Coffee and Tea and Me

[susandennis]

I was raised by a coffee drinker and I have always been a coffee drinker until a couple of years ago when I quit. I was tired of the mess and the bother and giving up the counter space in the kitchen. I switched to tea. Which I really enjoyed and still do enjoy. It's much less mess and less counter space plus I love having the leftovers at dinner over ice.

But, I still love coffee. I nearly always get it at restaurants. But, last Sunday when the funky place did not have any, it started me down the slippery slope. I got home and I wanted coffee. And, yes, I could have gone out to Starbucks or any of the other coffee places that dot my neighborhood but I wanted it here in my house.

I had one package left of that Starbucks instant coffee. I originally got three - the first two weren't too bad. Lots of people drink instant coffee. Everyplace we went to in New Zealand drank it - especially in people's homes and it was so good I even brought some home with me. But, alas, yesterday, I 'brewed' up that last package and no. It just did not get it.

It was time to get with the program. So I went out in the car - yes, gasp - and shopped for coffee makers - pretty much by footprint. Which total operation was going to take up the least amount of space and be the least amount of hassle from I want a cup of coffee to actual cup to lip.

I ended up with a Mr. Coffee pod deal. The pod deals seemed like the best bet for me. They scored high in the least amount of hassle and mess category. But, the pod coffee makers are freakin' huge. The smallest Keurig is still petty big but also won't accommodate my favorite coffee cup. The Mr. Coffee is a Keurig/Mr. Coffee and it has the smallest footprint on the counter. So that's the one I got.

I think I'm going to be a one cup a day coffee drinker - yesterday's was delicious and today's is just as good. I'm quite delighted with my purchase I still wish it was smaller but you sure can't beat the ease of use and hassle-free-icity.

Comments

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I did switch mostly to tea for about a year and a half but I make them both from grind or leaves. The tea was British Breakfast Tea I bought online and the coffee I've pretty much settled on is Community Dark with some Community Chicory thrown in.
I'm hooked on a french coffee press at home and used loose tea in a tea pot when I was hooked on tea.
I like the process of making them. I like the product even more. I'm not yet fully into easy. The one time I had a pod coffee it was excellent. I just can't afford the really expensive drugs with my high quantity habit.

[susandennis]

Your patience with processes amazes me. You got every bit of that dna - I only got the knitting section.

[mhaithaca.livejournal.com]

It seems Amazon does a one-day sale on K-Cups every other Friday, and I ordered some last week. Better pricing than the ones in the supermarket; a hair under 50 cents each vs a bit over, on average. It feels too expensive to me, per cup of coffee, but I guess we're supposed to compare it to the steadily rising price of a brewed up at a cafe, or better yet, to the way-higher price of a cappuccino.

[susandennis]

I had not heard about the Amazon every other Friday thing. Thanks for that tip.

[solcita.livejournal.com]

I noticed it after I first ordered a box of K-cups--they send me emails about it constantly, so I can back this up.

Keurig

[dietcokewithice.livejournal.com]

We've had a Keurig since '07 or '08. Love, LOVE, LOVE it!! Just replaced our tired base model with a fancier one with a sun roof, CD player, and a soap dispenser .. (AND it holds more water than the last one). :)

We love the Coffee People Donut Shop Coffee, and Folgers has recently come out with K-Cups too. Runner up is Tully's House Blend and Tully's French Roast. I think it was winter-seasonal, but the apple cider was yummy too! The hot chocolate and their sweetened mocha/latte drinks are fair, and they muck up the nozzle - you have to run water for a serving after.

Keurig.com has the super best customer service ever if you want to order online. Bed, Bath and Beyond has the best selection for retail stock (or Tully's has their own if you want theirs). Costco carries a Costco size box for $35-$40, but it's a GIANT plain brown box, full of the K cups (80 of them, I think?), not exactly 'storable'.

Enjoy your new gadget!

Re: Keurig

[susandennis]

wow, great info. thanks!!

Re: Keurig

[yesthatjill.livejournal.com]

I miss Coffee People. They made the best milkshakes - espresso mocha!

[yesthatjill.livejournal.com]

We have a Tassimo machine, since neither of us drinks more than one cup a day and we like it differently. I picked the machine for the ease of latte construction - I make a milk pod, then a double-pass through the espresso pod. This way, I don't have to keep milk in the house, since we use so little of it it goes bad before I have a chance to finish it.

[(Anonymous)]

I love Black and Decker Cup-at-a-Time. Small footprint, none of the hassle of requiring pods, and you get one cup of freshly brewed coffee.

[susandennis]

I actually looked at that one and you are right about the nice small footprint But the pods won in in the convenience category.

[annietopia.livejournal.com]

Size does make a difference when it comes to kitchen appliances. Jesse always wants a new gadget. He buys it, but we rarely use it because it has to be stored somewhere. We just do not have the counter space for big items. I totally understand shopping by size!

Love the Keurig's!

[(Anonymous)]

I have a Keurig and love it. I don't even drink coffee but when guests come over it is sure handy. I do use it for tea, cocoa or the hot cider. You can get the pods at Bed Bath and Beyond, and it comes to about .41 cents a cup. That doesn't seem too bad to me. Clean up is such a breeze. My Keurig seemed to be going very slow after about a year and a half, and I called the "Customer Service" dept. to see what I could do and after a few questions they just transferred me to another person who took my address and they sent me a whole BRAND new one- no cost to me! WOW , great service, had it within 4 days.
Janine

Re: Love the Keurig's!

[susandennis]

wow! that's amazing and very very cool to hear.

[mixter11nm.livejournal.com]

I don't think I could ever give up coffee. I'd throw away a kid before I'd throw away my Farberware electric percolater.