Bunn MCP 1.25-Cup Coffee Maker

I was fortunate to be involved in a test market study for the MyCafe coffee/tea pod system, so I have had mine for well over a year now. I can say without reservation that my family has gotten more use out of this appliance than any other I own! Previously we were using a much less desirable Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffeemaker (see my other reviews for more details about that monster), so this was a refreshing change of pace. While I did not have to research this pod maker, I was so happy with it that I wanted to see other opinions of it, and I found http://www.singleservecoffee.com I highly recommend this site if you are in the market for a coffee pod/K-cup/T-disc system, or just want to know the difference between them, as that is all they do. They also review the coffee pods themselves, which is helpful since they tend to be a tad pricy, as well as offer links to purchase them if they are hard to find elsewhere.

Machine Quality
The first thing I noticed about this machine is its weight. It is obvious that it is not a cheap piece of plastic. To better illustrate this, my old Grind and Brew is 5.25 inches wider and 5.5 inchestaller than the Bunn, yet the Bunn weighs almost 3 oz MORE than the G&B. It has a water reservoir you can remove and fill or you can slide the top back and just fill it from the top. We keep this system next to the sink and simply fill it via the top vent with the veggie sprayer when it gets low. The controls have worked consistantly for the past year without failing to exceed expectations even once. There is an automatic energy saver feature that will turn the reservoir tank heater off after six hours, but as soon as you remove the pod holder to pop in a fresh pod the next time you want a cuppa, it intuitively begins to heat again! Talk about user friendly.

Simplicity
My old G&B was the worst possible coffee maker for my family. It literally had 7 separate removable parts that you must take out and thoroughly scrub clean between each pot of coffee. With the Bunn, I simply rinse the pod holder under running water between each cup of coffee and I drop it and the two drip tray pieces on the top rack of my dishwasher a couple of times a week for a deep scrub,' and that pretty much it! Reassembly is also VERY simple; just drop them back in their slots.

Versatility
I'm a java-head, it's true, but we also drink a lot of tea, instant cider and hot cocoa at our house. It's nice to have 'instant on' hot water for these and my 10 and 12 year olds can get hot water without having to use the microwave or stove, which I like. (They also get a kick out of making coffee for mom and dad…an EXTRA perk!) We also use is as a cooking aid for:


•

Instant oatmeal


•

Making instant Jell-O


•

Using it for hot water to achieve a boiling state faster (a fantastic time saver!)

Value
With traditional coffee makers there are the inevitable wasted pots of coffee to consider. Now when the mood hits us, we just go pop in a pod if we want coffee or tea, wait about 45 seconds for the water to warm and the coffee to brew, and we've have coffee. Want another cup? It only takes about one and a half minutes for two cups starting from dead cold in the morning! The best part is, no guilty 'aftertaste' knowing that you left half a pot of coffee to get thrown out later!

I also like that I can fill anything from a 12 oz travel mug (which actually FITS under the brewer) to a 4 oz coffee cup just by selecting the slider bar at the bottom.

POD SIZES
You have the option of making coffee using anything from 6 gram pods (try it on the 4oz, or double it up and try 8oz setting) all the way up to 12 gram "Monster pods. The ability to double pods is a nice feature that not all other pod brewers can accomodate.

Style
The Bunn My Cafe on your counter says, "I'm serious about my coffee." The lights are well placed to tell you what's going on, and the blue LED's that are on while brewing are just COOL! They really light up the base so you can watch the brewing process.

Tips
After having the MyCafe for well over a year, I have the following tips for others who either just got their Bunn, or are having problems:


•

If you like strong coffee, try Baronet Coffee Mega pods, especially the Sumatra and Kenya AA 12 gram pods. Also check out recommendations on http://www.singleservecoffee.com as they review new releases frequently.


•

If you prefer a deeper brew, try the Tea setting instead of the Coffee, it pulses the water through at intervals. Be prepared for some residual bitterness though, as sitting in the hot water between pulses will leech the bitterness out of the brew a bit.


•

If you're having issues with the reservoir tank leaking, make sure it's seated good and start filling the tank from the top instead of the back.


•

If you only have grocery-store pods available to you, try doubling up your pods for deeper, more intense flavor.


•

Get your pods via the internet if at all possible. Why would you spend money on a premium coffee maker and then buy average pods? It just doesn't make sense.


•

THOROUGHLY WET YOUR POD BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN THE HOLDER. I can't stress this enough. It shouldn't be hot water, just enough water to wet the paper. This will break the initial surface tension of the pod so that the hot coffee is evenly distributed and you get a fuller, richer tasting cup consistantly every time. I use my veggie sprayer for this and get both sides wet and it seems to work much better than just running it under the faucet.


•

If you want to change the size of your next cup, move the slider ALL THE WAY to either 12oz or 4oz first (whichever is further from where you want to brew) and THEN select your ounces. This will make your brews more accurate, I've found via testing. (Example, if it's currently set to 8oz and you want to brew 10 oz of coffee next time, first move the slider to 4oz, then all the way over to 10 oz and you'll find its dead on the money!)