Keurig Ultra B-50 Coffee Brewer-Indulgent Convenience
Written: May 09 '06 (Updated May 09 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easiest clean-up
Cons: Overpriced coffee
The Bottom Line: There might be many better ways to spend your money.
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| jsaunt's Full Review: Keurig Ultra B50 1-Cup Coffee Maker |
For those who like a good cup of coffee, paying premium rates at coffee chains or cleaning grinders, coffee filters and pots may be worth it. You may enjoy frequenting your neighborhood coffeehouse or the coffee shop on one of the corners of a nearby intersection (that rhymes with Schmarbucks). Or if you enjoy being served by Sally-Jo at the diner, or being anonymous sitting with your newspaper, listening to your i-pod at the trendy spot where you pay 5 bucks (give or take) and aren’t entitled to a refill. Maybe you even enjoy choosing just the right mix of Ethiopian, Columbian or French Roast, and deciding on the proper texture of grounds. For me, I enjoy coffee and even the experience of hanging out at the bagel shop or at the “Naked Bean” down the hill. But some weekend days I like to sit around in my PJs, catch up on my Tivo list and make some coffee without having to make much effort to look presentable.
I’d experimented with different coffee makers and pots, but I have to admit when the pod-type makers came out, I was tempted by the idea of not having to wash the carafe or clean up coffee grinds. In fact, the pot I was using has the grinder and filter in one (with the blades at the bottom of the metal filter). Although this made a good pot of coffee, I never did enjoy washing out that filter while avoiding those blades. So, I read about the different types of pod coffee makers (like Senseo, Home Cafe, and One:One), once even nearly conning (I mean asking) my sister to go trade in an old pot at one of those Senseo exchanges. The reviews were mixed, though with users complaining of the quality of the cup of coffee, the expense of the pods and the heat level of the water. So, I decided to wait.
The next generation of one cup coffee makers seems to be the type that use cups instead of pods. The 2 brands I investigated were the Tassimo and Keurig. They both work in a similar way as the pod types, making one cup of coffee at a time. I even stood at Bed Bath and Beyond and watched the cheesy video (ie: infomercial) and compared it to the cheesy video at Linens and Things in order to consider both alternatives. I also looked at Epinions and the respective websites of the two brands. The prices were similar (if also outrageous) but I finally decided on the Keurig after what I perceived as more people thought the coffee tasted better (although who even knows anymore?)
I still don’t know if it’s just rationalization but I think that if it weren’t for that 20% off coupon (interchangeable at my local BB&B and LNT) I might not have shelled out the money for this contraption. I did shop around and it seems that if you buy the “Ultra” model the price is the same no matter where you shop (not inclusive of the potential for the goods and bads that ebay has to offer).
So…you want to hear about the coffee maker already?
The setup was simple. I opened the box and very clear instructions were included. They were nearly unnecessary because it’s fairly intuitive to sit the thing on its base, put the plate on the base put the lid on the reservoir, and plug it in. (The cord seems long enough to reach the outlet without being so long that it gets in the way.) The directions did explain how to prime the unit, which involved filling the removable (48 oz.) reservoir with water, making sure to place a cup under the spout and pushing the instructed combinations of buttons. This really was simpler than my explanation makes it sound. Then you’re ready for your first cup of coffee (or tea).
The unit I purchased included 18 k-cups, which are small cups of coffee or tea which resemble the plastic cups that liquid creamer comes in at the coffee shop. Mine included Timothy’s, Dietrich, Green Mountain, Celestial Seasonings, Gloria Jean, and Van Houte, which sampled straight up coffee of various “boldnesses”, flavored coffee (hazelnut and vanilla), as well as black and green tea.
In my research, I’m finding that k-cups are available at stores where you can purchase the coffee maker (including BB&B, LNT, Target, etc.) as well as online from Keurig’s website, ebay, and many other coffee websites. At Target I bought 18 k-cups for $9.95, which is admittedly ridiculous, and I’ve seen various deals (thanks to a Google search) for about $8.99 for 25 k-cups, plus shipping depending on how much you buy at one time. (If you buy larger quantities, many of these sites offer free shipping. If you’re a frequent coffee drinker, other discounts are given if you order scheduled deliveries.) Other than the brands that came with my unit, I’ve seen k-cups available by Coffee People (reminds me of my trips to Oregon), Tully’s, Twinings, and I have to wonder if other brands will be joining in. It looks like you can buy k-cups from keurig.com, coffeecow.com, greatcoffee.com, coffeegiant.com, coffeeforless.com, singleservecoffee.com (and I’m guessing this list is ever-changing). I understand that refillable adapters are available, but I haven’t tried these yet. Although you can use the Keurig for the hot water for hot chocolate packets, it looks like Ghirardelli found a way to charge you extra for the plastic cup, and hot chocolate is now available from many of these sites. (Don’t tell anybody, but I’ve actually made tea and hot chocolate using a tea bag and a packet, respectively.)
First impressions
I chose a k-cup flavor that sounded like regular coffee since that is my preference. But, to tell the truth, I wanted to test a basic cup of coffee, thinking that if it wasn’t that great, I could return the whole thing without making a huge dent in the box of k-cups.
The machine really couldn’t be easier…whether you read all of the directions or not. So that you don’t wind up with coffee all over your countertop, I’d suggest that you place the coffee cup below the spout first. Then, lift the handle and since the k-cup fits into the coffee maker only one possible way, put it into the machine. When the lid is closed, the pins automatically pierce the cup (top and bottom). The readout will change from “Not Ready” to “Brew” and will give you the option of a small or a large cup of coffee.
Size does matter
Now here is the only issue where I beg to differ. I know that everyone’s idea of size of cup of coffee is now skewed with the advent of “Venti” and “Tall” that they call them at that aforementioned chain. But with the Keurig, I’ve experimented a bit, and I have found that one of the “small” cups (5.25 oz.) might more accurately be called “miniscule”, and one of the “large” cups (7.25 oz.) barely filled my coffee mug halfway. This is an easy fix, though. Since the coffee in the k-cup is plenty strong enough, I’ve found that if I brew 2 of the small cups (from one k-cup) it fills my coffee cup to where I’m able to not feel too ripped off. In order to do this, after you’ve brewed one cup, open the latch and re-close it until the readout says “brew” again, pressing the button that will fill your cup. Depending on the size of your coffee cup, you might want to experiment with combinations of “small” and “large” cups (per Keurig’s definition). I do caution you to keep an eye on the cup, though, because if you do use too large of a brew and too small of a cup, there is no sensor that will tell you that you misjudged other than your eyes or the pooling of coffee in the drip tray and plate that are part of the machine. If you do spill into the drip tray, it is removable and easy to clean.
It only takes a moment
Once you’ve figured out how much coffee you want in your cup, you can use the programmable timer, but I have to tell you that as long as you’re going to leave the pot on for the timer, it really takes less than a minute to make a cup of coffee, making the programmable feature hardly necessary. (The main differences between the Ultra B-50 and the less expensive Elite B-40 are that the programmable timer and the choice of 2 brew sizes are only available in the more expensive model. FYI the B-40 is selling for $99.95 as compared to $149.99 for the B-50. There are other models with larger brew sizes, capacities, and price tags but as it is this is more than enough money to spend on a coffee maker, if you ask me.)
The taste
I find the coffee to be rich tasting, yummy and hot. I was worried that the temperature might not be hot enough, but it is perfect for me. . The best part is that once you push the button to start the brewing process, the coffee is there in your cup almost instantaneously. I understand that you have the option to leave the machine on at all times or turn it off, necessitating time for the water to heat up. I’ve chosen to leave it on and am convinced that I’m not using much electricity. (If my next electric bill shows a big jump that I can’t attribute to anything else, I swear on my eyes that I’ll come and edit this review.)
The machine has enough room for anything from an espresso cup to a travel mug. It is plenty tall and wide enough to even hold a wide cafe au lait-type cup. The coffee maker is fairly attractive in a modern coffee maker kind of way. I believe these only come in one color choice (which is black with silver tone) although who knows what the future brings for other colors. The footprint of the machine is similar to other coffee pots (13"H 10"W 13.25"D). A demo video is available on the website (keurig.com).
The things that made me contemplate the expensive purchase of the Keurig are the things that made me keep it (and skip testing the store’s return policy). I wanted easy cleanup and I liked the idea of making one cup of coffee at a time (since I used to make 2 cups with good intentions…. and invariably wasted one). The process of cleanup is literally a 3 second endeavor, (depending on the proximity of your trash can to the coffee maker). You just open the same latch, remove the k-cup and throw it away. One suggestion is to look at where the hole on the bottom is and tilt the cup so that no liquid drips out on your way to the trash. (You might have figured that one out on your own, but if I can save you a paper towel to clean up the drips, I’d feel that my own, one time error in judgment was not in vain.)
I admit that this purchase was a splurge for me, but so far I don’t have buyer’s remorse. But it’s always a good idea to hang on to that receipt.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jsaunt
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Member: Leslie
Location: Southern California
Reviews written: 61
Trusted by: 208 members
About Me:
It's not the place, it's the people.
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