Why is Keurig coming out with a new format (Vue)

[jhansman]

Hell, even Starbucks gets that the K-cup method is sweeping the nation, and is here to stay (their Sumatra is excellent, BTW). Kuerig is just trying to stay a step ahead. Their method is convenient, but no match for a cup made from a French press.

 

[Born2bwire]

My parents have always just used an automatic coffee maker...

Regardless, I don't understand the endless fascination with coffee. I've never liked the stuff. When I get a job it's much more likely that I'll just convert to a water only 'diet'. Diet soda is fun for now.

Another thing that people love that you hate. Why am I not surprised?

I used my own grind. The problem for me is that the edges never seem to seal properly with a french press. And I tend to be picky about textures anyway.

ZV

Either your grinder isn't very consistent or your press was really faulty. I've had two presses over the years and never have problems with grit in my cups. I did splurge for a burr grinder (well comparitively splurge as it's still a cheap one in terms of the overall market). Well to each his own.

I don't regularly drink coffee so the french press is an ideal solution for me. The K-cups are too expensive, wasteful, and restrictive for me to want to get into them.

 

[OverVolt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafestol

Cafestol is present in highest quantity in unfiltered coffee drinks such as French press coffee or Turkish coffee/Greek coffee. In filtered coffee drinks such as drip brewed coffee, it is present in only negligible amounts.
Studies have shown that regular consumption of boiled coffee increases serum cholesterol by 8% in men and 10% in women. For those drinking filter coffee, the effect was only significant for women.[1]

Two filters FTW and has been that way for some time.

 

[natto fire]

Hey while we are at it I drink folgers, maxwell, and chock full o nuts.

Since it is about 80% of the coffee isle someones gotta be drinking the stuff and I'm one of them contrary to ATOT's organic direct import Columbian beans straight from the farmer or whatever it is you guys do for your coffee lol.

In my experience, the more snooty someone is about coffee, the less likely they are to drink black coffee. Kind of kills your connoisseur cred if you are just dumping a bunch of flavored creams and sugar in there.

 

[gorcorps]

THIS I think they expire in about 2 years,. They actually have a handful of patents that expire over time. Some are for the cup form factor. Others for the machines they sell.

Sounds like desperation.

If you read the thread you'll see it expires in September. Not sure where 2 years comes from.

 

[shortylickens]

For the same reason we have flat, Philips, Robertson, Torx, and Allen.

 

[vi edit]

In my experience, the more snooty someone is about coffee, the less likely they are to drink black coffee. Kind of kills your connoisseur cred if you are just dumping a bunch of flavored creams and sugar in there.

And in my opinion the more snooty somebody is about something the less they really know about it.

 

[sandorski]

These gimmicky Coffee makers are a big waste of $. You'll be lucky to find any Coffee for any of them in a few years after their release.

 

[sourceninja]

Basically, time=money. Once you become an adult this ratio is more important. I would say more about your daftness but I'm in a good mood.

I understand this, BUT, I have gone the opposite way. I don't want fast and cheap. I want quality over all else.

I stopped buying pre-packaged food, beer, coffee, etc. I now make from hand as much as reasonably possible. I find higher quality, satisfaction, and a cost savings (after a upfront investment).

I could buy pasta sauce from the store and dried noodles, but I enjoy the food much more when I make the pasta sauce from scratch and make home made noodles. Plus, it's a lot cheaper (I can make 6 quarts of sauce to freeze for the cost of 1 jar of store sauce). I don't buy expensive microbrew (well, I do when exploring new styles), I make high quality beer. I used to buy 6 beers for $10.00. Now I make 48-52 beers for $26.00.

The side effect of making your own food, growing your own vegetables, brewing your own beer, grinding your own coffee, etc is more than just cost and quality. I have also lost weight. This is because I have to plan and prepare my meals. I can't run to the store and buy packaged pasta and make a quick meal. I need to prepare, plan, and make time for good food. This means taking a 'cook' day each week for the time consuming stuff (bread, sauce, soups, chili, etc). I also now eat more left overs (as sandwiches and in salads), and most importantly I spend more time with my wife as we both work together on this endeavor.

Burger and fries is a lot less common when you have to grind meat and cut potatoes. Pasta is even less when you have to roll out your own dough. I find it much more satisfying to spend time on making quality and doing something "hands on and old fashioned" then I do just running to super target and grabbing a starbucks and frozen pizza. If it was possible, I'd make everything I use in day to day life, but for now I'll settle for beer, bread, pasta, sauces, soups, and growing/canning my own veggies.

 

[vi edit]

I understand this, BUT, I have gone the opposite way. I don't want fast and cheap. I want quality over all else. I stopped buying pre-packaged food, beer, coffee, etc. I now make from hand as much as reasonably possible. I find higher quality, satisfaction, and a cost savings (after a upfront investment).

Do you have kids? When you've got an infant and a 4 year old and you need to be at work by 7:00AM with a day care drop off in between you will save any second you possibly can. My wife can toss in a flavored coffee and then I can turn right around and brew a dark roast in about 90 seconds for the two cups.

 

[NutBucket]

In my experience, the more snooty someone is about coffee, the less likely they are to drink black coffee. Kind of kills your connoisseur cred if you are just dumping a bunch of flavored creams and sugar in there.

People that can't enjoy a cup black coffee, unflavored espresso, etc. cannot be connoisseurs, period. It'd be akin to drinking wine with 7-Up and calling yourself a wine expert.

 

[jessieqwert]

In my experience, the more snooty someone is about coffee, the less likely they are to drink black coffee. Kind of kills your connoisseur cred if you are just dumping a bunch of flavored creams and sugar in there.

This is the whole reason I grind and press every morning. I'm sure there are some folks like this but most people that buy a good bean are doing so to drink it black.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Either your grinder isn't very consistent or your press was really faulty. I've had two presses over the years and never have problems with grit in my cups. I did splurge for a burr grinder (well comparitively splurge as it's still a cheap one in terms of the overall market). Well to each his own.

The grinder bit is quite possibly a fair critique. I just used the grinder in the coffee aisle at the supermarket when I tried out the french press. I did remember to set it to coarse though. *shrug*

It's all trade-offs though.

ZV

 

[vi edit]

This is the whole reason I grind and press every morning. I'm sure there are some folks like this but most people that buy a good bean are doing so to drink it black.

Abscence makes the heart grow fonder. After drinking k-cups through the week making a fresh ground french press pot of Ethiopian on the weekend is all that more special.

 

[NutBucket]

Do you have kids? When you've got an infant and a 4 year old and you need to be at work by 7:00AM with a day care drop off in between you will save any second you possibly can.

Coffee Maker on my desk = win!

I don't have kids but its one less thing to do before leaving the house.

 

[OutHouse]

I disagree

I am alone at work and found it wasteful to make a full pot of coffee just for myself and by the morning it smells like ass.

Nice to make a single fresh shot of coffee when needed.

this.

i also use the reusable kcup insert that i can put my own coffee in. its like 15 cents to fill my mug every morning.

 

[sygyzy]

Why would the expiring patent make Keurig create a new form factor? The expiring patent means even more companies will create K-Cups which are already the most popular form factor and one that many people own. Why would a K-Cup owner switch to the new format? They won't. I am not seeing the correlation between Expiring Patent and Vue.

 

[vi edit]

Why would the expiring patent make Keurig create a new form factor? The expiring patent means even more companies will create K-Cups which are already the most popular form factor and one that many people own. Why would a K-Cup owner switch to the new format? They won't. I am not seeing the correlation between Expiring Patent and Vue.

I think Green Mountain Roasters manufactures and/or licenses all k-cups that are sold. When the patent goes up brands will probably be able to produce/outsource their own cups cutting Keurig/Green Mountain out of the licensing profits. I doubt there is a lot of money in the sale of brewers (especially when you factor in returns/repairs which are fairly high).

It's the same game as Big Pharma and their reformulations/packaging to continue producing drugs under a brand name and gaming the patent system.

 

[sygyzy]

So they are hoping that people switching to their new exclusive format will make up for the lost from the licensing revenue?

 

[hdeck]

coffee from keurig tastes awful. prefer the good stuff.