No need to drive for a great cup 'o joe!

Hmmm... $4+ for a cup of gourmet brewed hot coffee you need to drive out to get or .50 cents for a cup of equally good coffee you can instantly brew first thing in the morning while in your jammies? No messy filters, no waiting, only a single cup to wash afterward, 150+ flavors of coffee, tea or even hot cocoa to choose from. 50 cents doesn't seem that bad now does it?

Frankly, I'm no coffee aficionado-- regular java (or even instant just for the morning jolt) ---maybe an occasional cafe latte or cappuccino. Then, my workplace purchased a Braun Tassimo machine a while back and I was hooked. It was pretty awesome to have cappuccino with frothed milk or any other variety of flavored coffees or teas at my disposal. It was so good, I even graduated to drinking my coffee black after decades of needing it to be like chocolate milk with a kick.

With my mind made up, I started shopping and discovered the Keurig, which was a little less exensive than the Tassimo. While I'd only hoped for the entry level model (around $70), my boyfriend surprised me with the Platinum B70 model for Christmas. With the exception of not brewing cappuccino with frothed milk, it beats the Tassimo hands down.

The machine itself looks very attractive, sleek and stylish instead of the old type of coffee maker, occupying about the same amount of space. Now, down to the nitty non-gritty.

It has a generous 60 oz reservoir. Less refilling. Plus, it's got a really cool blue backlight that blinks when you need to refill.

From the clear, easy to navigate LED menu screen:
You program the current time, then can set auto on/off times (although it only takes about 3 minutes for it to heat up if you turn on the machine manually outside of the programmed times). This is noticeably faster than the Tassimo. You can also opt to leave it on all the time, but I don't find the need to do so.

Brew Temperature: You can set the brew temp from 187 to 192 degrees Fahrenheit. I find the 192 scathing hot, although I've read that the high temp produces a better cup of coffee.

You can choose from 5 cup sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, & 12 oz. (It's tall enough to fill most travel coffee mugs) and can easily change as needed with a push of a button. The Tassimo only brews one size, and you'll need to brew into a standard cup/transfer to a larger mug if desired.

Place your cup underneath on the drip tray (even this is gleaming silver with star shaped cutouts, not just a wire grid).

When on, the LED screen will display "READY TO BREW".

Drop the K-cup of your choice in the K-cup chamber, close the handle and press the large silver "brew" button. The LED screen shows "brewing" and the magic begins.

This machine purrs compared to the Tassimo. The noise level is hardly noticeable versus hearing the Tassimo rumble and chatter throughout the office with each cup it makes. This even boasts Quiet Brew™ Technology.

In a matter of seconds, you have a freshly brewed cup of outstanding coffee, tea or cocoa.

Cleaning consists of lifting the handle and disposing of the neat, non-leaking K-cup.

I blew through the 18 pack sampler that was included in about 3 days. Varieties included mainly the more robust coffee blends, a few flavors, several different brands including Gloria Jeans, Timothy's, Newman's Own, Green Mountain and Celestial Seasonings among others. I just couldn't wait to try another, and for the first time, actually think I'll also like drinking brewed tea to my surprise (but I also can't understand why people like Earl Grey-not for me in the least).
 
My K-cup. (sold separately around $14) This is a wire mesh K-cup insert you can use to brew your OWN ground coffee or tea leaves. Because K-cups generally run around 50 cents apiece, I really thought it would be a good idea to be able to brew my own flavored coffee. The trick is to grind your coffee beans as finely as possible, then fill the K-cup with the appropriate amount, not overpacking. It was okay, but not nearly the same flavor as the pre-packaged cups (but I prefer really strong/bold coffee whereas most people might find the mild flavor to be just right). I think I just need to experiment more. Plus, you then have the messy grounds to dispose of and the basket to clean if you want to brew a second cup--once spoiled, it seems like a nuisance.

Easy to purchase more coffee, even in stores like Kohls or Target. Online, there are several places to purchase varieties of K-cups from. I've seen pricing as low as about 25 cents per K-cup on places like Amazon. My boyfriend stocked me up with several dozen of my favorite French Vanilla, and a few flavors such as Carmel Nut and German Chocolate Cake (yum!). He said he bought them online at a very reasonable price and free shipping.

PURCHASING UPDATE
I've discovered that you can sign up for subscription delivery service of most K-cups through amazon.com HUGE savings, great selection. You get a discount on your first order (2 boxes of 24) for a price of $16.95 on cups that cost about $22 in stores. You can choose to have deliveries monthly, bi-monthly-you can change your selections or bump up your shipping date if you happen to run out. I LOVE it. It's only $19.55 a month for 48 k-cups delivered right to my door! Cheaper than buying in stores (which only carry a couple varieties and seem to average about $12.99 for a box of 24) and i've got the timing down pretty well. VERY handy.

I've also found it unnecessary to buy the k-cups for hot cocoa (or if you use tea bags) as you can simply put instant hot cocoa mix (or a tea bag) in your cup and press "brew" for piping hot water.

If you like coffee and are looking for a single brew (or replacing an older coffee maker), this is the only one to consider really, and well worth the higher price. It's one of the best gifts I've ever received and one I will continue to use daily for years to come.