I bought a Keurig after reading all of the reviews about it. I thought to myself, surely this machine has a lot of hype to live up to.

Not only did it pass the hype test, it did so with flying colors.

Let me just say that if you are doing research on this machine, you will discover that people just rave about it. Review after review say it is worth the investment.Easy cleaning: 4 It’s really not that bad, however, you have to take out the filter (the price you pay for filtered water – so it’s worth it, really ) before cleaning the tank. The filter, itself, should be replaced – not too expensive. The only serious issue I have with this is that its surfaces are multi-level which creates lots of nooks and crannies. This makes cleaning the unit annoying – I have to use a cue-tip…but that’s just me…

Variety of coffee/tea/other available: 1 This is where the Tassimo takes a serious nosedive. I say “criminal” because most of its disks come from Gevelia. Now, if you like Gevelia, then this isn’t a problem. I like Gevelia, too, but I also like others, such as Timothy’s, Green Mountain, Gloria Jeans, etc. And this unit accepts only Gevelia, Maxwell House, Gloria Jeans (I think), and maybe one or two others. Nowhere near enough!

Price (per cup) vs. taste: 3 Okay, if you don’t mind your cappuccino, espresso, and lattes to taste a little “off”. What I mean is, I love coffee, tea, etc. but I’m not a prig about it; so, for me, what the cappuccinos, espressos, and lattes lack in quality, they make for in value. This is definitely a “you get what you pay for” scenario. Keep in mind, too, that the “milk” the machine uses is white…is liquid…but, since it doesn’t require refrigeration, I have no idea what it really is. I’m sure it’s fine – some sort of milk derivative – but still, do you really want to consume that regularly?

Buyer remorse factor: 3 Once you realize all of the above mentioned, you may feel a little buyer remorse. But still, it makes a fairly good cup of coffee.
The machine also does hot water, of course, for tea and hot chocolate….but I tried to take it a step further by placing a regular tea bag (minus the string and tag) into the chamber…and it brewed perfectly. So, loose tea in the “my k-cup” filter would also turn out great, I’m sure.

All in all, this is truly a QUICK, versatile, SUPERB coffee machine. Great for myself, who enjoys decaf and tea, and also for my husband who prefers strong as strong can get. He can have his cup, then I can have mine right after. No mess….no cleaning (except for having to clean the my k-cup filter, which is a breeze), and MANY options from a small, simple machine. Well worth the money. I can’t wait to use it when I have guests….that way everyone can have exactly whatever kind of coffee or tea they want and without a wait!