Has anyone given up on their Keurig and got something else?

[jhawks482]

So while I LOVE the convenience of the Keurig, I hate having to descale it every 2 months. It's such a pain! And last week, our Keurig quit on us, and I've tried descaling and declogging needles with no success. It either brews a 1/4 cup or nothing at all. Since im past my warranty, Keurig CS has offered me the same machine for 80 bucks, which is 100 dollars off the purchase price. I don't even know if I want another machine or not. I could get a pretty nice coffee maker for 80 dollars!

I guess I'm just looking for some sympathy, lol, or similar experiences. Would you get a new Keurig or find a new coffee maker? Any recs on an awesome new brewer if you love yours?

[Deleted]

I have a "high end" Mr. Coffee and that thing is amazing. It's going on 7 years old and I rarely have to descale it/clean and it makes great coffee. It doesn't have a lot of extra features (Timer and warming plate is about all) but it's a damn coffee maker it doesn't have to grow the beans for me..lol. Also, lately in my world. The simpler the better, the less things to break.

My sister just got the new version of mine and she raves about it too.

I wanted a Keurig for a long time and asked about it on here and now I'm glad I didn't. I can't get wrapped up in the love for daily use just yet.

[thewop]

I use the Keurig at work for convenience, but I gave up on electric makers at home. I gave my $80 electric maker away a few years ago. We only use a stove top percolator or french press. DH and I would waste so much coffee using the electric maker, but since the percolator only makes 8 cups and the french press 4, we rarely dump coffee.  We love our non-electric makers. Coffee tastes better, too IMO. 

ETA: this is what we have
www.amazon.com/Farberware-Classic-Stainless-Yosemite-Percolator/dp/B00005NCWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375797750&sr=8-1&keywords=percolator

[aweilba]

Okay, I absolutely LOVE my Keurig, but sometimes, the one-cup-at-a-time thing gets annoying.  There are times when I'd like to drink half a pot of coffee or I have company over and it would just be easier to brew a pot of coffee.  So, if you're a big coffee drinker or your house drinks a lot of it at a time, I'd say get a nice coffee pot.

[jhawks482]

Aug 6, 2013 9:06:24 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

I got the Bunn My Cafe. I love it. I can use k-cups, tea bags (yep, that's what she said), coffee pods, ground coffee or it has a "drawer" for just hot water. I've descaled once in the 6 months I've had it, and I'm about to do it again. But I have really bad water, even out of my fridge filter. 

See, when my Keurig was new, it ran great with the occasional, every 6 month descaling. Now that it's "older" I have to do it every 2 months and I can't get on board with that. And I can't replace such an expensive machine every 2-3 years!

[jhawks482]

Aug 6, 2013 9:01:25 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

I have a "high end" Mr. Coffee and that thing is amazing. It's going on 7 years old and I rarely have to descale it/clean and it makes great coffee. It doesn't have a lot of extra features (Timer and warming plate is about all) but it's a damn coffee maker it doesn't have to grow the beans for me..lol. Also, lately in my world. The simpler the better, the less things to break.

My sister just got the new version of mine and she raves about it too.

I wanted a Keurig for a long time and asked about it on here and now I'm glad I didn't. I can't get wrapped up in the love for daily use just yet.

I think this is the direction I'm heading, so thanks for the rec! I haven't bought a regular brewer in like, 10 years so I don't know what's out there. I hate giving up my Keurig, but I'm just so over all the issues I'm having! I need my coffee when I need it or I get cranky. I've been drinking that Starbucks Via (the instant stuff) and it's ok but I need a big real cup of coffee!

[alf17]

My first Keurig lasted just over a year. I called customer service and they sent me a new one for free. My new one is still going strong for about 3 years. I only descale about 2 times a year. Maybe they keep improving on them? Good luck.

[mrs.jacinthe]

I have an electric percolator. It makes great, consistent coffee, and I like that I don't have to keep buying filters. The only downside is that sometimes I forget to run the parts through the dishwasher and have to handwash them instead - but that's a pretty minor complaint.

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2013 10:55:41 GMT -5 jhawks482 said:

Aug 6, 2013 9:01:25 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

I have a "high end" Mr. Coffee and that thing is amazing. It's going on 7 years old and I rarely have to descale it/clean and it makes great coffee. It doesn't have a lot of extra features (Timer and warming plate is about all) but it's a damn coffee maker it doesn't have to grow the beans for me..lol. Also, lately in my world. The simpler the better, the less things to break.

My sister just got the new version of mine and she raves about it too.

I wanted a Keurig for a long time and asked about it on here and now I'm glad I didn't. I can't get wrapped up in the love for daily use just yet.

I think this is the direction I'm heading, so thanks for the rec! I haven't bought a regular brewer in like, 10 years so I don't know what's out there. I hate giving up my Keurig, but I'm just so over all the issues I'm having! I need my coffee when I need it or I get cranky. I've been drinking that Starbucks Via (the instant stuff) and it's ok but I need a big real cup of coffee!

The thing I love the most about it, is that it's fast. Like by the time I get my teeth brushed the coffee is done or if we have guests, by the time I get the dessert cut it's done as well. I also like the feature that it quits dripping when I take the carafe out to pour early.

[jhawks482]

Aug 6, 2013 12:38:09 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

Aug 6, 2013 10:55:41 GMT -5 jhawks482 said:

I think this is the direction I'm heading, so thanks for the rec! I haven't bought a regular brewer in like, 10 years so I don't know what's out there. I hate giving up my Keurig, but I'm just so over all the issues I'm having! I need my coffee when I need it or I get cranky. I've been drinking that Starbucks Via (the instant stuff) and it's ok but I need a big real cup of coffee!

The thing I love the most about it, is that it's fast. Like by the time I get my teeth brushed the coffee is done or if we have guests, by the time I get the dessert cut it's done as well. I also like the feature that it quits dripping when I take the carafe out to pour early.

I like that- my moms coffee maker is like 74 years old and I make a mess every time I'm there making coffee. Really, I think the most important feature is probably a timer because my husband (who is equally sad about our dying Keurig and wants a new one) is not going to mess with measuring the grinds or filling up anything at 5am when he gets up. If it can brew and be ready before he gets out of bed, that will be awesome, and I think most coffee makers have that feature anyway.

[tarheels]

I guess the question is whether you only drink one cup a day or if you drink enough for a pot. Keurigs are cute and all, but they're terrible for the environment (unless you're using one of those refills pods) and they and their pods are so expensive!

I can't remember where you are, jhawks, but now that I'm in KC, I can't get over how hard the water is! I feel like I'm living in a CLR commercial lol. I've never seen hard water like this IRL - only on tv. Maybe a Keurig just won't stand up to the water here long term. I bet if you wanted to use distilled, it'd last longer, but who wants to fool with that?

[jhawks482]

Aug 6, 2013 12:52:04 GMT -5 tarheels said:

I guess the question is whether you only drink one cup a day or if you drink enough for a pot. Keurigs are cute and all, but they're terrible for the environment (unless you're using one of those refills pods) and they and their pods are so expensive!

I can't remember where you are, jhawks, but now that I'm in KC, I can't get over how hard the water is! I feel like I'm living in a CLR commercial lol. I've never seen hard water like this IRL - only on tv. Maybe a Keurig just won't stand up to the water here long term. I bet if you wanted to use distilled, it'd last longer, but who wants to fool with that?

You're right, they are so terrible for the environment. And i could totally deal with the expense of Kcups if the machine worked properly, all the time. But right now that fact is just adding fuel to the fire you know?
My husband drinks a cup a day, and I drink 2-3 cups a day. On weekends it tends to be more, but If we brewed a whole pot in one day we would drink it, no problem there. I'm down in Wichita, so not far. I've never lived anywhere else so I suppose I'm just used to it!
How are you liking KC? You are just there for the summer, right? Christmas is such a magical time in KC- the trollies, the horse and carriage rides, the lights... I have so many great memories from holidays spend there. You'll have to make it there for the holidays if you can!

[lavender444]

We have a Mr. coffee pot as well. My husband travels a lot, so most days it's just me having coffee, so I don't make full pots, just want I need. I have no complaints about it.

[downtoearth]

Did you buy it at Costco? Just wondering b/c it sounds like it's not a scaling problem, but that maybe the pump went out. That happened to us and honestly, we've traded in our Keurig twice for a direct trade at Costco. It's the only thing I've ever returned to Costco, but they took it back twice with no issues.

[jhawks482]

Aug 6, 2013 14:03:35 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Did you buy it at Costco? Just wondering b/c it sounds like it's not a scaling problem, but that maybe the pump went out. That happened to us and honestly, we've traded in our Keurig twice for a direct trade at Costco. It's the only thing I've ever returned to Costco, but they took it back twice with no issues.

We bought it at BB&B, and I actually brought our first one back for the current one we have, no questions asked at all. I had the same issues, but under a years time. Im pretty sure that with BBB's fantastic return policy i could get a brand new one for free, but i feel wrong doing that this time.
I have tried everything, so I you're probably right in thinking that it's a pump problem. As the day wears on and I read more into this thread, I'm pretty sure I'm kicking it to the curb. ::tears::

[mmp]

I bagged my Keurig when I figured out it's more like instant coffee with warm water.

I bought a Hamilton Beach two sided coffee maker. It will brew a full pot, but will also to a single cup of brewed coffee on the other side.
You can use pods, but it has a filter so I just scoop in coffee. But it's definitely brewed coffee.

[niknik]

Do you live at any altitude. We have gone through a few and I've learned only to use filtered water and the most important thing is to pierce the bottom (push the cup down before you close it) Otherwise any trapped air will back up into system. I live at nearly 8000 feet and we have had our Cuisinart Keurig machine for a year and a half and haven't even had to de-clog it.
I can never give up my Keurig.

[pitterwoo]

We use a French Press, but this thread got me wondering...so what is a percolater? thewop mrs.jacinthe

[katie4253]

Call Keurig. They will most likely send you a new machine. That's what they did for us.

[Deleted]

How long have you had your Keurig? Mine is over 2 years old and still haven't had any issues with it, and I use it daily. If mine ever dies, I might look into the one that FormerlyRR linked because you can use any type of pod. I'm the only coffee drinker at my house so a coffee pot is not necessary.

[thewop]

Aug 6, 2013 22:27:14 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

We use a French Press, but this thread got me wondering...so what is a percolater? thewop mrs.jacinthe

I'm going to use the internet to explain this because I suck explaining things:

Noun
A machine for making coffee, consisting of a pot in which boiling water is circulated through a small chamber that holds the ground beans.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_percolator

[jhawks482]

Aug 7, 2013 4:52:52 GMT -5 katie4253 said:

Call Keurig. They will most likely send you a new machine. That's what they did for us.

I did. I called and told them that I had tried all the internet videos, and since I've had my machine longer than a year (and the one year warranty had expired) they pretty much said there was nothing that could be done. They did offer me a new machine for $80 ($100 off) but I'm not going to take it. Especially after seeing almost everyone on here struggle with theirs at one point or another!

[Deleted]

I like a french press, too, but for the learning curve of using my coffee grinder. I tend to overgrind and make it too fine for the press.

[davescatch]

Ok I have to say that I love love love my Keurig. I was so tired of throwing out unused coffee since I am the only one that drinks it. I use my K-cup and fill it with good quality dark roast stuff and it tastes so good to me. I got mine last year and I have not had one issue with it. However, when I have a crowd over, I break out the regular pot and use that. When I broke my ankle my Keurig was a life saver since it was so easy to make my coffee

Good luck Leslie - hopefully you can get someone that works well for you