Keurig—Over-priced Gimmick?

When I first began to see single-serving pod coffeemakers, such as the Keurig collection, I thought they were a trendy gimmick. After all, you pay in excess of $100 for one of these machines, and then you have to buy the coffee pods (k-cups), which can easily run up to $20 for a two-week supply.

The worst part is that each pod makes anywhere from 8 – 10 oz. of coffee. That’s basically one cup or one travel mug full. And think of the waste—each one of those plastic pods ends up in the landfill, versus a paper filter (biodegradable) and coffee grounds (compostable, if you so desire).

Let’s recap: an ultra-expensive coffee maker plus ultra-expensive coffee, and less of it at that. Where’s the benefit? Well, for one, there’s no mess to clean up. The used pod can be disposed of and the brewer is ready to whip up the next undersized, overpriced cup of coffee. I should also mention that Keurigs can brew hot chocolate, mocha, and tea. As the popularity of these machines increases, so too will the third-party k-cup offerings, no doubt.

However, my perceptions of the Keurig have been altered slightly since we got one at work. (We actually have many in the electrics department—I work in a Kohl’s Dept. Store.) But now our break room is adorned with a Special Edition Keurig, and a variety of k-cups as well. I’ve gotten to try a bunch of new coffees such as Nantucket Blend, Donut Shop Blend by Coffee People, Paul Newman’s Extra Bold, and Emeril’s Extra Bold. All you do is fill the reservoir with water, insert the k-cup, and push brew. It also helps to have a (large enough) cup under the dispenser, as the brew pours out instantly. I learned this lesson the hard way first time.

So today I grabbed an 18-cup box of Coffee People’s Donut Shop. I plan to keep it in my locker and enjoy coffee breaks in the true sense of the phrase. For less than $7 (thanks to employee discounts), I got 18 cups of bold, quality coffee. I suppose that’s cheaper per cup than going to Tim Horton’s or Dunkin Donuts. However, I could’ve spent ~$11 for a reusable k-cup filter and brought my own ground coffee. But where’s the fun in that? Isn’t that too sensible? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the Keurig?

In workplace settings, dentist offices, and other places where offering a decent cup of coffee versus a cold, crap brew in an urn can foster some goodwill, a Keruig is a wise investment. It’s less hassle and mess than a conventional coffee maker. It lets users pick between decaf or regular and different brew strengths. Hot tea and cocoa are also on tap for those who are not coffee connoisseurs.

Do I still think these things are gimmicky? For sure. I plan to stick with my six-cup “baby” Brew Station by Hamilton Beach at home. But in a setting where one decent cup of coffee with little fuss and cleanup is needed, Keurig may have found a niche. And the way they’re selling at my Kohl’s location, this may be the “hottest” new trend in coffee. I wonder if Tim Horton’s will start packaging its blend in a k-cup soon?