Thursday, May 5, 2011

THE QUEST FOR A FRESH, HOT CUP OF COFFEE



Well, we've done it.  
We've joined the ranks of Keurig users.

We've been on the hunt for quite a while for a new coffee maker.  Hubby's been eyeballing the Keurig since before Christmas, especially the one Costco was/is selling.  The big one with the huge K-cup variety selection.  A very good price, but I wasn't sold.  It was so BIG, and I don't like appliances on my kitchen counters.  I know, goofy, it's the kitchen, but I've always stored all my appliances down under in the cabinets.

I did concede to having our last two - before the Keurig - on the counter.  Three coffee makers ago, we had the run-of-mill drip coffee maker with the glass carafe.  Well, as you can imagine, bringing the coffee maker up and down off the counter everyday would result in having that carafe fall and break occasionally.

So, when it came time to replace yet another carafe/coffee maker, we purchased this one . . .
A Cuisinart programmable on-demand coffee maker.  I loved this machine!  The coffee came out hot one cup at time.  It was hot, fresh and delicious.  That appliance was pretty large, and looked okay enough that I allowed it to find a home on top of the kitchen counter albeit in far corner
under a corner cabinet. ;-)

Well, after a few years it broke.  WAAHHHHH!!!  So sad.  The start knob stopped working.  Off to the trash it went.

The next one we purchased, a Mr. Coffee - something like the one below - was horrible!  


We thought this maker with the stainless steel thermos carafe would be perfect to keep the coffee nice and hot without cooking it.  Wrong!  You have to "prime" the thermos carafe by letting hot water sit in for a period of time. As the coffee brews and drips into the warmed carafe there's nothing to keep it hot.  No heating device (like a warming plate on a regular coffee maker) to keep the coffee warm.  Needless to say, by the second to last and last cups, the coffee was luke warm at best.

We suffered for months . . . months, I tell you! . . . having to endure drinking our morning coffee barely steaming.  And, as I mentioned above, Hubby kept  plugging the Keurig.  I just was not sure.  It's so big, and all those little K-cups - what a waste!  Not to mention we'd be roughly doubling our pice per cup of coffee.


I couldn't stop him any longer.  He wore me down.  I rationalized that we'd have to get a new coffee maker eventually not being happy with the current one, so I might as well concede.


I'll say it is nice!  A freshly brewed, steaming hot cup every time.  Everyone can have their own flavor.  We're a flavored-coffee family.  My fave is hazelnut.  


Hubby likes buttered toffee.  Son No. 2 is into cappuccino and vanilla flavored coffee.  And, we all mix it up too from time-to-time.  It was nice Easter Sunday when we had family over and everyone could have whatever flavor they wanted.  I also made sure to have some regular old coffee to add to our variety for those not into the froo-froo flavors like we are.

As much as I like our new Keurig, I will say I'm still having trouble throwing away all those K-cups.  It seems like such a waste!  I'm not the greenest person on the planet, but I try to do my little part.  I recycle, take as much unused items to the Goodwill as possible.  I even wash out and reuse my quart and gallon storage bags.  Oh, yes I do!

 I did get the loose coffee screen thingy so I can brew my own coffee too.  I do enjoy my blueberry-flavored coffee some mornings. 
mmmmmm!!!!


As a crafter, there has to be a way I can use all those little plastic cups for something.  Any ideas?! Although, I'm not sure how much I'd be into cleaning out the grounds of all those little cupus.  I'll have to think more about that plan.


I'll be happy to have a fresh, hot cup this morning to start my day.  Me and Son No. 2 have a golf date, so I'm definitely gonna need that caffeine punch to get me going! :o)


Thanks for visiting!
Leave a comment so I can get to know you.

4 comments:

Lisa@Pickles and Cheese said...

I hear great things about a Keurig but don't have one just yet. Ha, I am like you and I hate to throw away cute little containers thinking there MUST be something I can do with them. You should see how big my empty pudding cups collection is getting! The only thing I have used them for so far is mixing craft paint. :)

Janette@the2Seasons said...

We've had a commercial size Keurig since they came out, and we aren't even coffee drinkers! It's great when entertaining. Our friends owned Timothy's coffee, which is one of the companies that make the pods and other great coffee items. They $old it la$t year.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Yes! Don't you love it, Carla! We just got one this year, too. I've been wanting one for so long because we also drink hot chocolate in this house. I signed up on their website and order directly from them and you get a discount {apparently}. I just throw the cups out when they are done, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a wreath made out of them on someone's blog one day! : )

Paula ~ castleandcottagesigns said...

My dad just got one~ he loves it! It makes it easier to buy gifts for him...boxes of Keurig!
We also had that cuisinart one you had, and it broke...really it leaked like a seive everytime I used it...gone.
Now I'm a just plain old mr coffee kinda gal:)
I hear we're going to be doing mandatory recycling in DE soon so that should make you feel better about the little cups:)
Hope you have a Happy Mothers Day Carla!

Related Posts with Thumbnails