No appliance is perfect, but new and better products are emerging all the time that do things better, faster, and hassle-free than ever before. How would you like to have the power to make a fresh, well-brewed cup of coffee every time? No more having to pour yesterday’s coffee down the drain because it’s been sitting around too long; No more worrying about dirty filters and grounds, or wondering if the ratio of water to ground coffee is correct. Many companies listened, especially a company called Keurig, which translates from a Dutch word meaning “excellence.” Keurig is the boss of single-cup coffee makers. Other brands like Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach are jumping on the bandwagon.

The premise of single cup coffee makers is exactly what the name implies; They only make one cup of coffee at a time. So if you prefer dark roast but someone in your household likes Colombian beer better, the two of you don’t have to settle or compromise. The magic is in the K-cup, a small plastic cup filled with the right amount of ground coffee (about a tablespoon) that is inserted into the front of your coffee machine in a small compartment that stores away neatly. A channel or reservoir inside the machine holds the correct amount of water, sometimes many ounces, so you don’t have to spend time filling it up over and over again, and better yet, the machine is programmed to know how much water to dispense into your glass. on hold. .

Don’t worry if you’ve never used one of these machines before, as they’re pretty much idiot-proof. You can watch some instructional videos if you’re not sure about any of this, but you’ll be Flynt in no time. He’ll learn how often to fill the reservoir, load the K-cup and choose the right brew setting like a pro and wonder why he didn’t hear about these brewers sooner. Also, if you think you’re limited to the same old varieties with red/green color indication (universally, red means regular and green means decaf), think again! Keurig and many other brands cater to the demand for numerous varieties and flavors, from Colombian beer, lattes, espresso, and you can also get hot chocolate and apple cider for those perfect crisp fall nights!

Now you might be thinking, what’s the catch? There is no “cheat” per se, apart from rethinking the ritual of preparing coffee. Instead of dipping coffee beans into scoops and using paper filters the traditional way, you’ll stock up on K-cups and, if you’re so willing, conveniently sized reusable K-cups you can use for any of your other favorite grounds. , but as for paper filters, you can say goodbye to them. If you’re not used to thoroughly cleaning your old coffee maker, you may be surprised to thoroughly clean your single-cup coffee maker on a regular basis in a process known as “descaling.” This should be done regularly to prevent hard water deposits from building up inside the machine. Even if you have access to a water softener, you still want to regularly descale your machine to keep it running at optimal levels. I’ll save the cleaning process dialog for another article, as it’s beyond the scope of what you may want to know when deciding whether or not to try single-cup brewers for the first time.

But if you’re looking for one of these machines on the market, there are many online retailers that carry many different options, colors, styles, and price ranges, so if you’re the only coffee drinker in your household, you can find smaller size with a lower price tag. You should be able to read reviews and rate the most satisfying machines based on popular opinion. So take your time and shop around; before you know it, you can become one of those happy coffee aficionados who could never use that old coffee pot or drip machine of yesteryear again!