Black & Decker GT300 Home Café Coffeemaker, Black Review

UPDATE AFTER A YEAR (1/2/06): I have been using this coffee maker for a year now.No problems with the machine.It has performed flawlessly.I follow the maintenance schedule which basically entails running a 50/50 white vinegar/water solution through the maker roughly every 30 cups.This is to prevent scale build-up.I didn't do it every 30 cups.I've run over 200 cups of coffee through this and have done the maintenance 3 times.

The primary reason I prefer this maker over the Senseo maker is the fact that it was almost designed for my Black and Decker 14 oz travel mug which fits nicely underneath; the Senseo is too short.

I have narrowed my preferences for coffee down to the Senseo brand of coffee.The medium roast is my favorite.

For those people who did not like this coffee maker because of a plastic taste in there coffee, I can say that 2 things could cause this:

1. Leaving water in the plastic water tank for an extended period of time.I always use fresh cold water straight from the water filter.

2. Make sure you are using a fresh coffee pod or pods (for 14 oz mugs).Reusing a pod, or trying to use just one pod for 14oz will water down the taste considerably.

ORIGINAL REVIEW (12/28/05): Received this for Christmas from my wife.I upgraded from a B&D "Brew N' Go" single serve coffeemaker, and can use the same travel mug with the Home Cafe.The main reason my wife chose the B&D over the Senseo was the fact that my travel mug fits easily in the B&D model.I understand this particular model is a redesign of another B&D model which received horrible reviews.In my opinion it's always a good thing to get the "2nd generation" as all the bugs have been worked out.

I am impressed with the ease of use, including how fast it makes a cup of coffee, and how easily it cleans up.I also prefer the taste of the coffee over my old maker.The coffeemaker itself is not too big, and the water reservoir holds enough water to last me a couple days.

If you're like me, you need more than just a cup of coffee in the morning, you have to have a GOOD cup of coffee.At some point I'll know which pods I like best as there are a number of different pod brands out there.The manual says only to use Folgers or Millstone brand (don't like the taste of either), but from what I've read elsewhere it doesn't make a difference which brand you use as long as the pods are the correct size.

The cheapest pods I've found online are the Senseo brand which run roughly 20 cents per pod.Ultimately you weigh taste with price, and you decide which is more important.

Overall I am very happy with the B&D Home Cafe.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Black & Decker GT300 Home Café Coffeemaker, Black

Product Description:
Enjoy the convenience of having the corner coffee shop in your own kitchen.Home Cafe brews 7, 9 and 14 ounce beverages as well as creamy specialty coffees and a variety of teas in one minute.The removable cup booster / drip tray minimizes spatters and is easy to clean.

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Grindmaster OPOD PrecisionBrewTM Single Cup Coffee / Tea Brewing System - with 10 FREE Pods Review

I bought this to replace my Bunn pod brewer.I liked the Bunn, but after going through three in two years, I figured it was time to try another brand. The Grindmaster is somewhat of a commercial-grade product and hopefully it will last longer.

Grindmaster pros include:

- Quickly brews good-tasting and very hot coffee (adjustable)
- Works with every brand of pods we've tried
- Has a large water tank, and can be plumbed for automatic fillup
- Reasonably good looking, although a bit larger than others
- Lets you program the unit to exactly fill your favorite cup

On the negative side, about the only thing I've noticed is that the unit is a bit loud when running, and there's no way to turn off the (relatively bright) blue water level indicator lamp on the front of the unit.

I'd rate the overall quality as somewhat above the Bunn and other brands, but it's not necessarily in a completely different league.

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Product Description:
PrecisionBrewTM - Innovative precision pod brewing and infusion technology provides the ideal cup every time. Open-Pod System accepts a variety of pod brands and sizes. BrewControlTM - Adjustable brew strength control allows users to fine tune their flavor preferences. Smartstop Automatic Water Shutoff-Water shuts off when pod drawer is open. Programmable cup size - Control the volume of beverage dispensed into the cup. Stylish, high performance design. Dual water system brewer can be plumbed into a water line or manually filled. Great for coffee and tea.

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Toastess TFC-1T One Cup Coffee Maker with 8oz. Bonus Mug, White Review

This was the worst item I have ever bought. The very first time I used it, I had a hard time pressing the button to the On position. When I finally got it to go to On position the switch burned out and smoked.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toastess TFC-1T One Cup Coffee Maker with 8oz. Bonus Mug, White

Product Description:
Perfect for home or office use, this single-cup coffeemaker quickly brews a delicious cup of coffee. Brew directly into a favorite mug--most will fit inside the compartment--or brew into the mug that comes included. The unit fits a variety of mug sizes and comes with an extra base to fit large mugs. In addition to making coffee, the coffeemaker also produces hot water for tea, hot cocoa, instant soups, and more. Other highlights include an illuminated "on/off" switch and a permanent nylon filter. The coffeemaker measures 5-2/7 by 6 by 8-2/7 inches and carries a two-year limited warranty.

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Keurig Single Serve Coffee and Tea Brewing System Select B77 Review

While it worked, it was a great machine. The coffee was great and so was the hot chocolate.Very convenient for the whole family. I even found K-cups at my local Stop and Shop grocery store for only 5.99 for a box of 12.

I received this for Christmas and it stopped working on New Year's day. Machine rumbles displaying "Not Ready" then shuts off.After keeping it powered off for about an hour it started working again, but then konked out, once again, mid brew.I wrote to customer service on Keurig's website and didn't get a reply after 5 days, so I called their 866 number.

After waiting on hold for approx. an hour for a technician, I was told that I was not allowed to wait any longer on hold and that they would call me back after 24 to 48 hours.The person I spoke to said that they have had an influx of calls with this problem since Christmas.Must be a bad batch that went out.I was also told that if they had replied by email, they would have told me to call, so don't waste your time with email.

I purchased the machine from Costco, but no longer have the box, so I don't know if I can return to them. If I am not able to get any satisfaction from Keurig, I will try going back to Costco.I will update this review with the final status of this problem.

1/10/10update:I had to wait 3 days for a technician to call me back. The technician told me to use a paper clip and make sure the top and bottom spouts were clear and we ran through several hot water cycles on different cup settings.

I don't know if this 'fixed' the problem because at that point it had been working again. The tech. said that the hot cocoa cups could clog the spouts (although I do run a hot water cycle after each hot cocoa cup is 'brewed'). She also said there may be a problem with the separate filter that allows me to use my own coffee as opposed to their K-Cups. After her call, I stopped using the hot cocoa and the separate filter and so far have not had any problems.

1/26/10 update- The machine started shutting off yet again.I contacted customer service and they promptly told me that they would send me a new machine. The new machine is working perfectly (so far) and the "motor" definitely sounds different.I am hopeful. I had to send them a part from the old machine within 30 days in order to not be charged for the new machine.

When it works, this really is a great machine and so convenient. I hope I got a good one this time around.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Keurig Single Serve Coffee and Tea Brewing System Select B77

Product Description:
Deliciously simple® in less than 60 seconds! The gourmet Keurig® Ultra B77 single serve coffee system offers easy one-touch brewing with four brewing sizes, an advanced programmable LCD control center, 24-hour digital clock and removable drip tray.Features:* Color: Silver/Black * New Quiet Brew TechnologyTM * Patented microprocessor controlled technology * Removable 60oz. water reservoir w/ blue light- makes up to 10 cups before refilling * Always ready- brews in under 1 minute * Programmable LCD control center w/ blue backlight * 24-hour digital clock * Programmable on/off * 1-touch brewing: 4 sizes o 4 oz. brew o 6 oz. brew o 8 oz. brew o 10 oz. brew * Chrome handle * Drip tray is removable to accommodate taller travel mugs * Power: 1500 watts * Voltage: 120VAC/60HZ * UL / c-UL approved for household use only * Dimensions: 13"H x 10"W x 13.25"D * Weight: 12 lbs. empty; 15 lbs. full * 1 year limited warranty .

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Keurig Single Serve Gourmet Coffee & Tea Brewing System Review

I have just purchased a Keurig Model B66 "Ultimate" and tried it out within the hour. My first opinions on this model are:

On a negative note... I found that the sound is noticeable when the unit is pumping the water into its heater. The individual K-Cup coffee containers while convenient, are costly per cup.

On the positive side... I drink black coffee and I feel that this unit does heat the water to a sufficient temperature and brews a drinkable cup of coffee very quickly. Another plus... Keurig also offers a solution for the "costly per cup servings" in that it sells a reusable coffee filter as an accessory. (This filter will permit you to use your own coffee which relates to a much lower cost per cup.)

My biggest regret about purchasing this particular model is that I didn't notice that the largest cup this unit brews is only ten (well 9.25) ounces... and not the twelve ounce mug size that I consider to be "my" standard size cup. In all fairness I can't find fault with Keurig for that because it clearly states the cup brewing size right on the back of the box.

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Product Description:
The gourmet Keurig® Ultra B66 single serve coffee system offers easy one-touch brewing with two brewing sizes, an advanced programmable LCD control center, 24-hour digital clock and removable drip tray. Includes a bonus pack of 72 K-Cups® variety pack plus one My K-Cup reuseable filters. Each K-Cup is sealed air-tight for freshness and is available in over 150 varieties of name brand gourmet coffee and teas to meet the most demanding taste profiles. All coffees available are 100% Arabaca beans. Includes Variety Bonus Pack: 18 K-Cup Variety Pack Additional K-Cup bonus pack includes: 18-pack: Green Mountain Nantucket Blend 18-pack: Tully's French Roast 18-pack: Caribou Blend 18-pack:Newman's Own Organic My K-cup Reuseable Coffee Filter: allows you to use your own ground coffee Features: Color: Silver/Black Patented microprocessor controlled technology Removable 48oz. Water Reservoir w/ blue light Programmable LCD control center w/ blue backlight 24-hour digital clock Programmable on/off 1-touch brewing:3 sizes 5.25 oz. brew 7.25 oz. brew 9.25 oz. brew Chrome handle Removable Drip Tray Power: 1500 watts Voltage: 120VAC/60HZ UL / c-UL approved for household use only Includes: My K-cup Reuseable Coffee Filter: allows you to use your own ground coffee, 18 K-Cup variety pack + 72 K-Cup bonus pack (90 total K-Cups included) Dimensions: 13"H x 10"W x 13.25"D Weight: 12 lbs. empty; 15 lbs. full 1 year limited warranty Made in China

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Mr. Coffee SL13 Home Café Single Serve Coffee Maker, Black Review

I shopped around and compared features on a lot of models before I bought this one.The big differences for me were
1) You can use your own coffee grounds or loose tea instead of spendy pods
2) It's also compatible with pods from a variety of makers.
3) It's much cheaper than the big name pod machines
4) Unlike some of the other machines that use a lot of electricity to keep water constantly heated so it can dispense quickly, this only heats when you turn it on.

To use it, you fill the water reservoir, put the pod in the pod tray, and press the start button.You add water for each cup you make, which makes it easy to control how much coffee you get out of it and control the brew strength.There are 3 pod trays that you can use: one that accepts a single pod, one that accepts 2 pods in case you like it strong, are making a big mug (most pods have enough coffee for 4-6oz mug) or for 2 cups at a time, and a 3rd tray that uses your own grounds or loose tea leaves.My only complaint is that the coffee could be a little hotter, though adding hot water instead of cold to the reservoir helps.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mr. Coffee SL13 Home Café Single Serve Coffee Maker, Black

Product Description:
Mr. Coffee presents the Home Cafe. Bring the coffee house home. Single Serve, Brews Coffee & Tea Pods, Makes 1 or 2 cups at a time, Adjustable brew head to fit Travel Mug, cord storage.

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Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single Serve Coffee Machines Review

I want to love this machine. If you are considering purchasing the Dolce Gusto machine I STRONGLY suggest you sample the coffee first (I think Sur La Table has demo machines). Here's what I like about the machine:
* The design is sleek.
* It's well made and sturdy.
* The machine heats the water up really fast- once you turn it you're ready to make coffee in well under a minute.
* The machine is incredibly easy to use. (see attached video for a demo of a cappuccino)
* No real cleanup required after each use.

Now for the bad...
* The machine comes with a latte macchiato glass, a cappuccino cup and saucer. Unfortunately the packaging was very poor (not enough bubble wrap) and the saucer arrived cracked.
* The coffee is horrible. As good as the physical machine is... it is only as good as the coffee it makes. All the milk based Dolce Gusto drinks are excessively sweet, taste artificial and have a ton of sugar and have anywhere from 3.5g-6g of fat.
*The non-milk drinks are very disappointing as well. Both the espresso and lungo aren't very strong and taste very average.

I have posted video demonstrations for each of the drinks in my reviews of :
* Cappuccino
* Espresso
* Chococino
* Caffe Lungo
* Latte Macchiato

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single Serve Coffee Machines

Product Description:
Brew a fresh cup of gourmet coffee in less than a minute with this single-serve coffee machine. The appliance works with pre-ground, pre-sealed coffee capsules containing 100-percent Arabica fine ground coffee. Use one capsule for coffee or two capsules for cappuccino, slide the custom-control lever to the desired coffee strength, and it takes care of the rest. With 15 bars of pump pressure and a Thermobloc pump and heating element, the machine delivers perfect pressure and water temperature to ensure cafe-quality results. Choose from a wide variety of beverages including espresso, frothy cappuccino, latte, cafe lungo, and chococino. For added convenience, there's no messy grinding or clean up--simply throw away the used capsule and insert another. Cup after cup can be enjoyed without any crossing-over of flavors from one drink to the next. Other details include a 51-ounce removable water tank, a magnetic pod holder, a metal cast puncture and brew levers, unique hot and cold manual capability, and an adjustable/removable drip tray to accommodate any height cup or glass. The single-serve coffee machine measures 8-2/5 by 12-2/5 by 13 inches.

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Keurig Single Serving Coffee and Tea Maker Bundle- B77 Review

I give this 3 stars just because it is a Keurig and the single serve system is great.
I do however have a beef with this model. Not only is it more expensive than your BJ's or Costco it also lacks certain features you get when you purchase the B70 model. I just bought mine at BJ's and I am returning it to purchase a B70 model.
The differences are:
B70 ( Platinum )
Cup sizes up to 12oz
Adjustable Temp
Lacks the 72 K-Cups instead you get 12.
B77 ( Select )
Stops at 10oz
No Adjustable Temp.
Bonus 72 K-Cups instead of the 12.

If you don't care much for the differences then the extra K-cups might make it worth the buy. I would still suggest you get it from BJ's or Costco since this price is $30 more here than they have it for.
I wanted the 12oz so I decided to forgo the extra k-cups and I am going for the B70 (Platinum).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Keurig Single Serving Coffee and Tea Maker Bundle- B77

Product Description:
Always ready- brews in under 1 minute,Programmable LCD control center w/ blue backlight ,24-hour digital clock ,Programmable on/off ,1-touch brewing: 4 sizes,4 oz. brew,6 oz. brew,8 oz. brew ,10 oz. brewChrome handle ,Drip tray is removable to accomodate taller travel mugs ,Power: 1500 watts ,Voltage: 120VAC/60HZ ,UL / c-UL approved for household use only ,Includes: My K-cup Reusable Coffee Filter: allows you to use your own ground coffee, 12 K-Cup variety pack + 60 K-Cup bonus pack (72 total K-Cups included)Dimensions: 13" H x 10" W x 13.25" D ,Weight: 12 lbs. empty; 15 lbs. full ,Made in China

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