As pointed out upthread by various people, it can be difficult to rationalize using K-cups.
1) Expense: The brewer itself is spendy, accompanied by reams of user reviews complaining of short lifespan. A K-cup costs $.50-$1.00. By contrast, a cup of coffee made from bagged beans or pre-ground costs a fraction of that.
2) Waste: Despite on-the-horizon reassurances from several companies, nearly all K-cups are still not recyclable.
3) Quality of Brew: Does a Keurig-brewed cup of, say, Caribou French roast taste as rich and nuanced as one brewed with a Technivorm Moccamaster? No it does not. The 2.0 model K550 (shown) has a 'Strong' setting, which improves the brew, but it still falls short of the gold standard.
Keurig's primary hook, of course, is convenience. Pop in a K-cup, press a button, then toss the pod. It just doesn't get easier than that.
Almost as important is the seemingly infinite selection. I keep 4 different decafs, 6-8 regular varieties, a few flavored coffees, a half-dozen teas, hot cocoa, hot apple cider, and lemonade on hand at home and work. A coworker, who is a regular in my office, says "It's like being a kid in a candy store!" It's fun to choose different coffees during the day. I generally start out with a dark roast, followed by a decaf or two, a medium or light roast mid-afternoon, then another decaf or half-caff in the evening. Plus iced tea.
I don't foresee returning to traditional brewing methods.
[this post was last edited: 6/23/2015-06:34]
Gracia!
