We have researched some great sources for gourmet Italian coffee online. As you may already know, there is a difference between Italian coffee and coffee that has an Italian roast. Italian roast coffee does not mean it is from Italy. So do not be fooled because you can get generic, low-quality coffee beans labeled "Italian Roast". Well now that is cleared up, shall we move on?
So what is the difference between plain old Italian coffee and extra-special Gourmet Italian coffee? Is not all Italian coffee gourmet? Do you dare (more...)
Yes, now there are Keurig Iced Tea K-Cups in addition to hot tea K-Cups. They are specially formulated to brew into a glass over ice with twice the amount of tea per cup so that they don't lose strength. All you do is pop in the K-Cup as normal into your Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker and presto, a freshly-brewed glass of iced tea.
They currently have four flavors made by Celestial Seasonings, all full-bodied teas: (more...)
Below are all the latest Gevalia coffee offers. Gevalia has been around for over 150 years and has some of the finest gourmet coffees available.
The first Gevalia coffee offer gives you a 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (a $99.99 value) + 14 oz. Stainless Steel Travel Mug (a $14.95 value) when you order 2 lbs. of Gevalia's premium coffee. So you choose four half-pound boxes of their coffee with no further obligation. If you were to buy 4 of their cheapest priced coffees at $6.65 - that would equal $26.60 without the cost of shipping. So $19.95 is a pretty awesome deal since you get not only the 4 boxes of coffee, but also a travel mug and a Gevalia coffee maker too - a sweet deal!
We purchased the Perfect Pod Holster to expand our coffee choices with our Keurig B70 and for convenience and economical reasons as well. Reasons to use a Perfect Pod Holster with a Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker: (New - Now there is also the Perfect Pod EZ Cup which has pre-formed filters to allow you to use any coffee, not just pods!)
Expands gourmet coffee choices: In addition to K-Cups you now have 100s of coffee pods to choose from and at a cost of $12.95 for the Holster, it's quite an economical addition to your brew station.
Economical: K-Cups average 45-65¢/cup; Pods 25-35¢/cup.
Easier clean-up than using the "My K-Cup" (reusable K-Cup coffee filter) where you have to wash out the coffee grinds from the filter after brewing. The My K-Cup gives you the added benefit of using your own coffee, but it's messy. With the pod holster you can also have the flexibility of using your own coffee by making your own pods with the Perfect Pod Maker or by using T-Sacs (tea filter bags). Then you just dispose of the pod or T-Sac instead of having to clean out grounds like you do with the My K-Cup filter.
Environmentally friendlier: Pods produces less waste than plastic K-Cups.
Only Con:
We are used to using almost 12-14g of coffee (in the "My K-Cup") for Keurig's 7oz brew size so when using a 7g Senseo pod we learned we have to brew on the smallest 5oz. setting. There are pods out there, however, that do have more coffee in them such as Fratello and Black Mountain Gold pods. We have also used #2 T-Sacs (tea filter bags) and were able to make a lovely cup of strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons of medium-fine ground coffee in the T-Sac.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, we like the pod holster, and for a mere $12.95 (+shipping) we think it's a great bargain and an excellent addition to our own little gourmet coffee cafe. If you want to use pods or your own coffee in your Keurig, we highly recommend this product.
You can buy the perfect pod holster directly on ebay - usually best price. Here are the current auctions or buy it now offers:
Important Tip when using the Perfect Pod Holster:
The first time we used the holster, the coffee was extremely weak. We learned, as the picture below explains, that you need to push the pod up from the bottom as much as you can so that the Keurig needle can easily puncture the filter and so that the pod is compacted for optimal brewing extraction.
The Tassimo Coffee Maker (made by Braun) is one of the popular choices among today's single cup coffee makers.
Tassimo Coffee Maker Features
Brews drinks in about a minute
Drink types include: coffee, tea, espresso, hot chocolate, cappuccinos, and lattes
Customizable strength settings
Adjustable cup stand accommodates various cup sizes
Easy to clean: most of the movable parts are dishwasher-safe
Capable of customizing the strength of each beverage to your taste
Extra-large removable 68-ounce water tank
Patented T-Disc system barcode technology
UL approved
Dimensions: 10x15x16 inches
Weight: 7.5 lbs.
2-year limited warranty
Tassimo Coffee Maker Model TA1400 pictured on right
Retail Price Range
The Tassimo TA1400 Single Cup Coffee Maker costs $170 retail (Tassimo 1200 is $130)
T-Discs costs 77¢ direct from Tassimo, although price varies with brand and retail store - several places offer them online, including (more...)
