Single-cup brewing is a great way to enjoy coffee or tea – your cup is ready in under a minute – and everybody gets their choice of beverage.

Pod brewing is a great option – we believe it is the best – when it comes to single-cup coffee and tea. Pods are round bags – made of a gauze-like material – that, unlike other single-cup capsules, are biodegradable and compostable. They are also the least expensive of all single-cup brewing systems.

Pods make one cup of coffee or tea at a time – meaning everybody gets their choice of beverage. It is done quickly and easily, and there are no filters or coffee grounds to mess around with. It’s a great way to make coffee or tea whether you are alone or with a larger group.

The new Bunn MyCafé MC pod brewer is a great all-around home pod brewer – here is our review.

First Steps

When you first open the box, you will find a small carton containing several different varieties of coffee and tea pods from various manufacturers. But don’t get too anxious about trying them out just yet – you’ll need to go through a few steps first, which prepare your brewer for initial use. It won’t take long; just follow the steps that are clearly outlined in the instruction booklet.

Brewing Process

The brewing process works as follows: First, you open the pod drawer and place your choice of pod inside. Next, using the mug or cup you plan to brew your beverage into, measure a desired amount of water (up to 14 ounces) and pour it into the brewer reservoir. Lastly, place the mug or cup under the brewing spout, and press the brew button. Your beverage of choice will be ready in under a minute!

While it might seem like a hassle to pour in water for each cup you want to brew, this function allows you the choice of brewing (cup) size. Another advantage – if the coffee (or tea) is too strong, run just an ounce or two more of water into the same cup just to ‘weaken’ it a bit. However, using more than 10 ounces of water tends to result in a less flavorful beverage.

Other Features

In addition to the regular brew mode, the brewer also has a “pulse” mode that is recommended for tea and also can be used to make a stronger cup of coffee.

Also, after 6 hours of non-use the brewer will enter into an energy-savings mode. Opening the pod drawer will ‘awaken’ the brewer and cause it to enter ‘ready’ or pre-heat mode. Preheating only takes about a minute or so.

Finally, while these aren’t really features, the brewer is really quiet, and at the end of the brewing process the brewer evacuates any excess water out of the pod drawer leaving the pod dry, making disposal a cinch. Compared to most other single-cup brewers found in the market today, the Bunn MyCafé MC has one of the highest brew temperatures.

We feel this is one of the best single-cup pod brewers on the market, with its ease of use and brew capabilities. If you are planning on buying a single-cup brewer, make sure to consider the Bunn MyCafé MC.

That single cup of coffee that we wait in line at the drive through every morning on our way to work is becoming more expensive. 

Tim Hortons coffee announced it's 4.5 % price hike on April 4th of this year with U.S prices already being raised by about 3 %. Unfortunately, Columbia has had the worst rains in decades which have created a huge problem with fungus that destroys the coffee plants. This issue is not only the contributing factor as growing economies like China and India who willingly spend the money on the caffein fix, has led to dwindling world coffee stockpiles.

Starbucks announced last month that it will sell packaged coffees for an average of 12 per cent more. The chain has also raised prices on some drinks in its coffee shops last year.

Obtaining that single cup of coffee outside the home or office is becoming more expensive and quite unpredictable with the world market as it is. It only makes economic sense to purchase your own Single Cup coffee brewer. There is a considerable difference in cost with no loss in quality and an increase in variety that caters to all especially those with a serious global conscious.

Brewing your own single cup coffee in the morning before you head out to work not only saves you the aggravation waiting in line at the drive through, which can be quite long if you didn't arrived at the right time when running a little late. Your choices are greater with home single cup brewing and without the higher cost, lost time in line ups at the drive through and the ability to explore other specialty blends from some of the top roasters and brand names in the world. 

Graphic Design by: Janis Amoura

Being a newly converted consumer to the convenience of single cup coffee brewing; I was taken with the new BUNN, MY CAFÉ Single Cup Coffee Pod Brewer. Instead of having to brew an entire pot of coffee which is wasteful and time consuming first thing in the morning when all I want is a quality cup of coffee before I have to fly out the door. 

The MY CAFÉ Coffee Pod Brewer precisely controls brewing temperature and time to extract the superior flavor of your favorite brand of coffee and tea pods. Pods typically range in weight from 6 – 12 grams or more, so experimentation with the amount of water you add to your brewer is encouraged in order to obtain the perfect cup of coffee for your personal taste. I also use MY CAFÉ Single Cup Brewer to dispense hot water for cocoa as well as other hot drinks. Just leave the pod out of the pod drawer and press brew. 

I also appreciate the green factor when using my new BUNN, MY CAFÉ Single Cup Coffee Pod Brewer as there are no plastic cups to dispose of that is common with the Keurig Coffee Brewers. 

I have to say that going back to brewing full pots of coffee are long gone for me and I know that anyone who has never tried the BUNN, MY CAFÉ Single Cup Brewer will be easily converted just for the convenience alone.

Did you know people have been drinking coffee for thousands of years? The drink has been ingrained in international culture for generations upon generations, but we are still learning about new health benefits created by consuming the beverage. According to folklore about the origin of coffee, the positive mental and physical boost gained through coffee consumption was first noticed once upon a time in Ethiopia.

Nobody really knows the date of the origin of coffee, nor the exact circumstances under which it was found, but a tale passed along through many generations says that we can credit an Ethiopian goat herder for the fantastic discovery.

The goat herder named Kaldi is said to have been minding his herd one day when he noticed a strange occurrence. Some of the goats who were eating from a particular bush were behaving differently, in a more jovial mood than the other goats. They were acting excited, prancing around the fields, nearly dancing on their hind legs. Kaldi became curious as to why they were suddenly so lively. He studied the circumstance and made the connection between the pleasant activities of the goats and the bright red berries hanging on the mangled, half-eaten coffee plant.

Like most curious discoverers, inventors, entrepreneurs and risk-takers of the world, to whom we can credit the better portion of our world’s advancements, Kaldi swiftly decided to try the berries for himself. He tried one – or did he boil them? History can not relay the exact details, and different stories contradict each other regarding the exact circumstances, but regardless, he too noticed the strange energy gained by coffee consumption.

Folklore says he tasted the bitterness of the tree’s fruit, yet found it vaguely sweet and very satisfying. Refreshed, renewed and more alert, he set off to tell his wife about the fascinating discovery.

His wife compelled Kaldi to inform the monks of the strange berries. Strictly religious and highly suspicious of any mind or mood-altering substance, as they considered it, the monks swiftly decided to cast the “sinful” berries into a fire. The action led to the sweet aroma we now attribute to a fresh, delicious coffee brew. The monks, also curious, are said to have crushed the beans, raked them out of the fire and distilled the beans in a pot of boiling water.

According to folklore, it was only minutes before the heavenly aroma drew more monks towards the smell, all gathering to investigate the source of the blissful smell of roasting coffee. The monks tried the substance and were able to maintain energy all night long without sleep. They were pleasantly surprised by the productivity allowed by the drink, which gave them a renewed energy to continue their holy devotions. The abbot and the monks then thanked God for the gift, thinking he had given them the berries so they could pray all night.

Though the exact details for the origin of coffee might not be on record, it’s no surprise that coffee holds a special place in Ethiopia’s culture to this day. Coffee growing and picking produces the livelihood for over 12 million Ethiopians and brings in over two-thirds of the nation’s annual earnings. The nation’s coffee is still internationally recognized as some of the world’s finest.

Image Credit: Steve Evans

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee and relax: the he said/she said arguments over whether coffee increases productivity on the job have some scientific backing, thanks to a 2004 Harris poll. Productivity is a common debate for business management and employees. As they say, time is money, and with the right workplace standards, permissions and oversights, coffee-drinking could provide that little boost you and your colleagues need to get through the day – and that big presentation – with flying colors.

The research results from the poll revealed that the majority of the employees polled agreed that coffee increases productivity on the job.

• 79% of those polled said that access to coffee or tea makes them more productive
• 76% said that drinking a hot beverage is relaxing
• 79% said that they feel valued by their employers when they are provided with hot beverages at the workplace
• 47% said that they appreciate access to free or low-cost coffee provided by their office beverage service
• 63% said that having hot beverages served at the office allows them to grab a fresh coffee and get back to work, without having to leave the building to get that next kick of energy

Another study has shown that drinking coffee moderately throughout the day will help employees stay focused, especially when tasked with completing boring or endurance-based work. Those workers, according to the research, who consumed a moderate intake of coffee throughout the entire day were able to maintain their concentration levels until the end of the workday. In contrast, the workers who started their day off with a coffee at home or on the way to work and had no additional coffee throughout the day hit a productivity slump in the afternoon. The same was found for the workers who did not drink any coffee or caffeinated beverages throughout the day: their focus, energy and productivity decreased as the day progressed.

Why would coffee-drinking provide such a noticeable boost to workplace performance? Let’s take a closer look:

1. Coffee improves mental performance

That’s right, we all hoped it was the truth and now you can be sure. Drinking coffee doesn’t just help you stay awake – it improves alertness and concentration while delaying mental fatigue. It has also been suggested that coffee will improve your short-term memory.

2. Improve endurance and stamina in physical exercise

We’ll take any help we can get to make getting back into a regular exercise habit a little easier. Coffee could be the boost we all need to avoid early exhaustion by helping to improve our mentality, and therefore, our ability to exercise longer and harder while getting back into an exercise routine.

3. Improves socialization

As strange as it sounds, drinking coffee really does improve your ability to socialize. The scientific reasoning for this is coffee-drinking actually reduces stress by eliminating the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for irritability and other everyday stresses. Not only that, but the atmosphere created in coffee houses is carefully manufactured to help eliminate stress and encourage socialization, too.

So the next time your coworker starts swearing at the computer, treat them to a coffee – it might be the boost they need, and the rescue everyone else at the office wants!

Image: DeaPeaJay / cc