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Timothy's Coffee:
My favourites - Rainforest Espresso, Parisian Nights, Italian Blend
Didn't Wow Me - Columbian Dorado and Breakfast Blend. They were just too weak for my taste.
Better Coffee:
My favourites - CafeJo Adreneline Explosion, CafeJo Espresso Italiano Gold, both of which will give you an 8 oz. cup full of flavour.
Nice at a 5 or 6 oz cup - any of the Gourmet Cafe Pods. All were good but only at small sizes. I found the Fratello and Black Mountain Gold pods were the same - good but only at small cup sizes. (Maybe it's a Canadian thing ... do we just like our coffee stronger?)
Didn't Wow Me: Fratello Dixie Voodoo
Cultured Coffee Bean:
My favourites: Reunion Island's Privateer Dark and French Roast.
Didn't Wow me - Peru Organic
So I'm at the point now where I want to stop the mad sampling and settle in with 4 or 5 of my favourites. At this point, hese would be my 5 top coffee pods:
CafeJo Adreneline Explosion (available from BetterCoffee.com)
Timothy's Rainforest Espresso (available from Timothys.ca or BetterCoffee.com)
Timothys Parisian Nights (available from Timothys.ca or BetterCoffee.com)
Reunion Island Privateer Dark (available from CulturedCoffeeBean.com or BetterCoffee.com)
Reunion Island French Roast (available from CulturedCoffeeBean.com or BetterCoffee.com)
It's a bonus that 4 of the 5 of my favourite coffee pods are available from Canadian vendors (Timothys.ca or CulturedCoffeeBean.com), as it avoids the border hassles/duties and high shipping costs.
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Comments
Gang,
Thanks for the comments on our coffee pods (and thanks for the link!). Never hesitate to drop me a note with any questions or comments you might have. We're here to help!
My favorites?
-- Gourmet Cafe Sumatra
-- Eldorado Moka Java
-- Fratello Snake Bite
-- Aloha Island Magnum Opus Gold
--David
at bettercoffee.com
David Thiel on March 7, 2008 9:49 AM
Hi David and thanks for stopping by and sharing your favourites, too! I haven't tried the Snakebite. I did try the Dixie Voodoo, which my H liked but I didn't as much, so I was worried I'd find Snakebite the same. Currently, I'm really enjoying the Reunion Island Sumatra!
My biggest hurdle with single cup has been adjusting to a small cup. When I sampled a bunch early on, I think I was still trying to squeeze 8oz. of them and many just can't stand up at that size. I'm going to try again when I place another order from you (which btw, has always been an easy and pleasant experience, so thanks!)
Jen on March 7, 2008 10:12 AM
Hmm... well, then you'll probably want to stay away from the SnakeBite (it's stronger than the Dixie Voodoo). GunSmoke is the strongest of the triumvarate.
If you liked RI Sumatra, make sure to try to the other flavors listed on that pods's recommendations list. (You can find that here: http://tinyurl.com/yv5xd5 )
RI pods tend to have outstanding mouthfeel and really complex blends. The next closest candidate would be the Aloha Island Magnum Opus Pods, but they are pricey by comparison.
As for extraction... what machine are you using? If you use a Bunn or SimpleHuman it will give you worthwhile extraction at the 8oz size, but unfortunately machines like the Senseo wont measure up. These gourmet pods have a higher density which is difficult for the Senseo to get the most out of -- though it's still about a zillion times better than a Senseo pod!
Hope that helps!
And thanks for the kind words about our service level. We're not the cheapest pod vendor out there because we strive to be the best :-)
--David
http://www.bettercoffee.com/
David Thiel on March 9, 2008 12:05 PM
I have a Bunn David, which I love! I do find that I brew mostly at 7oz though (I think I just like a really strong cup of coffee ;) The one exception is CafeJo Adrenaline Explosion, which really holds it's own at 8oz (or more).
Jennifer on March 10, 2008 9:47 PM
Our first pod coffee maker, a Senseo, made a nice crema on top of the cup of coffee. Now we have a new Grindmaster OPOD, and is does not give us that nice little touch. Does anyone know why, or how we could make it happen?
Mike and Sandy
Michael & Sandra Sharp on June 4, 2008 9:54 PM
Hi Mike and Sandy, I think the crema from Senseo results from how they move water through the machine. They must somehow aerate it during the process. My Bunn My Cafe produces only a very small amount of crema.
I think it's a trade off as I'm guessing your OPOD produces a nicer cup of coffee over-all, despite the lack of crema. I suppose you could always aerate your coffee a bit with a stick frother to get the same effect with the OPOD.
Jen on June 5, 2008 6:52 AM
The crema from the Senseo does indeed result from how water is moved through the machine. My first pod machine was a Senseo, simply because at the time, it was the only one available. Working in an office with no plumbing due to remodeling I got one for convenience. Bring a gallon of water and a few pods to work and no cleanup. The alternative was instant in a microwave. The senseo was better, but not by much. I could not stand the foam (fake crema)the Senseo created in the cup. One day while cleaning the senseo I decided to cut out the baffles in the down spout. No more foam, and a better tasting cup of coffee in my opinion.
Pat on September 27, 2009 8:36 PM