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An increasing number of us nowadays are wondering how
to select a single serve coffee maker that will suit us best at
home. These kinds of coffeemaker are designed to produce – as you
might expect – a single cup of coffee at a time and they are
becoming increasingly popular amongst all kinds of coffee drinkers.
In the past we’ve been a bit
limited in our choices of coffee maker – we’ve often, for example,
had to make a whole pot of fresh coffee just to enjoy a single cup
but things are different nowadays.
The Advantages
The advantages of single serve
coffee stations are primarily found in the fact that they can make
just one serving of coffee at a time and that they work real quick
as a consequence in comparison to multi serve machines. So, you
won’t need to waste coffee or won’t need to make more coffee than
you’ll actually drink in one sitting.
And, if you choose one of the new
single serve pod systems as your final choice here, then you can
simply slip a small individual coffee pod into the machine, make
your cup of coffee and then throw the pod away. So, there’ll minimal
cleaning up and maintenance to do as well!
You can even pick and choose the
kinds of coffee you want to drink with these kinds of machines as
the pods can come in various types, roasts and flavors. Major coffee
companies that make coffee for these pods currently include some big
names in the sector such as Douwe Egberts, Melitta and Folgers – so
you’ll get a guarantee of coffee experience and quality at the same
time as well.
Two Types
There are basically two ways to
use a single serve coffee maker. In the first instance you can buy a
conventional coffee machine that uses standard ground coffee via a
normal filter system but which only brews a single cup of coffee at
a time rather than making up a whole big pot. It is worth noting
here that some of these machines may sometimes be able to brew up
two cups instead of just one which could give you a little more
flexibility.
In either case the machine here
will brew up directly into your cup extremely quickly and
efficiently. Some of these kinds of models even come with their own
mug when you buy them!
As single serve machines go this
kind of option is reliable but kind of uninspiring if you’re looking
for something a little different in your coffee drinking. But, if
you’re still wondering how to select a single serve coffee maker
then this may be a good option for you if you simply want an
affordable and compact coffee maker for one/two people. Some of
these machines are real tiny nowadays and could easily just sit on
the end of a desk for real ease of use without taking up too much
space.
But, if you want something a
little bit more exciting from a single serve coffee maker then you
really should also consider something along the lines of one of
these new pod systems we’ve already mentioned. These single serve
machines (such as those in the Philips Senseo range, for example)
are designed to take a single pod that contains a specific brand,
roast or type of coffee at a time.
You unwrap the pod from its
packaging, place it in the machine and it brews your coffee up for
you into the cup. You can then simply throw the used pod into the
trash. Again it’s worth noting that some pod systems can be
purchased that will make two cups of coffee at a time.
Variety - The Spice of Life
These machines are so popular now
partly because they are so convenient and reliable but also because
they allow you to buy different varieties, types and flavors of
coffee pods. So, you can pick and choose which kind of coffee you
will brew at any given time of day without having to keep a huge
stock of different types of coffee in your kitchen cupboards.
This does prevent you from having
lots of large unopened bags of coffee going stale in your cupboards
because you simply cannot drink them that fast. These pods are also
all individually sealed so you won’t lose freshness as you may do
once you open a bag of standard ground coffee.
One complaint that some pod
machine users have is that the pods themselves are not always as
cost effective as they may be. As you might expect you may have to
pay a premium for convenience here so this kind of pod system may
well work out to be more expensive to both buy the initial machine
and the pods than if you were just buying a small single serve maker
and regular bags of coffee.
One key thing to think about as
you ponder how to select a single serve coffee maker is
compatibility. Some pods can be used in other kinds of standard
coffee makers so it’s worth while checking on compatibility with
your manufacturer. And, some coffee pod systems offer the ability to
add a normal filter to the machine so you can use them as a standard
single serve machine with your own ground coffee.
Flexibility is vital here as you
don’t want to buy a coffee maker or a pod system that limits your
choices. Some pod systems, for example, will allow you to use other
types of pods in the machine as well as those that are made for the
particular model. This option is great as you get much more
flexibility in terms of coffee drinking choice. However, some
systems will only work with their own pods which could see you
limited on choice and which could also cost you more in the long
run.
It doesn’t really matter which
system you decide suits you best at the end of the day. You may even
opt for both choices! One last thing to remember is that you can get
great discounts and bargains on standard single serve coffee makers,
pod systems and the pods themselves if you shop around. Many pod
system users, for example, shop around on the Internet and then bulk
buy pods when they find a bargain.
About The Author
Carol Finch enjoys writing about coffee makers, beans, and more at
Coffee N' Beans:
http://www.coffee-n-beans.com.
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