Coffee Makers

[MrsK]

Ours died so we are in the market for a new one. I've mentioned before that we are not early adopters so we are unfamiliar with the latest and greatest gadgets. I'm thinking of getting one of those one-cup machines but I want to be able to use our own coffee (not pre-filled cups). Also, we are big starbucks latte and mocha consumers though DrK can be happy with a cup of instant decaf too. What do you recommend? What do I need to know? How much should I plan to spend?

[JaneDoe]

I have a Jura Capresso (J5 Model) and I love, love, love it! They are spendy, but you can buy them refurbished for about half the cost. The refurbished ones do come with a one year warranty. The Juras grind beans, make one cup at a time, clean, etc. They also make cappuccinos, lattes, etc., though I dont use mine for that. I with never own a different coffee maker again- it makes the best cup of coffee!

[SoonerTexan]

My in laws have that...makes a really good everything. Really really pricey though

[medpedspouse]

I'm old school. Just a kettle, some awesome coffee and a french press is all I need. Really kind of depends on how much you want to spend. My friend's coffee maker makes one cup at a time, with their own coffee, makes lattes, espresso, etc but it was very pricey...and it takes too much counter space IMHO.

ETA - just asked and my friends also have the Capresso but we are talking over $1,000.00 for theirs. I had a Keurig in my office but was not impressed with the coffee...and I bought several flavors/brands. Now it sits in the guest room. However, if you do like the Keurig, they do have the re-usable pods where you can add your own coffee.

[Pollyanna]

We used to have this one for many years: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...ers-teakettles It makes a great pot of coffee and not too expensive (you can get the same one at Bed Bath and Beyond and use a 20% off coupon). It recently died so we were in the market for a new one but we just didn't want to spend very much money right now with the move and everything coming up so we bought this: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...94089&RN=2353& Honestly, it makes a really great cup of coffee, we are super pleased. I know everyone raves about the Keurigs but I have yet to have a really good cup of coffee from one, just not impressed. It might be better if we used our own coffee then we could determine the concentration we like. It's great for instant hot water though.

[poky]

The keurig has several options for "use your own coffee instead of the pre-made cups" (basically filters that fit in the space the cups go) - DH has one of each that are on the market, I think, and has one he likes better than the others, but I'm not sure which it is. He *loves* the convenience, even with using his own coffee (he does buy some cups, too). Costco carries one of the keurig machines, and it's a pretty good deal, if it's got about the feature set you want. I know BB+B carries a LOT of different models, and I think their coupons apply to them, too.

[SuzySunshine]

We also use a tea kettle and french press but I REALLY want a Keurig and will be getting one as soon as we move. We will also get the filter so we can use our own coffee and my MIL uses hers a lot for bagged tea.

[diggitydot]

We have a Keurig and love FAR more than we anticipated.

[oceanchild]

I have a Keurig and an Ekobrew reusable filter in my office. I haven't had a ton of success with the Ekobrew - my coffee never tastes very coffee-y, and it leaves a lot of grainy bits at the bottom of the cup. I think the Keurig is much better with the K-cups. But the office is all about convenience - in my ideal world, I'd grind the beans and brew fresh.

[diggitydot]

We have the filter basket for our Keurig that allows us to use whatever coffee we want and have not experienced any issues with grains in the cup. I like it because I waste less and can make it as strong as I want. We also grind our own beans, so that makes a difference. The grind can significantly change the taste.

[HouseofWool]

I have a plain old drip coffee maker that is decent. I use the reusable metal filter with it and have found that if I use a coarser grid (like for a percolator) I don't nearly as much stuff in the bottom of the pot.

My mom got a Keurig with a reusable filter for Christmas and loves it.

[alison]

Did you know that if you find something online at bbb, you can go to one of their actual stores and use the 20% off coupons? They'll order the item for you, honor the coupon, and ship it to you. You do have to pay for shipping, but sometimes you still come out ahead.

[TigerLily]

I am also REALLY in love with our Keurig. I didn't anticipate liking it at all, but DH wanted one, so I went along with it. Along with a great quick cup of coffee, I really love being able to make a cup of hot cocoa or apple cider after the kids go to bed as a nice relaxing treat, without having to heat it up in the microwave or whatever.

[MrsK]

I have a Jura Capresso (J5 Model) and I love, love, love it! They are spendy, but you can buy them refurbished for about half the cost. The refurbished ones do come with a one year warranty. The Juras grind beans, make one cup at a time, clean, etc. They also make cappuccinos, lattes, etc., though I dont use mine for that. I with never own a different coffee maker again- it makes the best cup of coffee!

This looks awesome but it's definitely not in our price range. I'll save it for the post-residency dreamhouse life of champaigne and bon bons (haha).

We used to have this one for many years: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...ers-teakettles It makes a great pot of coffee and not too expensive (you can get the same one at Bed Bath and Beyond and use a 20% off coupon). It recently died so we were in the market for a new one but we just didn't want to spend very much money right now with the move and everything coming up so we bought this: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...94089&RN=2353& Honestly, it makes a really great cup of coffee, we are super pleased. I know everyone raves about the Keurigs but I have yet to have a really good cup of coffee from one, just not impressed. It might be better if we used our own coffee then we could determine the concentration we like. It's great for instant hot water though.

We have the same 12-cup machine you used to have. We are leaning toward a single-serve machine because we don't drink lots of coffee (not even daily), DrK likes decaf and I like regular, we drink coffee at different times of the day, and so on. We rarely use the whole carafe if we are not entertaining guests. So, I guess I need single-serve coffee maker recommendations. I hear a lot of comments on Keurig but I'm confused by all the different models and options. Also, it would be really nice if I could make my own lattes. Please educate me.

[TigerLily]

Sounds like a Keurig is perfect for you guys! We have the B-60 which is the middle model. The big difference for us between that and the most basic one was that this one has 3 different sizes. It also has a timer so you can set it to get all ready for you in the morning before you wake up. I really really love that thing. It is so fast, and like you said, it is awesome to be able to make different kinds of coffee. DH loves really dark coffee, and I like flavored lighter coffee.
Ok, lattes I don't know. Is a Latte just milk and coffee? If that is the case, you could use the smaller cup setting and fill it the rest of the way with milk? I might be totally on the wrong track here...