Single Serving Brewing Systems – The Keurig K Cup Story
There are many options out there today for single cup brewing at home or in the workplace. You may have seen commercials on TV for Keurig, Senseo, and Dolce Gusto and wondered how each brew system works and which one is the best. The latter really depends on factors like how much you are willing to spend, what features you really want, and what coffees you prefer. In this article, you will be introduced to the Keurig brewing system, and learn not only how it works, but where you can get the best deals on brewers and beverages.
The Keurig Story
Keurig was founded in 1992, upon a foundation based on excellence. In fact, the name ‘Keurig' is the Dutch word for excellence. Keurig wanted to create a brewer that was small enough to be used at home, yet effective at brewing up a consistent coffee every time. However, the brewer would be just part of the equation. The end goal would be a total system that would include portion packs that would get rid of the need for measuring, and provide a simple clean-up. Through research, innovation and trials, by 1998 they had debuted their first single serve brewer. A fundamental component of this system is the portion packs, which they named K Cup, short for ‘Keurig cup'. This patented technology allows a single cup to be brewed in under a minute, and with the exact pre-measured amount of grounds in each k cup consumers can rest assured to have consistent taste from cup to cup.
What Exactly is a K Cup and How Does It Work?
K cups are composed of plastic, and each contains a filter and coffee grounds, or cocoa, tea or whatever the intended beverage is. The beauty of this little single serving pack is that you don't have to grind and measure and hope for a consistent taste each time you brew. It's all done for you. The coffee is pre-ground and pre-measured in a convenient little cup. The k cups are sealed with a foil cap, which locks out moisture and oxygen, both of which degrade the freshness and flavor of coffee.
K cups are placed in the brewer and as the lid closes the foil lid, as well as, the bottom of the plastic cup are punctured. Through a nozzle, hot water is piped into the k cup steeping the grounds and flowing through the filter and down into your mug. It really is that straightforward. To clean up, remove the used k cup and throw it into your trash can.
What Kinds of Coffees and Other Drinks Are Available in K Cups?
The Keurig brew system has a great variety of drinks available in k cups. Very well known brands such as, Caribou, Tully's, Timothy's World Coffee, Gloria Jean's, Emeril's, Newman's Own, Wolfgang Puck, Folger's, Green Mountain, Coffee People and many more can easily be found online, as well as, in your local stores. There are actually over 250 different flavors of coffee, tea, cocoa, and other specialty drinks available on the market for Keurig brew system users. From decaf, to breakfast blends, dark roasts, extra bold, flavored coffees, world class hot chocolates, ciders and more, you will have scores of options when using the k cup system for your single-cup brewing.
Can I Use My Own Coffee?
One of the benefits that set the Keurig single-serve brew system apart from the rest of the pack is the fact that you can use your own coffee grounds. This opens the choices and possibilities immensely for the consumer. Not only does it help cut down waste and expense, but it allows you to use your favorite brands, flavors, and grind. Using your own grind level and getting to find your optimal amount of grounds used relative to the cup size you brew gives you the ultimate control over the flavor and strength of your coffee. When looking at single-cup brewing systems, you will find that single serve brewing is not a cheap endeavor. Finding an option that allows you as much freedom with not only the selection already on the shelves in single portion packs, but the ability to use your own grounds makes it a little less restrictive than the competition and the decision becomes a little easier to make.
Note: There are some Keurig brewers that are not compatible with the reusable filter [accessories that are required in order to use your own coffee. When delving into brewer research, if you want the option to use your own coffee, make sure the brewer is compatible with accessories like My K Cup and Solofill reusable k cup filters.
So How Much is The Keurig System Going to Cost?
The brewers compatible with k cups range in retail price from $79 all the way up to over $250 depending on how fancy you want to get with your bells and whistles. Shop sites like Nextag.com or go to Google Shopping to view price comparisons on the various brewers out there. You can compare not only price this way, but you get a comparison of total price which often includes taxes and shipping.
The main differences between the brewers are mostly in the following areas:
• How many brew sizes choices are available
• How much the water reservoir will hold
• Programmable features like automatic on-off
• Brew time
• Are there variable brew temperatures
The k cups differ in expense depending on which beverage you are purchasing and where you are buying it. There are great deals out there online, as well as, in your local home goods stores, but you will have to do some digging if you do not want to pay retail. You could pay as little as 32 cents per k cup, and as much as 80 to 90 cents and up if you don't shop around. Sites out there such as K Cups Best Price will point you in the right directions for where to get the best deals on k cups.
Doesn't This System Seem Expensive and Wasteful?
Depending on how the system is used, it could be thought of as high-priced and wasteful, but that is really controlled by the user. A change in expense is going to be relative to how you are getting your coffee now. For instance, how often are you going to a coffee shop for your coffee? A serving at a coffee shop is much more expensive that even the costliest k cup. If you compare it to the cost of buying coffee for your standard drip coffee maker, then you will have to sit down and really think about your habits and hammer out some numbers. Yep, do the math. You will make a better decision having all of the particulars rather than basing it on assumption.
To break it down, consider how much of the coffee that you currently brew with your standard drip machine gets poured down the drain because it goes stale before you drink it. If you live alone, or are the only one in your household that appreciates coffee, chances are that you regularly brew more than you consume. If that is indeed your case, then you must bear in mind that you get fewer yields out of a bag of coffee than you thought. This makes the cost of the coffee that you actually do drink cost more per cup. Even if the cost per cup is still slightly less, you should ask yourself how many times do you drink old bitter coffee because you don't want to waste it. Who really wants to drink stale coffee? It looks as though brewing only what you are actually going to drink is well worth the pennies on the dollar that you will spend to have fresh coffee every single time, and pour nothing down the drain.
As far as environmental waste, being that you can use reusable filters like the My K Cup and Solofill, throwing away plastic k cups after every brew is not required. There are even caps for used k cups called My-Kap that allow you to reuse an actual k cup. If environmental waste factors are a source of concern for you, rest assured you can avoid a lot of plastic coming from your home to the landfill with the Keurig brew system.
Summing Up the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System
Now you have some background on the Keurig company and how their version of the at home single-serve brewing system came about. A lot of research and development went into creating the ideal brew system for the home that would allow coffee drinkers to have a consistent fresh tasting coffee every time they brew. The Keurig system's variety of beverage options and freedom to use your own grounds give it an advantage over the competition. If pricing and reliability are comparable when comparing brewing systems, why would anyone want to be limited in their beverage selection?
The Keurig Story
Keurig was founded in 1992, upon a foundation based on excellence. In fact, the name ‘Keurig' is the Dutch word for excellence. Keurig wanted to create a brewer that was small enough to be used at home, yet effective at brewing up a consistent coffee every time. However, the brewer would be just part of the equation. The end goal would be a total system that would include portion packs that would get rid of the need for measuring, and provide a simple clean-up. Through research, innovation and trials, by 1998 they had debuted their first single serve brewer. A fundamental component of this system is the portion packs, which they named K Cup, short for ‘Keurig cup'. This patented technology allows a single cup to be brewed in under a minute, and with the exact pre-measured amount of grounds in each k cup consumers can rest assured to have consistent taste from cup to cup.
What Exactly is a K Cup and How Does It Work?
K cups are composed of plastic, and each contains a filter and coffee grounds, or cocoa, tea or whatever the intended beverage is. The beauty of this little single serving pack is that you don't have to grind and measure and hope for a consistent taste each time you brew. It's all done for you. The coffee is pre-ground and pre-measured in a convenient little cup. The k cups are sealed with a foil cap, which locks out moisture and oxygen, both of which degrade the freshness and flavor of coffee.
K cups are placed in the brewer and as the lid closes the foil lid, as well as, the bottom of the plastic cup are punctured. Through a nozzle, hot water is piped into the k cup steeping the grounds and flowing through the filter and down into your mug. It really is that straightforward. To clean up, remove the used k cup and throw it into your trash can.
What Kinds of Coffees and Other Drinks Are Available in K Cups?
The Keurig brew system has a great variety of drinks available in k cups. Very well known brands such as, Caribou, Tully's, Timothy's World Coffee, Gloria Jean's, Emeril's, Newman's Own, Wolfgang Puck, Folger's, Green Mountain, Coffee People and many more can easily be found online, as well as, in your local stores. There are actually over 250 different flavors of coffee, tea, cocoa, and other specialty drinks available on the market for Keurig brew system users. From decaf, to breakfast blends, dark roasts, extra bold, flavored coffees, world class hot chocolates, ciders and more, you will have scores of options when using the k cup system for your single-cup brewing.
Can I Use My Own Coffee?
One of the benefits that set the Keurig single-serve brew system apart from the rest of the pack is the fact that you can use your own coffee grounds. This opens the choices and possibilities immensely for the consumer. Not only does it help cut down waste and expense, but it allows you to use your favorite brands, flavors, and grind. Using your own grind level and getting to find your optimal amount of grounds used relative to the cup size you brew gives you the ultimate control over the flavor and strength of your coffee. When looking at single-cup brewing systems, you will find that single serve brewing is not a cheap endeavor. Finding an option that allows you as much freedom with not only the selection already on the shelves in single portion packs, but the ability to use your own grounds makes it a little less restrictive than the competition and the decision becomes a little easier to make.
Note: There are some Keurig brewers that are not compatible with the reusable filter [accessories that are required in order to use your own coffee. When delving into brewer research, if you want the option to use your own coffee, make sure the brewer is compatible with accessories like My K Cup and Solofill reusable k cup filters.
So How Much is The Keurig System Going to Cost?
The brewers compatible with k cups range in retail price from $79 all the way up to over $250 depending on how fancy you want to get with your bells and whistles. Shop sites like Nextag.com or go to Google Shopping to view price comparisons on the various brewers out there. You can compare not only price this way, but you get a comparison of total price which often includes taxes and shipping.
The main differences between the brewers are mostly in the following areas:
• How many brew sizes choices are available
• How much the water reservoir will hold
• Programmable features like automatic on-off
• Brew time
• Are there variable brew temperatures
The k cups differ in expense depending on which beverage you are purchasing and where you are buying it. There are great deals out there online, as well as, in your local home goods stores, but you will have to do some digging if you do not want to pay retail. You could pay as little as 32 cents per k cup, and as much as 80 to 90 cents and up if you don't shop around. Sites out there such as K Cups Best Price will point you in the right directions for where to get the best deals on k cups.
Doesn't This System Seem Expensive and Wasteful?
Depending on how the system is used, it could be thought of as high-priced and wasteful, but that is really controlled by the user. A change in expense is going to be relative to how you are getting your coffee now. For instance, how often are you going to a coffee shop for your coffee? A serving at a coffee shop is much more expensive that even the costliest k cup. If you compare it to the cost of buying coffee for your standard drip coffee maker, then you will have to sit down and really think about your habits and hammer out some numbers. Yep, do the math. You will make a better decision having all of the particulars rather than basing it on assumption.
To break it down, consider how much of the coffee that you currently brew with your standard drip machine gets poured down the drain because it goes stale before you drink it. If you live alone, or are the only one in your household that appreciates coffee, chances are that you regularly brew more than you consume. If that is indeed your case, then you must bear in mind that you get fewer yields out of a bag of coffee than you thought. This makes the cost of the coffee that you actually do drink cost more per cup. Even if the cost per cup is still slightly less, you should ask yourself how many times do you drink old bitter coffee because you don't want to waste it. Who really wants to drink stale coffee? It looks as though brewing only what you are actually going to drink is well worth the pennies on the dollar that you will spend to have fresh coffee every single time, and pour nothing down the drain.
As far as environmental waste, being that you can use reusable filters like the My K Cup and Solofill, throwing away plastic k cups after every brew is not required. There are even caps for used k cups called My-Kap that allow you to reuse an actual k cup. If environmental waste factors are a source of concern for you, rest assured you can avoid a lot of plastic coming from your home to the landfill with the Keurig brew system.
Summing Up the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System
Now you have some background on the Keurig company and how their version of the at home single-serve brewing system came about. A lot of research and development went into creating the ideal brew system for the home that would allow coffee drinkers to have a consistent fresh tasting coffee every time they brew. The Keurig system's variety of beverage options and freedom to use your own grounds give it an advantage over the competition. If pricing and reliability are comparable when comparing brewing systems, why would anyone want to be limited in their beverage selection?
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