Single-Serve Coffee

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toggleswitch

toggleswitch

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LOW-TECH solutions to a low-tech problem.

K-CUPS? PISSSSSHHHHHHHAWWWWW.

Too much money for equipment that takes up counter-space, pushes water through plastic and generates "cold" coffee. The cost of those disposable K-cups is absurd!

Here is the low-tech way to do this.

I actually amazed a group at a Thanksgiving dinner, where the host had just moved in and didn't have a coffeemaker accessible/unpacked.

"AINTE" (AH-EE-DE) "Here we go".

If you can do Turkish/Greek/Armenian demi-tasse coffee, you already have the instinct in you!

(Turkish coffee set-up pictured).

[this post was last edited: 12/3/2011-14:07]

toggleswitch++12-3-2011-13-31-38.jpg
 
Quick stir to wet beans. Don't fuss!

Set microwave for 1:30 to 2:00 (minute-and-a-half to two minutes)

(No the coffee is not on fire or luminescent! That is the reflection of a night-light across the room). LOL

toggleswitch++12-3-2011-13-38-17.jpg
 
Lift strainer and enjoy.

For a finer product rinse heating vessel (original mug), dump contents of strainer, rinse that as well and re-strain!

Now why exactly is a KEURIG or equivalent a must-have?

LOL

When I did this for Thanksgiving (for 8+/- servings) I simply used a larger saucepan did all my measuring, and heated the water/coffee mixture on top of the stove/cooker.

toggleswitch++12-3-2011-13-47-11.jpg
 
I don't drink coffee but found myself buying a Keurig K-Cup machine at an estate sale anyway. I've had it for a while now, loaned it to a friend for a while to play with and now it's sitting, awaiting a CL for-sale ad. I guess it has it's merits for those who just want a single cup to-go as it were, but it just takes up space for me. I tried the a couple of the tea varieties but steeping it in a pot makes for much better taste, IMO.

A good friend of mine has one and makes herself a large cup of flavored coffee every morning to take on the drive to work. Saves a $3-4 and 5 minute stop at Starbucks for her so it's paid for itself, or will.

Your coffee process looks like you've created some laundry, Steve :-)
 
OH. LOL

Girlfriend is pictured here using a stainless-steel IBRIK (BRIKI) (coffee pot) to make her coffee.

Can't find one in this country?
Look for a "butter-warmer" I kid you not. Marketing, marketing, marketing.

 
Steve,
I love the simplicity of this and if I used a kettle to heat the water I'd only really dirty two things to make one good cup of hot coffee. I'm sure a method like this was used in the days before all these contraptions.

You can make coffee for me anytime ;-)
 
Ever tried 1 cup in a 12-cup? It tastes AWFUL. Because by the time the whole shebang gets up to temperature, it's done.

If you boil a pan of water first and preheat the basket and the grounds, that problem completely goes away. Don't pour the boilwater THROUGH the grounds, just into the basket then set the loaded filter in on top of that. Wait a tick until it smells like coffee, then attach to brewer and flick on. Hold a sponge under it, will drip some. Nothing extra to wash.
 
Ever tried 1 cup in a 12-cup?

Some larger coffee pots in the years gone by had a selector switch that (allegedly) allowed them to make better coffee in smaller quantities. Although I'm not sure it went down to 1 cup, and how well it actually worked is another question. I think my mother had that feature on one coffee maker--but it wasn't anything she ever used.

Personally, I'm not much inclined to do tricks to make a big coffee maker perform well with small quantities of coffee. It may be useful trick to know, sometimes--but for daily use it would become too much of a pain for me.

My approach has, historically, been to use manual systems. Either 1 cup drip makers that park on top of a cup, or French press pots. I have not encountered any modern automatic coffee maker in the 4 cup and under range that I like well enough to actually use. Although there may be something out there if I went past trying what people I know have, or various thrift shop finds. I can't speak about bigger coffee makers--so long since I've actually used one.

Strangely, I didn't mind mainly using a percolator (either small Corningware Electromatic or 4 cup Farberware) for an extended period. The coffee was not French press quality, but I found it drinkable.
 
Easy on the K-cups , Bro

While I'm no stranger to the charms of Greek coffee, I got a Keurig over a year ago and I rely on it nearly 100% for my home coffee needs.

It's extremely valuable for providing a HOT cup of coffee early in the morning as I get ready for work. I don't have the time to go through all the steps required to make coffee as Steve demonstrates, and I don't want to brew a full drip pot just for one cup. I also want to limit my caffeine intake as I do work that often requires steady hands and too much caffeine definitely interferes with that. If I make a full pot (or even a half a pot) I find I drink way too much coffee.

The K-cup varieties I like the most is Tully's House blend, as well as the Caribou blend.

I also have a re-usable K-cup filter that I can put my own ground coffee into for a more economical approach. But so far I haven't felt a need to use it on a regular basis.
 
When heating water in a Microwave, you have to keep in mind that the water can explode. (Link below)

Yes, I've accidentally done this before and narrowly avoided getting scalded. It's deceptive really.. The water in the cup will boil for a short while and then it won't boil anymore.

You take the cup out thinking that the water is just hot, then you put something in the water, like a spoon or whatever and BLERMF!!!! Hot scalding water everywhere.

If I want a single cup of coffee, I use one of these: http://www.bialetti.com/coffee/moka/ ... It takes about 3-5 minutes to heat up on an electric stove, faster on a gas one..

 
I use a K-Cup machine at home and at work and found that the extra price for the cups makes up for the convenience of just "Pop it in and go". Then again, we buy our K-Cups in Bulk at a place which specializes in selling bulk coffee to businesses, so we get a decent rate on the cups.

We have the older Breville model with the chrome covered steel lid thingy (As opposed to the newer one with the plastic one.) and it comes with a my K-Cup device we can use to make teas and coffees in.

For Capuccinos, I use a Bialetti Mukka Express. It makes 2 regular cups of cappuccino which usually results in my friends thinking I'm high on Meth if I drink it all in one sitting.
 
About 10 years ago we bought the Melitta One-One pod machine at Linen n THings or somehwhere like that, all the stores were selling them. After about 3 years you couldn't find the pods anywhere except on line so it sits gathering dust. So I'll wait now till the dust settles on which type will still be in business a few years down the road,, Keurig, Tassimo or Nespresso. I like them just for the convenience though.

We've been through a few coffeemakers. The Cuisinart grind'n brews were good but prone to breaking down. Last summer I bought another one and it lasted all of about 3-4 days before the grinding mechanism failed so back to the store it went.

So I bought a Hamilton Beach Brew Station, no carafe, and it's by far probably the best coffee maker out there. Got high marks in CR as well. It's super simple to fill and use and clean and makes great coffee, even 2-4 cups. Highly recommend it.
 
I got one of those one cup Melitta cones last winter. I'm not sure it's the best drip coffee I've had--but I found it quite acceptable. The only problem is that I found that I needed to be careful pouring in water to make sure all the grounds got wet.

Two things I like about the Melitta--it's BPA free, or so Melitta claimed when I asked. My cone was also made in North America. And the price cannot be beat.

My big objection is that it uses paper filters. That's one reason my Melitta is currently out of service. I don't like paper filtered coffee as a rule--the taste isn't as good as a non-reactive metal filter. I'm also frugal, and I'm not wild about spending the money on filters. Particularly since I don't like the coffee as well. (Although I will admit that there are times when the filter convenience is worthwhile--one reason I got the Melitta. And I think one could find a permanent washable filter that would fit the Melitta.)
 
The style of drip maker I used for years, and really liked, used a permanent filter. It had two parts--a large filter area. And, on top, a smaller compartment that had a sieve-like bottom. One pours water into the top, and the top part would (I think) spread the water evenly over the grounds, and possibly help control the speed at which the water went through.

I provide a link to Amazon below showing something like what I've used.

The coffee from this coffee maker was very good--the best drip I've had. And it's simple, and easier to use than the Melitta.

The big reason I phased my old coffee maker out was that I'm concerned about BPA. I have no idea how to tell if a plastic is something that might have BPA (at least in a case like this with no recycle codes). My drip maker has unknown history (thrift shop find--5 years old, or 20? Who knows?), so asking the maker might not get an accurate answer.

http://www.amazon.com/Frieling-Coff...8XZ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323029416&sr=8-2
 
BPA is supposedly on its way out in new products. I've never associated BPA with coffeemaker plastics but can't say definitively that it is not.

Microwave water can definitely explode, I've seen it happen. Perfectly-smooth containers are greatest risk.

Best coffee I ever had was Kona from a grinder and French press. So I bought both but could never achieve the same results. No, I wasn't pressing too fast or grinding too fine. Dunno what it was.
 
French Press

French Press used to be my method of choice for brewing a couple cups of coffee. That was until I cracked my Bodum on the edge of the sink.

Now, I use a Keurig on weekday mornings when all I want is a single cup to get me up and out the door. A lot less expensive than Starbucks, for sure. And you can't beat the convenience...

Malcolm
 
Use what you have, and have what you use!

For $10, you can buy a Black & Decker Brew and Go.

Waste of $10 and MORE crap in the house?

No thanks. LOL

("If it ain't multi-functional ah don't needs it!")
 

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