I don't drink coffee every morning, but I do like to have a cup now and then. I'm also the only coffee drinker in the house unless my step-mom is in town. I don't always want to drag out the coffee pot, measure out one cup of coffee, wait for it to brew, etc. More often than not I just skip it. Or stop at Borders on my way to another errand because the coffee guy behind the counter likes me and makes me special coffee. But that's another story for another blog. Suffice it to say I have been considering a single-serve coffee maker for a while now.
Then I was offered a Senseo coffee maker to review. I had actually been considering the Senseo or the Keurig so I was eager to try it. (Since the Keurig people have not contacted me to try their machine, I haven't saved up enough to justify the cost to sample it myself. I'll let you know if that changes.)
I've been using the Senseo machine for about two weeks now. I wanted to really see how I liked it. And I do like it.
When I received the Senseo, I read the instructions (Hello? I'm a technical writer. I read instructions.) and discovered I needed to prep the machine. Let me tell you, I'd read that the Senseo is fairly quiet so I was completely startled out of my skin when it sounded like a small plane taking off in my kitchen during this crucial step. However, I soon discovered this is a one-time thing and for every day use it's much, much quieter.
Senseo uses pods of coffee and tea. Teas include Earl Grey and Minty Green. They offer a variety of coffee flavors:
- Sumatra
- Dark Roast
- Brazil
- Kenya
- Columbia
- Espresso
- Cappucino
- Vienna (hazelnut)
- Paris (vanilla)
- Medium Roast
- Decaffienated
My review packet came with Dark Roast and I bought Cappucino. The Dark Roast is very strong, but good. I also liked the Cappucino. I think it's because I put three spoonfuls of Ovaltine into all my coffee regardless of flavor. So if you're a coffee purist, you may want to skip the part about how I like all the coffee. You won't think I know what I'm talking about.
The Senseo takes less than a minute to heat the water for your coffee. I found this to be about right for me to find my mug, put in the obligatory Ovaltine, place the mug under the spigot, answer questions from the kids, remember I was making coffee, then push the button to make the coffee.
This machine comes with the option of making one or two cups at a time. I tried the one-cup method at first, but realized that it's only about 4 oz. and was far short of my expectations. We Americans like everything bigger and better. So I started pushing the two-cup button and was happy with the amount of liquid in my cup. I still used only one pod (instead of two) because I don't need to have my coffee too strong (see Ovaltine references above). I found it to be just right. However, if you do like stronger coffee, you can definitely put two pods in before you brew.
As for the price of the pods, I think they are on the expensive side if you order from the Senseo web site: one package of 16 pods is $21.99. However, I found them at my Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market for about $4.68 for a package of 16. That's about .30 per pod. MUCH better.
If you're still not satisfied or you're trying to be more green (again, another topic for another blog), you can purchase the Brown Ecopad from Amazon.com. It's a refillable pod filter made for the Senseo coffee maker. They run about $6 for two.
The Basic Senseo machine runs $70 and is the model I tried. The Deluxe model (with 32 oz. water reservoir and adjustable spout) is $100 and the Supreme model (allows you to choose size of cup from 3 oz. to 10 oz., interactive LCD display) is $140. So, for an initial investment of $75 ($70 for the machine and another $5 for pods), you'll have a good cup of coffee in about 70 seconds. Over the course of a year, the machine will have paid for itself with the money you saved by not stopping at QuikTrip, Starbucks, or Borders, etc. and that works for me. You'll probably see those savings even quicker if you use the Brown Eco Pad.
I want to alert you to two things regarding the Senseo Coffee Pod System.
- The Basic Senseo is currently being offered through the site ShareSenseo.com where anyone can sign up for a chance to receive the same machine. All you have to do is fill out a quick survey and, if selected, pay a $15 shipping and handling fee. You will receive a confirmation e-mail within 2-6 weeks if you are selected.
- I have five coupons each for $20 off any Senseo machine. I will be glad to send one to you if you leave me a comment on this post telling me you want one. First come, first served. With the coupon, the Basic Senseo would only be $50!
Senseo Coffee Pod System, you've been Chili Tried and recommended. I'm giving you four chilis. I think it would behoove you to re-think the pricing of pods on your web site because you're being undersold at the local markets. On the other hand, I found the Senseo to be very easy to use, fairly quiet, and attractive enough to have on the counter.








