ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Extremely fast brew time
- Easy set up and clean up
- Adjustable temperature for hot and cold drinks
- K-Cups come in over 250 different varieties of coffee, tea, cocoa or iced beverages
- Only brew what you need, so you don't end up wasting coffee, tea, etc.
- Can brew directly into travel mugs
- Can be programmed to turn on automatically and preheat water
- Socially responsible company that is a subsidiary of Vermont's Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a company known for their gourmet, organic and fair trade coffee.
Cons
- Relatively expensive when you consider the overall cost per cup with K-Cups
- K-Cups aren't recyclable (but you can get reusable filters)
- Brew temperature for coffee is lower than optimal
- Limited choices in terms of cup size and can only brew up to 10 ounces at one time
- Some reviewers felt the coffee was a bit weak
- Takes slightly longer to preheat water than similar machines
- 1-year warranty is perceived to be rather thin and there were concerns about the brewer's durability
Key Features
Type of Coffee Maker
The Special Edition B60 is classified as a single-cup brewer. It utilizes patented, pre-packaged, individual K-Cups and a drip brewing method.
Capacity
Since it is a single-cup brewer, you have the option of making three different amounts of coffee: a small (5.25 ounces), medium (7.25 ounces) or large (9.25 ounces). Keurig customer service clarified that their website lists the cup sizes as 6, 8 and 10 ounces because they are accounting for 0.75 ounces of cream. The Keurig website also claims that the B60's water reservoir itself holds 60 ounces, but, in actuality, it only holds 48 ounces. The newer model, the B68, holds 60 ounces.
Product Size
The Special Edition B60 measures 13" x 9.8" x 13.3" (H x W x D). It weighs 12 pounds when empty.
Brew Time
It can brew one cup in less than one minute and is ready to brew another cup after 15 seconds.
Programmable
Yes, the Keurig B60 Special Edition has a blue backlit LCD display panel where you can adjust the brewing temperature (hot or cold depending on the drink) and where you can also set the digital clock to automatically turn the machine on or off. While the B60 won't start to brew the coffee, it will turn the machine on, so you don't to wait four minutes for the water to preheat. In terms of the automatic off feature, the machine may be programmed to turn off at a specific time or after a set period of inactivity
Brew Strength Settings
The machine itself can't control the brew strength, but you can purchase regular or extra bold K-Cups to suit your tastes. You can also enhance the intensity of the flavor by brewing a smaller cup size for a stronger cup of coffee.
Brewing Technology
As described above, the patented K-Cup is the essence of Keurig's single-serve brewing technology. Once the K-Cup has been inserted into the brewer and the lid has been closed, the machine simultaneously punctures the top and bottom of the K-Cup and forces the selected amount of water through the K-Cup contents and into your mug. Lower brewing temperatures can be selected, but, for hot beverages, the water temperature will be between 187°F and 192°F.
Mug or Carafe
The Special Edition B60 is compatible with a regular coffee cup or a travel mug. Coffee may be brewed directly into a travel mug by simply removing the drip tray.
Brew Basket
Not applicable for a single-cup brewer since it uses the K-Cups.
Brew Stop
The Special Edition B60 doesn't have a brew stop, but it is largely unnecessary given the extremely short brew time.
Filter
Each K-Cup encapsulates its own built-in filter along with the chosen brewing material. For those who desire to fill their own K-Cup, the Keurig MY K-Cup Reusable K-Cup Filter Assembly is available for use with the Special Edition B60 Brewer.
Water Reservoir
A 48-ounce clear plastic water tank is conveniently located on the left side of the machine and can be easily removed for refilling.
On/Off Switch
The Special Edition B60 has a manual on/off switch or power button, and, as mentioned, it can also be programmed to turn on/off automatically.
Product Design
The stylish modern design features a blue backlit LCD display with chrome and black accents.
Warranty
The Keurig B60 Special Edition Brewer has a 1-year limited warranty for normal home use from the date of purchase. Keurig also offers a 30-day money back guarantee if you aren't satisfied with the brewer.
Reputation
The Keurig Special Edition B60 Brewer has received good feedback from customers online including a 3.8/5 on Amazon.com (1538 reviews), a 3.7/5 on Keurig.com (1648 reviews) and a 4.2/5 on GreenMountainCoffee.com (348 reviews). Overall, customers appear to be delighted with the brewer and rave about the benefits of the single serve concept and the no muss, no fuss aspects of the machine. They love the flexibility of being able to brew single cups of quality coffee, tea or hot chocolate without dealing with the hassle of cleaning a brew basket or changing a filter. Reviewers also appreciated the compact, modern appearance of the brewer with its blue backlit LCD display.
While most users were happy with the taste of the coffee, some customers (myself included) expressed disappointment. Given that the K-Cups are pre-packaged with an abundance of high quality coffee and tea, it is clearly not the product that falls short. The brew time and temperature are the likely contributors to the less than ideal flavor of coffee made with single serve technology. But if the K-Cups efficiency and effortless brewing hold sway, single serve converts won't mind the slightly less robust flavor.
The primary complaint customers have with the Special Edition B60 Brewer has to do with the cost of the disposable K-Cups. While reusable K-Cups are available, the hassle of refilling the pods pretty much defeats the purpose of this convenience-driven brewer. In February 2012, a New York Times article estimated that a pound of K-Cup coffee costs consumers around $50, which is more than double what a pound of high-end, gourmet coffee would cost. How much the convenience of a K-Cup is worth is strictly a personal decision. How much an individual saves by brewing one cup of coffee at a time versus a full pot that may not be entirely consumed is also strictly personal. With the Green Mountain K-Cup patent expiring at the end of 2012, we can hope that the increased competition in the space will drive down the price of K-Cup coffee to make it more affordable. In the meantime, keep in mind that a cup of K-Cup coffee still costs significantly less than your Starbucks and could be a great investment for busy people trying to save some money by making their coffee at home.
Facebook
