December 6th, 2011

For those interested in how coffee gets from the coffee plantation to your mug, the New Yorker magazine has an interesting article on El Salvadorian farmer Aida Batlle. Batlle moved from Miami to El Salvador in 2002 to begin growing coffee on family land and quickly obtained a following from a variety of major independent coffee roasters throughout the United States.

While the single-source coffee that Batlle specializes in producing for her customers hasn’t made its way to single-serve brewers like Keurig and Tassimo, Nespresso’s Pure Origine line of Grand Crus — Dulsão do Brasil, Rosabaya de Colombia, and Indriya from India — has taken advantage of the increasing demand for single-source coffee with those single source roasts.

If you have a Senseo machine, consider either the Eco-Pad or CoffeeDuck. However, check to make sure that your Senseo single-cup brewer is compatible with product. The Senseo machines have gone through many design changes, and these products don’t work with every Senseo brewer.

On the other hand, Keurig has developed their own MY K-CUP for use in the Keurig one-cup coffee brewers. The My Kcup consists of a plastic assembly and a mesh filter. You pack your favorite ground coffee into the filter and then run it in your Keurig single serve brewer like a regular k cup. Over time, the mesh filter wears out, but replacements are available. And, since the MY K-CUP is manufactured by Keurig, it is compatible with all Keurig one-cup home brewers.

Unfortunately, there is no current similar system for the Flavia, Tassimo, or Nespresso single cup brewers. We’ll keep you posted if that changes.

November 1st, 2011

In recent years, coffee has become more than just a drink that wakes you up in the morning. Coffee review websites like coffeereview.com have identified quality roasts from a wide-range of roasters. For a quick introduction on how to use your five senses to experience the joys of one of America’s favorite beverages, take a look at this article at theatlantic.com. Take advantage of your new-found knowledge and try a variety of roasts from your favorite coffee shop — also ask around and see if your local coffee shop offers any cuppings. Remember that although you may not have enough time to grind and brew coffee every morning, you can always get a great cup of coffee using a single cup system like Keurig K Cups, Nespresso Capsules, Tassimo T-Discs, or Senseo pads. Coffeereview.com has reviewed a variety of one cup coffee Keurig k cups, Nespresso Capsules, and Tassimo T-Discs.

Tassimo is offering three new flavors of T-Disc: Gevalia Kaffe Colombia, Carte Noire Voluptuoso Corse, and Carte Noire Expresso Ristretto. You can order each individually or take advantage of Fall offers: if you buy six Tassimo T-Disc varieties, you will receive the two new European coffees (Voluptuoso Corse and Expresso Ristretto) for free; or, if you buy a new Tassimo T-Disc Brewer, you receive all three varieties (Gevalia Colombia, Voluptuoso Corse, and Expresso Ristretto) for free. For more information about the Tassimo one cup brewing system, please visit our Tassimo page.

1. How many Tassimo machines are offered in the U.S.?
2. What makes Tassimo’s hot beverage system unique?
3. How many different T-Discs are available?
4. Where can I buy T-Discs?
5. Does Tassimo offer systems for the office?

The Tassimo Suprema retails for $139.99. The Suprema’s water reservoir holds 61-ounces, and a water filter is included with purchase. The Suprema is available in either red or black.

The Tassimo LCD Premium (T65) includes a multilingual LCD display, a 61-ounce water reservoir, and a water filtration system. The T65 has a Twilight Titanium finish and retails for $169.99.

Tassimo T20

Tassimo Suprema

Tassimo LCD Premium.

To learn more about Tassimo one cup coffee makers, visit Tassimodirect.com. Also, SingleServeCoffee.com has reviewed a variety of Tassimo models.

The Tassimo single cup brewing system can do this because each T-Disc has a unique barcode that tells the Tassimo machine how to prepare each individual beverage. Plus, Tassimo is the only single cup coffee system that uses an espresso capsule and liquid, shelf-stable milk to prepare their milk-based drinks.

But keep in mind that making a cappuccino or latte is a two-step process. An espresso T-disc plus the specific milk T-Disc (foaming or regular) are prepared sequentially to make a single drink.

The Tassimo one cup brewing system draws on Kraft’s global scale and sells T-discs under brands most Americans will easily recognize (Maxwell House) and several of Kraft’s better-known international brands (Kenco and Jacobs). Teas from Tazo and Twinings of London and delicious hot chocolate from Suchard are also available in T Discs.

CoffeeReview.com, the world’s leading coffee buying guide, has reviewed a variety of T-Discs. But be aware, Tassimo no longer offers Starbucks-branded T Discs. In March 2011, Starbucks elected to not continue their relationship with Tassimo and signed a licensing agreement with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc instead, allowing for the production of Starbucks-branded K-Cups.

Tassimo T-Discs are sold in department stores, large box stores, and through internet retailers.

The best source for buying T-Discs is Tassimo’s web site which sales every type of T-Disc being produced. And, if you sign-up for Tassimo’s Direct Delivery program, you get access to T-Disc beverages not available elsewhere.

Finally, we like the store locator on Tassimo’s web site. Use it to find a retailer near you that sells the Tassimo one-cup brewer and T-Discs.