Keurig(ing) on the Cheap for the Holidays

Usually I’m an early adopter, but it took years for me to succumb to the Keurig machine. I don’t use it every day, but I’m glad I finally added this small appliance to my kitchen lineup, especially now that it’s more affordable than ever. 

This past summer, I started feeling like a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Rather than make a whole other pot, I thought it was time to finally buy a Keurig.

I also had hoped to duplicate the taste of those expensive coffee shop coffees at a fraction of the price. (More about actual taste later.)

Knowing nothing about these machines, I found this one at Walmart* that was only $50.00 and thought for the money it was worth a try. I'm so pleased with model. First of all, the price was just what I wanted to spend. Second, it has a reservoir that only needs to be filled every three to four cups. Second, it has three cup sizes, 6, 8 and 10 ounce. (The size coffee pod is the same for each, so the 6 ounce just comes out stronger than the 10 ounce.) And lastly, I didn't know this until I bought it, but it brews a cup of coffee in less than one minute-perfect for those days when I'm in a hurry and forgot to push the "brew now" button on the big coffee maker.

Also, as of the writing of this post, they come in really cool colors. I'm kind of boring, so I like all my appliances to be black, but the color choices are a lot of fun too!

ON THE CHEAP

When the holidays are over, I'm sure they'll have
another great variety pack too!

One reason I waited so long to purchase the Keurig was that the cost really came down. New they are $49.00, but I find many on Facebook Marketplace that look like they're in really good shape for as little as $25.00. So if you're buying for yourself, that may be a really good option too.

The bigger problem when they first came out was the price of the coffee pods. They were running about $1.00 each and drinking three cups of coffee every day could really add up quickly. Today I picked up this variety a box of 60 pods at Sam's Club for just $15.00. So at .25 cents a cup, I'm ready for a lot of guests! They also go on sale frequently at the grocery stores too, so no worries if you aren't a Sam's Club member.

Lastly, getting a display for your coffee pods is really easy at yard sales and thrift stores. I used to keep all my pods in a box in a cabinet, but after getting this spinner caddy at a yard sale for $3.00 I keep it on the counter. It will be perfect for guests coming over at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

TASTE

As for the taste, they're good, but it's not a replacement for Starbucks. It's just not. It's nice to sit down on a fall afternoon with a Butter Toffee Coffee, but there's just nothing like the creamy, bold taste of a Starbucks drink. But considering the cost, it's a pretty good second.

Flavored creamers can add a lot of variety too. Mix and match for a lot of unique flavors!

Mostly I love the fact that I can easily grab a cup of coffee super-fast. And soon that guests can enjoy a cup of decaf, regular, cocoa or even tea without a lot of fuss.

If you like coffee and haven't tried this yet, or if you're having a big gathering this holiday season, this may be the perfect time to give the Keurig a try!

*Note: I received no compensation from any company to write this review. ALSO, this link leads to a Black Friday sale, but mine was still $49.00 in the summer. I bought one here in Florida for that price and then brought my daughter one in Wisconsin. They were $49.00 both places.