Keurig may not have been the first company to market single serve coffee makers (that distinction belongs to Nespresso), but they now control the largest market share. Founded in 1992 and named Keurig (which in the Dutch language means “excellence”) the company first introduced their Keurig single serve coffee makers in 1998. Green Mountain Coffee has an interest in Keurig, but the main reasons they enjoy such popularity is the array of different models available to consumers and the extremely vast amount of K-Cups on the market.

The K-Cup market is packed with excellent variety made by some of the most well known names in the coffee and tea industry. Brands include Green Mountain Coffee, Newman’s Own, Twinings of London, Emerils and another 20 popular brands. Altogether they produce almost 250 different K-Cups for purchase. These varieties include:

•  Amazing amounts of different blends/brands of coffee. Bold types and mild blends don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what types of coffee are available.
• Hot Cocoa, hot chocolate, hot white chocolate and other variants.
• Hot ciders!
• All the different teas you can imagine from well respected tea makers.
• Decaffeinated coffees of all types and even a few half-decaf ones for added measure!
• Flavored coffee’s like French Vanilla, Hazelnut and types that capture the flavor of cappuccino and other espresso based drinks.
• Excellent variety of “Brew-over” Iced Teas and Iced Coffee’s, which are gaining a large following.
• Re-usable K-Cups (branded MY K-Cup) allows you to fill your own K-Cup with whatever your favorite coffee is, and use it in all Keurig single serve coffee makers!

Keurig has a large assortment of models available in single serve coffee makers. Based on features, specifications, price and consumer reviews there are three models that really stand out and apart from the crowd. These are the B40 Elite, B60 Special Edition and B70 Platinum. Let’s review what each has to offer and what makes them different from each other.

Keurig B40 Elite Brewing System

Considered the entry level for Keurig machines, the B40 Elite is the most affordable the Keurig single serve coffee makers. It can commonly be found for just over 100 dollars on Amazon and sometimes comes with a sample pack of K-Cups. Older models were missing some key features but regardless of those reports the B40 certainly holds its own.  A key feature of all single serve coffee makers is that there is absolutely no transfer in flavor when you switch K-Cups!

Benefits of the Keurig B40 Elite:

• Brews two different cup sizes: 8oz and 12 oz
•  You can remove the drip tray to fit a travel mug
• The 48oz water reservoir is removable for easy cleaning
• There is a 2 hour auto-off function
• An indicator lights up when the maker needs descaled
• 1500 watts
• 12 lbs empty

Drawbacks of the Keurig B40 Elite:

• No clock or programmable features
• No setting to adjust temperature (192 degrees F)
• A little louder, and more basic look.

After you fill the 48oz reservoir and turn the machine on, it takes about 4 minutes to heat up the water. Then it’s good to go, and you can make tasty hot chocolate, steaming hot tea and of course your favorite coffee all in under a minute. If you want some consumer opinions of the B40, then visit our Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker Reviews page.

Keurig B60 Special Edition Brewing System

Despite it not being the top of the line model, the B60 Special Edition could be considered the Cadillac of single serve coffee makers. It’s more expensive that the B40 but you get so much more for the extra price. It is also the best selling model, and has more consumer reviews that virtually any other maker on the market. The chrome accents and vibrant blue, backlit LCD display are stunning and stylish.

Benefits of the Keurig B60 Special Edition Brewing System:

•  Brews three cup sizes: 6oz, 8oz and 10oz
• Removable drip tray as well, to fit travel mugs
• Same 48oz water reservoir as the B40
• Auto-off function after 2 hours
• Indicator for descaling
• Programmable feature to turn itself on
•  Adjustable temperature up to 192 degrees
• Same wattage and weight of B40 (1500 watts, 12 lbs empty)
• Digital clock

Drawbacks of the Keurig B60 Special Edition:

• No water filter (debatable, but for a more expensive model maybe it should have one)
• Some consumer reviews indicate water pump issues (never experienced by me)

***Attention: For a limited time it is possible to get a Keurig Special Edition coffee maker for FREE, just click here! You really have nothing to lose!***

As you can read for yourself, I really had to dig deep to think of any drawbacks to the B60. As far as coffee makers go it is nearly perfect! Many people talk about its virtues on the Keurig single serve coffee maker reviews page.  How does it compare to the B70 Platinum?

Keurig B70 Platinum Brewing System

One of the premium offerings for your home is the B70 Platinum single serve coffee maker. This Keurig machine costs slightly more than the B60, has a wide range of features, and it’s available in more color options to suit your décor.  In fact, the polished exterior and excellent LCD display has helped the B70 to win design awards! If bold and beautiful is what you like, you can’t go wrong with this model. It is stunning! 

Benefits of Keurig B70 Platinum:

• Fully programmable. On, off, cup size etc. it’s all done by the LCD panel
• Like other models, has a removable drip tray
• A 60oz removable water reservoir
• 1500 watts and 12 lbs empty (I think it’s a bit more…)
•  Energy savings mode with the auto-off feature
• An amazing five cup size options! 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz
• Water temperature can be adjusted as well (and programmed)

Drawbacks of the B70 Platinum:

• Recurring issues with pump and sporadic cup sizes
• Despite descaling the machine breaks down frequently
• Short lifespan for a high priced unit

This stylish system does seem to have a few durability issues which you can read about further in our reviews section. It’s important to note not everyone experiences these issues and there are many happy owners of the B70 Platinum.

Summary of Keurig Single Serve Coffee Makers

There are many more Keurig machines than looked at here, but these 3 cover beginner to upscale models. The Keurig B60 Special Edition is clearly the best bang-for-your-buck maker however all models do the same thing. They all fit travel mugs, they all have 48oz or larger water reservoirs, all can use the MY K-Cup reusable filter and all of them accept all K-Cup packs you want. The variety of brands and blends is greater than Tassimo T-Discs. Most importantly all Keurig single serve coffee makers deliver a great cup of coffee.

Tassimo single serve coffee makers came into the market a little later than its competitors. Introduced first in France in 2004, it soon spread to numerous countries throughout Europe and into North America and Australia as well. Kraft Inc. is the parent company and Braun made pretty much all of the Tassimo coffee brewers until 2008. Bosch now produces the Tassimo single serve coffee makers. While not as popular as Keurig (yet), Tassimo has some advantages that we will get to.

One area where Tassimo falls short of its competition is the variety of beverage available. Ten brands including Nabob, Twinings of London, Carte Noir and Maxwell House make the 25 or so available T-Discs. Keurig has 248 beverages available on their website, and Coffee Pods are available in even more varieties!

The main advantage Tassimo has however is the T-Disc itself; it has a barcode that tells the coffee machine exactly how to make the beverage. From amount of water, temperature, brew time and more, you can be sure you get an excellent quality drink every time. Furthermore, the T-Disc contains measured amounts of all ingredients needed like quality coffee, hot chocolate and even concentrated milk product. That’s right! Tassimo gives you the ability to also make milk based drinks! The beverages possible are:

• Many different blends of coffee from dark roast to mild, including decaffeinated
• French roast, French vanilla, Swiss hazelnut and Caffe Crema by various brands
• Tea from Twinings like Earl Grey and Chai Tea Latte
• Two varieties of hot chocolate (try a real milk creamer T-Disc to make it super creamy or an espresso T-Disc and get Mocha!)
• Quite a few cappuccino beverages, some of which are decaf and/or skinny (low fat)
• Latte’s like Gevalia Caramel Latte Macchiato and other regular or caramel lattes
• A surprising selection of espresso, rich crema included!
• A delicious sweet and creamy iced coffee by Gevalia

Of course like all Tassimo single serve coffee makers, you can make drink after drink with no taste transfer at all. An added benefit to Tassimo brewers is the ability to take manual control of the system to customize drinks making them stronger or weaker as you desire.

There are lots of models available to purchase, but for regular households there are basically 3 models you’d choose from. The Tassimo Intermediate (commonly referred to as T20 Home Brewing System), the Tassimo Suprema (T45) and the Tassimo LCD Premium (T65). As you’d expect they have certain similarities but differences between the features are present.

TassimoT20 (Intermediate) Home Brewing System

The T20 Tassimo single serve coffee maker is a fantastic entry point into the world of single cup brewers. It’s inexpensive and can be found for under 100 dollars. As with most brewing systems it also comes with the obligatory sample pack. The T20 will accept all T-Discs so if you want to start somewhere…well you could much worse than starting here!

Benefits of the Tassimo T20 Intermediate:

• You can adjust the cup stand in order to use various cup sizes
• Most of the movable parts are dishwasher safe to make cleaning even easier
• Use the manual function to customize beverage strength and taste
• Flow-through water heater for faster brewing
• 50oz water reservoir
• A light-weight 5.6lbs empty

Drawbacks of the Tassimo T20 Intermediate:

• No clock feature
• No auto-on or auto-off
• No water filter like higher models have
• Slightly smaller water reservoir than upscale models
• Won’t work well in altitudes over 6500 feet

Despite Keurig coffee makers having a much larger selection of brands and varieties of coffee, if I had to choose a starter machine I think I’d pick up one of Tassimo’s T20 single serve coffee makers. I appreciate the fact they make milk based beverages, and while they no longer have Starbucks support I am confident in the quality of T-Disc brands. Want to know more about Tassimo T20? Visit Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Maker Reviews for more info or click here for prices and T-Discs!

Tassimo T45 (Suprema) Home Brewing System

The Suprema is by all means an upgrade over the Tassimo T20, even though by default there is no difference in the quality of beverage they produce. For the extra 40 dollars (the T45 retails for about 140 dollars) the differences are generally cosmetic. There are some functional differences such as a Mavea Maxtra water filter.

Benefits of the Tassimo T45 Suprema:

• Adjustable cup stand just like the T20
• Again the movable parts are safe to put in the dishwasher
• Ability to customize the strength of the beverage with the manual override button
• Available in different color options to match your décor
• Chrome finished details (buttons, beverage outlet etc)
• Removable 61oz water tank including LCD filter monitor
• About 6.5 lbs empty

Drawbacks of the Tassimo T45 Suprema:

• Many consumers report the lifespan seems short at about 2 years
• The extra 40 dollars on the price tag does not get you much
• Still no clock or programmable features
• Not suitable for altitudes over 6500 feet just like the T20

The extra 40 dollars for this model could be spent on more T-Discs for the T20. While the Suprema is a popular model and of course makes a very satisfying beverage, it also looks fantastic on your counter. For more information provided by consumers on these single serve coffee makers head over to the Tassimo Reviews page.

Tassimo T65 (Premium) Home Brewing System

As the name of this model suggests it is the premium offering by Tassimo. The cost is usually in the 170 dollar area, and its loaded with extra features the other models don’t have. Do you need those features? Well maybe not, however as with all upgrades you pay for the aesthetics as well. Rather than rehash all of the benefits (since the T65 has all of the benefits of the other units) the list will just have the differences.

Benefits of the Tassimo T65 Premium:

• Pleasing Twilight Titanium premium metallic brewer color
• Automatic one button operation
• LED cup stand light
• Multilingual LCD display that walks you through making your beverage
• Still very light at only 6.8 lbs
• This model DOES function fine at higher than 6500 feet altitudes

Drawbacks of the Tassimo T65 Premium:

• A little slower and noisier than you’d expect from a premium maker

The Tassimo T65 Premium is an excellent model. Stylish, modern and not bulky at all, it can definitely enhance your kitchen or office or wherever you may place it. The quality of beverage produced is exactly what you’d expect from Tassimo single serve coffee makers. Of course you can read for yourself whether others like you find the T65 to be worth the money.

Summary of Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Makers

The most important factor in choosing what brand or model of coffee maker you want is obviously the quality of the drink it provides. In that regard, Tassimo and their T-Discs are definitely and exceptional product. The taste profile of nearly all of the beverages T-Discs produce compares favorably to what you would receive in a high profile coffee shop like Starbucks. While the variety of offerings is fairly small you would still be happy with your purchase of any Tassimo single serve coffee makers.

Senseo single serve coffee makers are arguably the most prominent coffee pod system available. Phillips and a subsidiary of the Sara Lee Corporation (Douwe Egberts) developed and then introduced a single serve brewing system in the year 2001. The Dutch companies trademarked the name ‘Senseo’ to give to its machines. By 2005 there were supposedly 10 million makers sold throughout the world, and according to Phillips the number doubled to 20 million Senseo single serve coffee makers sold by 2008! Many models were introduced during these years, but relatively few of them generated as much consumer interest as the regular Senseo and the 2007 Senseo New Generation.

 Senseo single serve coffee makers use Coffee Pods; however they only use Senseo Pods. This is an important distinction that must be made, since Senseo explicitly states their machine works only with their branded Pods. Nevertheless, they do offer a fairly wide range of blends, and some flavored varieties as well. Keep in mind a few blends are as of yet only available online!

• Mild roast, Medium roast, Dark roast and decaffeinated blends
• Vanilla and Hazelnut and a few others via the ‘City Sensations’ varieties
• A Cappuccino blend with creamer in the pod
• ‘Origin’ blends like Sumatra, Brazil, Kenya and Columbia
• Some tea and other specialty varieties like Mocha are available

There is also an aftermarket addition to Senseo single serve coffee makers called the Coffeeduck. This filter essentially lets you use your own favorite coffee in the machine, which results in savings over having to buy the more expensive Pods. The Coffee Pods are best stored in a cool environment, not the freezer, and after opening the package of Pods it’s suggested to never store them in the refrigerator due to the risk of absorbing moisture or odor which can alter the taste. As you can see, Senseo machines seem to be best suited to those individuals that like a standard type drip coffee regardless of the blend. And for those purposes Senseo single serve coffee makers are perfect!

There are two models that are widely available. The Senseo Machine (original) and the Senseo New Generation (also called Supreme). There are few differences between these models however the differences could be considered major improvements.

Senseo Original Coffee Machine

The Senseo Original is a no-fluff single serve coffee maker that comes at a fantastic low price. It works with all Senseo Coffee Pods and brews a 4 oz cup or an 8 oz cup of your favorite blend of coffee. There is of course no taste transfer if you brew two different beverages one after another, and the machine comes with a 1 year warranty. The water is heated to 205 degrees, which is standard for a great hot cup of coffee or tea.

Benefits of the Senseo Original Coffee Machine:

• Has 2 different pod holders so you can brew one pod (4oz) or two pods (8oz) at a time
• Auto shut-off after 1 hour
• All removable parts are dishwasher safe
• Weighs in at 6lbs
• Brews a great cup of coffee in under a minute!
• Arguably the best tasting coffee, complete with crema, of any pod system

Drawbacks of the Senseo Original Coffee Machine:

• Virtually no bells or whistles like LED lights or clocks
• No auto-on feature
• Small 32oz water reservoir as compared to other brands
• 4oz standard size

The first cup of delicious coffee takes under 3 minutes, and each cup after that takes only 1 minute or less. As I mentioned, the coffee made is truly a treat! The crema is present, and you get the full flavor of the blend. The price of these single serve coffee makers can’t be beat, and the price for pods is also very reasonable. Consumers agree the machine is long lasting, and you can read their reviews on the Senseo Reviews page.

Senseo Supreme Coffee Machine

The Senseo Supreme is an affordable option for a more upscale coffee maker. The interactive LCD display allows you to select various cup sizes so you can customize your beverage. Using this feature coupled with one or more pods means you can create coffee as strong or as mild as you wish.  Basically that is all that makes this model different from the Original.

Benefits of the Senseo Supreme Coffee Machine:

• Two pod holders so you can customize with 1 or 2 pods
• Brew sizes of 3,4,5,6,8 and 10 ounces
• Dishwasher safe removable parts
• Similar light weight of 6.5 lbs
• Same excellent coffee as other Senseo models
• Adjustable spout for larger or smaller cups

Drawbacks of the Senseo Supreme Coffee Machine:

• Adjustable spout only moves an inch or so, thus reducing its versatility
• Had some models recalled
• Plastic taste has been reported

Despite the drawbacks listed it’s important to note that consumer reports rate this machine as number 1 versus all of its competition. Also many people report that there is definitely no plastic taste, and that regardless of the adjustable spout moving relatively little, the machine is versatile in that it can essentially make 18 different strengths of coffee!

Summary of Senseo Single Serve Coffee Makers

• Due to affordability and the fact the beverage is top-notch quality, Senseo machines have a lot going for them. While it is true that the pods are cheaper than K-Cups and T-Discs, you may have to use 2 in order make a reasonable sized cup of coffee. This reduces the cost savings of the pods, however all is not lost as the machines themselves are quite a lot cheaper. Senseo single serve coffee makers have lots to offer any coffee lover!

Keurig B40 Reviews:

The Keurig B40 Elite has an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars across all the major consumer sites that provide a rating system. Combined, the sample size is nearly 1300 reviews, with about 850 five star ratings! This tells us that indeed, the Keurig B40 single serve coffee maker is a great model. So, what are people saying?

Pros:

• Variety! Yes, most people comment about the variety of K-Cups available in their reviews
• Easy to use! 86.2% of reviewers mentioned ease of use
• Stylish. 52% of reviews contain a comment of how stylish the B40 is

Cons:

• 18% of all reviews make mention of how not durable the machine seems to be. This is consistent among all Keurig single serve coffee maker reviews. Essentially 1 in 6 people have their machine break or stop working correctly within 6 months!
• A further 25% mention limited cup sizes, as the B40 only dispenses 2 different portion sizes. Not to be confused with accommodating various cups!

Some quotes taken directly from customer reviews:

“I think the people who claim this machine is too loud and complain that it vibrates too much are your normal “Mr. Coffee” people. Yes, the machine makes noise. It’s pumping pressurized hot water into the K-Cups. Of course it’s gonna make noise. I counted each time the noise was made. It lasts five seconds each time, at most. And it’s MUCH quieter than my Melitta Mill & Brew, which grinds the coffee beans with a high shrill. This machine also vibrates. But again, it’s well worth the minor noise and moderate vibration. You shouldn’t be shelling out this much money for a coffee machine if you expect a Mr. Coffee coffee maker. You are buying a “gourmet” coffee machine, and it has some cool features that require hot pressurized water to be pumped through the machine. Not a big deal!

I highly recommend this machine. Just do your research and make sure this is the coffee machine you are looking for. It takes time to research, but it pays off in the end. I couldn’t be happier with the B40, and don’t see why anyone else wouldn’t be just as pleased.”

–Peace Frog, Amazon

“Thank goodness it comes with a warranty. Less than 9 months and needing a replacement. I have taken very good care of brewer cleaning once a month but mineral build up is not coming out and causing no flow and back flow into tank. Not durable, not easy to clean the needle either. I was expecting to get a lot more life out of this product.”

–Mom from Washington

As you can see from these Keurig B40 single serve coffee maker reviews, it really depends on your expectations as to whether or not the B40 Elite is for you.

Keurig B60 Reviews:

The Keurig B60 model is very practical. It is really simple to use, very quiet and quick and on top of all that, it produces coffee that remains consistent. My B60 is a nice looking coffee maker with blue lighting on the screen and it lights up the water reservoir. This is my preferred one cup brewer, and writing single serve coffee maker reviews is a lot easier when you really do use one.

Also sporting a solid 4.0 out of 5 stars, this model gets about 1300 5 star ratings out the 2400 or so reviews you can read. Don’t let this deter you! The expectations of this model are higher due to the cost, but in reality it delivers.

***Attention: For a limited time it is possible to get a Keurig Special Edition coffee maker for FREE, just click here! You really have nothing to lose!***

Pros:

• The coffee remains consistent, there is no “this coffee is too strong or too weak” business and of course it is as easy to use as the Keurig B40 (more so in fact) by having 91% of B60 single serve coffee maker reviews include “Easy to use” as a feature.
• It looks really nice and stands out in a modern kitchen. Again beating the B40 as 62% of reviewers mentioned the good looks of this machine.
• It is faster than a regular coffee brewer
• Has a lot of variety for K-Cups

Cons:

• It can be loud closer to the end of the brewing cycle but other than that it is quiet. Only a paltry 5% mentioned noise as a con.
• Not durable. A little higher at 10.5% but considerably less than the 18% that was represented by the B40 reviews. And as far as durability goes the Keurig B60 is the best of the lot.

Now, as mentioned before the B60 is one of my favorites and I do have one. But the review isn’t biased, I really do love it. But I have to say my first one did suffer some issues and I had to get a second. And for the record, I do prefer my Tassimo since I am a cappuccino kind of person. So, what do customers think of the B60? Quotes:

“If you’re reading these single serve coffee maker reviews, you’re most likely doing research and trying to decide between the Keurig line (B40,B50,B60), the Tassimo, or the Senseo. Out of those three, the Keurig is the best looking, the most durable, has the best heating and pumping mechanism, and has the largest variety of coffees and teas available. The Tassimo’s versatility is tempting, but variety of coffees is lacking, the machine is a first-run model that does not feel as quality as the Keurig (I could barely find a piece of metal in the entire thing), and it cannot be set to warm itself up like the Keurig. The Senseo isn’t bad and I may even consider getting it as a second machine, but it is kind of lame how you need two pods to brew an 8 oz cup of coffee. Considering the price of pods that I was looking at, it would out price both the Keurig and the Tassimo for daily usage.”

-The Mad Hatter, Amazon

“When we got our first one we were very pleased. In fact we ended up buying 5 more and giving them away as wedding presents and an anniversary present. within about 18 mos ours quit working. within the next few months 3 of the other 5 stopped working. I contacted the mfg and with a large amount of hassle they agreed to sell me another one for $100. we have had the second one for about 14 months and now it has stopped working. the mfg does not stand behind the product line if its over a year. Do not buy this product if you want it to work for more than a year!!! Out of the 7 I have purchased in the last 33 months only one still works!!!”

-FF, Amazon

In an effort to provide more information for you, I’ve created this table so you can more easily compare the features and price points of the single serve coffee makers you are looking at.

Image
Color	Black	Black silver accent	Black/Chrome
Feature	1500-watt single-cup brewing system for gourmet coffee, tea, or cocoa Uses patented K-Cups; no messy grinding or clean up Removable 48-ounce water reservoir; removable drip tray 3 brew-size options; 2-hour automatic shut-off; descale indicator Brewer requires 4 minutes of priming before being ready to use. See Product Manual below	1500-watt single-serve brewing system for gourmet coffee or tea Uses patented K-Cups; no messy grinding or clean up Removable 48-ounce water reservoir; removable drip tray 2 brew-size options; 2-hour automatic shut-off; descale indicator Brewer requires 4 minutes of priming before being ready to use. See Product Manual below.	Single-cup home brewing system for use with patented K-Cups One-touch control panel; blue backlit LCD display; digital clock; programmable on/off 5 brew-size options; adjustable brew temperature; removable drip tray Blue-lit removable 60-ounce water reservoir; descale indicator; dishwasher-safe parts Measures 13-4/5 by 10-2/7 by 13 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Size	B60
Title	Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System	Keurig B-40 B40 Elite Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System	Keurig B-70 B70 Platinum Single-Cup Home Brewing System for K-Cupa
Price	$109.99	$85.55	Too Low to Display
Height	15.2 inch	15.2 inch	10 inch
Weight	2 pound	15.4 pounds	13 pound
Width	15.1 inch	15.1 inch	13 inch
Length	12.8 inch	12.8 inch	13.5 inch
Rating
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info	More Info

So once more you can see that there are negative reviews as well as positive. Do the pro’s outweigh the con’s? That is your decision but really I can’t stress enough how generally wonderful the B60 is versus many other coffee makers. Do yourself a favor and pick one up today. You will not be disappointed and as you can see the single serve coffee maker reviews above pretty much say the same.

The Best Single Serve Coffee Makers are enjoying a surge in popularity as the coffee craze continues to pick up momentum. There are so many benefits to owning one of these machines and once you buy and use one, its difficult to imagine how you managed without it! They have positioned themselves to certainly not be just a foot-note in the history of coffee!

What are the benefits of single serve coffee makers?

• Obviously, the biggest benefit has got to be ease of use. Simply fill the water reservoir, add your K-Cup, T-Disc or Pod, and press start. Usually within 60 seconds you have a great hot beverage!
• This leads to the second great benefit of single serve coffee makers. Freshness! Every cup is freshly brewed just for you. No more old, bitter coffee that has sat in the pot too long.
• Space savings are also measurable. No more coffee filters, no cans full of grounds, no bags of beans. The machine is often small and compact enough to fit on your counter in an out of the way place.
• Variety is the spice of life! With single serve coffee makers you have many options of hot beverages at your disposal. Many machines can make coffee, tea, hot chocolate and even espresso based drinks.
• More variety! When you buy the K-Cup/T-Disc/Pod for your single serve coffee maker, you can optionally buy them in variety packs. Having many options available in single serve sizes is actually really cool.
• While we are talking about variety, we have to consider the many models available. Black, stainless, red, modern looking…the list goes on. It’s safe to assume from all the single serve coffee makers available that you will find one that suits your kitchen décor.
• Individual servings means that everyone gets the flavor or beverage THEY like! When you want Hazelnut and your friend wants French Vanilla…no problem! The convenience of having your favorite when you want it is important.
• Better tasting and in my opinion better quality than your average instant coffee!

Sounds fantastic! However, it would be unfair not to go over some of the drawbacks of single serve coffee makers.

• No industry standard. This means there are different machines that use different types of methods of making your single serving of coffee. It can be confusing and you have to make sure you purchase the correct type of ‘packet’ for your specific maker!
•  One cup at a time. While it’s a benefit listed above, it can be considered a drawback if there are a few people in a hurry.
•  Price can be an issue. Generally speaking, the best single serve coffee makers are more expensive compared to regular drip makers. This is also true of the serving packages. They cost more per cup than regular drip coffee as well.
• Lastly, there is a limited choice of brands of coffee available compared to ground coffee or beans. Hundreds of types exist for regular drip machines!

As you can see the list of benefits of single serve coffee makers can be summarized by saying they are simple to use, economical in many ways, offer wide selection of types of beverages as well as offering better tasting drinks, and they are cleaner since you only need to wash one cup and once and while wipe your machine. These benefits strongly outweigh the downfalls which is why these machines are becoming more common in peoples households.

Three main types of single serve coffee makers:

Basically there are three different kinds of ‘packet’ technology competing for space in your home. K-Cup, T-Disc and Pod.

• K-Cups are what Keurig machines use. They are small cups (like little yogurt cups) that you insert into the maker and it pops some holes in it and forces water through. This is a proprietary technology and Keurig have possibly the largest selection of coffees.
• T-Disc is for Tassimo machines. The T-Disc contains the hot chocolate, tea, coffee or espresso and a bar code that tells the machine things like how much water and what temperature it should be to make the product.
• Coffee Pods are similar to tea bags. Coffee and tea are the beverages best suited for this system. The best single serve coffee makers using Coffee Pods can be bought from certain manufacturers for less than Keurig or Tassimo type machines.

Now if you want a Keurig machine, you have plenty of models to choose from and since they are all made by Keurig, you don’t have to worry about incompatabilities. There are numerous models with plenty of features to choose from. Visit our Keurig Single Serve Coffee Makers page for more information like models, reviews and prices on this popular brand.

Braun has exited as the Tassimo brewer producer, so now the majority of all Tassimo makers are made by Bosch. There are different models and styles to choose from, making Tassimo a very popular choice. If you want more information on models, prices and reviews be sure to click on the Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Makers page.

For Coffee Pod designs, the selection is quite vast. Many companies are making their own single serve coffee makers. Black and Decker, Breville, Hamilton Beach are just a few. One of the most discussed brands is Senseo, so we dedicated a page on their offerings. You can reach the Senseo Single Serve Coffee Makers page here.

There are other systems entering the market and gaining popularity. As we collect more information for you we will be sure to add pages to the site. Single Serve Coffee Makers are a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite beverage so go buy yours today
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Your cup of coffee is brewed from roasted and ground beans that grow on coffee plants. The coffee plant is grown in approximately 70 countries around the world and there are many hybrids that are usually unique to the geographic location they are grown, however it is basically only 2 varieties that are commercially used today. Arabica beans account for 80% and Robusta accounts for 20%. The plant grows best in sub-tropic climates, and while a plant can grow to 30 feet tall if left untended, growers crop the bush to keep it to a harvestable size of generally no more than 12 feet tall. The bean is actually the pit or seed of the coffee fruit. Just like oranges or cherries, coffee fruit ripens over time and farmers pick the ones that are ready for processing. The fruit is then shipped to various plants where they are processed, have the bean extracted, roasted, often ground and then shipped to the supermarket.

The origins of coffee are still under debate, and with traces of its use dating back to about 500 AD you can see why it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time and place its use became common. One belief is that coffee originated in Ethiopia around 500 AD and the Arabs discovered it to be an energizing drink sometime around 700 AD. Of course it is impossible to know for sure but there is literature available at least somewhat confirming the knowledge of coffee in those time periods and even a chemical investigation of coffee from 1000 AD.

By 1400 coffee was widespread along the Arabian Peninsula and it had become known in other regions as well. In 1453 it had become common place amongst the Turks, and the first coffee shop was opened in Constantinople in 1475. It quickly spread through Italy and Europe and after much controversy Pope Clement VIII eventually declared it acceptable for Catholics to consume in 1600. In 1650 it is believed the first coffee house in England was opened in Oxford which led to more than 3000 shops opened by 1675.

The beverage went through periods where it was condemned and times where it was considered medicinal. By 1873 it was introduced in America in bulk packaging. Thus the modern era of coffee was born, seeing Starbucks become the largest coffee shop network worldwide in 1998 when it reached 5715 outlets across the globe.

Aside from the great taste, there are benefits to drinking coffee which have aided in the beverages growth and popularity. Obviously, a common benefit is the caffeine present in coffee. The caffeine acts as a stimulant, increases your metabolism and helps perk you up which is why so many people around the world drink coffee in the morning. One overlooked fact is that coffee contains antioxidants that help repair damaged cells, help prevent certain diseases and possess anti-aging qualities. Who knew coffee had so many health benefits?

Coffee is enjoyed differently depending on what country you’re in. Many European countries drink mainly instant coffee and espresso. Instant coffee is just powdered coffee. You put a table spoon or so of your favourite instant coffee brand into a coffee mug and then add boiling water. Stir until it is dissolved then add your desired amount of additional flavours like sugar, sugar substitute, and perhaps some flavoured cream. Espresso is made in ‘shots’ by forcing boiling water through the finely ground coffee and is also the base for many popular coffee beverages like lattes, cappuccinos and Americanos.

In North America coffee is most commonly consumed in the ‘drip’ version. Regular ground drip coffee, percolated coffee, and coffee made in single serve coffee makers. The ‘Coffee Culture’ is definitely spreading however and coffee shops like Starbucks have found a huge following for their espresso based drinks. People go to coffee shops for a pick me up, to socialize with friends, satisfy a craving for more exotic drinks, and even just to relax with their favourite beverage.

Enhancements to the flavour of coffee happen at various levels. First, there are many different ‘roasts’. The three most common are light roast, medium roast and dark roast.  Most drip coffee is made from a medium or dark roast, and espresso beans are almost always a dark roast. Next, the size of grind of your coffee changes the taste as well. Generally, the finer the grind you use the stronger the flavour your coffee will be.  Medium or regular grinds are fine for drip machines, and finer grinds for espressos. One thing to remember is never reuse coffee grounds because the coffee flavours have been extracted and all that is left is bitter grounds. Lastly, the type of water used in coffee makers affects the quality of your coffee as does temperature. Hard water results in the best taste, and maintaining a brew temperature of 185-195 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.

There are many flavours that can be added to coffee. Through various processes these flavours can be added to the actual coffee before it’s brewed, and there are many options that can be added after brewing. French vanilla, English toffee, hazelnut, and Irish cream are some popular choices.  You can add different syrups or powders to further enhance your beverage. Arabs first started to add flavour to coffee by adding spices while coffee is brewing! Many companies produce individual cups (K-Cups or T-Discs) or pods of flavoured coffees to be used in single serve coffee makers. This makes it extremely convenient to try different blends and flavours yourself.