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Category: Single Coffee Maker

What Are Pod Coffee Makers?

Where do Pod Coffee Makers Come From?

The concept comes from nature probably, where in the pods contain seed of life and growth. Depending upon the brand that produces it, a pod may contain a measured amount of ground coffee, condensed milk or even added flavorings. The pods are usually vacuum sealed to protect its contents from outside moisture and oxygen which might tarnish the freshness of the product when finally intended for use. Pods are always intended for a single cup of coffee and work only in conjunction with single coffee makers.

Coffee Pod Makers

Pod coffee makers are coffee brewing systems that force required amounts of hot water through the pods to bring in the flavor in the beverage as per requirement. Various coffee companies have worked on this system to bring about frothing in the beverages to suit user to user requirements.

Pod Coffee Makers vs. Drip Coffee Makers

Pod coffee makers are way better than the drip coffeepots. Although the pods are not re-usable, since all its contents get used in one cup, the pods are not self disposable. The outer packaging has to be removed from the coffeemaker and disposed off separately.

However, that is about all that needs to be done for a pod coffee machine, while on the other hand, filter coffee machines need to be emptied and cleaned which is far more work. Also Pod coffee makers are not as messy as a drip coffeepot. Even making multiple cups of coffee is easier with the Pod machine, since, it can cater to individual beverage requirements whether hot or cold, all in less than a minute, while brew-pots can cater to only one type of beverage. It is typical of the leftover coffee in the brew-pot to turn bitter after a while because of constant warming.

Disadvantages of Pod Coffee Makers

Biggest disadvantage of Pod coffee machines is that most companies custom build their pods for use with only their brand machines. Now, if the coffee pod producer does not have collaborations with the brand of coffee that you prefer, then buying a pod machine is of no use. This is the same if you already possess a coffee machine and are looking to try flavors from another coffee brand, then it is difficult to switch coffee machines, since they are so expensive. Another issue faced by users is that usually even the pods are expensive and for premium flavors, finding it on the shelf is difficult, so mostly pods need to be ordered online.

Have a look at our Pod Coffee Maker Reviews to find the best single serving coffee machine for you. Specifically, have a look at our Senseo 7832/55 Supreme Pod Coffee Maker Review to get information about one of the high-end pod coffee brewers available on the market.

May 16, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Senseo Single Cup Coffee Maker

The Early Days of Senseo

In February 2001, in the Netherlands, the Dutch company Philips along with coffee roaster Douwe Egberts, developed a simple technique to brew coffee with a rich layer of cream on top. Senseo is a registered trademark for the entire coffee making system which prepares a perfect coffee with coffee and water perfectly balanced in a mild pressure. When the potion is finally put into the cup, there is a frothy coffee layer on top. This system gained immense popularity in the US just a few years back, when people could make their own coffee at home in exactly the same way they used to get it from a take-out.

Senseo Single Cup Coffee Machine

Senseo Single Cup Coffee Machine

Senseo Coffee Makers

The Senseo Coffee Machine designed by Philips has a great design as well as perfect no-worry solution of auto switch off after one hour. The machine is even easy clean, dishwasher-safe with its easily removable parts. With the push of just a button, the Senseo Coffee maker brews steaming hot gourmet coffee in less than a minute.

Then there is the Senseo Supreme – Single Serve Gourmet Coffeemaker. Although the price of this machine is almost 3 times that of the Philips Senseo Coffee maker, this machine has a patent on its single serve design. It not only brews coffee, but also cappuccino. An interactive LCD display advises users of the water level in the machine and provides adjustable coffee brewing. Hence you can customize your quantity on this single coffee maker.

“Magic” Senseo Coffee Pods

The Senseo Coffee Maker is just half the magic by itself. The other half is the “magic” Pods, which were specially designed by and roasted by Douwe Egberts which was founded in 1753. The Pods contain measured coffee amount to suit just one cup. Coffee brewed from these pods have a lovely aroma with a frothy top layer and with the Senseo Coffee Maker, it is so simple to brew a single cup with the reservoir still full to make yet another 4 cups more in quick succession or even in time bursts.

Senseo offers coffee pods in a variety of flavors which range from roasted specialties from all over the world like the Kona Coffee Blend, Kenya Blend, Columbian Blend, French Vanilla, Sumatra and others like a Dark Roast, Espresso, Medium Roast, Decaffeinated etc. Which ever flavor suits your mood, Senseo Coffee Maker has one to offer.

Senseo coffee machine and Senseo coffee pods can be ordered from retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, Vitacost.com in the US or even online on the Senseo store.

Have a look at our Senseo Single Cup Coffee Maker Comparison to find the best Senseo single serving coffee machine for your kitchen. Check out our Senseo 7832/55 Supreme Single Cup Coffee Maker Review to get an in-depth look at one of the high-end Senseo brewers available on the market.

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May 14, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Coffee Talk – Coffee Break: The Impact Of Single Cup Coffee Machines

Single cup coffee machines are available across each brand today and over a price range starting at $20 to $1000 and even above. So, what is it that these single cup coffee machines are providing us really that we consumers are going crazy to get our own cups?

Starbucks Vue Packs

Starbucks Vue Packs

Consumers are savvy about trying out new gadgets these days. There is un-ending curiosity to know and use all the latest technologies that are available in the market, suiting their price range and eases their daily activities. It is not just about the requirement to savour the beverage that one favours most and yet in the comforts of one’s home, that one gets a single cup coffee maker. With age coffee makers are now available with a multitude of features that amuse and thrill the coffee aficionado. There are endless options for customizing your coffee today just with the touch of a button.

Waste through Single Cup Coffee Machines

There is another side to using single cup coffee machines in workplaces. On the Oprah show, it was proved that there is so much waste of finances and disposable paper cups because of single cup coffee vending. But also Oprah made sure to convert this big disadvantage of single cup coffee brewing into an easy advantage.

Simply, “Bring your own cup” and all the permanent employees were asked by the management to bring their own cups and only interns were allowed to use paper cups. This system worked just great in eliminating the extra carbon foot prints that were generated due to the use of a single cup coffee machine. Single cup coffee machines are a great way, where you can use your own cup, drink you own beverage and save 10 cents a day per cup per employee.

Packaging Reduction

Another place where single cup coffee pod manufacturer are struggling is to reduce packaging. Coffee whether in the form of beans or grounded, whether mixed with flavourings or condensed milk needs to be stored in an airtight container until the time, it is used for brewing the beverage. For creating and maintaining such a vacuum sealed condition, foil and plastic packaging needs to be used for the pods.

This kind of packaging needs to be replaced by something which is easily decomposable and environmental friendly. Until today, constant research is being done to come up with a solution, but there has been no fool-proof solution for this problem.

Read through our single cup coffee vending machine reviews to find the best single serving coffee machine for your needs. Check out our Keurig Vue V700 One Cup Coffee Machine Review to see whether the latest single serve coffee system is better with regards to the environmental impact!

May 12, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Breville Single Cup Coffee Maker

Background on Breville

Breville, an Australian company, founded in Sydney is a popular Kitchen appliances maker since 1932. Mostly, they have been making kitchen products almost similar to the products that are made by the best in their category. However, Breville appliances have very good reviews and in many cases almost better reviews than the best selling brand. For example the Breville toasted sandwich maker almost got people to refer to sandwich makers as “Breville”.

Breville Single Cup Coffee Maker

A Breville Coffee machine is said to be the best single cup coffee maker when compared to the likes of a traditional coffee maker brewing larger quantities. Infact this machine would even provide you with all the different kind of features on it too as available on the larger variety. It has a built in water-filtration system and digital display to go with which keeps the user abreast of any requirements in terms of brew or water.

Breville BKC700XL Single Cup Coffee Maker

Breville BKC700XL Single Cup Coffee Maker


Alike most other machines in this category the Breville has an automatic switch off feature. I think, most of the product designers are in sync with the consumer wanting to do their bit in saving a bit of the natural resources in terms of electricity. However, Breville has this special feature of a timer turn on. So if you have an alarm going at 6.00am then you can literally have the coffee steaming on your bedstead at exactly the same time! And to go along with, you can also chose your flavor to go with it, whether hot or cold in terms of beverage, since Breville coffee makers is built to sync with the K-cups. Now, that can most certainly be called the perfect start to the day.

Issues with the Breville Single Cup Coffee Makers

The most common disadvantage with a Breville Coffee maker is the unavailability of quiet brew option. If you are nature kind of person who soaks up the dawn and feels good to hear the chirping or adore the misty weather outside early in the morning, you would be disappointed with the noise the this single cup coffee brewer makes while brewing. Also, at times, the dispensing needle has shown symptoms of becoming clogged with use. This would need to be cleaned over time and all instructions are actually mentioned on the manual, which makes me wonder, if the manufacturers were aware of this problem and still produce the product without correcting this flaw. For all we want is our home coffee brewer to be hassle free too while serving our best roast whenever we want.

Read through our single serving coffee machine reviews to find the best single cup coffee maker for your needs. We would also suggest that you check on the latest price for the Breville BKC700XL Gourmet Single-Serve Coffeemaker!

May 09, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Tassimo Brewbot

The Origins of Tassimo

The Tassimo Hot Beverage system as it is referred as by Kraft Foods was launched in the US in 2005. At that time, Kraft Foods was associated with the makers of Tassimo Coffee Maker only for providing the unique T Disks containing the contents for preparing the beverage. Then in 2008 Procter&Gamble/Braun & Kraft foods mutually ended their partnership and Tassimo Coffee Maker came completely under Kraft Foods.

Tassimo Single Cup Coffee Maker

Tassimo Single Cup Coffee Maker

Tassimo introduced the Brewbot which was the first of its kind that was advanced and programmed to make seven different kinds of beverages ranging from hot to cold and lattes to cappuccinos to teas all at the touch of just one button.

Tassimo T Disks

The Tassimo single cup coffee maker works with a unique pod called the Tassimo T Disk. This pod works exclusively with this brewer. The disc’s contain coffee, cocoa, tea or concentrated milk creamer or in a combination as required by the nature of the beverage. The quantities in the T disc are all pre-measured with precision and quality sealed. A unique barcode on top of each Disc programs the Tassimo Coffee Maker to add required amount of water and set the temperature for brewing to provide the specific beverage that the user wishes to have. This single cup coffee maker is indeed a maestro at beverages in your home or at work. And all this happens within a minute! And, we were thinking of spending 30 minutes to actually get that favourite latte from a café.

Tassimo and Kraft Foods has collaborations with the best brands for preparing the T discs. Few others are Milka, Twinings, Gevalia, Maxwell House, Jacobs, etc. Single-handedly the coffee maker is able to provide an option for over 40 different types of beverages ranging over a close to a hundred different types of flavours.

It is however impossible to duplicate a T Disc, though several failed attempts have been made and it is strongly recommended that one uses the original brand for the best brewed taste at all times.

Tassimo and the Environment

Tassimo consistently works towards reducing their carbon footprints in many ways. The most likeable step is that Tassimo’s T disk manufacturing facilities are certified as “Zero Landfill”. Also, operations in the facilities run on wind-power from windmills installed on the facility’s roofs. Kraft Foods is the largest buyer of Rainforest Alliance Certified(TM) cocoa and coffee beans world-wide. Hence you can brew that coffee from a disc that has much lesser carbon footprints than its competitors.

Read through our one cup coffee machine reviews to find the best single cup coffee maker for your needs. We would also suggest that you read through our Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Brewer Comparison!

May 08, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

The Next Generation In Single Serves

Marco is an Irish company that specializes in water related beverage systems. It is equipped with a thinking forward team for product design development and product life-cycle management of mainly filter coffee brewing and tea infusion systems. The design team currently hold two projects under its belt – “Uber Grinder” and “Uber Boiler”. They are involved with the Gold Cup Program with SCAE focusing mainly on research and development.

Uber Boiler

The “Uber Boiler” is the next Generation in single coffee brewing systems that would eliminate the existing cons of a one cup coffee maker and bring in new features that would make life even simpler for the consumers. Some of the “uber cool” features that Marco brings into this next gen coffee brewer are:

  1. Uber Boiler is a single cup coffee machine designed to manually brew a cup by controlling small quantity requirements with precision.
  2. Uber Boiler gives total control of critical parameters to the Barista to maintain the right temperature and the coffee to water ratio.
  3. There is no tank that needs to be filled in this brewer and works on the principle f continuous fill mode.
  4. The Ecosmart under-counter range fills the gap between single serve machines with water towers. Here there is digital control for dispensing and filling.
  5. The machine comes with a Fahrenheit temperature display and other features that can be controlled by the Baristas like temperature, pressure, portion sizes, dispensing and delivery.
  6. Obstruction between the Barista and the consumer is complete reduced since most of the machine is under the counter.
  7. The accuracy of temperature in the measuring gauge has been termed as incredible by the users.
  8. The machine can brew any type of gourmet coffee that is required by the consumers and is available as a comprehensive interface for ease of the Barista.
  9. The temperature stability provided by the Uber Boiler is unparalleled in the single cup coffee makers industry.

The machine was built with great about of precision and thought. It completely fulfills most of the cons that other single cup coffee machines that are available these days. Uber Boiler has style and finesse and caters to the usage demanded of by the Baristas for their consumers. Uber Boiler is the brainchild of Marco in collaboration with James Hoffman and Stephen Morrissey. The brewer has gained popularity in some parts of the US, wherever it has been introduced.

Read through our single cup coffee brewer reviews to find the best one cup coffee maker for your needs. If you’re looking at an affordable line of one cup coffee makers then make sure to read our Keurig One Cup Coffee Machine Comparison!

May 05, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Vue Pack Recycling: Does It Really Work?

One of the things that Keurig advertises is that the Vue Packs are partially recyclable whereas the K-Cups really aren’t. Technically you can only recycle something that has the plastic code stamped into the container. You’ve probably seen many plastic containers that have any number ranging from 1 through 6 stamped on them. That specifies what kind of plastic the container is made of and whether and how it can be recycled.

Vue Pack Recylcing – Only For Marketing Purposes?

Vue Pack Recycling

Vue Pack Recycling (Source: Keurig)

The K-Cups don’t have that stamp so technically you can’t recycle them. We assume that if you put them into your plastic recycling bin, they might still be recycled (at least in some areas). Keurig promises that the Vue packs actually can be recycled and has the plastic container stamped as type no. 5 plastic. You can’t recycle the whole Vue pack but you can recycle the main plastic container.

Vue Pack - What Can Be Recycled?

Vue Pack - What Can Be Recycled? (Source: Keurig)

If you have a garden and you compost then you should also be able to compost the used coffee grinds which would then only leave the foil that closes the grinds into the container to be ending up in the trash. However, it’s not that easy. Even though Keurig uses a plastic now that is marked and that technically can be recycled, there’s many communities and cities that do not recycle type 5 plastics. We are located in the Boston area and within 25 or so miles around Boston there’s two town or community that would recycle type 5 plastics. You can look this up yourself by checking out the recycling locations for Vue packs at: http://www.vuerecycling.com/.

Sending The Used Vue Packs

An alternative is to recycle you Vue packs by sending them in. The whole process is described at http://www.preserveproducts.com/gimme5/vuerecycling. While you will get a discount on future Vue purchases when you send your used Vue packs in, you still will have to pay for shipping. In our opinion that’s probably the easiest way right now to recycle your Vue packs.

Are Vue Packs Really Recyclable?

In our opinion we feel like Keurig is pushing the whole recycling really only for marketing purposes. We wonder why Keurig and Green Mountain Coffee didn’t opt for a type of plastic that can easily be recycled and thus would have created a truly recyclable container. It seems that Keurig simply can state now that you can recycle your Vue packs, but unfortunately nobody really can.

We think that what is needed is a reusable Vue pack container similar to the My K-Cup which produces no waste except for the used coffee grinds. If you’re really environmentally conscious then you probably will want to wait until such a system is available. Or, you can go and use the used Vue packs to grow seeds, use them as paint containers for art projects, etc.

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May 02, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Coffee On Tap Anyone?

Some of you might remember the old soda fountains where you could get your Coke and other soda’s of the fountain. In regards to coffee the focus went to personalized, single serve coffee. And as we all know life doesn’t stand still. So, something new has been brewing…

Scanomat TopBrewer

Scanomat TopBrewer (Source: Scanomat)

After the single cup coffee maker revolution that allowed all of us to enjoy a cup of coffee how we want it, there’s finally the next step in evolution of coffee: Have your Coffee on Tap.

No, we’re not talking about some strange beer-coffee flavor you could get in a pub. We talk about the first coffee faucet you can have in your kitchen. It’s the Scanomat TopBrewer.

When you have friends over, make sure to remind them not to try to wash their hands under this faucet. The only thing you get out of this faucet is delicious coffee. Lots of it. A real next step in the evolution of humanity.

Most of the components of this single cup coffee maker are hidden under the counter. The Scanomat TopBrewer is capable of brewing a large variety of coffee beverages. These include espresso based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes as the is capable to store and froth milk.

The TopBrewer grinds fresh beans for each beverage and then delivers the freshly brewed coffee through the faucet, including the frothed milk for a fresh cup of latte. There’s even an automated cleaning cycle that completely cleans the machine. Nothing left for you to do than to fill the coffee beans and milk and then enjoy a fresh cup of coffee on tap whenever you are up for it.

And best of all, there’s an app for it too. You simply get the TopBrewer app and with a few touches you can have the Scanomat TopBrewer prepare your favorite coffee with freshly ground beans. You can even control several of these marvelous coffee brewers with one app.

Scanomat even built in a finger touch keyboard for all folks that don’t have an iPhone or iPad. You’ll be the judge whether it’s worth getting the Scanomat TopBrewer to justify your purchase of a new iPhone or iPad.

You might ask yourself what the price is? Well, the price hasn’t been announced yet but we think if you have to ask what this beauty costs then you probably can’t afford it anyway. However, dreaming is priceless…

Have a look at our one cup coffee machine reviews to find the best single cup coffee maker for your needs. For a coffee that’s nearly as delicious, but certainly more affordable, check out our Keurig Vue V700 Single Cup Coffee Brewer Review!

Apr 30, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Starbucks Verismo – What Gives?

Starbucks announced its own single cup coffee brewer system to hit the market in the Fall of 2012 in time for the holiday shopping. The Verismo system will be a high-pressure single serve coffee brewing system whereas most other systems on the market (K-Cups, Vue, Senseo, etc.) are brewing with low pressure.

Starbucks Verismo Single Cup Coffee Maker

Starbucks Verismo Single Cup Coffee Maker

You might ask yourself why there yet has to be another system as there are quite a few by now. It is our understanding that Starbucks wants to perfect the espresso based one cup coffee makers and for that you would want to use higher pressures than the currently available systems use.

Starbucks has quite a few years under their belt in regards to single serve coffee systems. They started out with the Tassimo system (at that time by far the best quality coffee you can get from a one cup machine) and then switched to the Keurig K-Cup system about a year ago. They recently announced that they would have their coffee and tea flavors available for the new Keurig Vue brewing system (see Starbucks To Come Out With Vue Packs). In addition Starbucks also has their VIA system for instant one cup coffee. Why now yet another system?

Well, the move from Tassimo to K-Cups was clearly through the K-Cups having the biggest market share and Tassimo never living up to their promise (in regards to market share). The support for the Vue system is also clear as it provides a better coffee experience than the K-Cup system. The VIA system is a good addition as Starbucks can sell it in their stores and it can be used without the need for a coffee maker.

The Verismo system seems to target a different market altogether though. All other systems listed and supported are good for coffee and tea drinks but are somewhat not so good when it comes to espresso based drinks. Starbucks though is really a lot about espresso and less about standard coffee (in our opinion and you might disagree).

In addition, Nestle has had a somewhat successful introduction of their Nescafe Dolce Gusto which also targets the higher end coffee/espresso market. Starbucks certainly does not want to give up this market and thus had to come up with their own system.

What can we expect from the Starbucks Verismo system? We would dare to predict that it will be able to produce high-end, delicious cappuccino’s and latte’s that will taste similar to what you get in the Starbucks store. However, we’re also predicting that this will come with a certain higher price tag. No prices have been announced so far but seeing what market Starbucks is after we dare to say it will be more expensive than the current Keurig systems.

What should you do? Well, if you really only drink regular coffee or tea and only occasionally or never drink a cappuccino or a latte then we would suggest to go with either the Keurig Vue system or the Keurig K-Cups single cup coffee brewers. If you only occasionally drink any coffee then the Senseo system might be the best choice for you.

Find more single serve coffee brewer reviews to find the best coffee maker for your needs. Have a look at our Keurig Vue V700 One Cup Coffee Machine Review!

Apr 28, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Starbucks To Come Out With Vue Packs

Starbucks Vue Packs

Starbucks Vue Packs

Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee, the owner of Keurig, have announced to intensify their partnership. Starbucks will provide Vue packs for Keurig’s Vue Brewing platform. The official statement can be found on Starbucks website.

Starbucks will provide Vue packs for their coffee and TAZO tea varieties. Keurig will be the exclusive provider of Starbucks single cup coffee beverages for low pressure brewers. That means that all non-espresso drinks will be available exclusively on the Keurig Vue and K-Cup platforms.

The choice of Starbucks to exclusively use Keurig as their single cup coffee platform (for low pressure drinks) also gives a big boost to the new Vue system as well as the K-Cup system. In turn this also means that the Tassimo brewers will have a hard time surviving in the US market. Not only have they lost Starbucks as a premium brand but now also face the Vue brewing system as a viable contender with regards to high-end specialty beverages. We think it’s safe to say that the Tassimo system will eventually pull out of the US market within the next few years.

Interesting about this is that Starbucks also announced their Verismo single cup coffee maker for the holiday season 2012. Looking at the statement that Keurig is the chosen platform for low-pressure brewers will in turn mean that the Verismo will be a high-pressure single cup coffee brewing system. This would lead us to believe that the Verismo will target the espresso-based beverages (espresso, latte, cappuccino) and will not compete, at least directly, with any of the existing one cup coffee maker systems out in the market.

Starbucks is clearly covering all the bases and it pushing aggressively into the single cup coffee market. We will post our take on the Verismo system in the next fews days. Overall though, the take away of this announcement in our opinion is that the Vue system is here to stay and that you should probably not bet on the Tassimo system anymore.

Find more single serve coffee brewer reviews to find the best coffee maker for your needs. Check out our Keurig Vue V700 One Cup Coffee Machine Review!

Apr 25, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post
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