k-cup coffee

The Cost of Individual K-Cup Coffee in Gourmet Brands

Have you seen the ads on TV about single-serving coffee makers and k-cup coffee inserts? The ads make the new technology look great with the shiny coffee makers and the neat little racks holding the individual k-cup portions of coffee. The looks aren’t deceiving, either. K-cups are available in many great brands and makes perfect gourmet coffee. The process is fast, easy, and doesn’t leave the mess that ordinary coffee  makers can do. Unfortunately, however, K-cup coffee is rather expensive which makes it a luxury many people can’t afford. Even with the case discounts that are offered on the Internet, you can end up paying far more for each cup of coffee this way than you would with other types of coffee makers.

Of course, if you’re used to going out and paying almost $2 for a cup of coffee every morning, then a k-cup coffee maker might be a less expensive option for you. Compared to take-out coffee, you can buy k-cups for as little as 38 cents a cup. However, if you opt for more expensive brands and flavors, the cost will go up significantly. For example, you can buy Van Houtte k-cups for around $.56 a cup and Green Mountain k-cups for about $.60 a cup, but if you want something like Tully’s Bellaccino Swiss Chocolate Almond k-cups, they’re going to cost you about $1.14 each. While these k-cups might be okay for 1-cup coffee drinkers, it might get a bit expensive for someone who likes to drink an entire pot at a sitting.

Those who consistently want a delicious cup of fresh coffee without a lot of hassle will probably like having a Keurig 1-cup coffee make and making k-cup coffee. Keurig’s mini personal brewer runs about $80 with models having more features costing upwards of $200 to $300. As you can see by doing a little bit of research online, the cost of these Keurig machines is higher than traditional drip coffee makers or similar pod coffee makers. Therefore k-cup coffee isn’t going to come cheap, but for those of you who want a perfect cup of coffee, this just may be the answer to your dream.

Keurig Coffee Makers and Green Mountain K-Cups

Green Mountain coffee is a relative newcomer to the world of coffee companies, but it has gotten started with a bang. Since it first started producing gourmet ground roast coffee in a small cafe in Vermont in 1981, it has grown to an entity that is reputed worldwide as a leader in the specialty coffee  industry. In fact, at the end of the company’s fiscal year that ended in September, 2008, the company reported more than $500 million in sales. The company operations are run through two business segments: Green Mountain Coffee and Keurig. As you may already know, Keurig produces a line of single-cup coffee makers that use K-cup portion packs to make outstanding coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Green Mountain k-cups have become one of the hottest items in the coffee market.

The new Keurig coffee makers are designed for ease of use and clean up. Simply slip in a k-cup of the beverage you want and press a button.  K-cups are pre-measured, so you get the perfect cup of coffee every time. There’s no messy grounds and no spills. The Keurig Special Edition Brewer B60 is a middle-of-the-line system that uses k-cups. This brewer features 3 brew sizes, adjustable brew temperature, LCD display, water reservoir, programmable on-off timer, and removable stainless steel drip tray for easy cleaning. Other models of Keurig machines have many of these same features.

Although Green Mountain and Keurig are part of the same parent company, Green Mountain k-cups are the only ones the coffee part of the entity sells. In fact, there are more than 75 different kinds of coffees, cocoas, and teas available in k-cup form that can be used with the Keurig brewing machines. Several different kinds of Tully’s, Newman’s Own, Caribou, and Green Mountain coffees are represented in the offerings along with a number of different Celestial teas and Cafe Escapes hot chocolates. There are even espresso blend k-cups that you can choose from. If you like, you could indulge yourself in a different hot beverage every morning, because numerous variety packs are available.

Great Tastes in Van Houtte K Cups

For almost 100 years now, Van Houtte has been selling exceptional gourmet coffee. The company does everything from bean selection and roasting  to packaging of dozens of types of highly-rated coffees. It has recently begun manufacturing k-cups of its coffees, the little packets that are used with Keurig single-cup coffee makers. You’ll be able to find enough different Van Houtte K Cups to have a different one every day of the month. From special dark roasts to flavored coffees, there are k-cups to please every taste. In fact, if you’re a tea drinker, you can enjoy tea k-cups in a variety of flavors.

K-cups are one of the greatest inventions since the drip coffee maker. The coffee grounds are sealed in the container which keeps them fresh and neat. All you have to do is slip a k-cup into the brewer, pour cold water into the reservoir, and push the brew button. It’s as simple as that. In less than 3 minutes you’ll have a perfectly-brewed cup of coffee. Van Houtte coffees are famous for their rich, balanced blends roasted in the traditional European method.

If you read online reviews about Van Houtte k cups, you’ll find that most people who’ve tried them think they are one of the best varieties of k-cups available. Comments includes that they’re rich and full tasting, not too sweet, and and they are the most flavorful without being overbearing. One reviewer remarked that he felt that Van Houtte had the best k-cups on the market when it comes to quality, selection, and convenience and that although k-cups are a little more expensive than regular coffee, they are definitely worth the extra you pay.

Van Houtte offers several different classifications of k-cups as follows:

K-Cups Single Origin –  This line includes coffees from places like Kenya, Honduras, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica.
K-Cups Gourmet – 11 regular and decaf coffees as well as gourmet tea packets.
K-Cups Fair Trade and Organic – Ranging from 100% Colombian coffee to blends from Peru and Mexico as well as Ceylon teas.
K-Cups Flavors – delightful flavors including Chocolate Almond, crème brulee, French vanilla, Pecan Praline, and Irish cream.

As you can see, there are Van Houtte k cups to please even the most gourmand of coffee critics.