I'm thinking of buying a coffee pod machine and I'm wondering if it's worth it. I tried calculating the price I'd be paying for each capsule, and it seems like I'd essentially be paying as much as I would at Starbucks per cup. Also, I'm questioning whether or not using the plastic capsules are safe considering they will be heated by the hot water running through them by the machine, and I'm also afraid it will just get ignored and collect dust after a while. Any of our members here have this in their home? Do you use it often? Are you happy with your purchase? For those who are unfamiliar with the product, this is basically a machine that you can put different capsules in to get different coffee mixes at home like they do at coffee shops.
I received a pod machine for my birthday last year. I think they have been proven safe, at least I haven't heard of any problems or recalls. But I haven't used mine in months. Buying all those pods seems like a waste of money to me. I don't think it's wrong for people that use it to make a daily treat for themselves. I think everyone deserves to have something they enjoy, such as a special cup of coffee. But for me, I just use a standard coffee maker and add my own flavorings when I want.
For me, it's worth it. I'm not allowed to have a traditional coffee pot in my dorm, but Keurigs are allowed. It's perfect to make coffee just before my first class of the day.
I read an article on these, that did the math on exactly how much they are marking up the coffee on these - it comes out to about $50 per pound when you buy them in a pod like that. That said, if you are only making coffee once in a while and only making it for yourself, it might be cheaper overall to go with the pods still. I know that $50/lb sounds like a lot, but personally, I would often waste a pot of coffee after only drinking maybe 2-3 cups out of it, then dump the rest. Similarly, if I don't use up the ground coffee in time it goes bad and I end up throwing it out. Had I just bought some pods and kept them on hand, I would be wasting much less coffee. As far as all the extra plastic they use, it's the same situation - I know they are wasteful, but I don't drink coffee regularly, so we're only talking a few pods per month in my case. We had one of these machines at one of my jobs, and I never thought I would like them, but I got hooked on them. They really do taste incredibly fresh.
Wow. Thanks for the detailed report, I really appreciate it and it certainly helps me a lot in my decision. I think I'm the same as you in that I don't really drink that often, so this probably would be a better buy for me than a standard coffee maker that necessitates multiple servings per preparation. I'm glad to hear they taste fresh as well since I was worried that the plastic would be a factor. May I ask why certain brands or machine types are disallowed? I'm just curious since I see them as the same so I'd like to know which differences the officials in your school are zoning in on.
I have to say, when they first came out and I looked at the price of the k-cups, it was just too expensive for me. But then I received a Keurig machine and free coffee for a year as part of a product test. And I was hooked. Yes, the pods cost more than bagged coffee, but the coffee is soooo much better than using a traditional drip machine. There are over 200 different varieties so there literally is something for everyone. I buy the k-cups online, when they go on sale. I'm actually able to brew 2 "cups" from one k-cup - about 14 oz. The cost per k-cup (on sale) is about 50 cents but I'm getting the equivalent of a $4-5 cup of coffee. So it really is a bargain.
It's definitely more expensive than traditional coffee machines, but you get a much more palatable cup of coffee, with evaporated milk and all that. Ultimately it's still cheaper than the alternative of buying a latte at Starbucks or many other cafes. Whether such machines are worth it depends on what kind of coffee you prefer drinking.
The Keurig company is soon to roll out cold-drink options as well, but neither that nor the hot-drink machine appeals to me. For one, I recall master chef Alton Brown's wise advice: never buy a kitchen tool that only does one thing! The countertop real estate is limited and every appliance has to pull its weight and do more than just one function. The only exceptions I make to this rule are vegetable peelers and my potato ricer. Plus, I'm old-school--think pioneer days! I have a Coleman percolator that takes standard ground coffee which we buy at Costco (their Kirkland house brand is consistently excellent across a wide range of food and non-food products, in my experience). The stovetop percolator is rugged and though we only use it at home, it could easily be taken out on a camping trip or hike. I like simple and versatile objects such as this, so for me, the Keurig just wasn't practical.
I used to have a Senseo coffeemaker back in 2008. It made good single servings of coffee from pods, but it got discontinued so now the ones in thrift stores are worthless because you have to buy the pods on eBay. My point is that regular drip coffeemakers have been around for decades but specialized coffee makers that require pods can be discontinued and then you're stuck. I'd rather stick with a normal drip coffeemaker for which supplies are universally available in any gas station or drugstore.
I am so glad that you have asked this question! I would really like one, but I love coffee and would want to use the machine at least three times a day and the machines and pods are bordering on extortionate! The taste is so wonderful and the smell is amazing but to be honest I think that I would resent paying that much for a coffee in my own home, when as you rightly said, you could get one from Starbucks for the same amount of money. If I had it given to me as a gift it might be a different story but I could not spend that kind of money on myself.
K-Cups are 100% safe for human consumption and use. However, the problem is that they create a lot of waste from those plastic capsules that wind up in landfills. It's a major environmental issue with so many people adopting K-Cups today. That convenience definitely comes with a long-term price tag that has nothing to do with your wallet.
It can get expensive buying the pods, but they are quick and the coffee is good. The downside is the waste and also the cost of buying more pods and storing them as they do take up a lot of room. I use my brothers and cousins all the time, but I wouldn't get one because it's too expensive right now for me.
Look, I have one from Dolce Gusto and I say if you have some extra money to spend on the pods and live convenience and a bunch of different types of coffees and beverages, coffee pod machines are great! However I rarely use mine because I think the pods are too expensive... so it was a useless buy for me for that reason.
Ahh, I love coffee from percolators as well! At one of my workplaces, a coworker and I formed a little coffee club, where we both pitched in and got a nice Farberware model electric percolator and would each take turns buying the coffee. It really does make fantastic (albiet strong if you aren't careful!) coffee. Plus it's nice not having to buy or mess around with paper filters. I like my coffee somewhat strong, but my coworker would put me to shame - she would pack the steel filter to the top with ground coffee, she didn't even measure it. The coffee was so dark when you poured creamer into it, it would just disappear, lol. You could even see little globules of coffee bean oil floating at the top. One cup was enough to have you bouncing off the walls, lol.
