Are you planning to buy a coffee maker, but are confused between the different brands available? You need not look any further! This HomeQuicks article gives the comparison between Senseo vs. Keurig vs. Tassimo coffee makers, and tells you which one suits your needs the best.
Did you Know?
Coffee makers were first invented by the Turks, way back in the year 575 AD.
When one is on the lookout for a good coffee maker, a fast operation time and affordability are the aspects that play a crucial role in picking the best. In the present market, Senseo, Keurig, and Tassimo are a few brands that are ruling the roost. All three brands are single-serve coffee makers, i.e., in one operation they provide a single serving or cup of coffee. The method of operation is common in each brewer; first, water in the reservoir is heated, and then, this water is ejected into the coffee cup or pod in the brewing unit, at a rate which differs from device to device, creating the brewed coffee.
Senseo is a coffee-brewing device which is manufactured by the Dutch company Philips, while its coffee pods are produced by Douwe Egberts.
Senseo devices are well-known for their affordability and simple method of operation.
Keurig coffee makers and cups are manufactured by the American company Keurig Green Mountain. This coffee maker has gained popularity for its user-friendly design and the excellent flavor of coffee.
Mondelez International, on the other hand, manufactures Tassimo coffee brewers, which are believed to be inspired from Nespresso and Dolce Gusto brewing devices. This coffee maker uses the barcodes on its coffee discs to modify the brewing process of each type of coffee.
Senseo
- Popular models of this brand include Senseo 7810 and 7832.
- It comes in a compact unit, which is very light, though somewhat brittle.
- Coffee comes in discs shaped like tea bags. They are called coffee pods, which contain ground coffee along with a filter.
- The device is operated by placing the pod in a brewer and pressing a button.
- It brews coffee which tastes like standard drip-type coffee.
- The device produces a moderate level of noise.
- The first cup of coffee takes around 3 minutes to brew, while succeeding cups take less than 1 minute each.
- It comes with an extra disc holder, which allows you to fix two coffee pods simultaneously and prepare two cups of coffee at once.
- The coffee maker comes with a built-in grinder, allowing you to grind fresh coffee beans.
- An LCD screen allows you to regulate your cup size as well as the strength of the coffee.
- You can make your own coffee pods, which allows you to use your own coffee.
- It has a large brewing capacity.
- The final water volume can be adjusted.
- One of the specialty of Senseo devices is that, they produce coffee with a creamy layer on top, something that is liked by many.
- The coffee pods are biodegradable, making the device environmentally friendly.
- The coffee maker comes with an espresso-maker, allowing you to make espresso.
- The price of one cup of coffee come to $0.20, which is one of the most economical around.
- Senseo coffee makers are very affordable.
- All removable device parts are dishwasher-safe.
- The manufacturer-recommended coffee pods are solely Senseo coffee pods, which can be difficult to obtain.
- One of the disadvantages of the pods is that, they are susceptible to moisture.
- Its water reservoir is at the back of the unit. This has a detachable piece of plastic, which falls off randomly, and can be frustrating.
- The brewed coffee is not hot, but is around room temperature, which necessitates additional heating after the brewing process.
- At 12 different flavors, the choice of pods is low. Besides, they are expensive.
- The device can only use coffee pods. Tea or hot chocolate has to be brewed using traditional methods.
- After every operation, it’s required to remove and dispose the used disc, and clean and rinse the disc holder. As such, more trips to the sink are needed.
Keurig
- It is available in 3 models: Elite B40, Special Edition B60, and Platinum B70.
- Keurig devices are relatively tall.
- The B70 model has an updated brewing system that extracts more flavor and aroma from each brew cycle.
- Keurig uses K-cups to brew coffee. These are cups containing the coffee and a drip filter, which is just inserted into the brewer before operation. These cups are sealed to protect the coffee from light, moisture, and air.
- The sealed cups keep the coffee from going stale.
- It brews coffee of consistently good quality. Extra Bold coffees are of excellent, coffee-house quality, with a good aroma.
- Operation is by a grab-handle. One-handed operation is possible and easy.
- It takes 45 seconds for the heating cycle from stand-by mode, and about 15 seconds for the brewing cycle. Coffee is brewed in a total of 1 minute.
- Its auto-programmed options allow the selection of cup size and brewing temperature.
- It doesn’t run out of water in the middle of the cycle. The brewer pre-fills the brewing system with the entire volume of water required right at the beginning of the cycle.
- A detachable water reservoir located at the side makes it easy to refill without moving the device.
- At more than 200 flavors, an enormous variety of K-cups are available.
- The body of the unit is powerful and durable.
- The brewer can be operated by inserting a K-cup at the top and pulling down a chrome handle.
- The noise level during operation is moderate, resembling a slight ‘hum’.
- After brewing, the cup can be disposed off by opening the handle. Cleaning or rinsing is not required, making trips to the sink less frequent.
- Some Keurig models come with a programmed computer, which allows auto-shutdown and start-up.
- Each cup of coffee costs about $0.40, which is reasonably cheap.
- All removable parts are safe to wash.
- Keurig devices are solely designed for brewing coffee. Other beverages like latte, espresso, and cappuccino cannot be prepared in them.
- The main drawback is that, Keurig coffee makers do not allow the user to modify the intensity of the coffee.
- K-cups are not biodegradable, making their disposal expensive.
Tassimo
- Tassimo coffee makers are available in two models: TA 1400 and TA 1200.
- The unit is small and compact.
- Tassimo uses T-discs to brew coffee. They also contain the coffee, but additionally they have a barcode on them to give specific instructions to the brewing unit.
- Being more ‘intelligent’, the device scans the barcode and brews each type of coffee as per the manufacturer’s specifications. It automatically adjusts the brew volume, temperature, and brewing cycle.
- Tassimo is a complete beverage delivery system, rather than just a coffee brewer. It can prepare coffee, tea, cappuccino, latte, espresso, and hot chocolate.
- T-discs are cheaper than the K-cups used in the Keurig brewers.
- Its heating cycle from stand-by mode takes 60 seconds, and its brewing cycle takes another 60 seconds, twice as much as Keurig devices.
- Coffee quality is decent, though it can sometimes be nutty in flavor with a bitter finish. At times, coffee may be of poor quality with a cardboard-like flavor
- The method for brewing beverages other than coffee is complicated. First, you need to insert and brew the espresso T-disc, followed by inserting the cappuccino or latte T-disc. Finally, a ‘rinse’ T-disc is inserted to make the brewer undergo a cleaning cycle.
- Tassimo’s brew-head lever needs to be operated using both hands, and requires significant force to close it. Operation is cumbersome.
- It may run out of water in the middle of a brewing cycle. The brewing system does not get filled with water at the start, and you will have to add more water to the reservoir when it runs out.
- The barcode reader gets dirty and has to be wiped often.
- One clear drawback is the loud noise created during brewing.
- The unit is small and doesn’t accommodate tall travel mugs, which makes it necessary to fill a small cup and then transfer the coffee to a larger cup/mug.
- The water reservoir is at the back of the unit, making it difficult to fill water when it is kept on the kitchen counter or in a cabinet.
- All stores may not have coffee discs for the Tassimo.
- The unit is made up of cheap and light plastic, which may crack with daily use.
- A single cup of coffee is comparatively expensive, at $0.56 per cup.
Which One is the Best?
Senseo coffee makers are one of the most affordable in the market, and they are simple, straightforward coffee-makers. If you want to make pods using your own coffee, or grind coffee beans, then you can buy this one. If you have a liking for standard drip-type coffee, then Senseo would be a good choice.
Tassimo is a complete beverage-producer, rather than just a coffee maker. You can go for it if you want your device to prepare a variety of beverages, like tea, coffee, cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, etc. However, this flexibility in brewing manifests itself in its ordinary-flavored coffee, which may not be consistent.
On the other hand, if you want a simple coffee maker which guarantees a coffee of consistently good standards, then by all means go in forKeurig. Its inability to brew other beverages may or may not be a disadvantage, depending on how you see it.
SO comparing Senseo vs. Keurig vs. Tassimo, simply by their respective benefits and drawbacks, the Keurig coffee maker wins hands down. However, it is advisable to consider one’s budget and specific requirements before opting for the right device. Clearly, all these brands have their own plus points, and have built an enviable market reputation.