When I heard that single-serve pod coffeemakers were coming to the US market, I was eager to try them. I have many kinds of coffee pots, and I am always looking for a new way to brew. I am the only morning coffee drinker in my household, and a single-serve system suits my needs very nicely.

My daughter-in-law surprised me with the gift of the Philips Senseo Single Serve Coffee System that she won in a contest. I was so pleased! The system had been shipped to her in Virginia, and I live in Arizona, so I had to wait for a visit to Virginia before I could try out my new coffeemaker and bring it home.

When I saw the Senseo, I was pleased with its appearance. The design is curved, functional, and attractive. The footprint is small enough to not take up a great deal of space on the counter. My countertops are dark green, and I was concerned about how the blue of the coffeemaker would look in the green environment. It looks fine, though the available black unit would have been more fitting.

We followed the directions for preparing the unit for use. The instructions are easy to follow, and include flushing the coffeemaker with water before the first use. Once it has been flushed, the water reservoir needs to be filled. I use filtered water because we have such hard water. The directions do not specify use of any specially treated water.

Next I have choices. Do I want a large mug of coffee or a delicate 4-ounce cup? Which variety of coffee to choose? The coffee maker comes with two pod holders. One holds two pods and makes a large cup of coffee. The other is a single-pod holder for the smaller serving of coffee. Because I love a big cup, I will probably use the two-pod holder most of the time. Several packages of pods were included with the coffee maker. I found Dark Roast, Medium Roast, Mild and Decaf. My preference is for a strong, robust coffee. I tried the Dark and Medium first, and I will probably stick with those.

Once the choices are made, it is a simple matter to prepare a cup of coffee. I leave the machine plugged in to a grounded outlet all of the time. I keep the reservoir filled with filtered water. When I want to brew a cup, I press the center button on the front of the machine to start the heating of the water in the reservoir.When the light stops flashing and becomes steady, I simply place a filter pod in the holder, latch close the cover over the holder, and press the button for the size of cup I want to drink. The coffee is ready in about 30 seconds!

The WOW experience of the Senseo, in my opinion, is the crema. The sensation of sipping the freshly brewed cup reminds me of drinking a strong beer with a creamy "head." I may not like the beer itself, but I sure love the foam! With the Senseo-brewed cup, the foam is noticeable and delicious. The coffee that follows is strong and flavorful. It is so unlike the colored-water experience of many drip-coffee makers. I find it better than the taste of coffee from the premium coffee stores that are popping up on most street corners. The price of about 50 cents for two pods compares favorably with the price of a cup of coffee in the premium coffee stores.

You may realize that when a person professes a love for coffee, the premium gift from others becomes all kinds of coffee mugs. And if someone really likes coffee, the bigger the mug the better. My major criticism of the Senseo design is that it does not accommodate a variety of sizes of cups and mugs. I have some bistro style mugs that are 5.5 inches tall, and the maximum height to fit under the spout is 4.25 inches. When brewing the large cup of coffee, it is important to place a large enough cup under the spout. If the cup overflows, there is a removable tray to catch the overflow, but it could be a mess to clean up and a waste of good coffee. I measured the output of brewing the large mug setting with only the single pod holder in. It was about 9 ounces, which filled my Fiestaware mug to the brim. A smaller coffee cup would have overflowed.

I like to experiment with different types of coffee. I buy different varieties of beans and grind them myself for my other coffee-makers. The lack of variety from Philips is another negative about this and other pod-based products. I am hoping that independent pod-makers that now make ESE pods will begin to make them for the Senseo. More variety in pods in a comparable quality would be welcome.

The machine is very easy to clean. The working parts come apart easily for cleaning. I have not yet descaled the machine. However, the instructions are clear and well-illustrated. The instruction booklet is helpful. I plan to keep it for future use.


Although I received this coffee maker as a gift, I would have gladly paid the $70 retail price. The pods, at about 25 cents each, are a luxury, but are not as expensive as buying the same size cup at a coffee specialty shop. Buying good coffee beans for grinding is also expensive.

In summary, this specialized coffee maker is wonderful for the one- or two-cup drinker. I will use another coffee maker when I make drinks for a crowd. It is a useful addition to my kitchen.








Recommended: Yes