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[Warm Machine]

I keep hearing people talk about these Nespresso machines... what makes them so much better than Keurig?

I have one. I really like it for convenience of espresso shots. Each capsule is about 75 cents Canadian so cheaper per shot than at a café. The pods are recyclable too if you take them back to the Nespresso store.

My favorite home made coffee is a pour over kit I bought with a reusable filter and beans I grind with my Cuisinart grinder. After that it is French Press. I'll never go back to a regular drip coffee maker and refuse to use non recyclable pods.

 

[mhayes86]

I think they're okay, but not needed in my life. My wife and I are tea drinkers over coffee, so we used ours off and on for about a year after we got it as a gift, then we haven't used it in about two years or so.

K-cups are expensive if you use them, and it's incredibly wasteful if you want more than a single cup of coffee. To me, most of the coffee tasted fine, but there are much better ways to brew. It's the convenience of a Keurig. Anyway, the other cup varieties, like cappuccino and cider, were awful. We gave ours away.

 

[Watevaman]

..but why? If you are still cleaning up the mess and grinding beans.. just use an aeropress or a standard drip.

There's no mess? And it takes all of one minute for my single cup of coffee, so a drip would be a waste.

 

[kendrid]

Once we bought a Ninja single serve coffee machine my wife and I almost fought over who had to use the rest of the Keruig cups we had left over. The Ninja was so much better we couldn't believe the garbage we had been drinking.

We gave the Keruig and K-cups away.

 

[superdeluxe]

It's fine, sure it's not like your local coffee stand, but it is fine for what it is

 

[Apt101]

I used one for a few years. They're OK. Traditional brewers seem to be better for me, and they produce a lot less waste.

 

[Poor GRIMES]

always tastes watered down and burnt

 

[Shamrock7r]

Ask yourself this OP, would Jordan Schlansky use one?

 

[MechDX]

They're fine. More so if you use a reusable filter. The biggest reason people hate them is all the waste if you buy the pods. By using a reusable filter you solve that problem pretty easily. As mentioned though avoid the Keurig 2.0s since they have DRM.

I use reusable cups, fill them with my own coffee. If you dont want to do that Amazon sells some good cups, filled, that are bio degradeable

 

[The Lamonster]

If you get coffee advice from gaf, you will have to hand build your own french press at a glass blower and cold press your own civet-shat bean blend once a month and drink a single milliliter during the full moon.

hahaha

 

[DOWN]

Worse taste than Nespresso imo

Also wasteful

 

[March of the Crabs]

According to my brother's friend, a Keurig burned his house down. The coffee could be the most delicious nectar on this earth and I wouldn't touch one now (well maybe I would use someone else's if it was THAT good).

 

[Syriel]

Checking coffee threads on GAF, and most talk bad about Keurigs.

Yes, I know they burn the coffee, but I want to buy one to use my own Costco Colombian coffee for the convenience.

I don't have to pay for K-cups if I buy them either.

I have a regular Mr. Coffee machine with a Strong setting, nothing fancy.

No, they're not bad.

No, they don't burn the coffee.

Great for home when you're the only person who drinks coffee and a full pot would be a waste.

Reusable filters rock the house.

 

[Aikidoka]

I think they kind of suck. Can't brew more than half a cup at once without the coffee being too weak, not too mention the waste. Also the convenience seems to be a nonfactor when so many coffee makers have timers on them these days.

 

[Laws00]

I have one I barely use it. Whenever I do whatever I drink just taste like there is some kind of film/coating on whatever I'm drinking

 

[Patrick S.]

I have one I barely use it. Whenever I do whatever I drink just taste like there is some kind of film/coating on whatever I'm drinking

Crema?

 

[Laws00]

Crema?

no no

like if i drink tea, coffee, hot chocolate it taste like there is some type of oily film on my drink.

could need to filter my stuff better

 

[Sapiens]

Coffee never tastes right out of these things. Tastes like chemicals.

It must be because I never put sugar in my coffee. I like to taste the actual coffee.

It's coffee for the same kind of people that can't drink water because it tastes weird and drink soda and juice all the time.

It's for those people.

 

[ZOONAMI]

It's like people don't realize regular coffee makers have a timer function that's even more convenient than a Kcup.

 

[TrynUrLuck]

I think it tastes fine, then again I'm not an avid coffee drinker so ymmv. I tend to use mine for iced tea and the lemonade which is addicting and really recommend, can't think of the brand name tho rn.

 

[LordOfChaos]

They're fine, provided you avoid the DRM ones and use other cups as you said you will. I both use K-cups at work and grind fresh roasted beans for a french press at home - both are fine, yes the second one tastes better but it also doesn't take 12 seconds.

 

[thesoapster]

I've tried three or so different coffee types...they all tasted bad to me. So I think they're not only wasteful, but pretty shitty as well.

 

[thelatestmodel]

I've used one almost every day at work for the past few years. While I can't fault the convenience, I can fault just about everything else about it. I'm over it at this point.

Thinking of replacing it with just a kettle and French press.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

Surely at the point of having a big ass machine for coffee you may as well buy a good one? I only drink it to wake me up so crappy instant coffee is all I need. If I were buying one of those giant coffee making bricks I'd figure you're into coffee and flavour matters so buy the best?

 

[Spuck-uk]

They're very wasteful, expensive for the (poor) quality of coffee, but convenient.

A french press or Aeropress will save you money, give you much nicer coffee, and is about as much effort to clean as a coffee mug.


..and Nespresso has exactly the same problems as Keurig, the coffee is just as stale.

 

[nan0]

I keep hearing people talk about these Nespresso machines... what makes them so much better than Keurig?

Keurig isn't really present in Europe. Nespresso and several national brands are prevalent here, so I guess they're very US-centric.
I have small Nespresso myself. Perfect for 1 or 2 cups a day. I have both freshly grounded coffee (which is similar depending on the beans we have) and drip (blergh) at work, and the only really better coffee I could get is from most cafees.

 

[GungHo]

I have had a few issues with my Keurigs and have retired them.

1) The cups are generally expensive, even if you're getting them in bulk at CostCo.
2) That expense doesn't really translate to the quality of the coffee, though you can cheat and get a little filter thingy and put whatever the hell you want in it.
3) If you have hard water (which I do), you have to clean the machines regularly with vinegar, citrus, or some other food-quality calcium buster, even if you use filtered water. Even if you do this monthly (which I did), it will still eventually die.

For me, it's the hard water that has broken me of them. I have the income to spend $100~150 every year/other year for a new machine, but not the will. Furthermore, the DRM shit is incredibly arrogant and unfriendly. I know how simple it is to get around that and that you can still buy the non-DRM versions. But, seriously guys, it's a coffee pod and you're not Apple.

You can get biodegradable pods now. No need to get the plastic ones.

They're 3rd party, and there is still a plastic ring along the top that is not biodegradable, if this is the SF Bay ones you're referring to.

 

[andycapps]

I get 40 packs of caffeine for $12 that take 30 seconds to give me my fix in the morning. I can understand how some people care, but i literally just drink caffeine to wake me up so taste doesnt matter to me. Its fine imo

Edit:
For anyone interested: http://www.christmastreeshops.com/product/mobile/coffee-pods.do

This reminds me of a person that drinks the cheapest beer possible because it's just to get them drunk anyway. While that may be acceptable for some, if we're talking about quality, which is what this thread is about, Keurig is not a good way to drink coffee. It's overpriced and not a good experience.

You can spend a slight bit more time and less money and get a much better experience.

 

[Diprosalic]

Keurig are the same as Nespresso right?
Nespresso is fine and convenient, if i would drink more i would get a real coffe machine but who really wants to invest the time to learn how to make a proper coffee?

 

[UpperCaseN]

From what I gather, the hate for Keurigs is that they make a very weak cup of coffee. The water runs through the grounds straight into the cup, giving it almost no time to steep. I agree with this but that's what you get for convenience. I use my Keurig on weekday mornings when I'm getting ready to go to work and headed out the door. I use my french press on weekends while I'm cooking breakfast for the family and actually have the time for a better cup

 

[pompidu]

Almost as bad as that juicer with DRM.

Wtf?

The hell is going on? How are these things have drm? Radio chip or something? Special ink?

 

[Rktk]

They, and all the cartridge coffee machines make shit coffee, George Clooney should be ashamed of himself.

 

[Spuck-uk]

You haven't seen science until you've seen the Chemex

I see that and raise you the Siphon coffee makers for chemistry class chic.

 

[Faiz]

Anyone who thinks the clean up is "easier" on a Keurig probably isn't cleaning it right or often enough.

 

[Spuck-uk]

I don't see how a Keurig is inherently bitter? You can grind your own beans and use a reusable pod right?

Because it will still over-extract the coffee, which makes it bitter.

 

[Spuck-uk]

I like Keurigs for powdered tea like Yorkshire Gold. It brews up way too bitter otherwise. But I'm not a coffee drinker.

I...why don't you just use teabags and a kettle like any sane person?

As I say this I remember the horrifying fact that most Americans don't have kettles.

 

[muteki]

I've had a couple and they both developed mechanical problems after not too much time.
I've since switched to primarily making coffee with a moka pot which can't really break, and the coffee is much better tasting too.

If I want a quick no-effort low quality coffee I'll just wait until I get into work in the morning.

 

[Pics_nao]

The DRM ones definitely are.

What

 

[Chipotle]

We had a Tassimo machine at my old work and while it was better than using instant coffee it was definitely worse quality and less convenient (if more than one person wants coffee) than just using a cafetière. I can see how those types of machines might be good for one person at home though again I use a cafetière but just don't fill it all the way. Never had good coffee from a filter machine, always so watery.

 

[Earthbound64]

Boo hoo. Not my power bill.

It's your planet, though.

 

[Kaiser Swayze]

They have their place, but it's not a good fit for me. I drink too much coffee, and the reusable filters aren't any more simple than a standard drip brew.

They are, however, a far better alternative to some mystery pot of swill in the auto shop waiting area that's been baking on the burner all afternoon.

 

[ElNino]

I had the Breville model Keurig for a couple of years and we liked it well enough. I would never claim the coffee to be "good", but it was good enough for what we wanted and it was nice to have different k-cups to use.

When we remodeled our kitchen however, I bought an espresso automatic machine and we now use that for our coffee, which is much better (and also way more expensive up front). Now we just buy beans and grind them per cup of coffee.

 

[jetsetnickradio]

You know you can make more than a cup at a time right? Ours holds 70oz of water and with the carafe filter can do like 4 cups at a time.

Mine was a pretty bare-bones early model. It could only hold enough water for one large mug. I thought about upgrading to a fancier one that could hold more water, but ultimately decided against it.

Old school percolator man. Those things hold coffee at the perfect temp for a good amount of time. Plus it's strong with just the right mix of richness and a hint of acid. Great for brewing Vietnamese blends.

Damn, that didn't even occur to me! If I don't figure out a good way to keep the french press warm, I might just say 'screw it' and buy a percolator.

 

[SapientWolf]

I...why don't you just use teabags and a kettle like any sane person?

As I say this I remember the horrifying fact that most Americans don't have kettles.

That's special loose leaf tea that brews up too bitter to drink for some reason, unless the steep time is in seconds at the perfect temp. I just boil water for everything else.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Placebo.

I tried a Nespresso machine that was in an Airbnb I stayed in. The first cup was pretty vile because it seems like the unit had sat unused for a while, but every cup after that was perfectly fine. Not cafe quality espresso, but much more drinkable than Keurig.

I suppose the difference between Nespresso and Keurig for most people is what you perceive as "fine" vs. what you perceive as "battery acid."

 

[dskillzhtown]

I've had a couple and they both developed mechanical problems after not too much time.
I've since switched to primarily making coffee with a moka pot which can't really break, and the coffee is much better tasting too.

If I want a quick no-effort low quality coffee I'll just wait until I get into work in the morning.

We are about in the same boat there. I had a couple of Keurigs that malfunctioned. I switched to a french press. While I like it, I do miss just popping a cup into a machine and getting coffee. That is so easy and quick.

 

[DocSeuss]

I...why don't you just use teabags and a kettle like any sane person?

As I say this I remember the horrifying fact that most Americans don't have kettles.

Most Americans have kettles.

Most Americans do not have ELECTRIC kettles.

 

[ClayKavalier]

Anyone who thinks the clean up is "easier" on a Keurig probably isn't cleaning it right or often enough.

Haha, I was thinking the same thing when the OP said he didn't have time to clean an Aeropress. Dude's going to have a really impressive mold garden if he gets a Keurig.

 

[NeOak]

Ended up getting a K425S at Sam's Club today. My trusty cheapo 12 cup Mr. Coffee from Walmart was making noises

I kept doing regular coffee for the past 5 months since I made this thread. I appreciate a lot the responses. However, I wanted a smaller capacity coffee maker because I was making a cup a day.

The package includes the reusable coffee filter, so I'll use that for my ground coffee. As for the K-Cups, I already bought some Laughing Man coffee to try.

And before the "K-Cups are expensive" comes up again: I know. But I can expense them for now, so ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[brianmcdoogle]

I saw a Keurig at a grocery store yesterday. I told it how cool it was to see it in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother it and ask it for coffee or anything.

It said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but it kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his attachments shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard it percolate as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw it trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen K-Cups in its pot without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first it kept pretending to be turned off and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the K-Cups and started scanning it multiple times, it stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then it turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each K-Cup and put them in a bag and started to say the price, it kept interrupting her by percolating really loudly.