Single serve coffee makers

Chunk-O-Funk · #1 08-14-2008, 08:44 PM

Anybody use these instead of a traditional coffee pot brewers.

I've had a so-so Black & Decker one for a few years and really love the convenience and find they make a far better cup-o-joe than any pot of coffee I've ever had.

Well, the B&D one I have has expired due to some of the plastic parts in it and I'm shopping for a better one. Any suggestions would be great.

The one I had was a pod brewer. I'm probably not going to go that route as the selection locally has really dwindled down to one brand which I really don't enjoy. I also have tried some coffee from a Keurig machine that does the K-cups. A popular coffee brand for that style is Green Mountain which was only okay to my liking. I may buy some kind of a K-cup brewer with an adapter so one could use fresh ground coffee. I'm just not sure which machine to go with.

Keurig has models that go from $99.00 to $300.00 as do some other brands, like Cuisinart and Bunn.

My only requirements are it must hold and fill a travel sized mug in one brew cycle and be able to have the option of using fresh ground coffee via some adapter be it a pod or K-cup style machine.

Thanks!

iamlowsound · #2 08-14-2008, 08:55 PM

French Press, you can buy one for around $15 and it will make the best coffee you have ever had. You wont regret it.

lowsound

crikker · #3 08-14-2008, 08:58 PM

We have a Mr Coffee one. It is supposed to make 4 cups of coffee. For some good cups, it will make 2-3. I like it. The 10 cuppers are way to much for two people. This thing makes some good stout coffee for us.

Chunk-O-Funk · #4 08-14-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

French Press, you can buy one for around $15 and it will make the best coffee you have ever had. You wont regret it.

lowsound

Actually, I've seen these recommended a lot and for $15.00 it's worth a try. I may get one just to try it out.

The biggest thing I like about the single serve makers is the convenience, though. They can brew a cup in no time flat and there's no clean up. For me it's great because I usually grab my first cup for the ride to work. The Cuisinart brewer actually presses the coffee at the end of the cycle too.

Hawaii Islander · #5 08-14-2008, 09:22 PM

I had a Saeco Easy automatic espresso maker. It was great for brewing fresh ground coffee by the cup. You could vary coffee strength and volume. You could also make lattes in minutes. My brother dropped it and now I use a Hamilton-Beach Brew-Station. It brews the coffee into an insulated tank that keeps the coffee hot and, you press the coffee cup against a dispense button to fill the cup. It works better than a traditional coffee maker, but I'm definitely replacing it with a decent automatic espresso machine when funds allow. The Saeco Easy was $499.00 USD. The Brew-Station was $71.00

**NOLA Bass** · #6 08-14-2008, 09:36 PM

I worked for a national coffee service company, so I've got some experience with alot of these and have even done some manufacturing plant tours, etc.

IMO, the pod brewers (especially those cheaper ones) are total garbage and as stated, the selection of pods is dwindling. Now I love my French Press, but it is the opposite end of convenience. It is for the "coffee snob" (like me) who will take the time. I think the best single cup route to go is Keurig. A few different models to choose from and tons of selections of coffee and tea (Green Mountain, Caribou, Tullys, Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings, etc.). My wife loves her Keurig. You'll have to get the large model for the travel mug to fit I think (or just brew into a mug and pour into your travel mug like we do). The Flavia machine is neat, but IMO the product itself is poor in taste. I made about 35 drink combinations on one at work and never had one that was nearly the quality of the Keurig.

iamlowsound · #7 08-14-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

I worked for a national coffee service company, so I've got some experience with alot of these and have even done some manufacturing plant tours, etc.

IMO, the pod brewers (especially those cheaper ones) are total garbage and as stated, the selection of pods is dwindling. Now I love my French Press, but it is the opposite end of convenience. It is for the "coffee snob" (like me) who will take the time. I think the best single cup route to go is Keurig. A few different models to choose from and tons of selections of coffee and tea (Green Mountain, Caribou, Tullys, Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings, etc.). My wife loves her Keurig. You'll have to get the large model for the travel mug to fit I think (or just brew into a mug and pour into your travel mug like we do). The Flavia machine is neat, but IMO the product itself is poor in taste. I made about 35 drink combinations on one at work and never had one that was nearly the quality of the Keurig.

I don't find my french press to be inconvenient, sure it takes 5 minutes to make a cup of coffee, but it is very simple to do. If you are looking for speed, it might not be the way to go. I would never go back to a regular drip machine.

lowsound

DigMe · #8 08-14-2008, 10:37 PM

You could also check out the Aerobie Aeropress:
http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm

it's gotten a lot of favorable comments on coffeegeek and home-barista.com. I've tried it myself...it does make a good cup and it's very convenient. Cleanup is convenient. You do have to provide the heated water though.

I have absolutely zero-interest in any kind of pod or prepackaged brewing contraption. That coffee was ground who-knows-when and can therefore never equal a properly brewed cup of fresh-ground, fresh-roasted stuff. Then again I'm a total coffee snob and I do roast my own coffee beans, make cappuccino every morning on a high-quality espresso machine and have a grinder that is a popular coffee shop brand on my kitchen counter (Mazzer). I typically don't drink any coffee that was roasted more than two weeks prior. So take my advice with that disclaimer in mind.

But if it's me and I need a one-cup only solution besides espresso I'd get a plug-in electric hot water kettle and go with either a simple one-cup pourover like this or the Aeropress brewer. French press does make an excellent cup but I don't personally use mine very often because it allows terpenes in coffee to pass through which leads to higher cholesterol. I don't need those in large amounts so I pass on the french press except on occasion like when I'm trying out a new coffee and I want to get impressions from various brew methods.

Also don't forget to mix in a decent burr grinder if you can afford it. Cuisinart, Braun and Krups don't make decent burr grinders.

bc

Joe Gress · #9 08-14-2008, 10:39 PM

When I was in Germany a few summers ago, I woke up every morning to a cup of single brewed coffee. I will definitely look for one when I am on my own.

DigMe · #10 08-14-2008, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

I worked for a national coffee service company,

I never had any good coffee from a coffee service... just sayin'.

bc

Hawaii Islander · #11 08-14-2008, 11:09 PM

In a pinch, I took a Cool Whip bowl, poked a dozen or so wholes in it, put a coffee filter inside, added fresh ground coffee, placed the bowl on a coffee cup and poured hot water into the bowl, and let the coffee drip into the cup. Not fancy and about a cheap as you can get, but the coffee was pretty good.

Chunk-O-Funk · #12 08-23-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

In a pinch, I took a Cool Whip bowl, poked a dozen or so wholes in it, put a coffee filter inside, added fresh ground coffee, placed the bowl on a coffee cup and poured hot water into the bowl, and let the coffee drip into the cup. Not fancy and about a cheap as you can get, but the coffee was pretty good.

What ever works!
Did it have a hint of processed whipped cream?

I made a rather blind purchase at at local "Home Goods" store.

1 French Press from LaCafetiere.
1 cheapy grinder from Mr. Coffee.

Some Costa Rican whole beans from Gold Coffee co.
(all purpose grind ?)

Making a blind purchase like this isn't like me. I usually don't take a dump without find the perfect TP online first.

I hope everything comes out fine (the coffee, not the......never mind.). It's a little to late in the day for me to have a good cup-o-joe so I'll try it out in the A.M.

The press I bought isn't like the AreoPress. The coffee goes in the bottom and the plunger presses it from the top. the AreoPress comes highly recommended from www.singleservecoffee.com as well which is where I've been getting all my info from. Coffee Geeks has a lot of great information, but not much on single serve machines. They seem to turn their nose up to them. Rightfully so I guess. The single serve machines are more about convenience.

The grinder, well, it's more of an experiment so it's seemed fitting. All in all I spent under fifty bucks, including the coffee.

What can you tell me about Costa Rican Coffee?
Gold Coffee Co.?

Good place to buy beans? I suspect these aren't the freshest beans due to the type of store I got them from, but they seemed to have a small but decent variety. I know nothing about buying whole beans so I guess I'll be researching and buying quite a bit. Any recommendations would be great. When I had my pod machine I preferred Folgers Home Cafe Colombian. Not sure where to go from there.

KsToaDangr · #13 08-23-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crikker

The 10 cuppers are way to much for two people.

That depends on who the two people are. Me and my brother have been known to down an entire pot of coffee in less than 20 minutes, and I've drank entire pots by myself in less than an hour. Of course, with my caffiene dependancy and my sleep(or lack thereof) schedule, I've also been known to go through a bottle of no-doz in less than a week.

FL Knifemaker · #14 08-23-2008, 05:03 PM

We have a Tassimo. It works great, makes great coffees, etc. The downside is, it's EXPENSIVE to keep stocked

http://www.tassimo.com/country_selector/

spade2you · #15 08-23-2008, 05:14 PM

Subscribed. I should definitely look into something like this. I'd like something decent that can be operated by a caveman, which is about how I behave when I wake up early against my will.

Chunk-O-Funk · #16 08-23-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

We have a Tassimo. It works great, makes great coffees, etc. The downside is, it's EXPENSIVE to keep stocked

http://www.tassimo.com/country_selector/

Yeah, I know. Back when I got a pod machine that was one of the reasons. Going with a pod machine would cost you about .25 cents a cup. K-cups and Tassimo is about $1.80 a cup.

The two machines I have been looking at is the Cuisinart and the Keurig. Both will do fresh ground coffee. The Cuisinart is a pod machine, the Keurig is K-cups.

The Cuisinart has a reputation for making good coffee, but is made in China and doesn't seem to be reliable.

Just about everyone that got one of the Keurig machines seems to like them except for a few that say the coffee is weak.

**Freddels** · #17 08-23-2008, 05:20 PM

With the French press, one key is to not try to move the press too quickly as you'll get a lot of grinds in your coffee. Also, there is an optimal temp for the water (but I cannot remember it right now). I usually just microwave a cup of hot water and then pour it into the French press.

iamlowsound · #18 08-23-2008, 05:21 PM

Are you looking for a place to buy green beans? If so there are a bunch of places listed on coffeegeak. If you are looking for pre roasted whole beans, don't buy online, find a place that roasts their own. Shouldn't be too hard to find in any decent sized city.

lowsound

iamlowsound · #19 08-23-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

With the French press, one key is to not try to move the press too quickly as you'll get a lot of grinds in your coffee. Also, there is an optimal temp for the water (but I cannot remember it right now). I usually just microwave a cup of hot water and then pour it into the French press.

I have a plug in kettle that I let boil, then I let it sit for a minute or so before I pour it into the press.

lowsound

Chunk-O-Funk · #20 08-23-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

With the French press, one key is to not try to move the press too quickly as you'll get a lot of grinds in your coffee. Also, there is an optimal temp for the water (but I cannot remember it right now). I usually just microwave a cup of hot water and then pour it into the French press.

Hey Fred!
Thanks!

I was just going to boil some water, but I know it's way to hot for coffee. I know some of the single serve machines will allow you to select a temp from 187-192 degrees, so I was going to shoot for that with a small meat thermometer I have.

I'm sure Digme will come along with the correct information.