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

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

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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

You’ve probably heard the term “gourmet coffee”, but do you really know what makes some coffees gourmet while others aren’t? It all goes back to the coffee bean, which isn’t a bean at all. Instead, it’s a seed of the coffee plant. Coffee has been around in some form for at least the last thousand years. Legend has it that it was first discovered in Ethiopia and later spread throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. One of the first American settlers brought a plant to the new world to start a plantation. The people of the United States now consume more coffee than any other country, and the new, single-cup coffee makers are revolutionizing the way we make coffee.

The two main types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Only ripe berries are used in gourmet coffees, because these are the berries that will have the best flavor. The beans are painstakingly hand-picked to make sure that only the ripe ones are chosen. Gourmet coffee is made of Arabica coffee beans that have been roasted long enough to get the oils flowing. That’s where all the taste is. The longer the beans are roasted, the deeper and richer the taste. Gourmet coffees utilize the best of these beans that have been roasted to perfection. The strength of the coffee being produced also depends on the size of the grind with finer grinds delivering darker coffee.

Different kinds of blends are mixed together per manufacturer recipes to achieve the different tastes. That’s why when you shop for gourmet coffee pods for your single cup coffee maker you’re able to find so many different blends to choose from. That’s what it means when companies offer you house blends, signature blends, organic blends, and the like. The companies producing the gourmet coffees have selected the finest coffee beans they can find, roasted them, put them through rigorous taste testing, and ended up with fine blends they can label gourmet.

When you purchase coffee pods for your 1 cup coffee maker, you expect to get the best of the best, and that’s what you’ll be paying for. Since the process of creating gourmet coffee is very labor intensive, from hand-picking to extended roasting time to the sampling of different blends, you pay premium prices for it; however, many people think the end result is well worth the expense.

Paul Julian writes about one of the coolest inventions ever, the single cup coffee maker, at http://www.CoffeePodsAndKcups.com.

Author: Paul Julian
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You have just arrived at the office and you are so looking forward to that hot cup of coffee Your not thinking about single cup coffee makers because you share coffee with the entire office so of course there is always coffee You unload at your desk and head for the coffee pot only to find that again it is empty. Yes there is always coffee but it isn’t always made when we need it. You know it is not your turn but, you choose to make more coffee because you really want that hot cup of coffee yourself. There is not usually an office schedule as to who’s turn it is to make the coffee so it is usually up to those of us who didn’t get a cup.

With this type of start to our work day we may not be as effective as we would like. There is a way to never again be the last one to get a cup of coffee You don’t have to rush, unload or worry you can have a great hot up of coffee when you want it. Single cup coffee makers allow you to have that cup of coffee when and where you want it. It is small enough to take with you to the office and will fit on your desk without taking much space. You may still make the coffee but it will be for yourself when you want it. If you want coffee ready for you in the morning, just prepare the pot and when you get in turn it on and by the time you get ready to start your work day you have a fresh hot cup of coffee at your finger tips.

Being able to not have to depend on the office coffee pot will allow you to be more effective throughout the day. You will have coffee at your desk and you can get your work done even while you are brewing a fresh pot and you can enjoy that great aroma all by yourself. You do not have to worry about dumping out coffee grounds from the previous pot that you didn’t get any from. With single cup coffee makers, that is all you have to be concerned about is your single cup of coffee

Our day is already filled with things that can make us less effective why not teat yourself with a product that can help you be more effective on the job. Without having to clean up or fill up for others you can concentrate on what will make your day successful for you. There probably hasn’t been much thought to the negatives of the office coffee pot because so many of us do enjoy that cup of coffee Now we can focus on being effective from the first minute we walk through the office door and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with s single cup coffee makers.

Michael S Brown

Free Coffee Maker

Single Coffee Makers

Author: Michael S. Brown
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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