Seven years ago, my 20 year old Mr.Coffee went kaput and my coworker Julie dragged me kicking and yelling into the 21st century, demanding I buy a Keurig. (I wrote about it—more like gushed about it here.)
It was a K10-Mini and I loved it straight away. it was short, round, limited in function and had a tendency to get pretty loud; it was more like a Mini-Me! Anyway, I treated it with care, ran water thru it a couple times a week, descaled it 2-3 times a year.
Still, it’s been in daily use (several times daily) for 7 years, and this past month it’s noisy hum has gotten REALLY loud. And with the brew looking more like iced tea than hot coffee, it was probably time for a new machine. So after looking at Keurig’s newer compact machines…
Keurig K-Supreme
- My own tag-line: “Multi-Stream Technology”! It’s about time!
- Price: $99.99 (reg. 139.99, bought on sale)
- Bought at: Keurig.com (click here)
- Came with: Two free 24-ct boxes of K-cups of my choice, I chose Tully’s Hawaiian Blend. It also came with a coupon inside the box, good for 50% off 2 more big boxes of K-cups.
- Shipping: UPS (and ships free)
- Measurements: 12 inches deep, 8 inches wide, 12 inches tall. (It looks bigger though.)
- What makes this so special: This is Keurig’s first coffeemaker with multi-stream technology (more on that later) and their first ‘compact brewer’ with a water reservoir tank like their larger machines. (With my K-10, you had to pour in precisely the amount of water for one cup of coffee, right before you hit the brew button.) This has a side-tank that holds 66 oz of water and contains a water purifier too.
- Why it’s just right for me: I drink 3 brands of coffee, each with their own amount of water: Eight O’Clock is a weak brew, I only make it with 6 oz. of water. Folgers (my favorite), I pour in 8 oz. Tully’s Hawaiian is very strong and I use 9-10 oz of water. I don’t have to measure the water out anymore. This machine has 6, 8, 10 & 12 oz. Brew buttons. I’ve tested each one, and they’re exactly right.
- What’s with the STRONG button: That button is what separates the men & women coffee drinkers from the girls & boys! Seriously, it slows the brewing a few seconds and the coffee is a lot more robust. It makes a real difference.
- So what is Multi-Stream Technology: It’s simple; up until now, Keurig machines poked a single hole in the top of your K-cup to blast hot water thru; this contraption pokes FIVE holes in the K-cup’s top! I promise you’re going to get a more flavorful cup of coffee, even if you don’t use the STRONG button.
- There must be something you don’t like: Well, I sorta miss the kitschy look & temperament of my fussier old machine. This new one has a matte finish and a simpler, more logical style. If Mister Spock were a coffee machine…
- You’re weird, come up with something else: Well, it begins streaming joe INSTANTLY (I don’t know how) and in 10 seconds you have a hot cup of coffee. But I like mine scalding, so I have to take my cup and nuke it for 10 seconds in the ol’ microwave. Not a big deal, but… you know.
When I first attempted to buy this at Keurig.com (after comparing prices at Amazon, Target & Wal-Mart), the online shopping cart declined my credit card with Payment not authorized by your card issuer; contact your credit card company. After contacting VISA and being told it was on the seller’s end, I called Keurig’s Customer Assistance and told them they were declining my card and shouldn’t be—what gives?
The man on the other end (Rob) apologized, and asked if I was accessing their site thru a Firefox browser. I said as a matter of fact I was, and he said “It will probably work if you pull up our site thru Chrome, but I can take your order over the phone if you’d like.” I said sure, why not and Rob said “Before I begin taking your information, could I ask a personal question?”
I said I guess so, and he said “Are you from the Pittsburgh area? My brother-in-law is from there, a suburb he refers to as… Monroeville?” I laughed and said yes i’m a Pittsburgher, and Monroeville’s only minutes away. But I don’t have an accent… at least one I’m aware of. He said “Oh you do—you sound exactly like my brother-in-law!”
I’d love to know what he’s hearing that I’m missing…
Probably one of the fortunate things I ever didn't do in life was take up coffee drinking. My younger brother is into Keurigs and it blows my mind what he and his wife spends on those pods a month.
ReplyDeleteI probably drink too much of the stuff, but Keurig makes each cup taste so darn fresh. The pods can get expensive if you're not careful... I shop around for mine :*)
DeleteMy airbnb had a Keurig(with a reusable pod) and I came to enjoy it. Like you, I enjoy scalding coffee so I had to nuke it for a while. I got very fond of the Mocha Latte pods that my son-in-law bought for me. I now have a whole package of them for my non-existent trip to NY but no Keurig. One of the activities I miss most about this year is my lack of coffee dates, although I do meet up with people in our cars. I've never been a drive thru person and much prefer to schmooze over a coffee in a coffee shop. Hopefully, in 2021!
ReplyDeleteMargaret you have that big pretty home and no Keurig? I--I'm shocked! I hope your coffee shops reopen soon!
DeleteI have a nearly 30 year old Krups with an espresso and regular coffee side. No water reservoir though which is kind of a pain. I also have a separate milk frother.
DeleteMy goodness, I should've known better! :^)
DeleteHAHA, well, I am from the Seattle area. We take our coffee seriously here. :)
DeleteWe were thinking of getting a coffee machine for Christmas, but the coffee pods seemed really expensive. So I just bought a milk frothier, so now I'll make my cheap instant coffee and then add the frothy milk and hope it makes it taste expensive. :D
ReplyDeleteHaha--Joey, now I know why you're Cool Joe, that sounds alright! :)
DeleteOh Dug, we love our Keurig... and our machine is getting old too. It's not the mini, but it's not a large one either. I don't find the coffee as good as the old 'grind and brew' we used to own (since it ground the coffee right then before brewing it), but the Keurig is the next best thing... and so fast and convenient. Our favorite is Dunkin Donuts' 100% Columbian which is a medium roast. And since I used to spend a lot more for daily coffee at Starbucks (when I was working), the Keurig pods only cost about 50 cents a pod... that's not bad. We gave our grand daughter one of the Mini Plus's to take to Texas State with her... and she loves it! My daughter said she even takes it home with her when she's home for the holidays. Now I'm interested in that 'new technology' thing...
ReplyDeleteRian, thanks for sharing and I especially liked what you said about Dunkin' Donuts because for years I was hooked on their coffee! There's this New York guy I like on Youtube (who shows apts for rent) but he hates Dunkin' and it bothers me to no end :) Anyway--right now I think the K-Supremes are the only ones with the 5 hole technology, but I recently learned the K-ELITE is a nice cross between the compact & larger Keurig systems... you might want to check that model out.
DeleteI love my Keurig and my husband loves his Mr Coffee, so every morning we turn on both machines!
ReplyDeleteOn, you have the best of both worlds! :) Thanks for sharing Dianne!
DeleteGood for you Doug. Coffee is one of those luxuries we've come to regard as necessity. (I know I do.) My friend, Liz, is a gourmet type person and swears by Keurig. I use a standard old basket drip machine. Should the power ever go out, I have a wood stove and my mom's old stove top percolator waiting in the wings. I just can't imagine life without my morning cuppa. Lukewarm, no sugar with unsweetened soy milk, please!
ReplyDeleteHaha--Florence my dear friend, God bless ya! I am not a gourmet, I just like the convenience of it--I like your style, it has character :) If I don't talk to you again soon, sure hope you have a warm & wonderful Christmas :)
DeleteIt looks like a fabulous little machine and I like the glass mug you have in there. I don't "do" brewed coffee, I always drank the instant kind and loaded it with sugar. Then last March my doctor ordered me to cut way back on sugar or become diabetic and I haven't had a cup of coffee since. I've compensated for the sugar loss by eating far too much chocolate, so now that has to stop also, I know I'm doing the wrong thing there.
ReplyDeleteRiver, very sorry to hear that... I know I take in too much sugar (I don't drink my coffee black) and I'm waiting for the day my own doc tells me the same. Good luck with you keeping that back and if I don't talk to ya soon, hope you have a good Christmas.
DeleteI like my coffee with cream but also don't like it sweet. Thanks for the great review of this cool machine. I like my coffee brewed in the coffee shop, but I also have a French press if I need to make my own. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks DJan, I thought of you when writing this as I know what a coffee person you are (well, when you're with your friends). A French press... nice!
DeleteHaha. Hilarious! Now, what do you sound like? There are all kinds of American accents, even Hawaiian ones. Yes, different types of Hawaiian accents, too.
ReplyDeleteHaha--Gigi the only Hawaiian I've heard is Don Ho! I bet you have a unique sound :) I don't think I sound like anybody, but our city can get a little lazy with long words, you know what I'm sayin'?
DeleteTo the horror of most of my family and friends, I drink instant coffee. I dunno about a Pittsburgh accent, but I don't doubt it. I know there's a Connecticut accent, but most people don't pick up on it.
ReplyDeleteHaha--Tom, my dad drank instant coffee for years (Tasters Choice) so I totally get it! By the way--that guy from Keurig sounded a bit like Cary Grant, I wonder if he was from Connecticut! Darn it I should've asked :)
DeleteGee... I know what the Chicago accent is, but I didn't know Pittsburg had one too. Well, I'm glad you go that squared away. Funny thing is Blogspot was just not working properly with Firefox, so my son-in-law told me to switch to Chrome and voila! It worked. Weird. So same thing with credit cards, hunh?
ReplyDeleteKay I think Chicago & Pittsburgh may talk a little alike! Anyway, this is interesting... what you said about Blogspot & Firefox. Maybe that's why I can't change my blog background, I'll have to check that out! (And yes, that is weird about the credit cards!)
DeleteI never drank coffee until I worked at a bank for a couple years when I was young. After we set up our windows each morning we took a break downstairs before the bank opened. Everybody had coffee and sooner or later someone would be upset because they were out of either sugar or cream. I finally decided I'd try coffee 'cause there was nothing else to do, but I determined I'd learn to like it black and I'd never have to worry about cream and sugar -- so I did and I wouldn't have it any other way. I used to drink coffee all day long at a later job I had at a TV station, and kept a pot going at home, too when I was there. Years later I adjusted to Decaf and continue with it today which I brew in my old Mr. Coffeemaker. Pot still works but have thought about getting a new pot, just don't think a pod-type makes sense only for Decaf, other than for convenience.
ReplyDeleteThis former Buckeye was surprised to learn her new school classmates were intrigued with her Northern accent when we moved to the south, Returning north years later I was surprised to be told I had acquired a slight Southern accent. I never heard an accent in my voice either time. Dated a guy from Pittsburg one summer -- he had a bit of sound different, sort of crisper as I recall so many decades later, from where we were both living then in Central Ohio.
Joared, I don't know what to say besides the fact I greatly enjoy your stories, your looks back! I sat here reading this and admiring you for learning to drink your coffee black. I've tried and just can't do it. Thanks for sharing... :)
DeleteEveryone has an accent, it’s just that few of us believe we have one.
ReplyDeleteI know that if (when?) we meet, each of us will remark on the other’s accent.
In my own country I’ve been accused of being American, English, even French, even though I was born and raised here.
Peter (the not very Australian accented exMM)
Well Peter, I don't mean to sound naive; just that I hear these people on national cable channels like MSNBC and think "I sound just like them!" Though I do admit that every time I see your name I want to pronounce it "Peet-uh", like Bette Davis would--and I hope someday we can talk in person, my musical friend. If I don't talk to you soon, hope you have a happy Christmas :)
DeleteI hope you have a happy Christmas and an enjoyable one as you can in this most interesting of years.
DeleteNorma (the AM) and I will have a lunch together (just the two of us). This is not because of lock down; Victoria is unlocked and may be the safest place on the planet (as regards Covid). It’s just that we don’t like these big hooplas, these hullabaloos that some families go in for – including ours. Both our sisters like that sort of thing. Hers is a two hour drive out in the country from here, mine is quite a bit longer drive to get to San Francisco.
Peter