Buying Tips for Single Serve Pod Coffee Makers

Single Serve or Single Cup Coffee Makers are growing by leaps and bounds in popularity, mainly because they are clean, efficient, and very easy to use. Unlike traditional drip coffee makers, they use little self-contained units of grounds, called pods, K-Cups, or T-discs. Manufacturers like Senseo, Keurig and Tassimo make great single cup coffee machines.

But before you jump on the single serve bandwagon and buy a single serve (1 or 2 cup) coffee maker that uses pods, consider the following tips:

1. Check if the 1 to 2 cup coffee maker that uses pods has the special and functional pod compatibility to accept a variety or several other brands of pods other than what are produced and provided by the coffee maker manufacturer. Compatible ones would be more advantageous because you could use just any pod from the brands you really love.
   
2. If you love tea as well, you might prefer to buy tea-brewing compatible single serve coffee maker.
   
3. Choose units with spacious and practical water reservoirs, or simply check the capacity. There might be such coffee makers that promise to brew more than 3 cups. That is not economical and useful since usages of pods in such appliances are usually limited to just one or two at a time.
   
4. Does the 1- to 2-cup coffee maker that uses pods also include a hot water dispenser? If it does, then, the unit would be highly useful. You can even use the appliance for hot chocolate preparation or whatever other beverages.
   
5. Check is the spout would fit for your favorite mug. Some units of 1 to 2 cup pod coffee maker come with their own designated mugs or cups. If you love your own mug of cup, go for those with no prescribed or specially allocated mug accessories.
   
6. A good 1 to 2 cup coffee maker that uses pods is easily cleanable. With that, the machine’s components should be conveniently removable so that cleaning will be a lot better and easier. Such units would also be dishwasher safe.
   

 

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West Bend Coffee Maker Review

West Bend is a legendary coffee machine manufacturer who specializes in equipment that makes large batches of coffee for commercial use and large gatherings. They also make a variety of coffee makers for home use. The following is a review of a home use coffee maker by West Bend.

The Positives

I love coffee first thing in the morning and I count on that cup of Joe to get my day started. I’m also picky about keeping my appliances spotless. I bought a West Bend coffee maker because my previous machine broke and while shopping for a replacement I was attracted to the West Bend design and thought it added to the décor of my kitchen. I enjoyed the fact that the coffee maker used regular basket-type filters rather than cone type filters which will save me money. I also like the large capacity and the ability to make ten to twelve cups of coffee at a time. It’s ease of use, fast speed and consistent top notch brew quality make this a great coffee maker.

Many West Bend coffee maker owners report the same feedback as well plus even note its durability and simple maintenance procedures.

Things to Watch Out For

I haven’t had any complaints about my West Bend coffee maker, but others have occasional negative experiences including fluctuations in the coffee yield based on the amount of water put in. One user broke the handle and had a crack under the pot that holds the brew. So they were very displeased to find a big spill underneath the machine and were very frustrated that they could no longer use their coffee maker.

Another owner said that his pot sat slanted on the stand which caused spills when brewing. He was also confused that the water level mark on the pot did not coordinate with the water level mark on the container and therefore was not sure about how much coffee he would be actually making. Another user reports troubles setting the machine to automatically brew at night for the next morning because there were no LEDS to aid their vision.

Whether good or bad, West Bend coffee makers owners all report that West Bend has a great reputation and excellent customer service.

Take a look at a the popular West Bend French Press Coffee Maker: West Bend 57040 4 Cup Electric French Press, Black

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Presto Coffee Makers with Glass Carafe

Presto coffee machines feature a glass carafe that gives off a very clean appeal. They use a glass lined thermal carafe. Most of their coffee machines sell for rather cheap prices at department stores, so while the list prices may be high you can find a bargain if you just search a bit.

Presto coffee machine glass carafes are pretty thick. If you own a glass tea kettle then that would be thin compared to their coffee carafe. So you couldn’t really see why such a sturdy wouldn’t last. These glass lined thermal carafes reduce the need of a warmer and because of their thick design they can be quite heavy.

Freshly brewed coffee can usually be tolerated after about thirty minutes and the carafe will keep the contents warm for up to two hours and possibly longer. It has a smooth reactive thumb activated lid raising lever for those times when you just can’t wait and need to pour some coffee immediately.

In fact, if you remove the carafe from most Presto coffee machine models while its brewing it will automatically stop so that you can pour a cup without having to wait until all the brewing is complete.

Many users report that they are pleased with Presto’s carafe as it gives one of the easiest pours of any coffee maker they’ve ever used. While some of their carafes are narrow at the top they require a brush to be fully cleansed. Most users don’t mind that though as they’ll trade off a little extra cleaning to be able to pour off their coffee at top speeds.

Caring For Coffee:

Coffee carafe’s especially thermal carafes ensure the lasting quality of fresh coffee. That’s why it’s important to have a good one and give it good care, because it in turn cares for your coffee.

A carafe’s primary purpose is to maintain the contents liquid at the optimum temperatures whether that is hot or cold. They don’t have to always be used for coffee; they can accommodate iced tea or any beverage. Carafes may be light weight or more heavy duty but either way they enable you to serve a beverage for many guests from one source. Therefore that’s why they are seen around the house, restaurants and even outdoors. They are like a personal thermal cup except for a group of people because of the larger batch they can accommodate.

While you can purchase these thermal carafes separately, Presto is one of the few coffee appliance manufacturers that include one with their models. If you are a coffee lover investing into a quality carafe would not be such a bad idea. Especially if you travel often or have company over that you frequently serve coffee for.

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One Cup Camping Coffee Maker

Today campers can brew a cup of coffee easily while in the great outdoors. They can either use their camp stove, an electrical outlet or car charger type plug to power the coffee maker. Many small sized single cup coffee machines can be taken to use on camping trips.

The Simple One Cup Method

One innovation is a simple basket like this one from REI within a funnel shaped mug that sits on top of a cup. All you need is hot water, a cup and some coffee. Simply fill the basket with some of your favorite regular size ground beans. Then replace the filter in the funnel mug and place it on top of your cup. Finally pour boiling water in the funnel and coffee drips into your cup.

Within a few minutes you’ll yield a fresh single cup brew of coffee. Since there are no paper filters with this simple design the clean up is quite easy and it’s also environment friendly, seeing as you’ll be out in nature. In fact freshly brewed grounds makes for great fertilizer.

Coffee for the Crew

Operation of a coffee maker like the Coleman Camping Coffee Maker designed for use with any two to three burner camp stoves is simple.

First place the base directly on top of a stove burner. Then add water to the compartment in the back of the coffee maker. Next add a paper filter in the filter basket and add ground coffee. Finally light the stove to start the brewing process starts as the coffee drips into the carafe. After brewing, the stove should be turned off or set to the lowest setting in order to avoid overheating.

This process works because as the stove heats up, the coffee maker heats the water which in turn begins to vaporize. This vapor then heads upwards towards a diffuser which spreads the hot water over the grounds in the filter.

These stove top coffee makers are designed the keep the temperature within the correct ranges of 190-200 degrees so that the coffee comes out fully flavored and not destroyed and bitter. Common things that affect the taste of percolated coffee include boiling some of the coffee during brewing; having the already brewed coffee pass back through the grounds and having grounds fall into the coffee.

So it’s important to look for a coffee maker that has temperature regulation and uses a filter that fixes these problems. Camp coffee makers can even serve as a way to heat up soups and make drinks such as tea or hot chocolate.

Other ways of making coffee for camping is the “cowboy” method, where one boils a pot of water, adds coffee, lets it settle then pours coffee out while keeping the grounds settled. Obviously this is messy and not the preferred way.

So stick with the tried and true, and not to mention, convenient way to make coffee while out camping with the Coleman Camping Coffee Maker

Melitta Manual Coffee Maker Review

For the old-school coffee drinkers, Melitta offers a six cup manual coffee brewing system. Its components are a cone-like filter holding device for the top and a carafe which attaches to it. You add the boiling water and others. This manual thermal coffee pot is extremely affordable at around 10-20 dollars.

Why Brew Manually?

You might be asking why you would want to brew coffee manually this way instead of through an automatic machine. Well one of the major factors of brewing good coffee is having a controlled temperature. While coffee roast and grind quality and water are all factors, controlling the temperature is the most important. Electric coffee makers sometimes have problems with their internal temperature control or don’t get it right the way they are programmed, making it overly hot or cold.

With the Melitta manual coffee pot you boil your own water therefore have complete control over the temperature of the brew and the amount of water that passes through the grounds. Although this adds a few minutes to the preparation time it is sure worth it.

The Brewing Process

The Melitta manual coffee pot takes number six cone filters. Even though this is the case it appears to be able to take fold type filters as well. It is your preference as to what kind of filter you would like to use but white filters seem to be the best suited for this coffee brewer/pot. However, some people argue that white filters are bleached and contain dioxin which is a very powerful carcinogen. Both white and brown filters can be used. Your choice.

The first step to preparing coffee with this pot is boiling the water. Ideally the best temperature for brewing coffee is 208 degrees Fahrenheit, so this is what you should aim for. Now place ground coffee inside the filter top that sits on top of the pot. Next add the boiled water. You will notice that the grounds will start to bubble as they are saturated with the hot water. Let this happen for up to forty five seconds and at least for fifteen because it will help the ground stay in place when brewing.

After this you can either pour all the water through the filter which produces a weaker cup of coffee but is faster and distributes the grounds evenly in the filter. The coffee will be smoother as well. This is due because the water passes faster through the filter. Or you can pour the hot water through slowly while carefully not moving the grounds. This will produce a strong cup of coffee. The filter that sits on top of the pot can also sit on top of many other carafes. So if the carafe provided happens to break you could use another one you may have somewhere.

Basically with this method of brewing with the Melitta you have complete control unlike electric coffee machines.  Melitta offers a variety of manual coffee makers available at Melitta’s website or here at Amazon.com: Melitta Porcelain Manual Coffee Maker

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Hills Bros. Cappuccino Flavor Coffee

If you’re a coffee fan with a taste for cappuccino, we’ve found just the thing for you: something hot, creamy, smooth and delicious. Hills Bros. produces flavored cappuccino that seems to be a fan favorite. Compared to other flavor qualities and price of cappuccino mixes Hills Bros. seem to be the best choice.

A full canister of one pound costs around three dollars, which is very reasonable. If you drink your cappuccino a bit weaker than the directions call for then this amount of mix can last you about a month. If you take the regular strength then you’ll get seventeen servings based on the packaged cappuccino mix label. The consistency is rich and creamy, while the taste is just at the right level of sweetness.

It’s quite simple to prepare a cup of cappuccino from Hills Bros. flavored mixes. Simply mix it in a cup with eight ounces of hot water or you could choose it drink it ice is preferred. The instructions go into detail on the container.

Cappuccino Considerations:

If you have particular needs then the Hills Bros. cappuccino mixes come in different varieties. They are decaf, regular, fat free and carb wise. The carb wise variation contains ninety percent less sugar. It’s important to note that it’s sweetened with Splenda. Another important difference is that the carb wise cappuccino mix is at a reduced size of twelve ounces but the servings per container have been increased to twenty eight. This could be due to the fact that less sugar is added.

The costs are all around the same price. The flavors that Hills Bros. offers are Vanilla, English Toffee, White Chocolate, Caramel and Double Mocha. If you are strict about eating Kosher there is no need to worry. Hills Bros. Cappuccino Mixes are certified Kosher by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis. Some other highly rated brands of flavored cappuccino mixes are Folgers, Nescafe and Bustello.

Instant cappuccino mixes may be a great alternative to brewing because of the short preparation time. This is great for morning where you wouldn’t otherwise want to mess around with brewing regular cappuccino. Another great plus is that instant mixes usually offer flavors so you can find what suits your taste, literally. Or if you prefer change and hate routine you could alternate your cappuccino flavors for each day of the week.

Although Hills Bros. cappuccino mixes seem to claim the top of the list you’ll have to shop around to find which brand fits the texture you prefer as well as taste and special needs if any. Not to mention that you could take these mixes with you while you travel.

Coffee House Coffee Makers

Owning a coffee bar, house or shop is a lucrative business. The Specialty Coffee Association of America estimates that these businesses generate $11 billion dollars in the US in 2005, this even with more than half of coffee drinkers claiming to be occasional rather than daily. If the growing trend of single cup coffee in international areas is any indication of the future, then more coffee providers and cafe’s in the US will be investing into one cup machines.

What Brands do the Coffee Shops Use?

There are many companies producing coffee makers for professional purposes. Capresso manufactures an automatic coffee center that can grind, tamp, brew and clean up in less than sixty seconds. Bunn has plenty of models designed for coffee house use. One of them includes a coffee machine that can brew three pots all at the same time. Bunn is not just famous for commercial coffee makers but home varieties as well. They produce all sorts of sizes and types of coffee machines as well as carafes and air pots. Recently, Bunn started manufacturing single cup pod coffee brewers.

Single Serve Machines are Hot

Now several companies are producing equipment to catch up with the growing tend of single serve pod machines. Some of these companies are Senseo, Salton, Krups, Kuerig, Grindmaster and Melitta. Krups even features a coffee machine that can produce two single cups at the same time.

Pot to Cup:

Single cup machines and servings are relatively new in the United States as there is room for growth. Single cup takes up about 5% of the market and is expected to increase to 20-25% in the next decade. The reason for this growth is based on the choice of convenience and taste quality which are important to American consumers.

Another reason for single cup machines is that you never know what you’re getting at 1 A.M. at a coffee house from a pot brewer. The coffee could have been sitting there for quite some time. Coffee houses that are twenty four seven can place ease of mind on customers by investing into a single cup machine. They can be sure the coffee is as fresh as it would be at any other time and also there is no pot for employees to handle as well as no grounds to take care of.

A café could leave the machine on so that customers can get a cup any time of day by self service which is less hassle for the owner and convenience for the customer. This is especially true for the machines that have the ability to be connected to the plumbing so there’s no need to keep refilling the water.

Cello Bags for Coffee Mugs

When giving someone a gift its always appreciated if its presented with a classy appeal. One such way to do this is with cello bags (cellophane). You know those little bags you got as party favors or probably gave out at your kids birthday party? These artsy bags come with different prints of all kinds of fashions and give a nice presentation to any give that they hold.

Many of these cello bags are available in bulk or wholesale. Retailers usually offer a wide variety of colors, designs, sizes and styles. Thus finding a cello bag to fit your occasion couldn’t be too hard. With a little browsing you’ll spot something that catches your eye and fits your needs. The completely clear cello bag is probably the one we all know well, as it’s classically used for party favors where there are no intentions to hide what’s inside.

Why Use Cello Bags?

One advantage of using cello bags is the ease of gift preparations. All you usually have to do is drop your gift into the bag then tie it with whatever you wish, possibly a bow or ribbon, or maybe be different and tie it with a stylish rope. Some manufacturers can even tailor a cello bag to your specifics for those awkward shaped gifts, or maybe you would want a special print for an exclusive occasion.

Wrap that Coffee Gift Right

With its emphasis in modern culture coffee drinkers often have a favorite coffee mug that they use exclusively. So as a business trying to promote you product, service or label it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to give coffee mugs as a gift to your clients. As a personal gift coffee mugs make great ones as well. They are thoughtful especially if the person receiving the mug enjoys coffee. For bonus points if you know what kind of style of mug they like or want, even better.

A cello bag would make the greatest finishing touch to a coffee mugs presentation as a gift, rather than just giving the mug plain.

Where to Buys Great Custom and Logo Coffee Mugs

Today there are plenty of coffee mugs to choose from in different patterns, details, textures, material shapes and sizes. You can make a custom mug from scratch and have some pottery fun or you can have a manufacturer create a custom mug for you. There really isn’t much you couldn’t do to a coffee mug these days.

You can buy great coffee mugs in cello bags at: www.discountmugs.com

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Bodum Granos Espresso Machine Review

If you’re a serious coffee fan then Bodum may ring a bell to you. Bodum has been famous for decades due to their fantastic press pot coffee machines. They are also well known for their fresh sense of style which is hard to mimic. Although they are famous for regular coffee press pot machines you may not think of espresso where they are concerned.

Today all that has changed, with the Bodum Granos, a fully automatic machine that will brew to a specified volume with the press of a button. Bodum first announced their press pot espresso machine at the SCAA conference in Atlanta and then next year at Seattle the coffee maker had grown popular.

What’s in the Box:

The Bodum Granos ships with quite a lot of goodies. It comes with a full color instruction manual, single filter basket, double filter basket, pod filter basket, water bottle intake spout, measuring spoon and plenty more you would receive with an espresso machine. The manual is easy to read with everything being visual.

There are many demonstrative color photographs which add an artful touch. This colorful manual shows you how to program the machine, access the functionality of hot water, how to steam, brew and the many other operations it supports.

The Bodum Granos’s base is very wide and low but the drip tray is deep. The drip tray is massive and heavy plus is actually is so deep that it sits on the table. This extremely wide drip tray is to compensate for the machines pressure relief system that is not so good when a shot is brewed. On the far left on the top of the machine sits a curved arm like connection that attaches the base to the brewing head and the electronics.

This is just an example of Bodum’s unique design that on other espresso machines never looks quite the same. The top of the Bodum Granos has all the electronic controls and components. This is also where the brew head and boiler are located.

On the top right side of the espresso machine is the water reservoir. It features a vertical water reservoir with also the option to use bottled water instead. There is an adapter cap and even a separate drip tray portion for this. The adapter can accommodate many types of bottles with no problem. The three types of filter baskets, single, double and pod are all pressurized.

Frothing

The wand used for steaming comes with the common froth aider but also has the option to be removed to make a more traditional froth. One peculiarity is that the froth wand does not point toward the drip tray no matter which direction it’s pointed, which is sort of strange given how large the drip tray is.

Overall, the Bodum Granos Espresso Machine is a high-class, stylish, and easy to use espresso machine for the serious espresso lover.

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Review of Keurig Coffee Makers

Keurig coffee makers are a great choice when searching for an office or home coffee brewer. The name “Keurig” (often misspelled keiriig) is Dutch for “excellence” so the name does possibly say it all.

Overview

Like the Senseo single serve coffee makers, the Keurig coffee machines also are designed to make a cup at a time. Their appearance is sleek and modern as well as sturdy. They produce one cup after another in less than a minute of brewing time for each. Cleanup is quite simple too. One great feature is that there is no coffee to measure. Instead coffee comes in K-Cups which are small plastic cups with a measured amount of coffee in them already. They are also sealed to retain the flavor. Keurig coffee makers even come with detailed manuals that are so intricate they instruct you how to take the coffee maker out of the box.

Making the Perfect K-Cup

Making a single cup of coffee with a Keurig coffee maker is as simple as five steps.

First is to fill the water container preferably with bottled or filtered water but you can use tap if you desire. The water containers have a cap that can be removed or you can just remove the entire compartment and take it to the water.

Next is to simply open the top of the coffee maker and carefully place in a K-Cup into the chamber while avoiding the piercing needles. Keep the K-Cup sealed.

Once the top is closed, needles will pierce into the bottom and top of the cup and the LCD display should display that it is ready.

The fourth step is to select the amount of coffee you want. Choose either the large mug button or the small cup button.

Finally the coffee will begin brewing. Water will flow through the K-Cup and then into the cup. Once the operation is done open the lid and carefully remove the K-Cup because it’ll be hot. It’s as easy as that.

Cleaning the Keurig

Generally the K-Cup holder and water compartment are safe enough for your dishwasher, but the lid is not. It’s recommended that every six months a water/vinegar mixture be run through the Keurig coffee maker to clean it. This process removes minerals that build up within the appliance. These minerals block the heating ability of the coffee maker.

As a matter of fact the machine will tell you when it is ready for this water/vinegar mixture by displaying a “De-Scale” message on the LCD. Some good news is that you can still make coffee even when it has “De-Scale” displayed.

If you want to store a Keurig coffee maker for long times without use just make sure there is no water in the water compartment and that the appliance is clean and dry, obviously unplugged as well. Keep it in a place that will not collect frost or contain moisture. You don’t want to expose the components to cold elements that will damage them.

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