Does using single cup coffee makers make sense?

by Mike
(Fremont, CA)


QUESTION:

We're thinking about buying a single cup coffee maker. Is it a good idea? We like the idea of their simplicity.

ANSWER:

There's no doubt that single cup coffee makers are very convenient.

You still get a real cup of coffee, made from ground coffee, but you don't have to deal with coffee beans or grinders.

You buy the coffee in sealed pods, cups or discs, and then place the pod, cup or disc in the brewer. Press one button and you're done. Then throw away the used pod, cup or disc.

(Keurig brewers use K-Cups, Tassimo uses T-Discs and most other single cup coffee brewers use pods.)

It's super convenient, and there's no mess.

BUT...it's an expensive way to make fresh coffee.

If the price isn't an issue, go ahead. If it is, you may want to do the math and figure out how much the extra convenience is going to cost you.

You can learn more about single cup coffee makers here...

Comments for Does using single cup coffee makers make sense?

Click here to add your own comments

Feb 23, 2014
 Solution no one seems to know about?
by: Makessense

This takes around 20 seconds to research and I don't know why no one knows this......

You can buy 5 CUP coffee makers for 15 dollars at at least 5 different stores. They come with a reusable filter (which means no waste) or if you like you can use the paper filter, it accepts both whatever one you want to use.

You can make 1 cup of coffee with it if you want to. There is no waste. There is no unrecyclable plastic waste left over. There is no huge expense. There is no hot water over plastic to worry about. These machines also have excellent reviews and ratings online.
Nov 30, 2013
 ?
by: Anonymous

You all sound like a bunch of nutters! The water I use to clean my drip pot far exceeds that of cleaning my persona k-cup. Also the coffee wasted by making a pot and I drink just one cup is wasteful, lastly the number of filtes I go through for just one cup of coffee adds to the waste.
Sep 24, 2012
 One cup brewers make no sense at all
by: matt

This love affair with one cup coffee makers makes no sense to me. I use a drip brewer and sometimes my French press. What am I missing? It takes me maybe a couple of minutes more to make my coffee. But I get great coffee for half the price the single cup people are buying.

Am I missing something?
Mar 16, 2009
 plastics
by: Bonnie Yelverton

We've been trying to avoid plastics in many ways, particularly with what we heat things in in the microwave. We found a set of Corningware glass containers and threw out all the plastic ones.

And we haven't bought water in bottles for quite a while either. My husband brought home some (organic) milk in a plastic gallon container the other day and it tasted like plastic.

I don't trust anything but the real thing any more.
Luckily for you there is a special reusable K-cup attachment, which you can use with regularly ground coffee. Of course that uses more water to clean it...
Otherwise, you might try using paper pods in the K-cup attachment.
Mar 16, 2009
 Water, Plastic and Heat
by: Anonymous

I just received a forwarded e-mail with info from John Hopkins Hospital stating that there is direct evidence of breast cancer being linked to water bottles left in cars, and that the combination of the water and plastic produce toxins that have been linked to cancers. They stated that it is not safe to use plastic in microwave ovens, and that frozen foods should be put in glass containers and paper should be another alternative.

I purchased a Keurig single cup coffee maker, and I am now concerned with the plastic k-cups and the hot water filtered through them. Has there been mention of this up to now.
Mar 11, 2009
 Keurig avoids waste!
by: Anonymous

I have a Keurig and love it. In terms of cost, I think one thing price comparisons overlook is the amoung of coffee you throw away with by-the-pot brewing. I do wish Green Mountain Coffee would move to corn-starch "plastic," though.
Jun 05, 2008
 K-cups created trash!
by: Bonnie Yelverton

In my own blog at http://sustainablerays.blogspot.com/search/label/K-cups I wrote about how I can't see how you can combine organic and fair trade coffee with the concept of throw-away plastic K-cups.

For the first, the plastic is not bio-degradable, so the K-cups will be sitting around in landfills for a long time to come (if they haven't washed out to the bigh plastic island in the sea instead.)

For the second, the hot water that is being pressed through the coffee is also coming in contact with a plastic. We hear more and more about plastic ingredients that wander into food, and most of them are the sort that imitate hormones.

I can see using pods out of paper, but don't get the ones that are packaged in foil, which isn't any better, waste - wise, although probably a little better for your health. Somewhere here I read a suggestion that you get the single personal K-cup and use it will loose coffee. (although of course you are using precious water to wash the cup - but I do that on my Krupps espresso machine anyway.

I find it really disgusting that Green Mountain Coffee, from whom I have bought considerable quantities of organic and sustainable coffee, has gone over to the enemy. I will not be buying from them any more, even though I liked the idea of supporting the Heifer project by drinking their coffee.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Single serve coffee makers.

Before you go, sign up to receive the Coffee Detective Newsletter...

Sign up for occasional newsletters about the best coffees and brewing equipment. Plus special updates from the Coffee Detective Coffee Store…