When it comes time to purchase a new coffee machine, there is undoubtedly a consideration on whether to jump into the single serving movement, or stick with the old fashioned Mr. Coffee style brewing systems. When it comes to reading Keurig reviews, most of them are trying to tell you which single cup coffee machine to buy, but how do you know you don't want to stick with what you have?
Well pretty much the only reason people regret moving to a single cup machine is the strength or freshness of the coffee and the large amount of waste that comes from using the plastic pods. With the later being totally avoidable, worrying about the taste of the coffee would be the most important concern.
The way a Keurig machine "brews" it's coffee, it drills a hole in both the top and bottom of the pod, and sends hot water right through the cup. This produces a different taste which is not quite as rich as say a French Pres. When the grinds are soaked in the water it produces a fuller taste than when it runs right through them. Even a drip brewing machine takes longer to allow the coffee to drip down through the grinds and filter. It's not to say that there aren't plenty of options when it comes to choosing the right k-cup, or that you won't be able to find something that suits your taste in coffee, it's just simply a different way of brewing, producing a different taste, that's all.
It is absolutely a concern when reading Keurig reviews that people are upset about wasting so much plastic in fear of filling up a landfill in their lifetime just with their own coffee pods. However, if you are willing to sacrifice a little bit of laziness, you can prevent this issue. The EZ-Cup for Keurig allows you to create your own K-Cup using any coffee grinds you like. So you can get your favorite coffee from Starbucks, and freshly grind your own K-Cup in your home. The only waste this will produce is the EZ-Cup filters, which are paper, and have much less of an environmental impact that plastic. This method can also help produce a fresher taste that you might be used to.
Another concern when reading Keurig reviews is the factor of cost. Sure the Keurig machine itself can cost much more than a drip machine, but you are paying for convince. It is also the price of convince that you will pay a little more to purchase single K-Cups. A normal pound of coffee grinds yields approximately 40 cups of coffee, and cost on average about . If you purchase a value size K-Cup package (80 cups) you are paying at the rate of per 40 cups, so you are paying up to 60% more for your coffee. However, you can certainly save some money by using the EZ-Cup mentioned earlier.
So what about the pros? Yes, in my opinion the pros still outweigh the issues above. The Keurig is an incredibly convenient machine. There is virtually no cleanup involved. There is a large selection available of coffee, you can even brew hot cocoa, tea and hot apple cider! Finally, you will literally add days to your life by limiting the time spent on your morning routine.
