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 flavours.
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
flavours 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.