K-Cups in Review - Which Pod Do You Like?

If you have one of these popular coffee makers that take the pre-measured one cup coffee pods, you may be confused about which pods are best to fit your taste. As well as every kind of coffee desirable, you can also buy pods filled with various teas, hot cocoa mix, hot cider and most every brewed beverage imageable. It can be confusing and expensive to try them all.

There are many brands of one cup pod coffee makers on the market. Keurig has been most advertised. They marketed the first coffee pods and most of them we buy today have their name on them. Therefore, we refer to coffee pods as k-cups.

I cannot say which machine is better. I can tell you the coffee maker I am using is not Keurig brand. As far as price goes, from what I have seen most cost far more than a regular drip coffee maker. Time will tell as to how long this will be. As the market explodes the price will likely come down.

While experimenting as to how to make the perfect cup of coffee to satisfy my taste I have discovered not all require the same amount of water. I like a bold rich dark brew. Most coffee pods (K-cups) will only make a 4-6-ounce cup to satisfy my taste. Someone who would prefer a weaker brew could likely get a much larger cup of coffee from the same kind of coffee pod. I think maybe filling my own reusable pod with my favorite coffee is a better buy. However, if one wants to find out what other coffees taste like without having to buy enough to fill a month worth of coffee pots, k-cups are giving us the opportunity to try different brews from around the world one cup at a time.

I recently bought a variety box of 40 k-cups online. I am discovering one cup at a time as to which ones suit me best. I have certainly broadened my horizons by exploring the world of fine coffees. I may be shopping for variety more often from here on out.

I have discovered that even the off brands of donut shop or breakfast blends are excellent. For me any of these favorite morning blends will make a good 6-8-ounce cup of coffee. My choice has always been Colombian coffees, but my taste buds are pleasantly surprised with trying something new.

The rich dark taste of a French roast is just as satisfying. But not all brands are alike. You will soon find out that just because it is a popular high-priced brand, it does not mean the flavor is favorable to your individual taste buds. Some are bitter and unless you sweeten the brew you may not like it at all.

The original coffee house blends although not as dark are less likely to be bitter. The coastal and mountain varieties are also excellent choices. And rather you drink your coffee hot or poured over ice you will be pleased with the fresh brew k-cups offer.

As with any coffee lover I enjoy a good cup of coffee most any time of day. Decaffeinated coffee is the answer for late day coffee breaks. You can find decaffeinated in k-cups as well. It especially works well for iced coffee, pour a cup over a glass of ice along with a liquid coffee creamer for a refreshing afternoon beverage. But if you’d rather be caffeinated, then using the regular coffee found in a weaker blend may be more appealing. I particularly love a French vanilla creamer in my iced coffee. Pair it up with a French vanilla flavored coffee from one of our favorite fast food places and perfecto is all I can say about that.

Each coffee company apparently have their own idea of how much ground coffee is needed for a single 8-ounce cup. Some will give you a weak cup of coffee while others may be stronger. I have found that some of the higher priced favorites don’t fill their pods accurately to suit the need of someone wanting a stronger cup. In cases like this 4-6 ounces will be a better choice. You may want to fill your own reusable or paper pod with the amount of coffee you prefer. Most will give you a good 6-ounce cup if strong bold flavor is what you seek.

My final thoughts are that unless the pod will provide me with at least six ounces of pleasurable coffee drinking, I will not buy that kind again. Even if it is a brand I prefer, I am better off to brew it in another coffee maker or fill the pod myself.

So, tell me, how do you like your coffee? Which pod works for you?