to roast the coffee, package it in those small containers and get it to the store in a real short period of time and keep the price low enough to attract the casual coffee drinker.

And regardless of seals, use of nitrogen and other ideas, coffee starts going stale from the very first minute out of the roaster. Some beans really gain some nuances in flavor from a bit of 'resting' time. Others not so much.

Here's an example to contemplate. If you use a African Sidamo bean and roast it to a fairly dark roast, wait an hour and grind and make a cup. It will be good. But let it rest in a sealed container from 3-5 days and then try it again and you'll think you got a different bean! After that rest, the characteristic blueberry hint blossoms and is there for about 5 days after the rest. An interesting coffee bean all in all.


----------



## Laxguy

I found that when I made drip coffee or even press pot, the differences between fresh ground and within a week or ten days was barely noticeable. But with an espresso maker, the differences between just ground and even an hour earlier are pretty big. 

Air is an enemy of freshness, and vacuum sealed and all helps, but can't do the whole bit. I wonder if anyone grinds and seals in an inert atmosphere, sorta like a clean room....?


----------



## lparsons21

supposedly all of the major brands do nitrogen sealed into the containers, including the Keurig, Tassimo and Pod makers coffees. But it doesn't take very long at all for ground coffee to go stale once it hits air.


----------



## Laxguy

lparsons21 said:


> supposedly all of the major brands do nitrogen sealed into the containers, including the Keurig, Tassimo and Pod makers coffees. But it doesn't take very long at all for ground coffee to go stale once it hits air.


Yes, but I am wondering if any do inert gas through the grinding operation, conveying and tamping, not just after the fill point!


----------



## lparsons21

Laxguy said:


> Yes, but I am wondering if any do inert gas through the grinding operation, conveying and tamping, not just after the fill point!


I've not read anything that indicates that is done. From what I've seen they only use the nitrogen in the final packaging process.

I would think trying to do that earlier in the cycle would be very cost prohibitive and drive up the price of coffee dramatically.


----------



## trdrjeff

No problems with our Cuisinart we got last fall at Costco. We grind our own and use a couple of these: http://amzn.com/B0051SU0OW

Works well as the Mrs likes a mellow coffee while I prefer a bold like Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Dark Sumatra.


----------



## hdtvfan0001

Laxguy said:


> Yes, but I am wondering if any do inert gas through the grinding operation, conveying and tamping, not just after the fill point!


The K-cup units here use hot water filtered through dry content K-cup units.

I'm 99% sure there is no gas injection or similar process involved in the Keurig or Cuisinart K-cup coffee unit processing for coffee or other products.

It's just hot water flowing through (with some simple air pressure ) through granular K-cup content.


----------



## lparsons21

We're talking about the packing at the mfg, not the coffee maker process.

Here's what Keurig says about it:

Each K-Cup® pack has a Best-Used-by-Date imprinted on the side. The Best-Used-by-Date is a guideline for optimal freshness recommended by the Roaster, it's not an expiration date. K-Cup® packs are nitrogen-flushed, sealed for freshness and impermeable to oxygen, moisture and light.

And the link to the full FAQ : http://www.keurig.com/customer-service/k-cups-and-beverages-support/frequently-asked-questions


----------



## hdtvfan0001

lparsons21 said:


> We're talking about the packing at the mfg, not the coffee maker process.
> 
> Here's what Keurig says about it:
> 
> Each K-Cup® pack has a Best-Used-by-Date imprinted on the side. The Best-Used-by-Date is a guideline for optimal freshness recommended by the Roaster, it's not an expiration date. K-Cup® packs are nitrogen-flushed, sealed for freshness and impermeable to oxygen, moisture and light.
> 
> And the link to the full FAQ : http://www.keurig.com/customer-service/k-cups-and-beverages-support/frequently-asked-questions


Thank you for posting that.

Yes...that is the accurate and comprehensive description.


----------

