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Posts Tagged ‘coffee’

Aerolatte Stainless-Steel Deluxe Edition Frother with Stand.

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Aerolatte Milk Frother

If you have an espresso machine, it probably includes a steam frothing wand. In which case, you don’t need anything extra.

But if you don’t have any existing way of making a nice milk froth, the Aerolatte is a great little device. You simply heat up the milk, in a pan on the stove or in the microwave, and then use the Aerolatte to beat up a nice head of froth.

Why would you want to do this?

Well, you can give a regular coffee a very nice extra touch with hot milk and a nice froth on top.

If you use a stovetop Moka pot, you get something between a coffee and an expresso. Whenever I use my own Moka pot, I always add hot milk and end up with what I describe as a poor man’s latte. A Moka pot doesn’t make a true espresso, but it’s close.

Even if you are making a mug of hot chocolate, it would be great to top it off with a nice head of frothy milk.

This isn’t an expensive device, it’s easy to use, and it gets very good buyer reviews on sites like Amazon.

Get the Aerolatte Stainless-Steel Deluxe Edition Frother with Stand from Amazon.com…

Tags: aerolatte, coffee, espresso
Posted in Espresso machines, One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »

The Senseo SL7810/65 coffee pod brewer is available again.

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Senseo SL7810/65 Coffee Pod Brewer

After months of being off the shelves, the Senseo SL7810/65 is now available again. This is great news, because this is the most popular of all the coffee pod brewers.

Where did it go? There was a safety issue with all the Senseo brewers and they have been unavailable since April of this year. You’ll find more details in a previous post.

Here’s the weird part – both their disappearance from the shelves, and the reappearance of the Senseo SL7810/65 at Amazon have taken place with almost no publicity.

When I went to the Senseo site there was never any mention that I could find that the brewers were no longer available. And this morning I checked back at the site and there was nothing about the Senseo SL7810/65 being back on the shelves at Amazon. But it is.

Anyway, I assume that the technical problems have been resolved, and it’s good to know that the Senseo SL7810/65 is available again in good time for everyone who will want to get one for the Christmas season.

Buy the Senseo SL7810/65 at Amazon…

Read our review of the Senseo SL7810/65…

Tags: coffee, coffee pod, senseo
Posted in Coffee Pod Brewers, One Cup Coffee Makers, Senseo coffee pod brewers | No Comments »

How to use the My K-Cup reusable coffee filter with a Keurig brewer.

Monday, September 28th, 2009

When you purchased your Keurig brewer it probably came with a few K-Cups. After that, you found a store locally that sold boxes of K-Cups, or you ordered them online.

But there is an alternative. Instead of always using K-Cups, you can use the My K-Cup reusable coffee filter.

As you can see from the video, the My K-Cup unit comprises both the holder and a K-Cup sized filter with a fine screen.

Why would you bother?

There are three reasons.

1. It’s handy to have a My K-Cup unit on hand for those times when you unexpectedly run out of K-Cups. There is nothing more frustrating that having a Keurig brewer and not being able to use it.

2. The My K-Cup filter enables you to use any coffee you like. While there are plenty of coffees already available in K-Cups, not EVERY coffee can be found in this format. With the My K-Cup you can buy any coffee you like, grind the beans and still use your Keurig brewer.

3. When you buy coffee by the bag and then use it in your My K-Cup, you will save on the price of the coffee you brew. It’s a matter of only a few pennies per cup, but if you drink a lot of coffee, by the end of a few months the saving could be significant.

Whichever the reason that matters most to you, there is no harm in at least having the My K-Cup filter tucked away in a drawer somewhere. You can keep it to one side and take it out only when you need it.

Buy the My K-Cup Coffee Filter here…

Learn about the Keurig K-Cup brewers here…

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

Nespresso Essenza Automatic Single-Serve Espresso Machine with Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother.

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Nespresso Essenza with Milk Frother

Why am I writing about a one cup espresso machine on a website usually focused on one cup coffee machines? Because the lines between the two are becoming seriously blurred.

For instance, the line of Tassimo brewers makes regular coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, as well as cappuccinos and lattes. It is both a coffee maker and an espresso drink maker.

I’m writing about the Nespresso in particular because of its quality. Unlike many one cup beverage makers, it doesn’t feel like it was made by a toy manufacturer. If you find the Nespresso Essenza on display in a store, get your hands on it, move the lever on top, and you’ll immediately feel just how solid the construction is.

Maybe it’s just me, but I really appreciate modern kitchen appliances that feel they will last for years, and not break within the first few weeks of use. Nice and solid.

Back to the Nespresso. As with all Nespresso machines, the Essenza uses sealed, proprietary coffee capsules. You simply lift the lever at the top of the machine, drop in the capsule, lower the lever and then press the brew button. Once you are done, the used capsule is ejected into an empties container as soon as you lift the lever again.

When you buy both the Essenza and the Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother, you’re ready to make some great lattes and cappuccinos.

Consider the Nespresso if you really enjoy good espresso and espresso drinks. And also if you appreciate good design and solid construction.

What do people think about this machine? Have a look at the buyer feedback on sites like Amazon and you’ll see that almost everyone is delighted with their purchase. In fact, I don’t think I have seen quite so much positive feedback for any other brewer or espresso machine.

This won’t be for you if your primary interest is in making regular coffees. But if you like espresso based drinks, then this is a great choice. Clean, simple and mess-free.

Find the Nespresso Essenza Automatic Single-Serve Espresso Machine with Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother for a good price at Amazon.com.

Tags: coffee, espresso, nespresso, tassimo
Posted in Espresso machines, One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »

Make a terrific espresso or Americano coffee with the AeroPress.

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Not every one cup coffee maker is either sophisticated or expensive. You can make a fabulous espresso or coffee with the AeroPress.

Here is how I used mine recently. My girlfriend and I took her daughter to Disney World for a week. Before we left, I was suspicious about the quality of coffee we might find at the hotel. I wasn’t even sure if the rooms had coffee makers. (They didn’t.)

In one of our cases I packed my custom coffee-lovers survival kit. It comprised the AeroPress with filters, plus a tin of ground coffee, and a small electric kettle. The sugar and milk I pocketed from the Disney cafeteria. (Sorry about that.)

Each morning I would boil the kettle and add enough ground coffee to the AeroPress for a double espresso. I would then divide the finished espresso between two coffee mugs and then fill to the top of the mug with hot water. When you do that, it’s called an Americano. Then cream and sugar to taste.

After depending on it for a week, I can tell you that the AeroPress does a great job. Really good coffee. And lifesaver when you are traveling.

Watch the video to find out how it works.

You can buy the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker at Amazon

Tags: aeropress, coffee, one cup
Posted in Espresso machines, One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »

One cup of espresso anywhere – with the Handpresso 16-Bar Hand-Pump Espresso Machine.

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Handpresso 16-Bar Hand-Pump Espresso Machine

It’s a bicycle pump. Close, but not quite. It’s a very small, hand-powered espresso machine.

You can pack it in your saddle bag when you’re out cycling, or when you’re hiking, or kayaking. Or even when you’re traveling on business.

The thing with making espresso is that it requires pressure. Regular coffee is made by dripping water through coffee grinds. Espresso is made my pushing water, under pressure, through a finer grind of coffee.

With most espresso machines the pressure is provided by an electrical pump. Hence the thump-thump sound you hear when the machine is running. There are other hand-powered espresso machines, but none of them are anywhere near as portable as the Handpresso.

Here is what you need to make a great espresso while sitting on the top of a mountain.

First, you need to have packed your Handpresso machine.

Also, you’ll need either a thermos-style insulated bottle filled with hot water, or you can heat your water with your camping stove. (Or use a kettle in a hotel bedroom.)

Finally, you need an ESE espresso coffee pod. These are like single-serve coffee pods, but are specially designed for making espresso.

To make your shot of espresso, add the water, put the ESE pod in place and then pump the handle until the needle settles in the green area. Then hold the Handpresso over your cup and press one button.

Instant espresso.

If this sounds like second best, think again. The quality of the espresso made by this machine is excellent. Once you have your espresso you can enjoy it as it is, or add hot milk, or add hot water to make an Americano.

And yes, it would be pretty cool to be able to make yourself a great espresso when you’re miles away from anywhere.

You can buy the Handpresso 16-Bar Hand-Pump Espresso Machine at Amazon for $98.95.

Tags: coffee, ESE, espresso, handpresso
Posted in ESE coffee pods, Espresso machines | No Comments »

Why Keurig is winning the one cup coffee maker wars.

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Keurig K-Cup Brewers

A year ago it was a tough call as to which of the one cup coffee formats would come out on top.

Now the picture is a little clearer. Keurig’s K-Cup coffee makers are flying off the shelves.

This isn’t just a story of success for Keurig. The coffee pod format took a big blow in April when the Senseo line-up of brewers was withdrawn due to some safety concerns. I wrote about this in an earlier post.

Senseo was leading the charge for the coffee pod format and plenty of other manufacturers were happily creating their own pod brewers. And a ton of roasters were offering their coffees in the pod format. With Senseo out on the sidelines, at least for now, a lot of the momentum for coffee pod brewers has been lost.

So how about the other proprietary one cup coffee formats, like the Tassimo with its T-Discs, the Nespresso with its coffee Capsules, and others?

These formats and brewers are fine, but they lose out to the Keurig brewers in some important ways.

First, they don’t offer as broad a range of different coffees.

Second, they don’t have an equivalent of Keurig’s My K-Cup, which allows you to use your own, loose coffee with the Keurig brewers.

Third, the brewers, and the T-Discs and capsules cost more.

Fourth, the Keurig brewers are better built. They are totally solid compared to the flimsy feel of the Tassimo brewers in particular. (That said, the Nespresso brewers are very nicely made, but you have to pay a lot more for them.)

Keurig has achieved excellent penetration with some outstanding brewers and coffees. Even when Senseo comes back, it may be too late for the coffee pod format to catch up.

Keurig brewer reviews:

The Breville BKC600XL

Tags: coffee, k-cups, keurig, nespresso, one cup, senseo, tassimo
Posted in Coffee Pod Brewers, K-Cup Coffees, Keurig Brewers, One Cup Coffee Makers | No Comments »

Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend – a K-Cup coffee for the changing seasons.

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend K-Cups

I’m not a big fan of how retailers herald the change of seasons. Just yesterday I was in a hardware store and found the lawnmowers gone, and replaced by snow blowers. Ouch.

But it is good to see some new K-cup coffees appearing. That’s one of the nice things about the K-Cup format – there are always new choices. And, of course, if you are a big fan of one K-Cup coffee, that doesn’t mean others in your home need to like it as well. You can all choose your own favorites and enjoy them one cup at a time.

The Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend from Green Mountain Coffee isn’t a flavored coffee, it’s a blend of coffees and roasts designed to give you that warm, comfy feeling as the cold weather approaches. Crisp, clear and smoky, it makes a delightful brew.

Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend is also made with Fair Trade coffee beans, so with every purchase you’ll be supporting the small farmers who grow the beans.

Get it here: Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend

I’m not a big fan of how retailers herald the change of seasons. Just yesterday I was in a hardware store and found the lawnmowers gone, and replaced by snow blowers. Ouch.

Fair Trade Autumn Harvest Blend is also made with fair Trade coffee beans, so with every purchase you’ll be supporting the small farmers who grow the beans.

Get it here:

Tags: coffee, k-cups, one cup
Posted in Fair Trade Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee, K-Cup Coffees | No Comments »

The simplest and least expensive way to make one cup of coffee at a time.

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Funny thing about one cup coffee makers…paying more money doesn’t actually deliver a better cup of coffee. Fancy and expensive single serve brewers simply look better, and offer more convenience.

If you have no need for more in the way of aesthetics and bells and whistles, get your hands on a simple filter cone. A plastic one will costs you less than ten bucks, although you can spend a little more for a ceramic or porcelain model.

Watch the video, and see how simple it is.

Using a filter cone has some advantages too.

You can use any coffee you like, not only those that are available in single serve formats.
You’ll save a lot of money.
You have total control over the proportion of ground coffee to water, and over the temperature of the water.

Granted, you’ll have that wet filter to throw away once you’re done. But there really is something to be said for the total simplicity of using a filter cone.

You can buy a filter cone locally, or at Amazon.com.

Tags: coffee, filter cone, one cup
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »