San Francisco Bay Onecup French Vanilla
When a product has more than 20,000 reviews on Amazon, you know theres something special about it.
Thats how popular these French Vanilla flavored K cups really are. San Francisco Bay uses plant-based sustainable resources.
The pods are compostable by the way. Isnt that amazing!
Speaking of the taste, be prepared to savor the luxuriously creamy and rich flavor. Freshly-ground, high-quality French vanilla coffee beans are put into action. And so are wild, natural German hazelnuts.
The fusion of that with smooth, creamy vanilla is very nutty. Almost a recipe that you might just get addicted to!
Use the K cups with the majority of Keurig brewers without a worry. Even the 2.0 and 1.0 coffee makers.
Gourmesso K Cup Coffee
I adore a good dark roast, and this is certainly something you will get with Gourmesso K Cup Coffee. That being said, Gourmesso also does light and medium roasts, so you can easily find some of your personal preferences there.
Despite the range of different roasts, I do have to admit I prefer their dark roast. It is also good to know that Gourmesso is Rainforest Alliance Certified, which means you are sure you get a sustainable cup of coffee in the morning.
Starbucks Caramel K Cups
In our opinion, Starbucks has one of the best K-Cups for caramel flavoring. The coffee comes out creamy and smooth without any additions. This coffee is perfect for someone with a sweet tooth and tastes really great with a touch of creamer. To make the perfect caramel coffee just add some creamer!
Sure, its basic but Starbucks knows their war around flavorings and coffee. The flavor is rich for a medium roast coffee and there is no denying these taste great. This would be more tailored for someone who doesnt like bitter coffee and wants to try something with a lot of variety. There are many flavors and choices you can choose from with Starbucks and they are all worth trying! Caramel was my favorite but hazelnut and cinnamon are also very tasty.
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What Is A K
As much as we would like to assume that everyone knows what a K-cup is, we cant ignore the fact that there are new coffees lovers reading this are curious to know what is meant by the term K-cup.
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A K-cup is a coffee pod made by the original single cup coffee maker Keurig. In particular, they are used in machines that brew one coffee cup at a time. Its no longer a secret that single cup coffee makers produce better coffee that machines that brew up to 10 cups.
What To Look For When Buying A Single
Single-use coffee pods vs. reusable filters: Most single-serve coffee makers use store-bought coffee pods, like the popular K-Cup pods from Keurig. Pods are small plastic or aluminum cups that contains pre-portioned ground coffee and a built-in filter. K-Cups and capsules are convenient to use, but are more expensive than using your own ground coffee. And while some pods are recyclable, like K-Cups, you need to remove the grounds and foil first, and check with your local recycling facility that they can process the type of plastic your pods are made from. Soft pods are a popular alternative: The ground coffee comes in a tea bag-like round paper filter, which eliminates the plastic waste.
If you prefer a coffee maker with no pods, there are single-serve machines that feature a reusable filter to fill with your own ground coffee. Reusable filters are definitely the more eco-friendly option, but note that the filters do need to be washed after each use. All of the reusable filters we tested were easy to detach from the coffee maker and dishwasher-safe. We recommend adding two tablespoons of ground coffee into the reusable filter for a six-ounce cup of coffee.
Brewing options: While some single-serve coffee makers brew only one size of a cup, some models provide more brewing options from single espresso shots up to 16 ounces , with coffee choices ranging from basic to fancy .
- Can use pods for a single cup or filter for a full pot
- Variety of cup size choices
- Small footprint
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Q: Whats The Difference Between A Coffee Pod And A Coffee Capsule
A: There really isn’t much difference between coffee pods and coffee capsules. Once upon a time, coffee pods entailed coffee packed between teabag like paper and was used to make a single dose of coffee. On the other hand, capsules are usually packed and vacuum-sealed inside a plastic or aluminum case to keep the coffee fresher for much longer.
These days, however, most of us will refer to pods and capsules as being the same thing. Whether you call them pods or capsules, the most important aspect is how the coffee tastes.
Bostons Best Single Serve Coffee Holiday Assortment
These pods are made with 100% Arabica Coffee beans, and are gluten free, BPA-free and Kosher certified. The assortment includes white chocolate blend, Donut shop blend, and nutcracker sweet vanilla hazelnut blend all of which have a Christmassy taste.
People have praised the nice taste and flavor of the coffee, as well as the fragrance. One user said that it was a perfect balanced flavor, that wasnt too strong or to weak. They said that it is perfect for people who like their coffee to be medium strength.
Most people had good things to say about the assortment of these flavors, while some added that it was a little weak for their taste but still a great tasting coffee.
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There Are Endless Flavors
Of the ten coffees listed above, there were many different types of flavors, but in the wide world of java, there are even more.
We looked at coffees that taste like cinnamon rolls, and even one that tastes like German chocolate cake. If you want to experiment, the sky is pretty much the limit. Keurig sells dozens of different flavored coffees. Its never a bad idea to stay stocked up on a few different ones in case you have company over.
Here are some other interesting flavors worth checking out:
Illy Arabica Selections Brasile K
Best Single Origin Coffee
Coffees labeled single-origin are made with beans from one place, as opposed to blends, which combine beans from multiple places. Single-origin beans consequently have a unique flavor thats specific to the place theyre from. Illy Arabica Selections Brasile K-Cup Pods are full-bodied and bursting with notes of caramel. The brands coffees are roasted and air-cooled to create a smooth, balanced taste. Theyre also made sustainably, as illy caffè was named one of the most ethically sourced coffee producers in the industry by Ethisphere.
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Eight Oclock Coffee The Original K
The one Eight OClock Coffee reviewed earlier is a dark Italian roast. The second one is the decaffeinated version of a medium roast. And the current K cup is a caffeinated medium roast.
The brand has put into action pure Arabica beans. That offers a full-bodied and smooth flavor.
But what sets it apart from the previous two Eight OClock K cups is this. The caffeinated medium roast here is mellow. Yet it has the power to leave a pleasantly mild aftertaste. Sort of like something that makes you feel you havent had enough.
Your Keurig, any Keurig, wont have any issues with these coffee pods. Also important to note is the low acid profile of The Original blend.
Not too weak. And not too strong to leave a bitter taste in the mouth either.
The best part is not even done yet. Just how quickly the coffee livens your mood is a thing to appreciate. If youre a true caffeine lover!
Green Mountain Nantucket Blend
Green Mountain makes really great not bitter coffees. This is a really smooth and light blend of coffee, even less bitter than the Green Mountain breakfast blend. This K-Cup really comes down to personal preference. If you really do not like bitter coffee this is something you should consider. The roast and taste are very mellow and it is completely organic and all the money goes to charity!
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Keurig Vs The Rest Of The Brands
This list will feature the most respected companies: HamiltonBeach, Cuisinart and Keurig. Each company has a long history.
These coffee makers are reliable and simple to use. You can also program them for automatic brewing.
These three brands are worth considering if you’re looking for a coffee machine that can make 12 cups of coffee, and also serve one cup with K-cup. It doesn’t matter which coffee maker with K-cup or carafe you buy, it all comes down to what features you require. It doesn’t really matter what brand you choose.
If you are looking for a single-cup coffee maker, Sboly or Chulux might be a good choice.
Caribou Coffee Blend K Cups
This is one of those K cup brands that is often overlooked, and that is a real shame. After all, I had few K cups that were better than Caribou.
Caribou K cups use the finest Indonesian coffee beans, turning them into one of the best medium roast K cups on the market today. Caribou K cups are characterised by their full body, but also a rich flavor you will not forget anytime soon! And while the price is not as affordable as Starbucks, the overall taste and quality is certainly on point.
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Keurig Deals With Companies That Prioritize Ethical Sourcing
If ethical sourcing is important to you, youll be happy to know that Keurig works with manufacturers that feel the same way. Companies like Green Mountain make a point of paying their employees fairly. They also work hard to be environmentally conscious in their manufacturing process.
If you want to be sure that the company you buy from engages in these practices, its usually as simple as reading the label on the packaging.
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To Bulk Buy Or Not To Bulk Buy
K Cups are sold in a variety of quantities to satisfy the needs of different consumers, so consider your requirements before making a purchase. If youre committed to a favorite coffee flavor or buying for a large home or office, you can purchase packs of up to 120 K Cups at a time, a bulk purchase that will certainly save money.
However, part of the appeal of single-serve coffee brewers like Keurigs can sample many different flavors, even for a day. Maybe you want to kick start your day with a breakfast blend and wind it down with an after-dinner blend. In this case, you may want to consider buying in smaller volumes or looking for companies that offer variety packs.
Watch our video review of Keurigs K-15 single-serve brewer here:
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Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Single
If youre looking for the highest quality and best flavor at a fair price, try one of the Favorites Variety Packs from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters! My personal favorite is the Bold Roast Variety Pack. It includes 10 each of Green Mountains Dark Magic, Breakfast Blend, Colombian Fair Trade, and Nantucket Blend coffees. They are all excellent, and the Dark Magic roast is fantastic for whipping up espresso-style drinks in a flash!
Although this review is for the Bold Roast Varieties, the quality of Green Mountain Coffee Pods is top-notch. You really cant go wrong with any of their flavor options. They offer other variety packs with milder roasts and flavored coffees, as well.
What makes Green Mountain K-cups unique is that each pod is filled with freshly ground coffee. They include a specially designed paper filter inside the pod that allows the grounds to be saturated with hot water before passing through the pod. This innovative design extracts every ounce of flavor from the coffee, resulting in a rich and flavorful cup with no bitterness or acidity.
Green Mountain Breakfast Blend
Chances are pretty good that, if you’ve stayed at a hotel or rental that had a Keurig in it, you’ve probably seen Green Mountain Breakfast Blend K-Cups near those coffee machines. For whatever reason, the Green Mountain Breakfast K-Cups are super popular here, as the company claims that its coffee has a very mild, smooth taste that just about everyone can enjoy. But these K-Cups aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
In fact, reviews of these K-Cups basically describe the coffee as being pretty lackluster. “Coffee is ok nothing special but also good enough to get the job done every day,” one person explained. Others complained that the resulting blend lacked body and was disappointingly weak and watery. The Green Mountain Breakfast Blend is basically the middle-ground of K-Cups. It’s not terrible, to be certain, but neither is it the absolute best of the best.
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Barista Prima Coffeehouse Blend
Barista Prima is another crowd-pleasing K-Cup Coffee for all of the black coffee drinkers out there. The writers at Serious Eats rank the Barista Prima Coffeehouse blend as the all-time best K-Cup Coffee. A medium-dark roast with rich yet mellow body, this is the perfect blend for folks who are just dabbling in the black coffee game.
What About Certifications
A coffee certification implies that some aspect of the coffees production, either growing, processing, or trading, has been verified by a third party to meet a particular standard. The standards are often related to environmental or socioeconomic factors.
Frequently, different countries, and even different corporations, have their own certification process. Within the U.S., some common certifications awarded to coffee include Organic, Fair Trade, and Rainforest Alliance .
Kosher certifications, also found regularly on coffee bean packaging, are a bit different. A Kosher certification ensures that a product meets the dietary standards of traditional Jewish law. In the case of coffee, this means that the product contains purely coffee, without additives. So flavored coffees, for example, are not Kosher.
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Other Products We Tested
Mr. Coffee, arguably the biggest name in the American home coffee maker market, offers a great machine that will get you into the K-Cup system at a very reasonable price, around $60. The Mr. Coffee K-Cup Brewing System brews both K-Cups and your own ground coffee with the included K-Cup filter.
Instead of a lever that opens to reveal the K-Cup compartment, the Mr. Coffee pod compartment slides out completely and you pop the pod into the chamber before sliding it back in. A bit of care needs to be taken because this exposes the small sharp needles that pierce the pods during brewing.
The Mr. Coffee has one setting for brewing, and it lacks any different size settings. While the Mr. Coffee machine doesnt have extra features, the straight-forward operation and entry-level pricing make it worthy of consideration.
The Hamilton Beach Single Serve Scoop Coffee Maker functions in much the same way as the Black+Decker Brew n Go but with a higher quality design and the addition of a strong setting. Made of stainless steel, the Hamilton Beach looks sharp and durable. The mesh scoop filter, also made of steel, can be used to spoon coffee out of the bag and then directly into the machine for brewing.
The Cuisinart advertises five temperature settings, but when we used our known-accurate digital thermometer to check the coffee set at 168 and 172, we found just half a degree of difference.
The Donut Shop Original
Another super popular K-Cup option you’ve probably seen around is The Donut Shop Original. The coffee is a regular, medium roast blend that would seemingly appeal to a lot of people, and it definitely appears in plenty of hotels and rental spots. But not everyone is a fan of these ubiquitous K-Cups. On the contrary, the coffee is actually pretty bland for some, while others found it unpleasantly bitter.
One review claimed that the K-Cups didn’t have a ton of flavor or depth. “I like dark coffee without sugar, creamer, or flavorings and I think this is just too weak for me. I’m sure if you like light coffee it would be fine,” the reviewer wrote. Others found it too intense. “A little too strong on the burnt/cigarette taste for me, but not a bad cup of coffee.” Overall, it seems as if this will do in a pinch, but few are raving about The Donut Shop’s taste.
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Solimo Dark Roast K Cups
Once again, I selected a dark roast, and more particularly a French roast. The reason for it is quite simply its excellent price-quality ratio.
Solimo uses a selection of different coffee beans for its K cups, obtaining from locations such as Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia. All coffee beans used for coffee pods are also Arabica, ensuring the smoothest and fullest flavor with the least amount of bitterness.
Keep The Machine Clean
The taste of coffee can change over time when bacteria accumulates in the coffee machine.
To keep this from happening, every couple of months, pass one cup of white vinegar through the machine. Then, wash it by adding a cup or two of water after.
This will give you a revitalized your machine and you can start to brew amazing k cups again.
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Dunkin Donuts Original Blend Medium Roast Coffee K
These K-Cups let you enjoy the original blend of Dunkin Donuts that made it famous, and features a rich, smooth taste that you can enjoy in the comfort of your home. It is a medium roast coffee, and is made with 100% Arabica Coffee beans. The pods are compatible with all Keurig Brewers.
One loyal customer said that they have been ordering these cups for themselves and their parents for years, and have been consistently satisfied with the coffee. The only issue they had was the coffee is a little expensive, which prevents them from buying it every month. They added that if it was a little more reasonable, they wouldnt be drinking any other coffee.
Some people had issue with the tops of the pods blowing off while brewing, but these can be prevented if one read and follows all the instructions properly.