 An amazing little brewing system for your countertop |
| Review Date: July 3, 2005 |
| Reviewer: CJA, Sacramento, CA USA |
I recently purchased the Keurig B50 to take to work. I was looking for something that I could have in my office to make coffee at any time of the work day and that would dispense hot water for my cup-o-noodles. This machine fit the bill.
When researching what machine to purchase, I looked at a lot of the pod single serve machines. I immediately discounted the Senseo and Black and Decker because they seemed so cheap and flimsy when I tested them in the store. I looked at the Keurig B50 at William Sonoma and liked the sturdiness and simple design.
It came down to the Keurig or the Bunn My Cafe. In the Bunn's favor was that the cup size could be adjustable in one oz. increments, which the Keurig doesn't do. But the Bunn was more expensive, and in the end I felt that the K-cups stayed fresher and had a neater clean up, which is a must since it would on my desk at work. So I ordered it from Amazon which had the best price I could find (I paid $125).
After receiving the Keurig B50, I almost wish I had two, one for work and one for home.
Here is why I like the machine:
+No messy clean up, the K-cup does not drip when its removed after brewing. Very neat and contained. Brilliant!
+The ingenious K-cups seem to keep their freshness very well. I am used to GREAT freshly roasted coffee brewed using a coffee press, and in comparison the Keurig doesn't make bad coffee at all. My old coffee maker made dismal coffee!
+K-cups are not that expensive, they can be found at a good price with no extra shipping costs
+The machine does not get overly hot, even when left on all the time.
+LCD Timer function. This is perfect since I don't want to leave the machine on in my office every night, so I just set the timer to turn it on a few minutes before I get to work so its ready.
+The temperature of the water is perfect. Hot enough to brew good coffee, but not hot enough to burn my tongue. And all at a touch of the button.
+Good solid construction, metal handle and drip tray grill. Those two items will receive the most daily usage and will stand up to wear and tear better than plastic.
+My largeish mug fits under the spout as is. But removing the drip tray accommodates for the very tall travel mugs. When I looked at the Senseo machine, I couldn't believe how little space there was underneath the spout.
+De-scaling warning. I haven't had this machine long enough to need this function yet, but I am glad to know it will alert me if and when it becomes necessary.
The only negative I have:
-I wish it were a little bit quieter after the brew when taking in water to heat for the next cup. It vibrates for about 5-10 seconds.
All in all, I am very pleased with this machine. The only aspect that I cannot yet attest to is the longevity of the machine as I have had it only one week. But I hope that it will stand the test of time because I am loving it more and more every day! The price might be a deal breaker for some, but I in my opinion it is definitely worth it!! |
Makes Absolutely The Best Coffee Ever!! Highly Recommended!
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| Review Date: October 22, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Jana L. Perskie, New York, NY USA |
I am a coffeeholic. I love the feel of caffeine rushing through my system, especially first thing in the morning. Few pleasures are better than the taste and smell of a superbly brewed cup of Java. Last year I purchased a Cuisinart 12 cup Brew Central coffee maker and I love it. I usually buy an excellent blend of beans from a gourmet shop, or when I really want to treat myself, I will grind some Jamaican Blue Mountain, or Hawaiian Kona coffee. Now, the reader may very well wonder why I am spilling the beans about my coffee drinking habits. Well, it is to demonstrate that I have discerning tastes when it comes to my favorite beverage - and that I am willing to cut back monetarily on other food and beverage items to get the best.
Other than first thing in the morning, when I want/need 2 large mugs, I really only want an occasional cup during the day. And I want it to be steaming hot and fresh. What I will turn down in a New York minute is a beverage that has been sitting around on a hotplate for 4 hours. A friend had recently told me about Keurig's Single Cup, giving it rave reviews. I went online and did some research about pod single serve machines, and Keurig B50 Gourmet Single-Cup Brewing System definitely sounded and looked like the best one for me. It gives the biggest bang for the buck! When I bought mine, from Amazon, they were featuring an additional $25. rebate. However, even if the offer has ended, I would still purchase this product again...and just might, for my daughter for Christmas.
Yesterday, I made my first cup. Outstanding!! Simply excellent! And no fuss, no work, no mess. All I did, after priming the machine, (a one-time task), was pop-in a K-cup, push a button and in less than a minute, I had my coffee. To clean up, just throw away the K-cup. No mess - nada! K-cups, which offer over 70 varieties of gourmet coffee and teas from seven premium brands, can be purchased in many supermarkets now. The variety and quality is extraordinary for both decaffeinated teas and coffees and those with caffeine.You can also buy them at Amazon and from the various vendors. Your Keurig comes with an 18 K-cup variety pack, so you will be able to sample many flavors of coffee and tea before purchasing any for yourself. The K-cup containers hold the coffee, enough for either 1 regular-size cup or mug, (7 - 1/4 oz.) filled with super fresh flavor, or a lesser amount, (5 - 1/4 oz.), of a more robust brew. You don't drink your coffee from these cups, they go inside the machine and are disposed of easily - no coffee grounds to clean. No drips! There is a container to fill with water. Place your own mug or cup on the drip tray, push a button and voila! When I want a large travel-size mug, I just remove the used K-cup immediately, insert a new one and in less than 1 and 1/2 minutes I have a double cup. Is this cost effective? I have crunched the numbers, and this is no more expensive, than buying beans per pound and doing it the old way. I still plan to use my Cuisinart on weekends and when I have company. But just for me, or a companion and me, this is perfect. And quite frankly, because of the air tight seal and the quality of the coffee, the taste is every bit as fresh as with newly ground beans -which have been stored in the freezer.
The unit contains a programmable LCD message center which displays a 24-hour digital clock, programmable turn on/off times, and a brew-stage indicator. It is recommended that the machine be kept on all the time, however. You will need to purchase a 3 prong adapter which can be found at any hardware store.
Aesthetically, the Keurig is extremely attractive and looks great in my kitchen. It is well made, solid and substantial.
Long story short, I live in a NYC apartment and after setting up the machine last night, I invited everyone on my floor over for coffee/tea and homemade cookies. They were awed, and two of my fellow apartment dwellers are thinking of buying their own Keurig.
Great product! And the holidays are coming. This would make a fantastic present! The Keurig B50 comes with a one year warranty.
JANA |
Easy, Fast coffee
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| Review Date: October 12, 2005 |
| Reviewer: W. Gibson, upstate New York |
I am something of a coffee snob. I buy premium specialty coffee beans and grind for each pot in a burr grinder. Coffee is then made in a high end drip coffee maker with a gold filter. Coffee is kept in a thermal carafe not on a hot plate. That's the way I used to do it. Now there is just my wife and I at home and she has been told to drink decaf only. Rather than make two pots of coffee I started looking at one cup coffee makers. I eventually narrowed it down to the Keurig machines and the Bunn one cup pod machine. The Senseo looked and felt cheap to me on inspection at a local store. I chose the Keurig because the k-cup looks like a better system to deliver a quality cup of coffee and cleaup is easier. There is also a wide variety of high quality coffee available for it and the Keurig system is well established in the commercial coffee service industry. There are no wet pods to handle and no pod holder to rinse with k-cups. The bottom needle is the only part of the machine that comes in contact with coffee and the outside of the used k-cup is dry and cool. I chose the B50 because it is a good bit cheaper than the B100 and has two cup sizes and a programmable timer. The actual machine is elegant looking and feels and looks like a quality product. It takes about 4 minutes to heat up when powered on and about 20 seconds between cups. It takes just 30 seconds to brew a cup. The process of brewing coffee could not be simpler. Lift the handle to present the k-cup holder, insert a k-cup, lower the handle to retract the cup holder and pierce the k-cup, then press the cup size button. The whole process including loading the machine and disposing of the used k-cup should take less than 45 seconds. We have been using the Green Mountain Coffe Roasters variety pack that came with the machine and a decaf one for my wife. It makes a very good cup of coffee that is at just the right temperature when it comes out of the machine. My wife and mother think the coffee is perfect just as it is. I would like it a little stronger. I would compare it to a cup of coffee in a very good restaurant. There are a couple of options to make stronger coffee. The B50 has a smaller cup size that will make stronger coffee and Timothy's and Green Mountain both make "extra bold" k-cups with 15-20% more coffee in them. I intend to explore both options but right now I am drinking and enjoying the regular k-cups. I am very pleased with the machine and we intend to keep it.
Edit: After using the machine for several months now we are still very pleased with it. My small caveat about the coffee strength is answered by the "Extra Bold" K-cups. My favorites are the Green Mountain Reserve Sumatra (carried by the local Target, yay!) and Coffee People Wake Up Call. The Green Mountain Columbian Supremo is not an Extra Bold but is also very good. I am drinking a cup of the Reserve Sumatra right now and it is excellent. |
Wonderful way to wake up in the morning!
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| Review Date: November 30, 2005 |
| Reviewer: B. Spoon, Woodstock, GA USA |
I couldn't wait until Christmas so my husband got his Keurig for an early Thanksgiving present. It turns out, that this is a great gift for me, too!
I've never been a coffee drinker, but I've been making him coffee for 27 years. He's never complained even though I'm sure his coffee has ranged from too weak, too strong and just plain bitter. When he told me about a friend with a single serve coffee maker that makes every cup fresh and good, I did the research and ordered the Keurig. Since he likes his travel cups, I ordered the Extra Bold Sumatran and Magic K-Cups.
When I gave him the Keurig he was so impressed that he didn't even complain about the price. I was all set to tell him that I made 8 cups of his old drip coffee each day and poured out about half, so this would actually save money. My logic didn't pan out anyway. He is drinking even more coffee now because it is so good!
To fill his travel cup he runs one Extra Bold through twice on the 5 ounce setting and says that it is perfect. Since it is ready all the time, I no longer get up a few minutes early to have his coffee ready for him and he can even enjoy a cup after dinner. The best part is that I've tried the flavored Southern Pecan and French Vanilla coffees and I love them! I thought I would only use it for tea.
Keurig has made us both very happy. |
Changed my life (seriously)
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| Review Date: September 14, 2005 |
| Reviewer: N. J. Steere, Sunny Florida |
I've been eyeing single cup coffee makers for over a year, as part of a vague resolution to become a morning person. I couldn't wake up early without coffee, and didn't see the point of making a pot just for me (plus who wants to make a pot 1st thing anyway?). Finally, I love good coffee but drink so little that a bag would go funky on me before I could use half of it. Having this machine has thus really helped me better myself, as it's the reason I get up early to read and write.
It couldn't have been easier to set up, and right out of the gate the Keurig blew me away. It offers a huge spread of coffees, and cracks off a mug in around 25 seconds once the water is heated. Set the built in timer and it'll heat itself up for a fixed period of time. Mine keeps water warm from 5 a.m. till I leave at 8. Everything else has been said about the machine's greatness, so let me add a few unique points:
Water temp - my friend's Senseo isn't nearly hot enough for me. By contrast, the Keurig pumps out HOT coffee, but not scalding. Perfect.
Noise - yes, it's noisy when you turn it on, but most of the noise is it vibrating the counter. I put a towel under it (not sure if that's a good idea) and the noise dropped substantially. Leaving a mug on it while it fills the heating chamber also adds to the noise.
Taste - An earlier reviewer said he returned his because of a certain plastic taste/odor in every cup. This was definitely a problem at first - the green tea was undrinkable for a while. The manual says to run a cup or two of plain water to clean it, but that's not enough. I washed the water tank w/ soap, then ran about 20 cups of hot water through the machine, and all odor disappeared. Give it time to break in; you'll thank yourself.
Overall - this is definitely a luxury appliance, but it has actually enriched my life. If better coffee easier appeals to you, this is without a doubt the machine for you. |
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