Coffee

Single cup coffee refers to the type of coffee that’s produced from single portion pods or containers – typically using single cup coffee makers specific to the particular brand or type of container. There are currently five main types or formats – Coffee Pods, Tassimo T Discs, Keurig K Cups, Nespresso Capsules and Nescafe Dolce Gusto Capsules, as we explain below.

First though, the common features…

They all allow you to brew a fresh cup of coffee, with only a minimum of waiting time and a minimum of preparation/attention required.

Single cup coffee making does away with the need to grind your own beans and reduces the actions to that of ensuring that there’s enough water in the machine, switching it on, then when hot (which normally only takes a minute of so) inserting the pod/capsule/disc and pressing a button to produce the freshly brewed coffee.

The machines are also typically quite compact, so don’t take up too much space on your kitchen counter or your desk! One thing to note is that it’s typically only the higher-end machines that can produce a true espresso, which is typically accepted as requiring a pressure of 9 bars or more, but may people find the drinks produced by the other machines perfectly acceptable, while being extremely convenient to use.

As mentioned above, single cup coffee comes in five main formats:

• Coffee Pods – While these are the most common, interchangeable option, you do need to be aware that the ‘standard’ pod size is the 62mm size, as there are also 44mm and 55mm pods/machines. If you stick to the 62mm machines, such as the Philips Senseo single cup coffee makers or the Krups Home Cafe range, you’ll find that you have the widest range of choices, from both the producers of the single cup coffee markers as well as from independent sources.
  - A main source for this type of coffee pod is the Senseo Douwe Egberts range, which currently has a number of sub-ranges, covering the traditional coffee strengths such as Decaffeinated, Medium Roast, Dark Roast and Expresso, featured blends such as Sumatra Blend, Brazil Blend, Kenyan Blend and Colombia Blend together with other flavors such as Breakfast Blend, Creme Brulee, Chocolate and Paris (French Vanilla).
• Tassimo T Discs – These work with the Tassimo range of single cup coffee makers, which are able to read the bar code on the discs, which allow the machine to adjust it’s processing according to the specific needs of the selected disk, including being able to use a ‘milk’ disc when making cappuccinos, etc.
  - The Tassimo system takes advantage of the capability to adjust the processing according to the particular requirements of the selected drink, so it’s able to dispense a range of drinks from premium coffees, crema coffees, real milk cappuccinos and lattes, espressos, hot chocolates and even teas.
• Keurig K Cups – These work with the Keurig range of single cup coffee makers and fit between the T Discs and the Coffee Pods, in that there are more flavors or variations available than for T Discs, but fewer than the ‘open’ Coffee Pod format.
  - Keurig have partnered with a range of independent companies to provide a huge range of K-Cup varieties, including coffee sources such as Green Mountain Coffee, Diedrich Coffee Roasters, Van Houtte and Timothy’s, Tea brands such as Celestial Seasonings, Bigelow’s and Twinings. They have a large range of blends, covering categories including Extra Bold Roasts (30% more coffee per brew), Dark, Medium & Light Roast, Flavored, Decaffeinated, Fair Trade Certified and Organicm as well as Teas and Hot Cocoa.
• Nespresso Capsules – As might be expected by now, the Nespresso Capsules only work with Nespresso single cup coffee makers, with the difference here being that these are the machines that can provide a true espresso, utilizing pressures in excess of the accepted minimum of 9 BAR to force the water through the ground coffee.
  - One thing to be aware of with the Nespresso system is that while the Nespresso machines are available in various retail locations, the Nespresso capsules are not, but rather have to be purchased directly from Nespresso, either online, via phone or mail or at Nespresso Boutiques. As a result, the ‘running costs’ tend to be somewhat higher than for other systems, which might need to be taken into consideration before purchasing a Nespresso single cup coffee maker.
• Nescafe Dolce Gusto Capsules – These are relatively new to the market, but are backed by Nescafe and Krups. There’s a certain overlap between Nescafe’s Nespresso range and this range, but the focus of the Dole Gusto range appears to be on the home market and allowing them to cup a wider range of drinks that just espressos, which is the focus of the Nespresso.
  - The Dolce Gusto capsule range include Caffe Americano, Mocha, Espresso, Chococino, Cappuccino as well as variations such as Cappuccino Skinny and Cappuccino Ice.

The Nespresso range is probably the option for the true enthusiast, although the Nescafe Dolce Gusto range also uses a professional-level 15-bar pressure system and is worth considering. If new to single cup coffee makers, however, it might be worth starting with a Coffee Pod machine such as the Philips Senseo before seeing if investing in a more expensive system is needed.

Finally, one tip – the results from all the systems can often be improved if you are able to ensure that your mug is warmed before adding the coffee – Give it a try!

For more articles on Coffee and Single Serve Coffee, see the Coffee Pod Guide.

Author: Gwyn Evans
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

There is so much more to drinking coffee than just knowing whether you want a cappuccino or a shot of espresso. What really makes the drink are the beans, and the art of growing good beans is akin to the difference between a bottle of cheap wine and the finest Brunello from Montalcino.

Furthermore, coffee beans are a bit of a mystery to a lot people since they only grow in specific regions, due to their finicky nature and need for specific weather patterns. Here is a break-down of some of the most popular beans, and why they make such great coffee.

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Ever enjoyed a drink at a bar that included Tia Maria? Then you know the secret of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, which is known for its surprisingly mild flavor and serious lack of bitter aftertaste. In addition to flavoring one of the tastiest coffee liqueurs around, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee also is brewed as regular coffee. The coffee beans grow between Kingston and Port Maria in the Blue Mountains, where a cool and misty climate with a huge annual rainfall ensures the soil is just right to grow these special beans.

Colombian Coffee
One of the biggest producers of coffee beans is Columbia, a country with a perfect environment for growing different varieties of Arabica beans, like Caturra, Typica, and Bourbon. The coffee grown in Columbia is imported by many countries around the world, like Japan, The United States, Australia, and Holland. Initially, harvested beans were roasted with charcoal in saucepans at the very beginning of Columbia’s long-going historical trade and harvesting.

Aloha Island Coffee Pods
Some of the best coffee in the world comes from Hawaii, really the only place in the States where coffee beans thrive. The type of beans, Kona, come in many varieties, but the absolute best are produced at a private coffee plantation on the Big Island of Hawaii, located right on the slopes of Mauna Loa, the famous volcano. It is the volcanic soil, coupled with rainfall and tropical sunshine, that makes these beans grow so well here, resulting in a cup of coffee that is incredibly smooth and not at all acidic.

Kopi Luwak
Always wanted to try a coffee made from beans that have already been eaten and digested? Well, you might have done that inadvertently, with Kopi Luwak coffee beans. Grown in Java, the coffee is some of the most popular around, all thanks to Asian Palm Civits, which love the coffee beans, eat them, and then digest them in a remarkable process that adds more flavor for us humans later. Apologies in advance if coffee was just ruined for you forever.

Remember, while different countries all produce different types of beans, it does not mean that the names on this list are the only type of coffee bean grown in that particular country. Furthermore, it is possible that many of these beans have shown up in different names and varieties through United States importers.

For socially-conscious consumers, one of the best things you can do, before deciding you absolutely must try a type of coffee bean, is to see if there’s an organization that produces and imports said beans in a fair-trade way. Harvesting coffee is tough work, and it is a shame how unfairly paid a number of these production countries are, especially considering how much the beans draw around the world.

Damian Papworth has always loved to start the day with a coffee. He recently purchased an 8 cup coffee maker which he wrote about on his website, One Cup Coffee Makers.

Author: Damian Papworth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The first problem in looking for coffee tea makers is you probably would not find one that states it can brew both coffee and tea. The fact is, there are no tea brewers, most of the brewers out there are designed for coffee. But, there are a few coffee machines that can do both coffee and tea equally well. The first one that you should know about is the French Press. They are easy to use, brew good quality coffee or tea and are priced reasonably.

The brewing method for tea and coffee is exactly the same. The first thing is to add in the hot water that is slightly below boiling point, placed the coffee grounds or tea leaves into the filter mesh, allow it to seep for a few minutes then press the coffee grounds or tea leaves. After that, simply pour out the beverage and enjoy it. Other than being very user friendly, it is also very easy to maintain, in fact, most of the French Press is dish washer friendly. And lastly, the pricing for these brewers are very reasonable.

If you find this procedure too complicated, how about pressing one button for your beverage? For an even simpler coffee and tea solution, it would have to be the single serve coffee maker. While no coffee maker ratings would highlight this as their strengths, single serve coffee makers are one of the rare coffee machines that are able to brew equally good coffee and tea.

However, not all the brands are able to do that, currently in the market, only 2 brands are able to do it exceptionally well. They are Keurig and Tassimo, both offers consumers a wide array of beverages, coffee and tea being just the two of them. Out of these two brands, I like Tassimo more because of its individual brewing system. On the back of all its coffee pods known as T-disc are a series of code. This code teaches the machines how to brew the beverage by changing the water temperature and water level to suit the type of beverage.

So, a cup of tea would definitely be brewed differently from a cappuccino. This allows you to enjoy the full flavor of the tea and coffee in exactly the conditions that it would be brewed in coffee shops. If you are someone that loves to drink coffee and tea, then this brewer would be my recommendation. There is another machine that is also able to dispense coffee and tea, but most of you would probably not purchase it -table top vending machine. They have been around longer than the single cup coffee brewers and strictly speaking should be considered the first one button machine.

They are very easy to use and easy to maintain but not many people would like the taste of freeze dried coffee and tea. Freeze dried beverages are similar to the instant coffee and tea that you can get from supermarket, so I doubt anyone would be paying money for a machine to dispense instant coffee! There you have it, a guide of the various types of brewers that can brew both coffee and tea and also my personal recommendation on the one which I think is better.

Ebenezer Heng, the owner of On Coffee makers does the research for on any machines related to coffee. As long as you are looking for a machines to better your coffee experience, chances are you can find it at http://www.oncoffeemakers.com, and read more about coffee tea makers articles

Author: Ebenezer Heng
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are searching for the best single cup coffee maker, you will be surprised to find all the brands that are available. There is one that will fit every budget and every need. One cup coffee makers will give you the most perfect cup of freshly brewed coffee every time and make brewing a single cup of coffee a breeze. These machines can be set up in no time.

The best one cup brewer will be able to give you a freshly brewed cup of coffee in seconds. Some of them use pre-measured coffee pods that have just the right amount of coffee already measured for you. The best one cup coffee maker that you can find will make it so simple and easy to get that cup of coffee you so love. And these pods make getting that cup of coffee mess-free too.

While you are trying to find the best single cup brewer, you will notice that there are lots of options to choose from. Some of the single cup coffee makers will also include a thermal cup for you to use for your cup of coffee. Also look for the single cup coffee system that will have a two-pod holder option. This will give you the chance to have different coffee varieties so that others can choose which one they like best while you enjoy your favorite cup of coffee.

The best brewer will be just right for your home or office. Some people even put them in their garage or shop so they don’t have to go into the house to make a cup of coffee. The coffee brewer will be not only functional, but it will have an attractive design that will enhance the area where you will be putting it to use and will help save water too. One cup coffee makers do cut down on the amount of water used and that prevents wasted water. After you find the best single cup coffee maker for your own specific needs, you will be able to find the style and color that you want. There are many choices offered. Some single cup coffee systems are even sold in sets. The one cup coffee brewer set will have the coffee maker, a toaster, a kettle and a blender that are all color coordinated. Right now, many people consider a stainless steel model to be the best single cup coffee system color choice. Stainless steel goes with any color scheme in your home.

There are so many popular brands on the market now that it is hard to choose the best single cup coffee maker. They all offer different options to choose from. The best thing to do to find the right one for you is to compare them all and see which ones fit into your list of needs and wants and color and design likes, and then choose the best coffee maker for your own requirements.

Paige Kestner

http://www.gourmet-coffee-makers.com

Do you have a coffee lover on your Christmas list?

Keurig single cup coffee makers make great gifts.

Buy a Keurig Coffee Brewer today and get free shipping and free K-Cups!

Author: Paige Kestner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Try browsing the Internet for single cup coffee makers, and you’ll find dozens of websites, all purporting that they sell the best brewers available. The problem lies in the fact that most sites don’t agree with each other, so you get as many different opinions as there are coffee making machines. One of the debates on these websites is whether it’s better to buy a brewing system that uses k-cups or one that uses coffee pods. Both have their pros and cons, and this article is going to explore what’s good and what’s bad about them.

K-cups are the ultimate in convenience. They are little pre-measured portions of coffee housed in air-tight plastic cups sealed with both plastic and foil in order to preserve freshness. A k-cup coffee maker sends pressurized hot water through the top of the cup into a filter filled with coffee grounds. You can purchase an optional k-cup carousel for convenient counter-top storage. K-cups are made by many different gourmet coffee brands including Green Mountain, Caribou, Emeril’s, Newman’s Own, Gloria Jean’s, and Timothy’s. You will find numerous distinctive flavors and roasts to suit any taste.

On the downside, k-cups are expensive. You can end up paying as much as $.63 per cup with certain brands of coffee. For example, a box of 22 Green Mountain Variety Flavor K-Cups costs $13.95. You may find a few websites that offer discount k-cups, but even so they tend to be expensive compared to other coffee brewing methods.

There are a couple of ways you can avoid buying so many costly k-cups if you own a k-cup brewer. One of these is a reusable coffee filter you can fill with your own grounds. Using this type of filter you still have to mess with wet grounds, and reviewers will tell you they don’t make nearly as good of a cup of coffee as the originals, but they make single cup brewers much less expensive to use. You can also reuse k-cups 10 to 20 times provided you buy reusable plastic lids and put in your own coffee grounds.

Coffee pods are also pre-measured packets of all different kinds of coffee. These pods are filters that are heat sealed to keep the coffee in them fresh. They have been likened to tea bags, but the coffee they produce is fresh-brewed, because single cup coffee makers brew coffee one cup at a time. Pods are available in dozens of varieties, and where some people have complained that k-cups are very limited in the flavors they offer, there is no problem with that when it comes to coffee pods. Companies, such as Senseo, produce their own coffee pods to specifically fit their coffee makers; however, there are numerous standardized pods available that you can use also.

Once again, the problem with coffee pods is that they are expensive. Although they don’t run as much per cup as k-cups do, they are still more expensive than either a drip coffee maker or a French press. As with k-cups, there are alternatives to using the premade packets. You can buy a machine and make your own heat-sealed pods, or you can buy adapters for some brewers that allow you to use regular coffee grounds. Another negative that some people have found with certain coffee pods is that they make coffee that is too weak. To remedy this problem they use two pods per cup which doubles the price of each cup of coffee.

As with most products these days, it all depends on personal preference and budget. You will find lots of online reviews from people loving their k-cup brewers as well as reviews from those who are very happy with their coffee pod coffee makers. Therefore, it’s pretty much up to you to weigh the options and decide which type of brewing system is right for you.

Paul Julian coffee pods and k cups at http://www.CoffeePodsAndKcups.com.

Author: Paul Julian
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger