A Gift He Can Use and Love Every Day

More than Just a Coffee Pot

My brother is the one who started the Keurig coffee maker trend in our family. At first I thought he was crazy because it seemed like those little cups would make drinking coffee so expensive.

Basically Keurigs are coffee pots that brew one cup of coffee at a time (with options for how many ounces you want to brew.) They were made to work specifically with little single use cups that brew the hot beverage and then you throw it away. The idea is that it is easier to make just one cup of coffee if that is all you drink, then it is always fresh. Plus if you have a decaf and a regular drinker then you can make a cup for both, quickly and easily.

My husband and I are not big coffee drinkers so I didn't even consider buying one. But somehow my brother managed to convince our dad and he got one.

Then my husband and I spent a few days at my dad's house…

He let us use his Keurig, and made us several different types of coffee. He even shared his precious Double Black Diamond with us. (That is his favorite, I didn't really like it but apparently it is a really good dark roast.) I thought it was a cool machine because it could  easily make a different type of hot beverage for each of us in less time than it takes a normal coffee pot to make just one kind.

I still wasn't convinced that we needed to spend the money on one though. (We don't even drink coffee every day.) But apparently my husband had a different experience, or had thought it through more than I did, because when we got home he did some research and then ordered one. I'm glad he did for several reasons.

·         Better for Entertaining Guests – I don't think my husband cares so much, but I love it for offering drinks to guests. It is so easy to offer several types of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to our visitors. I love being able to provide them with exactly what they like every time. It is a nice added touch of hospitality.

·         Drink More Tea – This machine is a great way to simply make hot water. We drink a lot more tea than coffee, and we drink a lot more tea than we did before. It is so nice to share a quick and convenient hot beverage with someone special. And for an extra special cup of tea, check out this Death Star Tea Infuser.

·         Don't have to Use K-Cups – The option my husband and I use most is the reusable filter. By using this you can just add coffee grounds instead of using a K-Cup. We like to save money and to drink specialty flavors, so we buy bagged coffee and use the K-Cups for guests or special occasions. This is especially useful for decaf drinkers because there are not as many decaf options in the K-Cups.

·         Customer Service – Some of the reviews say that it stops working after awhile. (To prevent this you just have to clean it out with vinegar sometimes.) But, if it doesn't work anymore or if it is giving you a less than optimal coffee drinking experience you can just call the company and they are great about replacing it.

The Keurig Experience

My dad loves his so much that he even eventually bought the Keurig Mini so that he could have delicious coffee on vacation. We all love to make jokes about "inferior" free coffee at hotels and how we can't drink that stuff anymore. But like so many people, he gets great pleasure out of sitting and relaxing with a nice cup of coffee. It adds to the vacation experience, and to every day moments like reading a book or watching the birds in the feeder. Good coffee really does make a difference.

Another really great thing about getting someone a Keurig K-Cup Home Brewer as a gift is that it provides an opportunity for continued giving. If we ever don't know what to get my dad for a holiday we can always fall back on getting him a box of Double Black Diamond or some other favorite selection of K-Cup.

The nice thing about giving K-Cups is that, although they are slightly more expensive, they make a much classier gift than just a can of bulk generic coffee from the grocery store. It is a special treat, and that is what presents are supposed to be.

Using the reusable filters also allows for a wider variety of gifts. Isn't it great to find little local shops who sell small brown bags of specialty coffees or teas? Those make great thoughtful gifts, sometimes they even come in a gift basket. If the person you are shopping for has the reusable filters they don't have to miss out on the huge selection of specialty coffees available all over the place.

Who Would Appreciate this Gift and for Which Occasions?

Of course coffee drinkers are at the top of the list, but anyone who enjoys a good hot beverage once in awhile will appreciate it, too. This is great for any occasion. It isn't overly personal, but is very useful. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and house warming gifts are just some ideas.

Another great time to give this as a gift is if you are going to stay with someone who doesn't have one already, but you are big coffee drinker. You can get one for them so that you can use it during your stay! It is only a little self-serving, and they'll appreciate it later.

The Keurig Mini is also available in colors! Maybe I will be able to convince my husband that we should travel more if I get him the green one. He loves green.

Do you have any experience with Keurig Coffee Brewing Systems? Any other thoughts? Share with us in the comments below!