Coffee smells better than it tastes, but still good
Written: Dec 20 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quick brewing, good tasting coffee, easy to maintain, no filter
Cons: Lack of brewing sizes, cost/benefit
The Bottom Line: Depending on your budget, this is a good buy and it will last you a long time. May be worth buying based on its easy maintenance.
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| srmaczka's Full Review: Keurig Ultra B50 1-Cup Coffee Maker |
I work in an office that provides free coffee. Not just any coffee, but Seattle's Best. However, I decided to buy the Keurig B50 for my personal office because nobody cleans out the cannisters that hold our free coffee. Also, I thought that it would make more sense to get a coffee maker that brewed one cup at a time instead of wasting half pots every time I got the craving. I realized that it was somewhat of a costly investment given the $150 price tag along with the $7 per box of K-cups (each box holds 25 cups, which obviously gives you 25 cups of coffee), but I felt it to be worthwhile given the dirty cannisters and being able to brew coffee right at my desk.
For the most part, I have been very pleased with my Keurig machine. As always in my reviews, I will mention what I think to be the most important aspects of the machine and grade them accordingly.
Brewing: A
The water reservoir is quite large and will make approximately 8 or 9 large cups of coffee before needing to be re-filled. The most amazing part of the brewing process is the quickness in which it delivers a piping-hot cup of coffee or tea. You can put very cold water in the machine and still get a hot cup of coffee in less than a minute. The coffee grounds come in what is called a K-cup, just like a cup of cream that you get at a restaurant only slightly bigger. To make a cup of coffee, you simply lift the handle up on the machine, place the K-cup in the holder (do not attempt to open the K-cup), close the lid and choose a 5.25 or 7.25 oz of coffee by pressing the button on the top of the machine. Within a few seconds you will have a hot cup of coffee.
Coffee Taste: B-
Let me preface my comments by saying that I have very high standards when it comes to the taste of my coffee. So the fact that I graded this machine at a B- means that the coffee is quite good, but is not top shelf material. When I bought my Keurig, I also bought 6 different types of coffee (Gloria Jean's - Irish Creme, Mudslide, Cappuccino, Pumpkin Spice, and Variety pack. Timothy's - German Chocolate Cake. My favorite is the Pumpkin Spice, but all flavors were quite good). One thing that I noticed above all is the incredible smell of the coffee. As my first cup was brewing, I thought for sure I was going to get a top-shelf cup, but I soon realized on my first sip that the coffee smells better than it tastes. If you enjoy strong coffee, then I suggest you always brew your coffee on the 5.25 oz setting, otherwise you will have a pretty weak cup a joe. As an aside, if you do enough searching on the internet, you will find a K-cup vendor that will ship you your coffee for free if you buy at least five or six boxes of K-cups.
Cleaning: A
One of the reasons I chose Keurig was the simpleness in cleaning the machine. There are two pieces of plastic within the K-cup holder that pop out quite easily for cleaning purposes. Also, there is the needle that punctures the K-cup at the top of the holder that also comes out easily. You simply wash with water and dish soap and thoroughly rinse and you're done. A quick way to clean the machine is to simply run a cycle through of the 7.25 oz cup with no K-cup in the holder. This will run very hot water through the compartments and rinse away most if not all of the gunk inside.
Setup: A
Setting up the machine is a virtual breeze. Just plug in the machine, fill the reservoir up with water and then follow the instructions to prime it. To prime your machine, you simply press the button on the LED screen that says, "Prime". The screen will tell you when it is done and then you'll be ready to brew your first cup off coffee or tea.
Durability: A
I have owned the Keurig B50 for almost 6 months and have not had any problems with it whatsoever. It still runs as good as it did when it was brand new. Therefore, I must give it the highest grade possible. You can tell by the construction of the model that it was well made and should last for quite a few years.
Overall: B
This is a well-built item, however, the amount of money to invest is steep over the long haul. More than likely you won't be disappointed if you make the purchase, but don't expect to be elated either.
Bonus information:
- Don't believe comments that you can make a large cup of coffee and a small cup on one K-cup unless you like Very weak coffee.
- Wait at least 2 minutes after brewing a cup of coffee or tea if you don't want to toast your taste buds. Additionally, Don't serve this coffee to the woman who sued you-know-who.
- Every twenty cups of coffee (or so) brew a cup of hot water to cleanse the cup holder.
- If you are purchasing the Keurig B50 for your office, be sure that your building code allows you to have it before making the investment.
- Keep the machine powered on at all times (unless you're planning on not using it for a week or longer). This reduces the time to brew a cup of coffee or tea.
- It is very important that you use filtered water at a minimum, otherwise your coffee will not taste as good and your machine will not last as long.
- If you are using an extra-large coffee mug, you can remove the silver tray easily so that it will fit under the spout.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
srmaczka
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Member: Scott Maczka
Location: Chicago, IL
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Certified Public Accoutant who likes fine dining and miscellaneous sporting activities
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