I didn’t start drinking coffee until after I graduated from college. I never pulled in an all-nighter — geeky, I know. Now, I can’t start my morning without a good cup along with the newspaper. Between the single serve coffee brewers and the single-serving coffee can heats itself, coffee has been given a fresh look.
I just got a Home Cafe. At first, I didn’t like it because when I filled up the water reservoir, it leaked everywhere. Learning from that, I started filling up a glass with water and pouring it into the reservoir, which stayed in the brewer. My mom has the same coffee brewer and hers doesn’t leak. So I contacted Black and Decker and a replacement is on its way.
The brewer came with 18 Folgers pods. I don’t like Folgers period, so I didn’t like the coffee even though I made it strong. You can make it stronger by putting two pods into it and brewing 7 oz. or 9 oz. instead of 14 oz. But Paul likes Folgers and he’s happy with the coffee it brews. You have to drink it right away as it’s at the right temperature, but it takes no time for it to get cold. It’s not as hot as my regular coffee machine. It’s no problem to heat it in the microwave.
The best part about the machine—EASY to clean! If you use a regular mug (6 – 9oz), it splashes, which is another reason I wasn’t crazy about it in the first place. But we started using taller mugs and it worked better. However, I prefer my regular-sized mugs as I have a nice Disney movies collection and a Charmed mug.
The instructions say you can only use Folgers or Millstone coffee with the machine and any other will damage it. Bull! That is just a ploy to ensure we buy its partners’ brands. Starbucks (Yes, I am a big coffee shop h0.) and Cool Beans make coffee pods and their packaging indicate they’re compatible with the Home Cafe, Senseo, Melitta, etc. I almost bought the Starbucks pods online, but shipping cost almost as much as the package! So I’ll have to hunt them down at every corner Starbucks.
My friend has a Senseo and she has been using Cool Beans with it. She said when she put two espresso pods in it, coffee spilled everywhere. So when using a pod that is heavily packed, it’s wise to use just one. I haven’t tried the Cool Beans yet, but my friend and I have similar tastes in coffee unlike Paul (weak coffee drinking wimp). My mom has seen the Senseo in action at a cousin’s house and thought the Home Cafe was better. I haven’t met anyone who has the Melitta.
A friend’s company uses Flavia S350. It sounds awesome. I wouldn’t buy the SB100 because it doesn’t use pods. It uses a different type of packaging. There needs to be a standard for these single brewers. I know the companies want to make money and force you to buy their brand… but which is better? Not buying it at all due to lack of choices as opposed to offering an appliance that works with many brands? I’ll take a little profit over none.
If you buy a Home Cafe before January 31, 2005, you can get a $20 rebate. The reviews on Amazon gave it an average of 2 1/2 stars. Not good, I agree. The leaky reservoir is one of the problems, but my mom has had no problems with hers and the company is sending me a replacement. Yes, the machine is full of plastic, but it works. I have had no problems with the lever. Just make sure when using two pods to use the two pod side of the pod holder otherwise the leaver won’t close when two pods are on the single side.
I believe every single brewer system has its good points and its bad points. Read the reviews and look at its set up. The Senseo can make two cups and add a froth while the Home Cafe and Melitta only do one cup at a time. The Home Cafe has come out with cappuccino pods to use with its specialty pod holder. Unfortunately… it’s Folgers.
Have you seen or used any of these brewers? Share your experience. What pods do you like best?
15 thoughts on “Coffee's New Faces”
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I have seen these new coffee machines, but I’ve still been hesitant to buy them. For one, I feel that buying the pods ends up being more expensive than buying the beans itself.
And limiting me to 1 or 2 cups at a time is not a strong selling point for me either. I came from a family who drinks strong coffee, so I like to add coffee on the heavy side, and the pods limits you on this, so I still prefer the regular brewing type. Although sometimes doing it the old fashion way of boiling coffee on the pot and passing it through a cloth colander, gives such a taste unequal to any brewing machine.
To equate this to software, I am not a fan of anything designed to work exclusively with it’s own pods and nothing else. I wouldn’t buy a media player that only played one type of file, and where that one type of file was one that could only play short clips of music that I don’t like.
I think the concept is good, though, and a few improvements could make this kind of system a real winner. They could sell pods that you can fill with whatever coffee you like. They could make the device compatible with small and large pods, and of course sell empty pods for the above-mentioned use.
But then, I am a bit of a coffee snob!
I got a French coffee press for Christmas. I was hesitant because you have to heat the water in a kettle, pour the water on the coffe and steep it like a tea. I will NEVER go back to using any kind of coffee maker again. A coffe maker does not expose the coffee to water long enough to get a rich bold tasting coffee. If you want to taste real coffee try a french press. The slight inconvienance of having to heat the water yourself is well worth the taste of a great cup of coffee.
for morning coffee I use a drip coffeemaker
to make my STRONG nighttime coffee I use the French Press as it make coffee almost as good as expresso
I use samatra in the french press and french roast in the drip coffee maker and both I make very strong so a pod maker would not be for me
You’re cute –
Being a tea drinker, I only consume coffee when tea is not available, therefore …
between the laughter, I obviously have no comment on coffee preferences.
😉
very enjoyable article. useful info, and well-expressed personal experience. thanx. :^)
I’ve had a Senseo machine for 8 or 9 months now and I’m quite happy with it. Now it’s even better because http://WWW.PODHEAD.COM sells additional Senseo compatible coffee pods. I just ordered some Kona, some Kenyan, Jamaican Blue Mountain and a box of 50 Organic Decafs. Podhead also sells coffee pods for other Single Cup Coffee makers.
love the french press, but it doesn’t keep it warm, let alone hot, so you have to drink it right away, but it is the best.
for one cup of coffee BEFORE the french press, i used a melita funnel w/filter, sits on top of your cup, which should be pre-heated (fanatic that i am)and you pour the water in, just to boiling, big bubbles but not a rolling, roiling?, boil. because it takes the oxygen out of the water, that’s why. same water for the french press. both excellent coffee, oh yes, start with the coldest water you can, i don’t know why, it is just better.
and another thing….microwaving KILLS your coffee. sorry, that fanatic thing, ya know?
so far a podless-person
I’m also a Coffee fanatic and received a Senseo as a present this year for Christmas. For one and two cups it’s exceptionally easy and quick, and with the crema there’s no real need to add milk or cream. For that special cup of coffee or making for more than 3 I still fall back on my Coffee Press.
The Senseo came with varying strengths of Douwe Egberts coffee and although I’ve been using the the Dark Roast for my liking it’s not strong or rich enough. I’ll definately try and get hold of some of Starbuck’s pods.
I could not remember why I preferred the Braun KF187 over the 180 without question. I found the information on Braun’s Web site. The 180 does not have a small quantity switch. I always have it on this since I often make less than 3 cups. This keeps from the coffee getting “overcooked.” I also like the coffee-ready signal. Not as important, but it helps to know when it’s done so I am not watching for every last drop to spill or not.
My wife and I volunteer weekends at a children’s tech museum and that’s where we met the Senseo. We like it for a quick cup of coffee, so I bought one for Christmas at Costco. It came with one and two pod holders, two canisters for storing the pods and a selection of 72 pods. We love it.
To brew a stronger cup simply use the two pod holder with two pods (meant for brewing two cups) but press the one cup button.
If your in Temecula,CA don’t miss the vineyards, but be sure to visit the “Imagination Workshop” in Old Town.
I’m going to check out http://WWW.PODHEAD.COM (mentioned in another post) for some more varieties – some “Blue Mountain” might be nice.
Pods are not for me. I have a good burr grinder with built-in bean reservoir, which will produce anything from perk coarse to espresso superfine. When my coffee is brewed, I immediately decant into a Thermos brand vacuum carafe with a glass vacuum chamber. This lets me enjoy the fresh-brewed flavor all day without multiple brewings. A note about increasing flavor/strength: Instead of having to use multiple (expensive) pods and/or decrease brewed quantity, I simply change my grind to a finer one or, more often, add one or more extra filters in the coffee chamber. This reduces the flow rate and increases the dwell time of the hot water and the ground coffee, increasing the strength and flavor of the coffee, and filters are a damned sight cheaper than coffee, especially in pods.
Oh, yeah, that bit about microwaves messing up coffee. Horse pucky. Unless one is silly enough to overheat or boil it, no harm whatsoever is done to coffee by microwaving it. It is simply a process of adding heat energy to the liquid, and as long as one is judicious in its use, a microwave is just fine for doing that. You do far more damage to the flavor of coffee by allowing it to sit in the pot exposed to air than is done by microwave reheating.