<p>My kids are thinking of going in on a Keurig machine for my Mom for a Christmas present. There’s a great deal on the Platinum k-cup at Costco [Keurig®</a> Platinum Single Cup Coffee Brewing System](<a href=“http://www.costco.com/Keurig®-Platinum-Single-Cup-Coffee-Brewing-System.product.11537017.html]Keurig®”>http://www.costco.com/Keurig®-Platinum-Single-Cup-Coffee-Brewing-System.product.11537017.html) right now. The plus for the Vue is that makes more kinds of beverages but the multitude of settings seems like too much trouble to me. Is there a big advantage to paying more for the Vue?</p>
<p>I would be more concerned about the price difference for K-cups vs Vue cups. You can get K-cups in bulk at places like Costco or Amazon. I know I try to get them for about 30 - 40 cents each. I don’t think you can get Vue cups for that low. </p>
<p>However, if your mom won’t mind the cost…and the more complex system, then get her the Vue.</p>
<p>One of the reviews that I looked at pointed out that k-cups didn’t used to be as readily available when they first came out, and were priced higher so it’s likely that the Vue cups will follow the same path. I like that part of the vue cups are recyclable. But, yes, those are two big concerns.</p>
<p>I have a Keruig and you can buy kcups almost everywhere. Target, the grocery store,amazon, bed bath and beyond, I even see them sometimes at TJ Maxxx and Big Lots. You can also buy a refillable k cup and use your own coffee. That is the big advantage of the regular Keruig over the Vue, the availability of coffee pods. Vue pods are more expensive and I don’t see much of an advantage.</p>
<p>I have to say that my kids and I love our Keruig but my mom and mil still use their regular coffee pots. The Keruig is not hard to use but they still have trouble with it and baulk at the price of the kcups. </p>
<p>I have a tassimo also, got it for free. It’s ok and makes cappuccinos and other coffee drinks but the pods are hard to find, it’s a little more difficult to use (but after I read the directions it was easy). I’m not wild for the taste of the creamer pods and they are more expensive than what I can find kcups for. I am going to see if one of my kids wants it. I thought I would like it to make fancy coffee drinks but don’t reach for it. Honestly, Gevalia came out with a cappuccino drink which is milk powder and espresso kcup which I think is an ok substitute for Starbucks. Not the same but do able lol!</p>
<p>I don’t think Vue cup prices will be coming down anytime soon. It just isn’t being purchased by enough people.</p>
<p>As for the price of Kcups…It wasn’t until some kind of patent or licensing or something expired before more coffee companies could make Kcups and then the prices started really coming down (altho they’re still a pricey-luxury item). </p>
<p>If you want a good deal on K-cups and like less “packaging”, then buy the San Francisco Bay cups from Costco. The Organic Rainforest blend is quite good. The other SFB blends are fine, too.</p>
<p>Right now, Costco.com has a reduced price.
<a href=“http://t.costco.com/San-Francisco-Bay-Organic-Rainforest-Blend-160-OneCup™.product.100019543.html[/url]”>http://t.costco.com/San-Francisco-Bay-Organic-Rainforest-Blend-160-OneCup™.product.100019543.html</a></p>
<p>$44 for 160 kcups…can’t beat that anywhere, I don’t think. (that’s 28 cents each)</p>
<p>Note…even tho the box is green, it is NOT decaf. It’s green because it’s organic and has minimal pkging.</p>
<p>The VUE is not selling well around here. My concern would be that Keurig ditches that model and just keeps the K Cup models. The VUE is expensive…and so are its pods.</p>
<p>My dad now has a regular Keurig…it is terrific. He can get K cups for coffee, tea, chai things, hot chocolate, hot cider. What else could you want to make in a Keurig that the VUE can do, but the Kcup machines can?</p>
<p>The patent to the k-cup machine expired so Keurig created the Vue. The cost of k-cups and clones will probably come down with competition. No such competition will form for the Vue.</p>
<p>BTW…Keurig has a new deal with Campbells Soups to offer a soup in K-cup form. I think it’s being released in January???</p>
<p>The soup (I think) is a Kcup with an add’l packet. You “brew” the Kcup (which I think is the broth), then you dump in the packet contents.</p>
<p>My concern would be that Keurig ditches that model and just keeps the K Cup models. The VUE is expensive…and so are its pods.</p>
<p>that has been my concern.</p>
<p>Just another humble opinion…I talked to a salesclerk a while back about the difference between the two- her opinion, for what it’s worth, was that the Vue would not be around long term…I have no experience with the Vue but I do love my Keurig.</p>
<p>Contrarian opinion:
How 'bout a nice French Press & a good mill?
Better coffee, & more environmentally friendly.
Just sayin’ …</p>
<p>^^^
lol</p>
<p>Well, the Keurig has the convenience. </p>
<p>I have a French Press, but it can be a pain in the tush. They’re a pain to clean because the grounds get smushed to the bottom. They don’t keep coffee hot. You have to separately heat the water in something else first. </p>
<p>The beauty of Keurig is that you can brew one cup at a time rather quickly. There’s not a lot of steps. And, there’s very little mess to clean up. For people who are “on the go,” the Keurig is a breeze.</p>
<p>As for being environmentally friendly, the link I provide above offers Kcups that are more environmentally friendly. not perfect, but better.</p>
<p>I think a Keurig for a grandparent is a better choice than a French press (which I use daily and love). My 87 year old dad can make a nice (for him) cup of coffee with ease using that Keurig. A French press would not be as easy or convenient. Plus, we don’t have to worry about him leaving something “on” and burning the house down!</p>
<p>I have a Keurig. It’s in my basement. I personally do NOT like the coffee and yes, I’ve tried a TON of different Kcups. It is convenient when I have guests who like different things…coffee, decaf, tea, hot chocolate, chai latte…and I get a variety and use it when I have guests.</p>
<p>My mom is one of those people that likes lots of different hot beverages but doesn’t really have a refined palate so making the absolute very best coffee (aka french press) is not on our priority list at all. </p>
<p>What I’m thinking of is something that is super convenient for one person but kind of fun. We have a Keurig where I work and it’s not uncommon for me to have a cup of Barista prima Italian roast in the morning, hot cider with lunch and if I’m working late, half-caf or decaf in the late afternoon. I can see my Mom doing something similar. It sounds like the majority here think the k-cup would be the best choice.</p>
<p>H got himself a Keurig for Father’s Day. I thought it was an extravagant purchase. It has proven to be a nice luxury. I have 2 types of tea that I like to have when I come in from the cold. H chooses from several types of decaf. Even my 85yo Luddite mother was able to use it when she was here last month and seemed to like it. </p>
<p>The cost/portion is not much more that specialty tea bags and far cheaper that brewing up a pot of coffee if you just want one cup.</p>
<p>We have one of each at our place in Hilton Head. The coffee is clearly better made with the Vue. The choice of settings isn’t all that complicated, and the advantage of a larger reservoir and options for different sized mugs are worthwhile. It also apparently heats the water to a higher temp, which some people like. You can also make cappuccinos and lattes with the Vue.</p>
<p>Bed Bath and Beyond has a good selection for the Vue, as well as the usual K-cups. You can also order online pretty easily and have it delivered.</p>
<p>options for different sized mugs are worthwhile</p>
<p>The Costco Keurig that the OP is considering has 5 different mug size options…how many more does a person need??? lol</p>
<p>And, it also has temperature options. </p>
<p>As for as purchasing the Vue cups, I’m sure they are readily available. The issue is more of price. They’re quite pricey. About 75 cents to $1+ per cup. The Kcups can be had for under 50 cents each. That may not seem like a big deal, but if a household is brewing 3-6 cups a day, 7 days a week, it adds up.</p>
<p>The Vue is a nice item and if the mom wants to do the more complicated coffees and doesn’t mind the cost, then super. However, if she’s just a regular coffee kind of person, it may not be necessary.</p>
<p>I am still baffled by the success of the Keurig. Of course, the affinity of Anericans for nasty coffee at a diner, 7-11, or at home with a percolator might explain why the K-cups are seen as decent replacement. People will spend hours baking and cooking but want coffee to be brewed in 40 seconds!</p>
<p>If convenience is important, why not buy a a Nespresso? It makes by farge best single coffee because it has enough pressure to extract the aroma. The Keurig and other cheap imitations is easy but makes horrendous coffee. </p>
<p>I do not get how people find washing a French press hard. All it takes is a few seconds of water pressure in the sink.</p>
<p>The Nespresso is super, but pricey and a pain to get the cups.</p>
<p>People will spend hours baking and cooking but want coffee to be brewed in 40 seconds!</p>
<p>that’s because most coffee is drank in the mornings…on the way to work, etc. Most people aren’t baking/cooking at that time either. We’re all rushing off somewhere. </p>
<p>And for those who drink coffee at work, no one has time to make a perfect cup using some time-consuming method. It’s grab and go time.</p>
<p>I second the San Francisco Bay Organic Rainforest. I get it from Amazon with free shipping .37 a cup or .32 on autoship. Grove Square makes a good Hot Cocoa Mix cup.</p>
<p>M2ck, this also assumes one person makes a single cup at a time. It probably takes the same time to brew two large mugs in a French press than getting through the Keurig routine. And then there is the final product with infinite choice of coffee for the antiquated method. </p>
<p>It is all a matter of personal preference.</p>