Copyright © 2009 Dianna Kelly
It's easy to find information about how great these machines are. Read here to learn the whole story so you can make an informed decision.
View a comprehensive review of the most popular brands of pod coffee makers.
Find links to recent articles, stories and much more.
What features should you look for in a single serve coffee maker?
What features should you look for in a single serve coffee maker?
Check here to find out why YOU should buy a pod coffee maker.
Drawbacks - What Others Won't Tell You
If you enter the term "pod coffee maker" into any of the major search engines, you will find hundreds of sites selling coffee. If you drill in far enough you will also find hundreds of articles about how great they are. After all, most people put up a website and write articles to sell products. Telling people that the product their trying to sell isn't perfect for everyone visiting their site or reading their article is counter-productive. Don't get me wrong, I love mine. But they're not for everyone. Before you shop, know the facts.
The Tassimo Closed System
Many of these systems are closed, which means that the machine will only take pods (or the equivalent) made by the same manufacturer. This gives the manufacturer a lot of control over what they can charge for the pods and inflates the cost.
Tassimo is a great example of a closed system.
Their machines require special bar-coded cups. This allows for a very tailored brewing process but significantly limits the options available to consumers.
Keurig's Solution to the Closed System
Because people are becoming increasingly aware of this limitation many manufacturers are finding ways to allow their customers to use any pod or even coffee grounds in their machines. Although Keurig machines such as Keurig B40 Elite Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System requires a special K-Cup, they have also come out with a Perfect Pod Holster that will
work with any pod as well as the Keurig My K-Cup 2-Pack Reusable Coffee Filter Basket Replacement that allows you to use any kind of ground coffee. My husband loves this last feature because he can still use his beloved Dunkin Donuts coffee.
Expensive Pods
Another drawback to the pod coffee maker is the actual cost of the pods. Because they are individually sealed and because the technology is fairly new the manufacturers can get away with charging more for the pods than what you would typically pay for ground coffee. Although machines like the Keurig can take ground coffee, you lose some of the convenience, the quality of the coffee may be sacrificed and you need to clean the filter.
The Noise Debate
There is also concern among many consumers about the noise that some of these machines can make while brewing. Since the ones that have a water reservoir have a pump to move the water they are not as quiet as a traditional drip coffee maker. In speaking with people about this issue you will find the gamut of opinions. Many people are not bothered by the noise but some people have compared the noise to the sound of an airliner. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The machines are loud. There's no doubt about it. But the noise lasts for only 1 to 3 minutes depending on the machine.
