Back when the Senseo coffee makers were first introduced, I recall them giving away coffee machines to get them in the hands of coffee drinkers and hopefully gain favorable word-of-mouth marketing. Unfortunately, some of those coffee machines developed problems. I remembered that when I declined to receive my free Senseo machine. Fast forward to today and it appears they not only addressed their mechanical problems, but now they''ve allowed other companies to make machines that use Senseo coffee pods. I was finally willing to give the Senseo system a shot, with the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffeemaker.
PROS:
Very inexpensive
Quick to brew
Easy clean up
Pods are reasonably priced
CONS:
May require 2 pods for a travel mug
Not many 3rd party pod makers
Not the highest build quality
I was a heavy coffee drinker in college and at my first office job but have otherwise been a casual java drinker since. I had owned coffee machines in the past but typically went the route of the Peet''s, Starbucks, Caribou, etc. It was easier, more social, and usually tasted better. Going through the motions with a coffee maker at home was an arduous task, which often resulted in me having to throw away many bags of coffee due to expiration. I''d recently received a Keurig-based machine for review and really enjoyed it. When I got the chance to try a Senseo (pronounced, SEN-SAY-OH) coffeemaker, I was excited to compare them.
The first thing I noticed was that the build quality didn''t really seem all that great, but for the price, I guess I shouldn''t expect the quality of the pricier Keurig. The reservoir is large enough to hold water for an average-sized travel mug/tumbler. Unlike my Mr.Coffee Keurig, you can actually fit a travel mug underneath the drip. Unfortunately, a travel mug is NOT included with the coffee machine. To use it with just a normal coffee mug, you can remove the stand and flip it around to raise the mug closer to the drip. A drip tray is at the bottom of the stand and the entire stand is removable for cleaning.
To brew the coffee, you just remove the brew basket and place a pod (or 2 if you wish) in the basket. Then, put as much water as you intend to brew (up to 14 ounces) and hit the ON switch. It finishes brewing within just a couple of minutes. Clean up is as easy as a Keurig because you just dump the pods out of the brew basket and just rinse the brew basket. The difference in cleanup is that the Keurig requires some regular maintenance to remove scaling and hard water buildup. The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go''s brew basket is all you really need to clean and it is dishwasher safe.
The coffee itself tasted good and 18 pods are included with the coffee machine. I can''t say for certain if it tastes any different than a Keurig because I don''t have the exact same coffee to brew in each machine to tell the difference.
The difference to me is the variety of coffee available for each. It appears that Senseo is the primary maker of pods for their machines. I saw very few 3rd party pod makers for Senseo machines, while Keurig has a much greater selection of coffee flavors as well as makers. I think in general, the K-Cups are a bit more expensive than the Senseo pods but I found the difference to be insignificant in my opinion.
Overall, the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go pod coffee maker is a good value. It brews quickly and clean up is a breeze. While it is probably cheaper in the long run to own a Senseo machine and to buy pods, I prefer the wider selection of K-Cup coffee. If you enjoy specific blends that Senseo already makes however, then the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go is a good simple choice.
I am going to be using this coffee maker upstairs. I have a very bad back and going downstairs for a cup of coffee is sometimes not worth the trip. This unit does not come with a cup, you use your own. It is very simple to use. Simply put one or two of the Senseo pads in the holder, fill your cup with water (leave room for milk/cream if you use it) pour the water in the top of the unit and hit the button. Your cup is steaming hot in about 3 minutes.
The Senseo coffee pads come in many flavors are available everywhere. You can save on Amazon by buying in bulk as well as saving an extra %15 by subscribing and having a certain amount shipped to you on a regular basis. The first Senseo flavor I tried was the 10% Kona and its very good, not overpowering and had no bitter after taste. An alternative to Senseo pods may be to get a pack of the Ecopad, the Refillable Coffee Filter for the Classic Senseo and use your favorite brew. I do not know for sure if they will work for sure with this pod maker nor do I have the Second Generation Coffeeduck PERMANENT Refillable Coffee Filter for the Senseo SUPREME & DELUXE ONLY but it may be an option to use with your own coffee. Also there are other companies that make pod coffee besides Senseo including Melitta, Timothy''s World and even Starbucks. Some research would have to be done on sizes though to make sure they compare with the Senseo pods that fit this coffee maker.
PROS
Simple, fast, good cup of coffee.
Stylish
Works with travel mugs or regular coffee cups
CONS
Cost of Senseo coffee.
Very short cord. Designed for a kitchen counter so may need an extension cord if used elsewhere
Neutral
Be aware it comes with no cup. (But it does come with a bag of 18 medium roast Senseo pads!)
Buy Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Personal Cup Pod Coffeemaker 49990Z Now
I''ve never owned a Hamilton Coffee maker of any kind and I must say this one is quite nice. I''ve had my Krupps for many years and it has about had it. This Hamilton Stay and Go is simple... no timer, no bells or whistles but it does make a nice cup of coffee. It has this shelf that is built-in that when engaged it holds a standard 8 oz. mug closer to where the coffee dispenses so that it doesn''t fall five inches and make a mess. The to-go decanter you see in the picture does not come with the coffee maker. It does come with an 18 count bag of Senseo medium roast coffee, one disk for 8 oz and two for 14 oz. Unfortunately it does not come with a filter although one can be purchased for it. So if you want to drink your own brand of coffee or Teeccino you''ll have to buy the filter. The Senseo coffee is good but it''s not cost effective and there''s much better coffee out there in my opinion. If you''re single or the only coffee drinker in the house I recommend it but for a large family it just won''t do.
Read Best Reviews of Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Personal Cup Pod Coffeemaker 49990Z Here
I purchased the HB Stay or Go brewer a month ago. It is worth every penny. No need to spend $100 on a designer model. If you don''t like the pods (I don''t), you can brew your own coffee blend by using the generic small sized coffee filters (the ones about 1 1/2 inches high) from the grocery store. They nestle neatly into the pod basket, allowing you to use any coffee grounds you prefer. After two cups, I figured out the right amount of coffee for me (two tablespoons per 8 once cup). Rinse the brew basket and you are ready to make another cup.
And, of course, you can brew a 14 once mug by doubling the amount of coffee in the basket. If you want a fresh cup of hot coffee every time with very little hassle, this is the way to go.
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I work for a company that apparently recycles automotive batteries by draining the spent electrolytic fluid, mixing it with laser toner to give it a black color, and putting it into heated containers marked "decaf" and "regular." Honestly, if I weren''t really, really addicted to caffeine, I wouldn''t be able to stomach the half cup at a time I''m able to choke down while holding my nose and grimacing.
Thank goodness for this one-cup brewer. I''ve got it set up on my desk at work, together with a few of the Senseo bags, and can finally have a cup of coffee at work that I''m capable of finishing.
Some highlights:
only makes as much coffee as you put water in, so it''s convenient to just grab a cup out of the kitchen, fill it with water to the height I want the coffee, and pour it into the machine. I know exactly how much coffee I''m getting every time.
adjustable height tray for coffee cups / mugs: if you''re not using a tall mug (like in the picture), you can flip around a little plastic tray that lifts a smaller cup about four inches closer to the coffee spout, eliminating splashing.
can hold one or two Senseo pods, each in their own location: you don''t have to precariously balance the pods, one on top of the other, and hope the water flows through properly. There''s a hinged tray that lets you put one pod in a lower position (the default position if you''re having just one cup), and then another pod in an upper position. The water will flow through both, and you''ll get coffee as strong as you expect.
easy to clean: since this is at my desk, a long way from any sink, it''s nice that I can just slip out the tray that holds the pods and wipe it down with a kleenex (not the kind with aloe!) to keep the coffee stains from building up cruft. One of these days I''ll walk it over to a sink for a proper rinse, but between uses, the wipedown is an easy and quick way to keep it brewing coffee that doesn''t taste like it was intended as a punishment for a lifetime of sin (see corporate coffee description, above).
One lowlight:
power cord is about five feet too short. Seriously, the cord is about 12 inches long. Do you have a power outlet within 12 inches of where you want to put this brewer? Many kitchens probably do, with outlets on the backsplash, and not having a tangled mess of cord is nice and all, but if you''re using this at work, you''re going to need an extension cord, or to set this on the floor under your desk with all the dust bunnies.
Since I didn''t see it listed either in the specs or the reviews, I''ll just note that (according to the box it comes in), this is the replacement cartridge for Venta-Sonic models:
