Single-Cup Coffee Makers

I believe that our coffee maker at home will need replaced soon, and the Keurig line of single-cup coffee makers has caught my eye as a possible replacement. That is probably due to their marketing, as I’ve noticed their name & K-Cups quite a bit now. The single-cup concept appeals to me because I usually only have one cup of coffee in the morning before work, and it seems wasteful to make more than I need. Additionally, I’m gone before my wife wakes up, so everything has to be washed if she wants a fresh cup of coffee. I suppose that could show we’re a little lazy with cleaning out the coffee maker and maybe that’s why there seems to be a residual smell in the current maker. I also like the idea that I would be able to use K-Cups, pods, or my own coffee in the machine.

Pro’s
Ease of use & cleanup
Flexibility to brew using K-Cups, pods or coffee grounds

Con’s
Price of unit & K-Cups

I was curious if anyone has had any experience or opinions of either the Keurig line, or single-cup coffee makers in general?

I have a keurig and its great for one cup brewing in the mornings before work. On my days off I still grind whole beans and use a french press. But for a quick cup they work great. The only con with the quality that I noticed is that my coffee seems to cool off quicker then other brewing methods. I haven't actually tested this to see if it is so.

The price of the k-cups aren't that much more then beans. I'm not a huge fan of the waste the k-cups produce but there is the option of buying the reusable pod.

I had a cheap single cup maker for a couple of years. Can't say I really cared for it that much. The convenience of just making one cup at a time was offset by the lazyness that it encouraged. It also used a reusable filter which was a pain in the ass, especially considering that I had to go down the hall to clean it. I would make a cup, go to class, and leave the grounds in the filter. When I would come back from class I would either forget it or just put off cleaning it. I would probably clean it out maybe once a week, which meant about one cup of coffee a week.

Thanks for your comments guys.

logan - I am interested in the reusable pod for trying out whole beans and using the K-cups for when I just need a cup on my way out the door. We really don't have the room to store another brewing method, so if we get the Keurig, that's it. BTW logan, which model did you get? We're looking at the Special Edition.

eville - The used K-cups just get thrown away, so cleanup is easy, but yeah, I can see how it would be a PITA to have to go down the hall.