Pros:

• Makes Coffee And Tea
• Lots Of Features
• Easy To Use/Clean

Cons:

• Not A French Press
• Leaky Carafe
• Not A Thermal Carafe

[Show as slideshow]

I started the review process for the Faberware 12-Cup Programmable Coffee and Tea Maker (Stainless Steel Exterior) back in the beginning of November. Over a month later, the review is finally done and I’m ready to share the results with you guys and gals. My apologies for the time it took, most of the time it takes a week or two to do a through review, but there were some delays this time (I’ll explain below).

Pros

One thing that really makes this coffee maker stand out from the majority of other coffee makers is that it makes coffee and tea. I love coffee and I like tea, so it sounded like a win/win. I had some concerns that the coffee would taste like tea and the tea would taste like coffee. However, the way Faberware designed it, with separate coffee and tea filters, there wasn’t any cross flavor contamination.

Another thing that sets this coffee maker apart is it’s abundance of features. Some I like include the sneak a cup feature which allows you to take out the carafe and pour a single cup of coffee without making a mess, water filtration system and auto shutoff. Others like the brew strength selector didn’t seem all that great to me. (I would rather control the strength of the coffee with the amount of coffee I use and how it’s ground.

With all of the features and buttons, I thought this coffee maker might be a little difficult to use. That wasn’t a problem. I opened the box, put it together and brewed my first batch of coffee without looking at the directions. I didn’t look at the directions until I wanted to test out some of the features like programming it and the small brew option. It’s also very easy to clean. It’s as simple as rising out the carafe and cleaning the filter. There wasn’t anything else to clean.

Cons

I didn’t have many complaints about the Faberware coffee maker, my first complaint, which is really out of the hands of Faberware, is that it’s a drip coffee maker and not a French Press. It’s really not a fair complaint, but French Presses do make better tasting coffee. Don’t get me wrong, the Faberware did make smooth, good tasting coffee. However, the French Press does make more flavorful cups of coffee.

Now about that reason for the delay. The first machine I tested had a leaky carafe. At first I thought it was the spout, but it turned to be the seal between the plastic top and the glass carafe. On the second machine, the seal on the carafe kept my counters safe from water and coffee. After checking online reviews, I did find a few people who had bought this machine that had a similar problem. It does look a limited problem, but for the people who did have the leak, at least some of them had a problem getting a replacement carafe from Faberware.

The only other thing that I would change about this coffee maker is that I would make it with a thermal carafe. I’d rather have a thermal carafe to keep it warm then a hot plate. I can taste the difference.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Faberware 12-Cup Programmable Coffee And Tea Maker is a good all around machine to have in the kitchen. It’ll make coffee and tea, has most of the features that I want and is easy to use. If you’re looking for a drip coffee maker, this is a good buy for your kitchen.

You can find this coffee maker only at Walmart and on their website. The current price is $59.98.

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Fine Print.

Review Faberware 12-Cup Programmable Coffee and Tea Maker is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

If the coffee lover on your shopping list this holiday season doesn’t have a coffee grinder, get them one this year! They’ll thank you and will probably make you some really great coffee in exchange for the really great gift you gave them.

Coffee grinders are important because coffee starts to lose it’s flavor and go stale within fifteen minutes of being ground. That means all of the pre-ground coffee that you see on the shelves at grocery stores in stale. No matter how good of equipment they have, there is no saving their coffee. When you get them a coffee grinder, they will be able to taste the difference.

Entry Level Coffee Grinders

The Mr. Coffee Electric Coffee Grinder with Chamber Maid Cleaning System was the first coffee grinder that I owned. It’s affordable (less than twenty bucks) and gets the job done. Read my review.
Mr. Coffee Electric Coffee Grinder with Chamber Maid Cleaning System

• Measures 4-1/2 by 4 by 8-inch; 1-year limited warranty.
• Removable, dishwasher-safe grinding chamber; cord storage
• Chamber maid cleaning system; bowl scraper dislodges coffee from grinding area
• 3 Grind settings; wide upper collar; flip-top lid for mess-free filling and emptying
• Electric coffee grinder grinds 4 to 12 cups for precision brewing

Buy at Amazon for $18.89

Mid Level Coffee Grinders

Earlier this year, 1800Parts.com sent me the Krups Burr Grinder GVX 2. I haven’t used my Mr. Coffee Grinder since then. The Krups Burr Grinder isn’t perfect, but the grind is a lot more accurate and I can taste the difference. Read my review.

Krups GVX2-12 Burr Grinder, Black and Silver

• Generously-sized burr grinder; avoids overheating and preserves aroma
• Constructed of durable black plastic and brushed stainless steel
• Fineness selector offering 17 different settings; adapts to fit each type of coffee maker
• Large capacity hopper; removable ground coffee container
• Measures 10 by 4-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches; 1-year warranty

Currently on sale at Amazon for $50.93

Premium Level Coffee Grinders

If your loved one is serious about their coffee, it’s time to stop messing around. They need the Virtuoso Preciso from Baratza. The Baratza coffee grinders are what many coffee roasters and shop owners use to grind their beans. It gives you 440 levels of adjustment that allow the coffee love on your shopping list to fine tune until they get the perfect cup of coffee. If they’re a coffee nerd, they need this.

• Features a pulse button for more accurate grinding
• Commercial-grade conical burrs won’t heat up the coffee while grinding
• 440 distinct steps of adjustment for more control over your coffee
• Includes thermal safety device to keep the motor in good shape and prevent overheating
• Easy to clean with the provided bristle brush and removable burrs

Buy the Virtuoso Preciso at Amazon for $299.99.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Coffee Grinders is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The next piece of coffee equipment in the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen for review is Faberware’s 12-Cup Programmable Coffee and Tea Maker (Model# CM3000S). I do most of my coffee brewing in my French Press, however I’m always on the lookout for a quality drip coffee maker that produces great tasting coffee. Over the next week or so, I’ll be testing out this Faberware coffeemaker to see how it stacks up.

A little bit about this coffee gadget before I get into what I’m going to be looking at as I go through the review process.

The Faberware 12-Cup Programmable Coffee And Tea Maker is only available through Walmart and retails for about sixty bucks. It’s made of stainless steel, comes with two permanent filters (one for coffee/one for tea) and includes a built-in water filtration system.

It’s main features include:

• 24-hour auto brew programming
• Sneak-A-Cup feature
• Auto-clean function
• Small brew option (1 to 4 cups)
• Brew strength selector
• Water filtration system
• Elapsed timer with 1 to 2 hour auto shutoff
• Non-stick warm plate
• Perfect pour glass carafe
• Duralife glass carafe
• Permanent tea filter
• Permanent coffee filter
• Freshness indicator (time since brewed)
• Ready signal tone
• Dishwasher-safe parts
• Cord management with cord wrap

First impression is that it looks like a good,e very day kind of coffee maker. I’ll be putting it through some intense use to see just how well of a job it does at brewing coffee, the quality of the machine, ease of use and a few other things along those lines.

And on a side note, it’s the first coffee/tea maker that I’ve tested. I’ve been known to get my tea drinking on every once in a while, so I’m curious if it makes both high quality coffee and tea.

What do you look for in a coffee maker? What do you think I should look at as I’m reviewing this coffee maker? And have you tried this specific model for yourself?

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Fine Print.

First Look At Faberware’s 12-Cup Programmable Coffee and Tea Maker is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

I’m not exactly ready to start my holiday shopping, but I do know that there are people out there that started weeks ago. I’ve heard your questions about coffee. What kind coffee maker should I get my girlfriend? Should I get my husband a french press or a coffee grinder? (The answer is both!) What’s the ultimate gift for a coffee fanatic?

It’s time for me to start answering those questions with the annual Daily Shot Of Coffee holiday shopping guide. Each week until Christmas, I’ll examine different types of coffee related gifts, from ways to brew coffee to books about coffee. Along the way, I’ll answer as many questions as I can to make sure that you get that special someone that perfect gift!

I’m going to start of this week with presents that involve brewing coffee.

French Press

If you have a budding coffee fanatic on your shopping list and they don’t have a french press, this is the year to get them one. It’s an essential item in every coffee enthusiasts collection and once they try a french press, they probably will never go back to their drip coffee maker. It really does brew better tasting coffee that brings out all of the flavors.

Pros:

• Excellent Coffee
• Price Is The Same As Most Drip Coffee Makers
• Did I Mention It Makes Incredible Coffee

Cons:

• Fragile & Lack Of Padding In Shipment
• Not As Quick And Easy As A Drip Maker To Make And Clean

Buy the Bodum Chambord Coffee Press $34.45 at Amazon.

Read my full review of the french press.

Drip Coffee Maker

If the person on your list has a beat up little Mr. Coffeemaker drip coffee maker hanging around their kitchen, it’s time to give them an upgrade. I’ve tried a lot of drip coffee makers and there’s very few that I will recommend. However there is one that I have no problem suggesting to people looking for a drip coffee maker, it’s the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Coffeemaker. It brews coffee at a hotter temperature than most drip coffee makers and I can taste the difference.

Pros:

• Thermal carafe keeps coffee warm without burning it.
• Coffee brews hotter, bringing out more flavor.
• Easy to set the time and to program it.

Cons:

• Tall, may not fit under some cabinets.
• Thermal carafe with no marking for cup measurement.
• Coffee filters didn’t fit in perfectly.

Buy the Zojirushi EC-BD15BAFresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker for $69.20 at Amazon.

Read my more detailed review of the Zojirushi.

Chemex

The Chemex is the perfect gift for the family member or friend that’s really starting to get serious about their coffee. It makes great coffee, looks cool and I’m sure they will use it proudly, showing off their coffee nerdiness. I know I do! My awesome girlfriend got me one of these last year and it quickly became one of my favorite coffee gadgets.

Buy the Chemex Drip Coffee Carafe – 6 Cup for $39.95 at Amazon.

Read my review and watch my Chemex video.

Aeropress

Speaking of coffee gadgets, the Aeropress is a cool little doodad that doesn’t look like any other coffee maker that I’ve ever seen. In fact, it kind of looks like a giant syringe, but it makes amazing, extra smooth coffee. It’s small enough so that it’s perfect for the son to use in his college dorm room, the busy wife at the office or for the business man that’s always traveling.

Pros:

• Easy And Quick To Use
• Easy Clean Up
• Great Tasting Coffee

Cons:

• Fits Only On A Traditional Sized Cup
• Need A Thermometer
• Clean Up Can Be Messy

Buy the Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker for $25.95 at Amazon.

Read my review of the Aeropress.

Moka Stove Top Espresso Maker

You say they have every coffee gadget out there and you still don’t know what to get them? Do they have a Moka Stove Top Espresso Maker? If they don’t pick one up for them. It falls into the cool, retro gadget category and is perfect for making coffee on the weekends.

Pros:

• Makes amazing tasting Italian style espresso
• Simple to use
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Can take ten (plus) minutes long, but really I’m not going to complain too loudly about that. Good coffee is worth waiting for.
• Small learning curve

Buy the Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Makers for $24.48 at Amazon.

Check out my full review of the Moka Pot.

Do you still need more suggestions or are looking for something else? Let me know in the comments or ask me your questions via the contact page and I’ll do my best to help you out!

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Coffee Brewing Equipment is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

• Easy To Use (Once You Get It Setup)
• Easy To Clean
• Makes Good Cappuccinos

Cons:

• Difficult To Get Started
• Can Be Messy
• Price Tag

Today, I finally have the review of the Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine. It arrived in the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen way back in September and since then has been receiving some pretty extensive testing.

Before we get to far, a little background about the Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine. This machine is a fully automatic and brews espressos, cappuccinos and long coffee (espresso with extra water). It includes a grinder, milk frother and just about anything else that you would need to make an espresso drink at the touch of a button. It’s retail price is $1,799.

Key Features

• An airtight lid with anti-UV coating keeps beans fresh until you’re ready to grind them.
• The built-in ceramic disc grinder operates safely and quietly for a fresh grind time after time.
• Select the coarseness of the grind you prefer with easy-to-use controls.
• An adjustable doser allows you to regulate the amount of ground coffee so you can control the coffee’s strength.
• An adjustable dispensing head can be raised and lowered to fit a variety of cup sizes.
• An adjustable brewing temperature with 3 settings
• Saeco’s easy-clean system allows for simple, chemical-free cleaning.
• The tank includes an Intenza water filter to improve your coffee’s taste and protect your machine from limescale.
• A programmable pre-brewing cycle injects hot water into the ground coffee for optimal flavor extraction.
• Powerful 15-bar pump for maximum extraction of flavor.
• Energy-saving after one hour.

Pros:

The Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine is fairly easy to use (after you figure it out). You add water, you add coffee beans (or pre-ground coffee), select what kind drink you’d like to brew and press the brew button. From start to finish, it takes less than two minutes to brew any of the drinks that I brewed.

It’s easy to clean. It will automatically clean itself before it shuts down and there is an option to clean do the automatic cleaning anytime you want. The coffee grounds drawer and milk container are a breeze to clean. And if you clean the drip tray on a regular basis, it’ll be a lot easier to keep clean, along with your counter.

As far as the drinks that it makes, the cappuccino that it makes was my favorite. I think it’s better than most of the cappuccinos that I’ve had at chain coffee shops. It was easy to adjust the strength of the cappuccino to exactly what I wanted and after a few tries, I had exactly the drink that I wanted. The espresso was good, better than what’s served at most chain coffee shops, but it doesn’t beat anything I’ve had from a manual espresso machine. As far as the long coffees, I tried it one morning. It tasted watered down, so the next morning I was back to using my French Press.

Cons:

Most of the negative aspects of this machine fall into the annoying category, here’s the things that bothered me the most.

Do not try to setup this machine and brew your first espresso without having caffeine before hand. There is a lot of instructions and it can get very confusing. I’m not sure what I brewed the first time, but it wasn’t an espresso, wasn’t a cappuccino, it might have been a long coffee, but whatever it wasn’t it was horrible. Plus, I made a watery mess on the counter in the process. I highly recommend brewing some coffee first, reading through the instructions, then setting up this machine.

Under normal use, the Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine can become very messy. If you let the coffee grounds drawer fill up too much, they’re going to fall all over the place when you pull out the drawer. Plus, before every drink it shoots out a blast of hot water. It’s cleaning out the machine, but if you don’t have a cup underneath it, it can fill up the drip tray quickly. When it’s doing the automatic cleaning, it’ll also shoot out more water. I kept an extra cup near by for that too, yet the drip tray still seemed to fill up quickly with water and there were a couple of flash foods with water getting all over my counter and even on my kitchen floor.

The biggest drawback that is stopping me from buying a Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine is the eighteen hundred dollar price tag. That’s a serious investment and if you drink enough espresso/cappuccino, it will pay for itself. However, there are espresso machines that will do the same for a lot less. Of course, there’s also machines that are a lot more expensive. Based on what I’ve seen of the construction, with proper maintenance, this machine looks like it will last for a very long time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I liked having this machine in the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen. The biggest drawback for me is the price, but if you can afford the price tag, it’s a solid machine to have around the house. It makes good cappuccinos and it beats going to the coffee shop every time you’re in the mood for some creamy, frothy espresso goodness.

Check out more photos on the Daily Shot Of Coffee Facebook page.

Your turn: Have you tried this machine? What’s your favorite espresso machine?

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Fine Print.

Review Of The Philips Saeco Syntia Semi-Automatic Cappuccino Machine is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

You might be wondering why I’m reviewing a Pur Water Filter on Daily Shot Of Coffee. The reason is that besides the beans, water is the largest ingredient in coffee and can have the largest impact on the taste of your morning cup of java. Filtered water does taste different then hard water that’s loaded with lots of minerals. It’s definitely better tasting then coffee that’s made with polluted water.

The specific Pur Water Filter that I’m reviewing (and you can win) is the PUR® mineralclear™ Vertical Mount Faucet Water Filter.

Pur describes it:

• Unique, vertical design installs in minutes with just one click, without tools
• Provides a continuous stream of clean, filtered water with the flick of a switch
• 360-degree swivel feature gives you more room to work when you need it
• Built-in Electronic Filter Life Indicator simplifies filter replacement
• High-quality construction provides maximum durability

I will be looking at two key features, how easy is it to install (because, I’ll admit that I’m not too handy around the house) and how does the filtered water taste compared to regular tap water.

The installation is simple. It was just unscrewing the faucet aerator and replacing it with a their adapter. The hardest part was inserting the filter because I tried to make it more complicated than it actually. Then simply snapping the unit into the adapter.

Determining the quality differences was a little more difficult. First, I filled two glasses with water. I could taste the difference. The filtered water was lighter on my tongue and tasted cleaner.

Next I brewed up two batches of French Pressed coffee. The difference was more subtle, but it did taste more smoother and cleaner.

I am in no way an expert water filter reviewer, but for the average joe, this water filter gets two thumbs up.

This Pur Water Filter is $29.99-$39.99 or you can win one here! Hurry, contest ends tomorrow.

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Fine Print.

Pur Water Filter And Reminder is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The latest piece of coffee equipment to enter the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen for review is an espresso machine from Philips Saeco called the Syntia Cappuccino machine.

As soon as I opened the box and put it on the counter, I knew this wasn’t just another espresso machine. The Syntia Cappuccino is a sleek and stylish looking espresso machine. However, I’ll be looking at more than just it’s looks. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be checking out the quality of the drinks that it makes and the usability.

It says it can brew everything from espresso, to long coffee to as the name implies, cappuccino. And since the milk carafe is integrated into the machine, it can be done all with the push of a button. This machines allows you to choose your favorite coffee blend and adjust coffee length, intensity, temperature, crema and body for the perfect espresso, cappuccino, latte macchiato, etc. They say the machine even saves your specifications, so you can make the same tasting drink over and over.

It features:

• An airtight lid with anti-UV coating keeps beans fresh until you’re ready to grind them.
• The built-in ceramic disc grinder operates safely and quietly for a fresh grind time after time.
• Select the coarseness of the grind you prefer with easy-to-use controls.
• An adjustable doser allows you to regulate the amount of ground coffee so you can control the coffee’s strength.
• An adjustable dispensing head can be raised and lowered to fit a variety of cup sizes.
• An adjustable brewing temperature with 3 settings
• Saeco’s easy-clean system allows for simple, chemical-free cleaning.
• The large drip tray can be removed for cleaning.
• The large capacity 40-oz. water tank is removable.
• The tank includes an Intenza water filter to improve your coffee’s taste and protect your machine from limescale.
• A programmable pre-brewing cycle injects hot water into the ground coffee for optimal flavor extraction.
• Powerful 15-bar pump for maximum extraction of flavor.
• Energy-saving after one hour.
• Incredibly compact design allows front access to all features, freeing up valuable counter space.

In addition, Philips Saeco was the first fully-automated espresso machines to be certified with an in-cup quality label by Centro Studi Assaggiatori Italian Tasters, meaning Philips Saeco brews the perfect cup of espresso as defined and certified by the Centro Studi Assaggiatori Italian Tasters. (That sounds awesome, but it all goes back to me giving it a through testing from the average joe’s point of view.)

With a price tag of $1,799, the Syntia Cappuccino isn’t cheap so I’ll be determining if it’s worth the investment.

I won’t stop at just the quality of the drinks it brews, but I’ll also look at how easy is to use, how easy is it to clean/maintain and look at whether I think it will last or just fall apart after a few months.

Is there anything else that you would like me to test? Have you tried this machine, what did you think?

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Fine Print.

Sneak Peek At The Philips Saeco Syntia Cappuccino Machine is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

So, you’re sick of all those fancy ‘bells and whistles’ coffee makers that are the size of a small doghouse, filled to the brim with features and functions that you just don’t need? All you really want is a mid-sized coffee maker that is well built, looks good, and makes darn good coffee? Then lucky you are reading this eh?

Zojirushi is a Japanese company that started life in Osaka in 1918 as the Ichikawa Brothers Trading Company. In 1961 it changed its name to the Zojirushi Corporation, and for many years has been known mainly for their rice-cookers and water-boilers. What made them a company to be reckoned with is their ability to keep things simple, and build their products well.

While other companies tried to pack as many fan-dangled features as possible into a cheaply made shell – Zojirushi kept a clean, understated style of design. If a feature wasn’t absolutely necessary, they didn’t add it. This can be seen in the simple fact that while some coffee maker companies bring out 10-30 different models – all just a little different to the next; Zojirushi have just 2. They do a 10- cup thermal carafe coffee maker, and this little beauty – the 5-cup Zutto EC-DAC50.

Clean and simple design – Has what you need, nothing that you don’t.

Here is a list of features for you:

• Mid-sized 5-cup coffee maker.
• Removable water reservoir for easy filling.
• Charcoal water filter for great tasting coffee.
• Automatically keeps coffee warm, without burning it.
• Classic silver color.
• Currently has over 140 reviews on Amazon, with a 4.5 star rating.
• UL listed (Underwriters’ Laboratories).
• Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 10.6 inches; 3.5 pounds.
• 650 watts.
• 1-year limited warranty.

Lets look at a few of the good points, and the not so good.

The Good:

• A great looking machine in the ‘mid-sized’ coffee maker category.
• Very compact footprint.
• Super simple design, with very little to go wrong.
• Consistent brew temperature.
• Solid construction.
• Removable charcoal water filter.
• Heating pad doesn’t scald the coffee.
• Perfect for the office, dorm room, or kitchen for 1 or 2 drinkers.

The Bad:

• Not the cheapest mid-sized coffee maker.
• Several complaints about the carafe lid opening when pouring coffee.
• If you like extremely hot coffee, some say the Zutto is not for you.
• No auto-off feature.
• The term ‘5-cup’ means 5 250ml cups, not 5 mugs.

Final Words
The Zojirushi Zutto 5-cup coffeemaker is, and has been for a while, my personal top pick in the best coffee makers race. It adheres to the K.I.S.S principal, looks great, and simply does what it is meant to do. What more do you need really?

My name is Billy.411 and I run a few coffee related websites. Most notably, two coffee maker review sites — CoffeeMakers411.com and for you coffee pod geeks out there, SingleCupCoffee411.com. Follow us on Facebook at CoffeeHub411. Thanks for reading!

The Zojirushi Zutto Coffee Maker EC-DAC50 is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

Pros:

• Quick And Easy To Use
• Compostable Pods
• Taste Is Above Average

Cons:

1. Not As Fresh As Whole Bean
2. Difficult To Make More Than One Cup At A Time
3. Availability Of Pods

There’s been a lot of coffee makers pass through the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen, single serve coffee makers from Keurig and Tassimo, a grind and brew drip coffee maker from Cuisnart and now the My Cafe from BUNN.

The My Cafe is a single serve coffee maker that uses pods (not K-Cups or capsules). The pods are about the size of a half dollar and are sprayed with hot water at 200 degrees. It’s fairly simple, just a brew and pulse (for stronger coffee) buttons. You can add as little or as much water as you want, to make the coffee however strength you like and for whatever size mug you want to use.

It’s very quick and easy to use. Just add the water, put the pod in and hit brew. It takes about two minutes to heat up and about thirty seconds to actually brew the coffee.

I have a tendency to make a mess when I’m making coffee. Any given morning, you can find coffee grounds and drips of coffee all over my kitchen counters. However, the My Cafe didn’t make any mess. The coffee stayed in the pods and I didn’t have to worry about the grounds getting all over the place. However, just make sure you don’t add 14 ounces of water for a mug that will hold only 10 ounces. That’s when things can get messy.

A huge bonus is that the pods are compostable. Instead of throwing them in the trash, you can throw them in your compost heap and have some very caffeinated worms. A huge improvement over the capsules that are made of plastic and aren’t recyclable. There is also some pods that are Fair Trade and Organic, so a couple more bonus points for that.

Maybe the most important part is the taste. Overall, I thought the coffee tasted better than the average K-Cup. It tasted about on the same level as ground coffee, not as good as whole bean but still very drinkable, especially on those busy mornings when I’m in a rush to get out the door.

It’s great for making one cup of coffee at a time, but if you want to brew two cups back to back, be careful. The pods get pretty hot and you might want to give them a couple of minutes to cool down before you try to peel them out of the pod drawer.

The only real problem that I had with the My Cafe is that a few days after I first used it, the next cup had a very off plastic smell and taste. It was weird because I didn’t notice that taste the first time I used it, but after it sat around for a couple of days, I couldn’t take more than a sip before I had to throw it out. I’m not sure if it was because there was water sitting around in it or what, but it was bad. I ended up running a vinegar and water mixture through it a couple of times and it went away, but it did leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Which brings up the BPA issue that in the comments in the preview article, Karen asked about. I found an answer on the BUNN community forum. There a BUNN representative answered: “Most of the parts that come in contact with hot water are silicone and polypropylene – both of which are BPA-free. There is one part made of polysulfone. Polysulfone contains, but does not leach BPA.”

The only drawback that I saw to the pods, is there availability. On the My Cafe website, I found a little more than forty different varieties of coffee. I’ve heard estimates that there are more than a couple hundred varieties of K-Cup’s out there. Plus, K-Cups seem to be at every grocery store. I only found a limited number at one of the stores near me.

The price per cup is fairly reasonable. An 18 pack of pods sells for $9.99 on the My Cafe website. That’s about 55 cents a cup, not as cheap as buying a 12 ounce bag of whole bean coffee, but better than buying a box of K-Cups at the grocery store.

The My Cafe retails at $199.99. Keurigs run from $99 to $249, so I’d say that the My Cafe is pretty reasonable in that department too.

The My Cafe is one of the best single serve coffee makers that I’ve reviewed. It’s up there with the Keurig in my books. The only difference that stands out to me is the variety of coffee available. However, more important to me is something that’s a little bit more environmental friendly, yet still makes a cup of coffee quickly.

Have you tried the My Cafe? What did you think? What’s you’re favorite single serve coffee maker?

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Fine Print.

Review: My Cafe From BUNN is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

For good or bad, there’s a lot of hype surrounding single serve coffee market right now. The general public (including me), want their coffee fast and easy when they’re rushing off to work or only have a few seconds between meetings.

Most of those single serve coffee makers need to be connected to an electrical power source and many of eat up single use plastic pods that can’t be recycled and don’t decompose. However, there’s a new product that doesn’t require anything more than a source of a hot water, it’s completely biodegradable and as a bonus their coffee is fair trade and organic.

It’s called Dr. Drip. It’s like a drip coffee maker combined with a pour over and a little bit of tea bag thrown in for good measure. It comes in single serve packets and can be brought to the office, camping or anywhere you might need a quick pick me up.

Dr. Drip is pretty easy to use. I just opened up the package, unfolded it and placed it on my coffee cup. The top is uncovered, so loose coffee can escape if you’re not careful. However, that’s not really one of my two complaints. My biggest complaint about the design is that it comes in just one size. That one size fits a normal sized coffee mug, however the majority of my mugs hold an above average amount of coffee for my above average amount of coffee consumption. And if you’re half asleep in the morning and not functioning 100%, make sure you put it on correctly on your cup or the coffee will end up all over your counter like it did for me.

Of the Dr. Drip flavors that I tried, my favorite was The Organic Tonic. It had a rich chocolate and nutty aroma that got my nose interested. The taste was strong, but not too over powering. It would earn about a 3.25 on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale. It’s better than the average K-Cup, but not exactly as flavorful and full of life as coffee made with freshly ground beans.

As far as the price tag, one box with five Dr. Drip packets is $8.99. Sure it’s less than two espresso creations at Starbucks, but it’s breaks down to about $1.79 a cup. At that price you’re probably better heading to the independent coffee shop on the corner and grabbing a cup to go there. It’s also more expensive than the average cost of a K-Cup.

Overall, I liked the Dr. Drip. It’s one of my favorite coffee inventions that’s showed up in the Daily Shot Of Kitchen recently. I give it huge points for being more environmentally friendly than a K-Cup and more portable than a French Press. The price is really the only thing holding me back. I drink a lot of coffee and it could get expensive quickly. If the price was a little lower, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a box and bring it to work as an alternative to the Foldgers coffee that I avoid at the office.

What do you think? Is this something you would try?

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Fine Print.

The Doctor Is In? Review Of Dr. Drip Coffee System is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee