Monday, July 17, 2006

Hey, Joe

It always starts simply enough.

"I think I'll buy myself a new coffee maker."

I've never bought one(save for the freebie that came from that bitch Gevalia years ago) and I'm sick of spending nauseating amounts of money on espresso drinks from Starbucks. Starbucks isn't a 'treat' to me. It's a drug. A drug I need to quit. Every other week I cold turkey myself and then give in to the jones, mostly because of the maddening headache. These are the kind of headaches that make you want to bust out the cast iron frying pan and bash someone with it if they fuck with you.

I don't want to perfect the art of home grinding, tamping and knockboxing. I just want what I want when I want it. Yesterday.

A few years ago I purchased a Senseo for my dad for his birthday. I thought I would go and buy myself the cool red model. Cheap, chic and tasty. Then I hear,

"Just check the web to see if there's something else, something better, made nicer."

Of course there is. I thought about the squaty Tassimo by Braun with it's 'T-Discs'. You can make a variety of drinks including hot chocolate form Suchard(the only discs available are made by companies that are owned by Kraft Foods, blech). For a little more money you can get the Keurig B60. Keurig has a zillion varieties of 'K-Cups' to choose from because they sold rights to select companies to produce them(including Black Tiger from Coffee People!).

For 'alotta' more money there is the Nespresso D290 in red. With 19 bars of pressure and an automatic frothing wand, there is no going wrong. This is for the purest in me. No tea or hot chocolate, just pure unadulterated black gold. Like the Tassimo, Nestle is the only supplier of the pods for this machine. So you're screwed on variety(but spades in taste, baby).

As per my usual M.O., I have succeeded in completely confusing myself now which means I'll probably be going to Starbucks tommorrow and the the next day and the next.

Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?


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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Straight from the mouth of a true coffee snob- If you like the flavor of Senseo, go for that. You don't want to mess around with having to order your pods and K-cups. When you want coffee you want it, running out is bad, and not being able to replenish at the local grocery store is worse! Also doesn't the Senseo fit a bunch of pod brands?

Anonymous said...

Seems to me that not going to Starbucks would pay for whatever kind of coffemaker you might get pretty quickly. Even if it's a year, in a year, look where you'll be? OK, I'm an enabler.

Ted gave up coffee a few years ago....he went from a pot a day of Peets French Roast to zip, nada, nothing. He didn't tell me until DAY 3, which is when I finally wondered aloud what the hell was wrong with him....if only he had told me first, Maya and I could have gone somewhere safer, like Gitmo or something. Seriously, he was grumpy for well over a week.

I still have my caffeine addiction, though not as severe. Diet Coke, and I drink it all day, but if I can only have one for some reason, it's thankfully enough.

Anonymous said...

the tassimo's are sweet. They do have lots of types, even a 'latte' that has a milk disc to make yourself some frothy yummines for the tops of your espresso. Also, all types of teas. I'd do the tassimo's (sp). My brotherinlaw was the manager for those little caffiene dispensers in the midwest. I personally have mr. coffee in red
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CFM4ZM/ref=nosim/102-9911379-4893711?n=284507
and it's my 3rd or 4th one. They seem to kerplunk on me, but they send out a new one within a couple days if they bust out. So, since i'm 'afraid' to use it, I just french press myself a 5 cup everymorning. Nothing better than slow brew. Good and strong. Best for flavored coffee. My personal fav, coconut creme. Hmmmm, reminds me of hawaii.

Anonymous said...

Oh dear. Coffee. I gave it up for a couple weeks back when I was nauseous. But I decided that I really enjoyed it and enjoyed it. I've gone through several permutations of coffee makers.

Currently using the standard cone drip with Peets Major Dickason's Blend or Peets Columbian blend. I've also loved the french press and the italian moka pots but they're too much maintanence. Yuck.

For me, as long as I have Peets coffee, real half & half, I'm happy. Good luck on the search!

Anonymous said...

I have the SAME addiction. Not a treat. Not a mere enjoyment. It is an all out addiction. We should start CAA (caffine addicts annoymous)!

Anonymous said...

I just can't make up my mind. You can get K-Cups at Target. Frick. I just don't know... But I do know that I am down $20 since I posted this. Something has got to give...