One Cup Coffee Reviews

Our review of the Nespresso CitiZ espresso machine with milk frother.

August 26th, 2012

Nespresso makes a number of automatic espresso machines for the home, but the model I got to try is the Nespresso CitiZ, with an attached milk frothing attachment.

I don’t own it myself, but my neighbors do, and they were kind enough to allow me to give it a test drive.

The Nespresso CitiZ enables you to make a true espresso, but without the measuring, tamping and cleanup required with a manual espresso machine. Everything is automatic. And its 19-bar pump ensures there is enough pressure to make a true espresso.

The ground coffee is pre-measured and packaged in small capsules. You simply make sure there is fresh water in the reservoir, drop the capsule into its chamber, and press the brew button.

There are two automatic settings, one for a straight shot of espresso, and another for making a lungo. What is a lungo? It’s an espresso made with double the quantity of water, and a longer drawing time. This is perfect for when you want to make yourself a larger, but slightly weaker espresso, or an approximation of a small, regular coffee. For coffee, make the lungo and then add cream and sugar to taste.

Perhaps the best feature of the Nespresso CitiZ is its milk frother. This allows you to use your espresso machine to make cappuccino or latte. Simply froth the milk, add it to your cup, and then add a shot of espresso.

This is a very stylist machine, with a small footprint and a pleasing appearance. If you are big on choosing your appliances based on design, you’ll probably love this. The capsules also look good and come in smart display boxes.

The downside? This costs more than a drip brewer or a simple, manual espresso machine. Also, using the capsules will set you back significantly more for each espresso you make.

As always, there is an upside and a downside. But if you have the budget to pay more per espresso or cappuccino, you’ll love both the look of the Nespresso CitiZ, and its convenience.

You can buy the Nespresso CitiZ at Amazon.com…

Tags: Coffee Capsules, espresso, nespresso
Posted in Coffee Capsules, Espresso machines | No Comments »

Keurig takes the lead again with the Keurig Vue V700 brewing system.

August 15th, 2012

Keurig has been king of the pile in the world of single serve coffee makers for several years now.

But sales of the original Keurig brewers likely slowed as competitive machines hit the market, some of them offering more features and choices, including the option to make cappuccinos and lattes.

The Keurig Vue V700 plays catch-up with these competitors, and then some.

The basic system is the same as the original Keurig brewers. You choose your settings from the touchscreen control panel, make sure there is water in the reservoir, drop in the single serve cup, and press brew.

But there are some significant differences.

First, this new system doesn’t use the old K-Cups, it uses Vue Packs. And no, you can’t use the old K-Cups with these new brewers.

As for choice, the Vue system launched with more than 30 varieties representing a mix of brands, including Green Mountain Coffee, Barista Prima, Tully’s, Coffee People, Gloria Jean’s, Green Mountain Naturals, Café Escapes, Caribou Coffee, Celestial Seasonings, Emeril’s, Newman’s Own Organics, Timothy’s and Van Houtte. Also exclusive to Vue is Green Mountain Coffee’s newest entry – the two-step Barista Prima Café beverages.

And here are some of the settings you can choose. Again, if you have an older Keurig brewer, you will see how the choices have grown with the Vue V700.

You can make any of these selections from the V700 Touchscreen panel.

- Choose from a wide selection of cup sizes: 4-oz, 6-oz, 8-oz, 10-oz, 12-oz, 16-oz and 18-oz

- Select your brew temperature up to 197 degrees

- Choose “Strong” for a bolder brew

- Choose “Café” to brew lattes and cappuccinos

- Choose “Brew Over Ice” to make the perfect iced coffee or tea

And – finally – the Vue Packs are recyclable!

One of the complaints a lot of people had with the original Keurig K-Cups was that they weren’t recyclable. That was a big deal, with millions of used K-Cups hitting the landfills every month.

With Vue Packs you peel off the foil lid, with the filter and used coffee attached, separate the plastic cup, and drop it into your recycling bin.

The Vue V700 is a great advance in many ways, and we’re sure it will be a big hit with everyone who has used, loved or even wanted one of the older Keurig machines.

Learn more about the Keurig Vue V700 here…

Tags: coffee, K-Cup, keurig, one cup, Vue Pack
Posted in Green Mountain Coffee, K-Cup Coffees, Keurig Brewers | No Comments »

How to make iced coffee with your Keurig Brewer.

July 9th, 2011

Over the hot days of summer the usual brew of hot coffee loses some of its appeal.

Not that those of us who are die-hard coffee drinkers stop drinking coffee, but maybe we slow down a little.

Unless, of course, we turn to iced coffee or some other kind of cold coffee recipe.

If you have a Keurig brewer, you can make a quick and easy iced coffee, as you can see from the short video above.

The challenge with the Keurig is that the brew still comes out hot, so you need a lot of ice to cool it down quickly. And, with a lot of ice, the coffee taste can become diluted as the ice melts.

This is why Keurig sells a special selection of Brew Over Ice K-Cups. They contain more coffee than regular K-Cups, making a stronger brew.

In other words, the extra strong brew from these k-Cups compensates for the diluting effect of the ice.

This is a great way to make a quick and easy iced coffee beverage at any time of the day.

You can buy these special Brew Over Ice K-Cups online at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.

Posted in K-Cup Coffees, Keurig Brewers | No Comments »

Video review of the Dr. Drip coffee system.

July 3rd, 2011

This is a great little system for anyone who wants totally portable coffee.

Each sealed package contains a single-use filter cone and enough ground coffee to make one cup.

You simply open the package, unzip the top of the cardboard filter. Once placed on your mug, you then pour in hot water, just like using a regular filter cone.

As you can see from the video, it takes a few moments to figure out how it works. After that, it’s easy.

The coffee we tried – The Premium Signature Blend – has a great taste. It’s a medium roast, with a nice strong taste, and a touch of sweetness.

The other coffees they offer are:

Organic Blend

Dark Roasted Sumatra Blend

Decaffeinated Blend.

When would I use one of these? Not at home, but certainly if I was traveling, whether on business or on vacation. It would be perfect for camping, and also for when you’re not sure whether your hotel offers in-room coffee making.

This is a neat idea, and I think I’ll be stocking up on a box or two before my next trip away from home.

You can learn more at the Dr. Drip Coffee website.

Tags: coffee, filter cone, one cup
Posted in One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »

The Ekobrew reusable coffee filter for Keurig brewers.

June 25th, 2011

A while ago I posted about the My K-Cup Keurig reusable filter, and its various benefits. This is the filter I use myself for my Keurig B60. In fact, I don’t buy K-Cups at all. I know that with a reusable filter I can save a ton of money and also save adding to all the used K-Cups that end up in the garbage.

But I’m tempted by this new Ekobrew system, simply because it seems to address some of the issues I have with my My K-Cup filter.

First, the Ekobrew has a flat bottom, so I can place it on the counter while I fill it with loose coffee. That may not sound like a big deal, but there have been many times when I have fumbled with my filter in the left hand while trying to fill it with coffee with my right hand.

Second, it has heat resistant grips on the side. Again, this may not mean much to you if you don’t already have a My K-Cup filter. If you do, you know how hot the sides can be if you want to take the filter out immediately after brewing.

Third, to use the My K-Cup you first have to remove the K-Cup holster from the brewer. This isn’t a problem for me, as I don’t buy regular K-Cups. But it is a pain if you want to sometimes use K-Cups and sometime want to use a reusable filter. That K-Cup holster isn’t always easy to take out.

The Ekobrew filter offers a few other benefits which I won’t be able to check out until I have tried it in person.

But from what I can see from the video, it’s certainly worth a try.

BTW – both of these reusable coffee filter systems can be used across all the different K-Cup brewers, including those made by Keurig, Cuisinart, Breville and Mr. Coffee.

You can buy the Ekobrew reusable filter at Amazon.com.

Tags: K-Cup, keurig
Posted in Keurig Brewers, One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »