Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

**sarge** · November-01-10, 08:21 AM

Anyone have any recommendations on single serve coffee makers? I've been using the Black and Decker Brew N Go for a few years, but think I am ready for an upgrade to a pod brewing system. I've checked a lot of reviews, but none of them seem consistent. I usually have one or two solid cups of joe in the morning, but nothing later in the day. I am hoping to get something as close to the coffee shop as possible without actually going to the coffee shop. I am also the only one in my household who drinks coffee. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Bearinabox · November-01-10, 09:29 AM

**Gannon** · November-01-10, 09:41 AM

The pods are a total waste of resources and money.

You will grow tired of any and all of them...after realizing you are a slave to their choices of vendors.

NOTHING replaces fresh-ground coffee. Only thing I'll use for small servings is a French Press. Boil water, and three minutes later you've got amazing coffee...and grounds to locally recycle in your or a neighbor's garden.

And no plastic garbage to continue filling our landfill MOUNTAINS.

Just my two cents. On the week I'm fasting off coffee. Ouch.

Cheers

**Downriviera** · November-01-10, 09:54 AM

Check out this site, lots of good info and reviews:

www.wholelattelove.com

**Gannon** · November-01-10, 10:08 AM

If you really want to avoid the handling of grounds, there is an amazing coffee/espresso maker a friend owns from Jura. But even that has an automatic maintenance schedule that Murphy causes to occur when you can least handle it, like when you are rushing out late for something.

http://www.capresso.com/prod_super.html

**Jimaz** · November-01-10, 11:33 AM

We were recently gifted a Keurig coffee maker. It uses "K-cups" which I assume is equivalent to what you mean by pods. I have to agree with everything Gannon had to say about it.

My chief complaint is that there's little control over the strength of the coffee other than selecting the "extra bold" K-Cups and perhaps the half-cup option. It also seems louder than necessary [[it buzzes as it pumps) which might disturb the sleepyheads in the household.

On the plus side, they would be ideal for anyone who has difficulty dealing with complexity. They are extremely simple to operate.

We use filtered water to minimize the need for cleaning.

**gnome** · November-01-10, 12:13 PM

I too have to frown on the entire 'pods' concept. One, you become enslaved to the manufacturer's supply and distribution system. If Kroger or Meijer or Food Basic decides to drop the product you're s.o.l. Two, if you don't love their coffee - or just want to change things up - your choices are limited to a particular company. Three, lord help you if they ever improve their product line and redesign their stuff. Four, what if they go out of biz? Not possible? I'll have you talk to a Pontiac dealer and see what their opinion might be.

The french press is what Mrs. Gnome and I use. We have a couple of "travel french press" contraptions. There are dozens to choose from, and a ton of reviews on the web for your consideration.

For my money, I'd recommend you find one that is insulated stainless steel. Find one with a simple flip lid top. Complicated lids are a pain to maintain or keep clean.

Also, and this is important, either pick one with out a handle or one that has the handle secured at two points. The reason? To empty the grounds you will have to use a little wrist action to fling out the old grounds. If the handle has only one point of contact, the wrist flip will eventually provide enough stress to snap off the handle. I've had two of these single-point-of-contact presses and both times the handles cracked.

The on-line shopping thing is nice, but I suggest you buy one at a store inorder to evalute the fit and finish and feel of the product. Starbucks carry them, REI has them and I'm sure you could find them at WilliamsSonoma or other gormet store.

**Jimaz** · November-01-10, 12:31 PM

Looks like some innovative folks are trying to circumvent the proprietary pods. Here's one.

**rb336** · November-01-10, 01:01 PM

forget the pods, just get a Bodum insulated french press travel mug. get fresh beans, grind em, pour the water in, let it sit a little while, push the plunger down and voila! a great cup

Bearinabox · November-01-10, 02:31 PM

The thing with french presses is you always get some sludge in the cup. It bothers me enough that you'll pry my Melitta filter out of my cold dead hands goddammit, but most people I know don't seem to mind. Personal preference, I guess.

**rb336** · November-01-10, 03:41 PM

ya just have to stop drinking before the sludge

**oldredfordette** · November-01-10, 05:49 PM

Bearinabox was kidding, but those little Mellita one cuppers are great. You can drip it directly into a travel mug and keep it hot as long as you like.

**Big Dog** · November-01-10, 08:14 PM

I swirl the bottom while there is still coffee left, and swig it down. No problem.

**Gannon** · November-02-10, 07:46 AM

My neck glands always seem to appreciate the grit.

Although having this discussion on day two of my week-long coffee fast is rather tough.

I was going caffeine-free, but caved yesterday afternoon [[and now) with a cup of strong tea.

I have a plastic version of that Melitta 'brewer-filter' for camping around here somewhere, but we bought a big percolator pot for direct fire brewing...and it worked so well I forgot the little single-serving thing.

I've seen the light...if I can help it, I'm no longer a single-serving kinda guy.

My friend's expensive Jura machine DID consistently make the best espresso I've ever had from an automated machine...but I still use my ANCIENT Krups Il Primo, it is in as-new condition since I only use distilled water [[to get the MOST out of the beans). Once I got a decent procedure figured out, that little machine [[ridiculed by most caffeinistas) ALWAYS rocked out the best espresso shots I could find. At least the first one out...sometimes the second or third after it heated up were a little eager and crema-deficient.

Cheers

**Big Dog** · November-02-10, 05:23 PM

French pressing can make average quality beans, taste superior.

**Jimaz** · November-02-10, 09:28 PM

Any opinions about yerba mate here? Some differences from other plants containing caffeine:

Studies of mate, though very limited, have shown preliminary evidence that the mate xanthine cocktail is different from other plants containing caffeine most significantly in its effects on muscle tissue, as opposed to those on the central nervous system, which are similar to those of other natural stimulants. The three xanthines present in mate have been shown to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on myocardial [[heart) tissue.

I find it tastes somewhat like green tea.

Popular in Argentina, Che Guevara was one of its fans.

**Gannon** · November-05-10, 08:27 AM

This morning I broke down and made a half-pot of French Press coffee.

After being away from coffee since Sunday, I can truly say that it is a necessary thing...in moderation.

I am looking at the sludge in the bottom of the cup, because I really ground the beans finely...too fine...but realize that the sludge merely forces a slight change in behavior.

You have to WATCH for the bottom, and ignore that last sip.

Goes with my working theory that coffee and tea are merely a tasty way to filter bad water...all the 'heavy' stuff left at the end should be discarded or recycled back into the ground anyways.

Cheers and happy caffeinating.

**Jimaz** · November-13-10, 07:44 PM

Just today I discovered in a Green Mountain Coffee catalog that they have something called a reusable My K-Cup adapter that allows you to use any coffee, not just the prefabs that end up in a landfill. These are for Keurig single-cup brewers.

**Big Dog** · November-13-10, 08:51 PM

I have had coffee made from roasted dandelion roots from the garden, and it's very coffee like. Also have roasted chicory roots too. In the south chicory root is added to coffee. It's good too.

**gazhekwe** · November-13-10, 08:53 PM

Jimaz, I find that yerba mate's caffein effect hits faster and harder than coffee's.

I am really glad to learn the pods are not really necessary. The whole idea of having to be tethered to a certain set of choices and have to throw away that little pod after every cup was very unattractive.

We have a Krups XP 7225 Automatic Espresso maker that makes very good single servings. It spoiled us for any ordinary restaurant coffee. The machine has not been trouble free however, and is now on a visit to its home base to repair a leak. I believe the model has been discontinued but is still available at Amazon and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

**Jimaz** · November-13-10, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

Jimaz, I find that yerba mate's caffein effect hits faster and harder than coffee's.

There's some controversy over whether yerba mate contains more caffeine or mateine or whether it matters. I don't know. I just like the taste of yerba mate.

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

I am really glad to learn the pods are not really necessary. The whole idea of having to be tethered to a certain set of choices and have to throw away that little pod after every cup was very unattractive.

Glad to help. The Fair Trade options are promising too!