 Few tradeoffs for serious convenience |
| Review Date: September 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: bnpttc, Southport, NC USA |
| I previously purchased a B40 for my office. The convenience and selection of coffees immediately made it a favorite among co-workers and myself. Of course this meant that I wanted one for home. One problem with the B40 is the noise. Not bad for an office environment but unforgivable first thing in the morning at home. When the B30 was announced and promised to be quieter, that was just what the doctor ordered. This thing is VERY quiet in comparison. I only drink one cup in the morning prior to going to work so the lack of a reservoir is not an issue. If you want multiple cups 30 seconds apart this is not the machine for you. If you don't mind the extra step of dumping a cup of water in a hole and waiting 2 1/2 minutes after you press the brew button (if you own the B40 you were already doing this when you turned the power on) then this machine is great. Oh, and the small footprint means you can be very flexible in where you decide to put it. No major concessions in the countertop usage arena. Bottom line, quiet convenience in a small package makes this a winner. |
Good product for one person - small apt
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| Review Date: November 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J. San, Los Angeles, CA |
I have the B40 and have recently purchased the B30. I use the B40 for home and enjoy it with my husband.
The coffee at work is sub-par at best and for some time now wanted to purchase another B40 for my office. I didn't want to share it with the other 30 people in my office by putting it in the shared kitchen. My co-workers are nice people, but considering how the fridge looks, they're not the most considerate in the "shared appliances" world.
So when Keurig people came out with the B30, I was happy to check it out. It has a small footprint -- perfect for my desk. It's a attractive, yet not so flashy so may go un-noticed on my desk area at work.
It makes coffee just as well as my full-sized machine. I plan to use it regularly with a "My K-Cup" that I purchased. I think the design is nice and sleek overall.
There are two ways to turn on the machine. One is to simply push the power button. The other is to simply open up the slot to put the K-Cup pod in, and the machine will automatically turn on when you close it. Once you close it, the cap for the water resevoir opens for you to fill. Once you fill and close, THEN you place your cup. When it senses your cup, you push the brew button, and it silently heats up the water and dispenses in about 2 minutes. Once you take your cup, the machine will automatically shut off. Nice. However, not so nice if for a family - repeating is too time consuming for more than 2 people.
I also have to say that it is silly that the machine turns itself off -- since just after brewing, you'll want to take the K-Cup out to toss. Opening of course, just turns the machine back on. I guess some people just leave the machine with the used K-Cup in until the next brewing. That sounds gross to me, but I understand the logic there.
The brew time of two minutes may sound like an eternity to some people - but it's a lot faster than a trip to Starbucks when you're busy at work. And it's worth the time compared to awful free coffee the have in the kitchen.
For the price difference between the B-30 and B-40, however, if I were a new buyer, I would definately go with the larger B-40 model.
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The B30 Mini - Quietly Works As Advertised
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| Review Date: January 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Phil, Virginia |
This is my first venture into the world of single-serve coffee makers. I researched for several weeks, visited stores, researched some more, then decided upon the Keurig system. To me, this system seems like the best balance of affordability, availability, and convenience.
I went to a local store, Christmas gift cards in hand, and purchased a B60 Special Edition for my office. As you may suspect since this is a review for the Mini, the B60 experience was not a good one. Following the quick start guide, I had the unit unpacked, setup across my office next to my drip coffee maker, and the priming process started. Not much was really happening so I walked back to my desk to check on a few emails. That was when things roared to life. The unit started making loud noises followed by not so good vibrations. I watched, not very amused but captivated, until I realized the unit was actually "walking" toward the edge of the table. The vibration was to the point that before I could walk the 6 feet to the unit the travel mug was on the floor and the unit was a good inch over the edge. I caught the unit but dislodged the reservoir stopping the priming process which I never could figure out how to restart. Fortunately it was the weekend and I was the only one in the building to enjoy the show. The support number was answered promptly and kindly. They entered a ticket and told me they "were experiencing higher than expected call volumes" and I might experience a delay in receiving support. Long story short, I got restless and took the unit back to the store for a refund that evening. Even if a properly working B60 was only half as loud or vibrated half as much, it would have been far louder than I care for.
It was back to the research and visiting stores. I really had not looked much at the B30/Mini. I knew it was there but discounted it for all the features it did not have. In the end, the lack of features was the reason I decided to purchase it. You have the K-Cup benefit with fewer moving parts which in my mind that means fewer things to fail. Yes, no pretty blue LED lights, no timer, no water reservoir, no choice in temperature, and no choice in brew sizes. However, there is also no noise, no vibration, smaller footprint, and extra money left in my pocket to buy more K-Cups. I might have liked the water reservoir and the ability to adjust the brew size but right now I am very happy with the simplicity. The only downsize I can see is having to add water for each cup but this has been no big deal. Think about it, a regular water bottle will make two cups and a larger water bottle will make three. I keep my bottle water at room temperature and using bottled water makes it easier to fill the unit. Eventually I will try out the My K-Cup but so far I have been very happy with the pre-packaged K-Cups. Every K-Cup I have tried has been in the good to very good range. The machine quietly makes a hot cup of coffee that leaves enough room in my ceramic mug for a little cream which is what I am looking for in my application.
Judging by the number of favorable reviews, my experience with the B60 is among the much smaller percentage of negative ones. The fit and finish of both units were very good for the price. I really appreciate the simplicity of the B30 Mini, the convenience of the K-Cups, and most importantly very good coffee.
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THE status office accessory
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| Review Date: September 28, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Shannie AKA 'TheJavaGoddess', |
| It is ADORABLE! Would I have it as my main coffeemaker at home? Maybe...if I drank only a cup or two a day, or had limited space but liked to offer guests a range of brews. At work, it is THE gift of the year. It is quiet, and has lots of great technology to satisfy a coffee geek. It will never mess up your desk, it senses a cup under the spout before it will brew. It turns itself off when the cup is removed. But forget all the many things that make it brew a great cup for one....the machine is good looking, has a small footprint, and looks and feels more expensive than it is. I've tried all of the Keurigs, and this was added to a currently used B70 and a B60 that is soon on it's way to a friend's home. This is the type of machine that simply will make you smile. |
Awesome!
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| Review Date: October 31, 2008 |
| Reviewer: David Fournier, New Jersey |
| I bought the mini after using one in a hotel. It is perfect for my classroom--the coffee is always hot and brews perfectly. The selection of K-cups is great and they are reasonably priced--about 50 cents a cup. Love, love, love this machine--def. worth the money! |
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