Keurig Coffee Makers: Convenience – at a Cost

The Keurig single cup coffee maker.  You probably got one for Christmas (either this year or last).  You can’t go into a Target, Wal-Mart, or other home goods store without tripping over 100 of these piled up in the aisle – along with all of their accessories.

(Image credit – amazon.com)

The Four State Food Critic has one – and don’t get me wrong – I love it.  The convenience of making a single cup of “go juice” in the morning?  It sure beats measuring out an entire pot (or half pot) worth of ground coffee and then only drinking one or two cups out of it.

 

Don’t think for a minute the execs at Keurig didn’t know what they were doing.  Do some comparisons on the actual cost of going the single serving route versus buying a pound of ground beans and getting out your measuring spoon.  It’s pretty eye-opening.  The FSFC recently did this and found that the “old” traditional way of loading up “old reliable” and brewing a pot every morning?  Coffee costs about $8/pound.

The Keurig “K-cup” way?  That cost skyrockets to about $33/pound.

Yes - $33 - - a pound.  I can eat prime rib for less than that - - easily.

As you may have observed, the big coffee makers have noticed.  Take a stroll down the coffee aisle at the grocery store.  Nearly every major brand makes a “K-cup” compatible coffee now.  Why wouldn’t they?  It’s the same beans – some different packaging – and one heck of a mark-up.

Yes, you can get the Keurig insert, load it up with your own coffee, and use it in your Keurig machine, but let’s face it – we’re all lazy and will choose the path of least resistance – especially in the morning.  Pop in the “K-cup”, wait 20 seconds and – “viola”! 

Ahhhh - sweet, sweet caffeine – how I’ve missed you.

I won’t even mention how you can switch from coffee to tea to hot cider in seconds (depending on what “K-cup” you pop in).

Poor “Mr. Coffee” - he never stood a chance…..