Keurig Vue vs Keurig K-cup Comparison: Which Single Serve Coffee Brewer is Best?

Keurig Vue Pack vs Keurig K-cup

Keurig K-cups are the well-established single serve coffee pod that work with Keurig K-cup brewing systems, the current market leader.  Keurig Vue Packs are a new coffee container format for the new Keurig Vue brewing systems.  Since K-cups and Vue cups are not interchangeable, it is important to make an informed decision when buying a single serve coffee maker: Is Vue better or is K-cup better?

Keurig Vue Pack (left) is larger and has a semi-transparent container compared with K-cup (right)
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What is Keurig Vue Machine?

Keurig Vue is a new type of single serve coffee brewer from Keurig.  It is similar to the previous Keurig models, except it uses different coffee pack.  The older Keurig machines use K-cups, the newer Vue machines use Vue packs.  Keurig Vue machines claim to "brew stronger, brew bigger, and brew hotter".  K-cups will not work in Vue brewers, and Vue Packs will not work in K-cup brewers, so choose carefully!

Keurig Vue Single Serve Brewer
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

One of the issues with Keurig K-cup machines is that some people do not think the coffee is brewed strong enough.  I like the brew strength of K-cup coffee, and you can adjust the strength by selecting less water to make a smaller cup of stronger coffee.  Some people even pause the brewing in the middle of the cycle to allow the coffee in the K-cup to brew longer to increase the strength of the coffee.  Vue seems to address this concern by providing more coffee grounds to allow stronger coffee brews, and provides temperature and brew strength control.

Another issue with K-cup brewers is the small amount of coffee that is brewed with each K-cup.  You can select 4 ounces, 6 ounces, 8 ounces, or 10 ounces of brewed coffee per K-cup.  Many people want a 16 oz or even a 20 ounce cup of coffee.  Of course you can brew 10 ounces from one K-cup, put in a second K-cup and brew again to fill a 20 ounce cup.  But since it takes about 30 to 45 seconds to brew each K-cup, this can be a bit inconvenient.  Since single cup brewing is all about convenience, that is not good.  Vue can brew up to 18 ounce cups of coffee from a single Vue pack.

Keurig Vue Pack mechanism is not compatible with K-cups
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What is a Keurig Vue Pack?

Vue packs are about twice the size as K-cups and contain about twice as much ground coffee.  Vue packs use the same brewing principle as K-cups- coffee grounds and a small coffee filter are contained inside the sealed Vue.  The Keurig Vue machine punctures the top and bottom of the Vue pack and injects hot water into the top.  Brewed coffee emerges from the bottom.  Since the Vue pack contains more coffee grounds, it can produce stronger coffee and can brew larger amounts of coffee from a single Vue pack.

Keurig Vue Pack (left) and Keurig K-cup (right).  The Vue Pack is about twice the size of a K-cup.
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Vue Pack Prices

Typical price for Vue packs is 32 for about $30.  This works out to 93 cents per Vue pack.

Keurig Vue Packs in display- you can see the paper filter thought the semi-transparent container
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What is a Keurig K-cup brewer?

Keurig K-cup brewers are the original style of Keurig single server coffee brewer.  These machines use K-cups, small plastic cups that contain coffee grounds and a coffee filter.  The cup is sealed with a foil lid.  During brewing, the lid is punctured by the Keurig maching at the top and bottom.  Hot water is injected into the top of the K-cup, and brewed coffee emerges from the bottom.

K-cup machines cannot use Vue Packs!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

K-cup Prices

Typical prices for K-cups that brew 10 ounces of coffee:

• Many coffee varieties: $10.99 for 18 K-cups.  This works out to 61 cents per K-cup.
• Starbucks coffee: $11.99 for 16 K-cups
• You can also buy packs of 3 K-cups for $1.99.  This can be a good way to try new coffee varieties without buying a lot before you know you like it.

This article shows what in inside a K-cup and how to refill your own K-cups to save money.

Keurig Vue and Keurig K-cup Comparison

Keurig K-cup Advantages over Keurig Vue brewer:

• K-cup brewer is less expensive
• Easier to find K-cups in stores than Vue Packs
• More choices for refillable K-cups- use your own coffee grounds and save money
• K-cup is well established with large base of customers, less risk of obsolescence than Vue at this point

Keurig Vue advantages over Keurig K-cup brewer:

• Vue brews stronger coffee
• Vue has temperature and brew stength control
• Vue is latest model Keurig machine, people who buy a K-cup brewer and are not aware of Vue may have buyer's remorse
• Vue brew bigger cups of coffee (K-cups limited to 10oz cups or less).  Many people like larger cups of coffee- Vue brews up to 18 oz cups of coffee

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

Coffee Maker Not Working

What to Do if your Coffee Maker is Not Working

There are some coffee maker problems you can fix yourself for only a few dollars and get your coffee maker back to normal quickly. If your coffee maker needs repair, you’ll need to decide whether to send it in for repair or replace it instead. Even simple repairs require replacement parts and expensive labor from a repair technician.

The first step is to check for human error:

Get your coffee maker working again!

Coffee machine not working!

Source: Image courtesy of ParentingPatch CC-SA-30

Is the coffee maker plugged in?

Perhaps your spouse or a co-worker unplugged it to move or clean the coffee maker.

Is there water in the reservoir?

If you haven't had your coffee yet, perhaps you simply forgot to fill the reservoir with water.

Are all of the doors on the coffee maker closed tightly?

Some coffee makers have sensors and will not operate if the doors and compartments are not tightly closed. Check all of them and try to make coffee again.

Make sure lid and compartments are tightly closed- some coffee makers will not run if doors are open
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Coffee Maker Not Working due to Mineral Deposits or Obstructions

You may be able to easily get your coffee maker working again if it stopped working due to mineral deposits in the coffee maker. This problem is most likely to occur if you have hard water. The symptoms of a coffee maker with water blockage due to mineral deposits include:

• Slow coffee brewing
• No coffee brewing- steam comes out the top, but little or no coffee is brewed

These symptoms can occur for both auto drip coffee makers and single serve coffee makers like Keurig.

The solution to these symptoms is to clean your coffee maker with vinegar of coffee cleaning solution. It is surprising how much effect mineral deposits can have on the performance of a coffee maker. I once had a coffee maker completely stop working. The coffee maker produced steam, but no coffee. I was certain that there was an issue with the pump or water flow that would require expensive repair. I filled the reservoir with vinegar and let it run. It slowly began to flow faster and after about an hour, all of the vinegar was in the pot. I ran it again with vinegar, and after the 3rd run with vinegar it was back to normal!

How to clear mineral deposits from your coffee maker:

1. Empty any water from your reservoir (tip the coffee maker into a sink to empty if it has water in the reservoir)
2. Empty the coffee pot
3. Fill the reservoir with vinegar. You can use a coffee maker solution instead of vinegar.
4. Run the coffee maker until the vinegar or cleaning solution has run through the coffee maker and is in the coffee pot
5. Empty the coffee pot and rinse
6. Run two reservoir tanks full of clean water through the coffee maker to rinse away the vinegar or coffee cleaning solution

You should clean your coffee maker to keep it running at full flow- once per month may be required, depending on the mineral level in your water.

Another troubleshooting tip:

If you have an autodrip coffee maker, is the filter basket free of obstruction? Check to see if the filter basket is draining properly and is not caked up with dried coffee grounds. Remove your paper coffee filter and grounds (you can set it aside carefully so you can use it later). Hold the filter basket over a sink, fill it with water, and press in the spring-loaded mechanism on the bottom. Water should flow through the filter basket. If not, use bamboo skewer or other small tool to clear the filter basket to restore flow.

Coffee Maker Not Working- Does Not Power Up

Another type of issue you can resolve yourself is if the coffee maker does not power up. Symptoms include:

• Display and lights are off
• No coffee brewing

These symptoms can occur for both auto drip coffee makers and single serve coffee makers like Keurig.

Check the outlet where your coffee maker is plugged in. If it is a GFCI outlet, try resetting it. The GFCI outlet will have a test and reset button- press the reset button. Try your coffee maker again. If it still does not work, try plugging another powered item into the same outlet to see if the outlet is working. If you are not getting power at the outlet, check the circuit breaker in your circuit panel box. If the breaker is tripped to the off position, try switching it back to on and try your coffee maker again. Note: circuit breakers should rarely trip- if a breaker is tripping, have an electrician check it out to make sure there is not faulty wiring or a faulty electrical connection that could be dangerous.

If your power outlet is working, but your coffee maker is not powering up, try unplugging the coffee maker for a few hours. This will allow voltage in the control circuit to discharge, providing a full reset of the control logic. Plug it in and try it again after a few hours.

Coffee Maker Not Working- Water or Coffee is Leaking

One cause of leaking from coffee makers is that the parts are not firmly in place. Check the filter basket is firmly engaged, and the pot is firmly in place under the filter basket.

Check that the filter basket is not blocked by caked up coffee grounds or a folded over paper filter, causing it to overflow.

Check the coffeepot and reservoir for cracks. Try to identify the source of the leak.

You can get a replacement coffee pot for less than $10 if it is cracked.

If a plastic part of your coffee maker is cracked and leaking, you can seal it with epoxy to stop the leaking.

How much does it cost to repair a coffee maker?

The cost to repair a coffee maker includes shipping, labor, and parts if you send your unit to a service center for repair. If you can find a local repair shop, you can avoid shipping costs. A rough estimate to repair a coffee maker these days is at least $30 to $50 if your coffee maker is not under warranty. For this price, you can buy a brand new coffee maker. If you have eliminated the easy problems that you can fix yourself, your best option may be to buy a new coffee maker instead of repairing the broken coffee maker.

How to Get Coffee when your Coffee Maker is Broken

If your coffee maker is not working, you’ll need a plan for how to get coffee for a few days until you can repair or replace your coffee maker. Even if your coffee maker is under warranty, you will be without it for a few days at least while it is out for repair.

There are several ways to make coffee without a coffee maker that can get you by for a few days. You can also use your broken coffee maker by pouring hot water from a tea kettle through the filter basket.

Instant coffee might be the simplest way to make coffee without a coffee maker- just add hot water. You can also buy coffee at a coffee shop or convenience store, but this expense will add up quickly if you drink very much coffee.

Instant coffee- cheap source of coffee while you repair or replace your coffee maker
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Replacement Coffee Maker

If you are looking for a replacement coffee maker, the Melitta 10-cup Thermal is recommended- this is a simple coffee maker that makes great coffee and has a thermal carafe- available for about $50.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher. All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker

Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker

If you don’t have a coffee maker available and want hot coffee, here are seven ways to make coffee without a coffee maker:

1. Buy coffee at a coffee shop, restaurant, or convenience store

This is a way to get coffee without using a coffee maker.  If you drink coffee a lot, you will save money by making your own coffee at home.  Coffee at a convenience store costs about $1.50 per 20 oz cup.  Coffee at a coffee shop costs about $2.00 per 20 oz cup.  If you make your own coffee at home, it costs about 50 cents per 20 oz cup to make your own coffee using quality coffee beans or ground coffee.

2. Instant coffee

People sometimes overlook instant coffee and focus instead of brewing coffee using coffee grounds.  Instant coffee is cheap and all you need is hot water and the instant coffee crystals.  Instant coffee is dehydrated coffee that dissolves easily in hot water.  To make one cup of instant coffee you can microwave a coffee cup of water for about 2 minutes, 30 seconds and then stir in instant coffee powder.  To make more than one serving of instant coffee, you can heat a tea kettle of water and make multiple cups of instant coffee at once.

Instant Coffee
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Instant coffee does not taste like brewed coffee to me.  It tastes a bit like coffee, but I think it is really a different drink than brewed coffee.  I suppose this is like the difference between fresh milk and powdered milk.  Both are milk, but powdered milk does not quite taste like fresh milk.  However instant coffee does have some caffeine, although not as much as brewed coffee, and can get you through a situation where you need to make coffee without a coffee maker.

Close-up of Instant Coffee Powder
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

3. Cowboy coffee

You can brew coffee using coffee grounds without a coffee maker.  The process involves letting coffee grounds steep in a pan hot water for a few minutes.  The coffee grounds settle to the bottom of the pan and you can carefully pour off the coffee, leaving the grounds at the bottom of the pan.    This article has more detailed instructions on making cowboy coffee without a coffee maker.

4. Pour Over coffee dripper

This is a method of making pour over coffee without a coffee maker.  You place a cone filter in a plastic dripper on top of a coffee cup and pour hot water over the coffee grounds- hence “pour over”.  This article has details of how to make pour over coffee without a coffee maker.

Coffee Dipper to make Pour Over Coffee
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

5. Put grounds in a paper coffee filter and steep

This is for people who want hot coffee but do not want cowboy coffee.  Cowboy coffee and French press coffee actually contain fatty substances that increase cholesterol.  If you use a paper filter, you nearly eliminate this harmful compound from your cup.  You can place coffee grounds in a cone filter, filling it about 1/3 of the way.  You can also do this with a basket filter if you do not have cone filters.  Then cinch the top with your fingers or use  a rubber band.   Place this “coffee bag” in a cup of hot water and let it steep for about 3 minutes.  This way you can make a cup of filtered brewed coffee without a coffee maker.

Steep coffee grounds using a coffee filter without a coffee machine
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

6. French press coffee

OK, a French press is actually a coffee maker, sort of.  You place coffee grounds in the bottom of a glass pot and add hot water.  A French press has a plunger that you press to screen the grounds and hold them at the bottom of the pot.  You can get a French press really cheap and you do not need power to use a French press pot- only hot water and coffee grounds.  This article describes French press coffee and how to make it.

7.  Coffee tea bags

Folgers and other companies make coffee in tea bags that you steep in hot water.  I have used these on camping trips to make coffee without a coffee maker.  I think this coffee is a bit better tasting than instant coffee and is nearly as convenient.  Here is a discount on a quantity buy from amazon.com:  Folgers Classic Roast Coffee Singles, 19-Count Single Servings (Pack of 6).  You can find these coffee tea bags in grocery stores as well.

Coffee Maker Options

If you drink a lot of coffee, it is hard to beat the convenience of a coffee maker.  You can get a basic automatic drip coffee maker for under $30.  You can get a nice auto drip coffee maker with a thermal carafe for about $50.  A thermal carafe keeps the coffee warm without heating in on a burner- resulting in much better tasting coffee.

If you want coffee fast, consider single serve coffee makers like Keurig, Verisimo, and Senseo.  These machines make a great cup of coffee very fast using small sealed cups of coffee grounds.  These machines are more expensive than auto drip coffee makers.  This article describes single serve coffee brewing systems including Keurig and how much they cost.

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

Best Coffee Grinders

Why you need a coffee grinder

After coffee is ground, it starts losing compounds that contribute flavor within a few minutes.  Making the best-tasting, freshest coffee requires grinding the beans just before brewing.  You can get a coffee grinder at home for under $50 and use your current coffee maker to get better coffee.  Read on for information about the best coffee grinders for home use.

Shown below: Mr. Coffee Automatic Burr Mill Grinder

Mr. Coffee Disc Burr Coffee Grinder
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Best Coffee Grinders

Types of coffee grinders can be categorized in terms of the grinding mechanism.  The primary types are blade grinders, disc burr grinders, and conical burr grinders.

Blade Grinders

Blade grinders use a thin steel blade to grind coffee beans.  This is considered the lowest quality of coffee grinder for a few reasons.  One is that the small surface of the blade can heat up, causing scorching of the coffee grounds.  This results in an undesirable burned flavor.  Another issue with blade grinders is that they slice the beans rather than crushing them, resulting in a range of fine and course grounds.  It is harder to control the coarseness of the grounds using a blade grinder.

Blade coffee grinder
Image source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Disc Burr Grinders

Disc burr grinders are the most affordable of the burr grinders and produce good results.  The disc burr grinder mechanism uses a disc with raised surfaces that are used to slice the beans.  The pitch of the raised surfaces can be used to control the coarseness of the grounds.

Disc Burr Coffee Grinder
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Conical Burr Grinders

The most expensive type of coffee bean grinder is a conical burr grinder.  High quality conical burr grinders cost several hundred dollars.  This grinding mechanism uses a cone shaped burr for the surface to crush the coffee beans into grounds.  Conical burr grinders produce consistent grind coarseness without scorching.

Conical Burr Grinder
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Electric vs. Hand Crank Coffee Grinders

Most coffee grinders are electric, which is more convenient than turning a crank.  Hand grinders are powered by manually turning a crank to grind the beans and usually have a burr grinding mechanism.  Hand grinders have one major advantage over electric grinders- they are very quiet.  If you make coffee early in the morning while others in your house are asleep, a hand grinder is quiet enough not to wake anyone up.

Some electric grinders are automatic- you press the button once and the grinder runs for a set amount of time.  Other electric grinders run only while the button is held down.  I prefer the automatic variety so I can walk away while the grinder runs.

Hand coffee grinder with crank
Image courtesy of Poulpy CC-SA-30

Troubleshooting Coffee Grinders

Sometimes a coffee grinder will get jammed.  Here are some steps to troubleshot a coffee grinder:

• Unplug the coffee grinder
• Pour the beans from the hopper into a bowl
• Clear any beans or bean fragments from around the grinding blade or burr
• Manually turn the blade or burr to make sure it is free of obstructions

How to grind your own beans at the grocery store

Most coffee shops and grocery stores offer coffee grinders for you to use for free.  These grinders are quick and easy to use.  Here are the steps to grind your own coffee beans at the store:

• Fill the hopper with selected coffee beans
• Set the desired coarseness for the ground coffee using the knob (select medium for most coffee makers)
• Place a bag under the chute, 
• Press and hold the grind button.  
• In about 30 seconds you’ll have about 12 ounces of ground coffee ready to take home

Note: Don’t over-fill the bag or it will be difficult to close

Coffee Grinder at the Grocery Store
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The main issue with grinding the beans at the store is that coffee beans start to lose flavor almost immediately after grinding.  You will get much better tasting coffee with more rich and complex flavor if you grind the coffee beans immediately before brewing.  The only practical way to do this is to have your own coffee grinder at home.

Grind Adjustment- Selecting coarse to fine grind

Automatic drip coffee makers produce the best coffee using medium coarseness.  If you use grounds that are too fine, the grounds will get packed together in the coffee filter and will not allow enough water to pass through efficiently.  Espresso makers use a finer grind since the high temperature and pressure in the small brewing chamber produces the maximum flavor with fine grounds.

Coffee grinder adjustment knob: coarse, medium, or fine grind
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Best Coffee Grinder Recommendations

• Get a coffee grinder at home and grind whole coffee beans just before brewing- you’ll great fresh, flavorful coffee
• A disc burr grinder produces excellent coffee and is an affordable option
• Consider a hand grinder if grinding without making a lot of noise would be beneficial
• Select a single touch electric grinder that runs for a preset time with a single touch of the grind button
• I have had success with this Mr. Coffee Automatic Burr Mill GrinderThis model has the automatic grind feature that I like and does a great job grinding.

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

Make French Press Coffee

What is French Press Coffee?

French Press is a method of making coffee that does not use a paper filter.  Coffee grounds are mixed with hot water in a press pot, sometimes called a coffee press.  The press pot is usually a small glass coffee pot with a metal strainer that is pressed from the top of the pot to the bottom, trapping the coffee grounds at the bottom of the pot.  Thermal press pots are also available- a nice feature to keep coffee warm after brewing.  French press coffee has intense coffee flavor and retains more oil from the coffee beans than coffee brewed using a paper filter.

Coffee Press Pot for Making French Press Coffee
Image Courtesy of Leland  CC-SA-30

How much does French Press Coffee Cost at a Coffee Shop?

French press coffee is served at most coffee shops.  You can get a French press coffee for about $3 at a coffee shop.  French press coffee takes some special effort to prepare, hence the higher price.  Also, it will take a few minutes to make a French press coffee.  Baristas will be happier to make a French press coffee when it is slow rather than when there is a rush of people waiting for coffee.  Even if French press coffee is not on the menu, most coffee shops can make this if you order it.

Is French press coffee bad for you?

Coffee contains cafestol, a substance found in the oily part of coffee that can increase LDL cholesterol levels.  A paper coffee filter removes cafestol.  Coffee prepared without a filter such as French press, or cowboy coffee contains more cafestol.  Turkish coffee, in which finely ground coffee is mixed with water and allowed to settle also contains cafestol.  Coffee brewed in an espresso machine without a paper filter also contains some cafestol.  So take it easy on French press coffee if you are worried about cholesterol.

Coffee made from a standard coffee maker or using pour over methods filters nearly all of the cafestol since these coffee brewing methods use a paper coffee filter.  I was concerned about single cup brewers such as Keurig or Verisimo.  Do the little K-cups and verismo pods have paper filters inside?  I was drinking some Keurig coffee every day, so I was concerned enough to take a K-cup apart and see if there is a coffee filter inside.  As the pictures show, K-cups and verismo pods do in fact have a small paper filter inside.

How to Make French Press Coffee at Home

A Really Good Cup of Coffee
Image Courtesy of Julius Schorzman CC-SA-20

You can buy a press pot for under $20.  The press pot is a simple machine, without a power cord.  It consists of a glass container and a metal strainer with a plunger handle.  Most press pots are glass, but thermal press pot are also available that will keep your French press coffee warm in the pot.  The press pot may also have a small stand to hold the pot upright on the countertop.  The press pot is likely the only equipment you’ll need to buy to make French press coffee at home.

Instructions to make French press coffee at home

Step 1: Place coffee grounds in the press pot.  If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can buy ground coffee and use this to make French press coffee.  For the best possible French press coffee, you’ll want to buy whole coffee beans and grind them just before brewing.  If you want the best possible coffee, buying whole beans and grinding them just before brewing is the way to go.

Step 2:   Heat water to pour into the press pot.  A tea kettle works well.   Bring water to a boil and let it cool for a few minutes.  The ideal water temperature is about 200 degrees F.  You could also heat water in the pot of your coffee maker by running water through your coffee machine without adding any ground coffee.

Step 3: Add hot water to fill the press pot and stir briefly.

Step 4: Let the coffee brew to taste, typically for about 4 minutes.

Step 5: Press the plunger on the press pot to move the strainer to the bottom of the pot, trapping the coffee grounds at the bottom.  Now, serve delicious French press coffee.  If you have a glass press pot, you’ll want to drink the coffee right away while it is hot or put it in a thermal carafe or thermal coffee cup.  If you have a thermal press pot, you can take your time.

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

Make Pour Over Coffee

What is Pour Over Coffee?

Pour-over coffee is made by slowly pouring hot water over coffee grounds to produce a flavorful coffee brew.  This method of coffee brewing is also called hand pour coffee or manual coffee brewing.  You can make regular or decaf pour over coffee.

The water for pour over coffee is typically heated in a kettle with a small spout to allow the hot water to be poured slowly over the ground coffee.  The coffee grounds are held in a ceramic, glass, or plastic cone with a cone filter to extract maximum flavor.  A pour over stand may be used to hold the coffee grounds above a cup for single cup brewing.  Some single serve pour over cones fit on top of a coffee cup and do not require a stand.  Pour over coffee makers include the pour over cone and a coffee pot to allow pour over brewing of an entire pot of coffee.

Pour Over Coffee at a Coffee Shop

Most coffee shops serve pour over coffee upon request.  I sometimes order pour over at Starbucks if I have time.  A pour over is guaranteed to be really fresh and it has really good flavor.  It takes about 5 minutes to brew a pour over coffee, sometimes longer if the coffee shop is busy.  Making a pour over requires some attention from the barista to slowly add water a little bit at a time.  I think having a pour over is a good way to make drinking an afternoon decaf more interesting.

Some coffee shops serve pour over coffee as their standard coffee.  Java House in Iowa City, Iowa has a coffee bar with 8 stations and brews coffee by the cup using pour over.  When you order, they scoop the ground coffee of your choice into one of the cones and start pouring water.  Java House uses a small water kettle heated on an electric heating element.  They tell you which picture goes with your cup so you can get the right one.  When it is nearly full, they ask you if you want room for cream.

Pour over coffee bar at coffee shop
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Pour over coffee brewing.  Note small kettle on electric heater in background.
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

How much does pour over coffee cost at a coffee shop?

Pour over coffee costs a bit more than regular coffee, I paid $2.65 for my most recent cup of pour over coffee at a coffee shop.

Make Pour Over Coffee at Home

You can make pour over coffee at home easily, and the equipment does not cost much at all.  A basic setup includes a coffee dripper and some cone filters.  A specialized kettle with a small spout is helpful, but you can give it a try with a standard tea kettle if you already have one.

You can get a basic set-up for about $10:  a plastic filter cone and a box of paper cone filters.  Here's a basic coffee dripper that uses cone filters.

Single serve coffee dripper for pour over coffee sitting on a thermal coffee cup
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

A kettle with a small spout helps a lot, but you can give it a try using things you already have.  Use a ceramic coffee cup to heat water in the microwave and carefully pour over.  You can also heat water in a tea kettle and carefully pour over.  If you plan to make pour over coffee on a regular basis, you'll want to get a kettle with a long spout like this stovetop kettle for pour over coffee.

How to Make Pour Over Coffee
Place your pour over cone on top of a coffee cup.  Place a paper cone filter in the pour over cone and add coffee grounds.  Carefully pour hot water over the coffee grounds.  The water temperature should be about 200 degrees F.  Do not use boiling water- this will result in bitter coffee.  If you boil water, you'll want to let it cool for a few minutes.  Add the water a little bit at a time, keeping the cone about 1/2 full.  In a few minutes, you'll have a really good cup of pour over coffee.

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal

How to Make Coffee During a Power Outage without Electricity

How can you make a cup of coffee during a power outage?  

There are ways to make coffee without electricity during a power outage.  First are instructions for using your coffee maker without electricity during a power outage.  Second are instructions for making cowboy coffee without a coffee maker.

Method 1: How to Use your Coffee Maker without Electricity

Of course, coffee makers need electricity to work.  But there is a way you can still get a hot cup of coffee without electricity.  These instructions also work if your coffee maker is broken since you can by-pass the parts of your coffee maker that require electricity to operate.

Make Coffee without electricity!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The functions of a coffee maker that require electricity are the clock/electronics, the heating element that heats water for brewing, the pump that delivers hot water to the filter basket, and the burner that keeps the coffee warm in the pot.

If you need to make coffee without electricity, you can heat water using a method that does not require electricity.  You can pour the hot water directly into the filter basket, eliminating the need for an electric pump.  You’ll need to do without the burner to keep the pot warm- you can pour the hot coffee into an insulated container or simply drink it right away.  And you won’t need the clock or buttons on the coffee maker when using it during a power outage.

So how exactly can you make coffee using a coffee maker during a power outage?

Step 1.  Place a paper filter in your coffee maker as usual

Step 2. Fill  the filter basket of your coffee maker with coffee grounds as usual

Step 3.  Heat water using a method that does not require electricity:

• If you have a gas oven, use the stovetop to heat water in a tea kettle.
• If you do not have a gas oven, use a gas grill to heat water in a pan.  Important- use the gas grill outdoors only to avoid carbon monoxide hazard.
• If you don’t have a gas oven or gas grill, you can use a camp stove to heat water.  Note that camp stoves are safe for outdoor use only.  You can also build a campfire and heat water by suspending a pot over the fire or using a camp grill.

You’ll want to boil the water and let it cool slightly for a moment.  Heating enough water for a pot of coffee will take about 10 minutes.  The ideal water temperature for brewing coffee is about 200 degrees F.  Don’t use boiling water, it will make the coffee taste bitter.  You’ll want to let boiling water cool for 30 seconds to 1 minute before pouring it into the filter basket.

Step 4. Slowly pour the hot water directly into the filter basket of your coffee maker.  Coffee will begin filling the pot.  Continue pouring hot water into the filter basket.  If you used a pan in step 3, it may be easier to use a coffee cup or measuring cup to scoop the water from the pan and pour it into the filter basket.

How to make coffee during a power outage
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The coffee maker shown in the picture- a Melitta 10-cup with thermal carafe- has easy access to the filter basket by lifting the lid on top.  Some coffee makers do not have such easy access.  On these you may need to remove the filter basket, fill it about 3/4 full of hot water, and carefully replace it so that coffee will flow into the pot.


Step 5. Enjoy hot coffee during a power outage.

If you have a thermal carafe on your coffee maker, you can drink your coffee as usual.  If you have a glass coffee pot, you’ll want to pour the coffee into insulated coffee cups or a thermos right away to keep it warm since the burner on your coffee maker will not keep it warm without electricity.  You may want to adjust the amount of grounds and brew one cup at a time.

This method for making coffee is a variation on a technique for making coffee called pour over coffee.   I have been using this method to make coffee for a few days since my coffee maker broke.  My broken coffee maker produces steam, but hot water does not reach the filter basket.  I couldn't bring myself to buy a cup of coffee for over $2 at a coffee shop, so I decided to improvise.

A coffee maker designed to work without electricity

If you plan to frequently make coffee without electricity- for example when camping- you can get a coffee maker powered by a propane cylinder.  This is an automatic drip coffee maker that works without electricity at all- amazing!

Method 2: How to Make Cowboy Coffee without a Coffee Maker

If you don't have a coffee maker, you can make "cowboy coffee".  Heat water to boiling in a pan, then let it cool to about 200 degrees F.  See step 3 above.  Add the coffee grounds into the hot water and stir.  Let the grounds settle and pour the coffee out of the pan after about 5 minutes.  You can also use a coffee cup to dip coffee out of the pan.  If you remove the coffee carefully, most of the grounds will stay on the bottom of the pan.  If the grounds are getting in the coffee, you can stuff a coffee filter into your coffee cup, pour the cowboy coffee into the cup, and slowly lift the coffee filter to strain the grounds.  This method can be a bit messy, but some coffee is better than no coffee at all!

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved. Coffee Maker Journal