Looking for the perfect gift?

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11-30-2006, 07:51 PM
Xstr8guy

Looking for the perfect gift?

My partner is a coffee freak. Last Xmas I bought him a single-cup Gevalia pod brewer and he loved it.

This year, I wanted to upgrade to one of the more upscale single-cup machines. The Tassimo was new last year and it did lattes and cappuccinos automatically with real milk. But I didn't want to screw up and get something he wouldn't like. But I broke down and bought it this Xmas.

Then I found out about the Keurig machines. The don't do milk foam drinks but they have literally dozens of varieties of coffee and tea.

So what's a boy to do? Of course I bought both! And of course I couldn't wait until Xmas to give them to my partner. :D

I'll give you some impressions of the 2 machines...

Both machines use foil-sealed plastic cups instead of filter pods.

Coffee... Tassimo seems to focus on European brew styles... small servings, more intense flavor with brands such as Mastro Lorenzo, Carte Noire, Jacobs and Kenco. Keurig makes larger cups and focuses on American brands such as Green Mountain, Coffee People, Gloria Jean's, Tomothy's and more.

Tea... If you like tea then the Keurig is for you. They have dozens of different flavors/brands. Tassimo has 4.

Brew sizes... The Tassimo machine reads a barcode on the coffee cup and automatically selects the proper brewing attributes. You can press a button and manually add more liquid. But it tends to get a little weaker because the grounds aren't as strong. With the Keurig you must select the brew size first. You can brew up to an 11oz cup. But as with the Tassimo, bigger size=less flavor. These are single-cup after all so you shouldn't be surprised.

Aesthetics... Keurig wins hand-down! The sleek, functional design and black, chrome with blue lighting accents look great. The Tassimo looks like a cheap plastic lump next to the Keurig.

Taste... The both taste great! I'm not a coffee drinker but I LOVE the lattes and cappuccinos that the Tassimo brews. My partner (the serious coffee lover) still prefers his lattes the old-fashioned hand-frothed way. The Tassimo also brews wonder authentic european coffee and cremas... small but VERY flavorful, strong but not bitter. The Keurig also brews great tasting coffee and has a staggering variety of brands, stengths and flavors. You have so many varities to choose from, you wouldn't have to have the same cup of coffee for 3 months unless you wanted to.

Cost... both machines are between $150-200 range. And the cost per serving is between $.20-.50. The Tassimo foam drinks are about $1.00 each.

So which one is best. The coffee lover in our family loves the Keurig and it's massive varities of coffee and tea and it's sexy looks. I can take or leave coffee and tea (give me an ice-cold Mountain Dew anyday, lol) but I love the Tassimo and it's delicious lattes and cappuccinos. I'm actually starting to develop an appreciation for coffee now... much to my partner's delight.
11-30-2006, 08:01 PM
basschick

the Tassimo sounds cool, plastic lump or not but the variety of coffees for the Keurig sounds like a plus. i'm curious - does it have to be a pod coffee maker?

arie has taken to roasting his own beans - which, btw, can be done in a corn popper. and although most books and sites say to let the freshly roasted beans rest, don't do it! nothing tastes as good, even if you're not a coffee lover, than freshly roasted, just ground coffee beans. it's easy and fast and tastes amazing!
11-30-2006, 08:04 PM
Xstr8guy

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

the Tassimo sounds cool, plastic lump or not. i'm curious - does it have to be a pod coffee maker?

arie has taken to roasting his own beans - which, btw, can be done in a corn popper. and although most books and sites say to let the freshly roasted beans rest, don't do it! nothing tastes as good, even if you're not a coffee lover, than freshly roasted, just ground coffee beans. it's easy and fast and tastes amazing!

You can't use your own beans with the Tassimo. The Keurig has an optional filter assembly that allows you to use your own coffee. We haven't tried it yet so I can't tell you how the coffee tastes brewed with their filter.
11-30-2006, 08:07 PM
basschick

well, the Keurig sounds better and better. being able to use your own coffee OR pods sounds pretty nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

You can't use your own beans with the Tassimo. The Keurig has an optional filter assembly that allows you to use your own coffee. We haven't tried it yet so I can't tell you how the coffee tastes brewed with their filter.
11-30-2006, 08:12 PM
Xstr8guy

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

nothing tastes as good, even if you're not a coffee lover, than freshly roasted, just ground coffee beans. it's easy and fast and tastes amazing!

Just so you know, the coffee for both of these single-cup brewers is sealed in modified-atmosphere packaging so they stay very fresh. I think it's nitrogen gas that is in injected in during packaging to prevent oxidation... just like the cut salads at the grocery store.
11-30-2006, 08:22 PM
basschick

i have recently learned something. nitrogen packed coffee isn't even close to fresh roasted and ground, although i always believed it was till we started roasting here. i'm not sure why - perhaps they follow the experts advice and let the coffee sit before packaging it. all i can tell you is there are not very subtle nuances of flavor i never experienced once in my life till arie started roasting at home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

Just so you know, the coffee for both of these single-cup brewers is sealed in modified-atmosphere packaging so they stay very fresh. I think it's nitrogen gas that is in injected in during packaging to prevent oxidation... just like the cut salads at the grocery store.
11-30-2006, 08:29 PM
Xstr8guy

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

all i can tell you is there are not very subtle nuances of flavor i never experienced once in my life till arie started roasting at home.

Lol, I can't taste the subtle nuances in anything. Remember? I drink AND enjoy Mountain Dew. I simply can't be trusted with important matters of flavor. ;)
11-30-2006, 09:11 PM
basschick

unfortunately i don't see any animated laughing hysterically smilies, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

btw, arie's favorite drinks after coffee are mountain dew and dr. pepper. sometimes sublety isn't everything ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

Lol, I can't taste the subtle nuances in anything. Remember? I drink AND enjoy Mountain Dew. I simply can't be trusted with important matters of flavor. ;)
11-30-2006, 10:12 PM
SPACE GLIDER

Get me one of those.

And a star-shaped guitar like Bootsy Collins
11-30-2006, 10:37 PM
Xstr8guy

Homer Simpson: Now what do you have to wash that awful taste out of my mouth?

Koukalash Vendor: Mountain Dew or crab juice.

Homer Simpson: Blecch! Ew! Sheesh! ... I'll take the crab juice.

.
12-13-2006, 08:13 PM
Xstr8guy

BEWARE! I sent a Canadian friend a Keurig for Christmas. He was hit with a $119 dollar charge for tax, duty and UPS fees. Don't ship out of the US!
12-13-2006, 09:19 PM
slaxxx

I have a Keurig, very happy with it. I buy the Green Mountain Sumatra Reserve Extra Bold, which I'd also recommend.

If you are accustomed to drinking Dunkin Donuts or convenience store coffee daily, then it takes a little getting used to...it does not have exactly the same consistency as actual brewed coffee...it's a little more watery. Although it is still miles better than instant coffee.

But now I'm used to it, you can't beat the speed, convenience, and not having to wash a pot etc.
12-13-2006, 09:25 PM
Xstr8guy

Quote:

Originally Posted by slaxxx

If you are accustomed to drinking Dunkin Donuts or convenience store coffee daily, then it takes a little getting used to...it does not have exactly the same consistency as actual brewed coffee...it's a little more watery. Although it is still miles better than instant coffee.

Ah, that is a good point. I might add that the Tassimo coffees seem to have a less watery consistency. Some of the euro coffees are downright thick. Lol.
12-13-2006, 11:53 PM
gaybucks_chip

Alas, I am not a coffee drinker, but the house I bought came with a $2800 whiz-bang automatic espresso maker that with one button press, grinds the beans, tamps them, boils the water, makes the espresso, then dumps the beans in a waste container.
http://www.jankymedia.com/espresso.jpg
It has been used exactly three times since I moved in (none of them by me.)

I feel almost guilty for having this amazing thing and not liking to drink coffee. But perhaps some of our models will make use of it during our next shoot.

Now... if you want to talk about coffee *enemas*, I can tell you all about the biochemical aspects of different coffee beans and their detox effect on the liver... there are even special coffee roasters who sell coffee exclusively for that use... but I suspect that's not what any of you had in mind :)
12-14-2006, 12:18 AM
slaxxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

Ah, that is a good point. I might add that the Tassimo coffees seem to have a less watery consistency. Some of the euro coffees are downright thick. Lol.

I considered the Tassimo...in the end, it was the variety of coffees available why I picked Keurig. There's another one too, the Senseo...wasn't too impressed with that in the reviews I read.

Either way, it does make a very nice gift for someone.