The BUNN MyCafé MC, a sleek pod brewer designed with quality, convenience, and earth-friendliness in mind.

This is Part 2 of a series about single-cup coffee trends. To read Part 1, “Is Single-Cup Coffee For You?”, click here.

If you think you’ve decided that single-cup coffee is the ideal choice, you’ll soon face another decision before you come home with your brand new coffee maker. That is, what type to buy? The three most popular choices are Keurig, Tassimo, and Coffee Pods. Here’s a quick overview.

Keurig

Keurig is the most popular choice in the single-serve coffee industry. The brewer uses the K-Cup, a proprietary plastic capsule containing a filter and ground coffee. K-Cups are available in hundreds of varieties, meaning you will probably find something you love. K-Cups are quite pricey though – currently about 60 cents a cup or more (definitely more than a traditional pot of coffee), so finding a good price is as important as finding the taste you love. The other downside to Keurig is the plastic waste – each K-Cup must be thrown out and can’t be recycled – an unfortunate issue.

Coffee Pods

The coffee pod brewing system, not chained to a particular brand, uses a round “pod” made out of the same type of material as a tea bag. This pod contains ground coffee and acts a filter, while a wrapper seals the freshness in before it is used. There are two main advantages to pods – “green” coffee and price. By “green,” we mean earth-friendliness, as each pod fully decomposes, in contrast to K-Cups and other capsules used by different brands. Also, the price is remarkable – a cup of coffee of the same, high quality as Keurig can be grabbed for as low as 35-40 cents a cup, a price difference not to miss. And finally, the variety is amazing; you’re sure to find a coffee you love.

Tassimo

Although not as popular as Keurig, this system is unique in that it uses a plastic disc with a specialized barcode that the brewer reads. This barcode tells the brewer how to perfect the cup, thus eliminating many button presses and other setups used to create your favorite beverage. In addition to coffee and tea, these “T-Discs” are available in specialty beverages – including lattés and café mochas. The downsides are similar to Keurig – plastic waste and higher prices that you won’t get when using coffee pods.

The Decision Is Yours

Now that you have a feel for what’s out there, it’s your opportunity to make the choice between the many options for single-cup coffee. Or, maybe, you’ve decided that single-serve coffee isn’t for you. But the popularity of single-cup coffee is on the rise, and you may decide you want one after you see one at a friend’s house, office, or wherever you may happen to come across a single-serve brewer in action.

If you think single-cup brewing is for you, check out our selection of coffee pods and brewers.

A Keurig Brewer, the single-cup industry’s leading brand.

If you’ve been shopping recently, you may have noticed a new style of coffee brewer sitting on the shelves. These machines, known as single-cup or single-serve coffee makers, are becoming a popular choice for coffee consumers in many parts of the globe. The more popular brewing systems available include Keurig, Tassimo, and one you may not have seen on the store shelves – coffee pod brewers.

The name "single-cup" or "single-serve" coffee gives you a pretty good idea of what those brewers are for, and if you guessed that they’ll make you one cup of coffee at a time, you are absolutely right! But don’t let that fact turn you off if you want more than one cup. Here’s why.

The Premise Behind Single-Cup Coffee

Single-cup coffee brewers, regardless of brand, are all designed with the same idea in mind – quick, fresh coffee with few steps and easy cleanup. The process is simple – fill the reservoir with water, and place a coffee package (which depends on the brewing system) into the machine. Then just press a button... and that’s it! Your coffee comes out, fresh and hot.

Many customers prefer single-serve coffee over traditional brewing methods for several reasons. Convenience is a key factor. Making a cup of coffee using a single-cup brewer typically takes under a minute, whereas going to the coffee shop or waiting for a pot to brew can be a time-consuming process. Grinding and measuring the coffee grounds are also eliminated from the brewing process. Choice is another factor for many. If someone wants tea, another wants decaf, while yet another wants their favorite flavored coffee - yes, that’s possible! This advantage makes single-serve ideal for parties, since everyone gets their choice of beverage. A final factor is coffee waste. When brewing a traditional pot of coffee, often the coffee goes bad before it’s all gone, and it ends up down the drain. By only making one cup of coffee at a time, most coffee is consumed, not wasted.

Making The Choice

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’ll buy a single-serve coffee maker. And remember that seeing a brewer in action is the best way to get a feel for how they work. Although the internet can’t make you a cup of coffee, you can have single-cup coffee delivered to you without leaving the home.

If you think single-serve brewing is for you, check out our selection of coffee pods and brewers.

To read Part 2 of this series on single-cup coffee trends, “What's Available”, click here.

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.