Simplehuman: Simple Coffee
We’ve reviewed pod coffee makers in the past, and we will in the future. Easy to brew, nothing to clean, fast and convenient- the only real tradeoffs are flexibility and price- which is where the different competing standards of “pods” can make a real difference. Today, we’re looking at perhaps the most popular type of “pod”- the disc. And our favorite disc-type coffeemaker: the fairly new Simplehuman brewer.
Simplehuman is best known for their clever, functional kitchen accessories (garbage cans, etc). This is their first appliance, and let’s hope they continue making them- their design is effective, practical, and attractive. As with all pod brewers, the coffee (or tea) is consistently excellent. Like many, you can make a super-strong cup, or select a more normal strength version. But this machine stands apart not only because of it’s compact size but because of it’s nice, bright LCD display. In addition, it comes with two pod holders, one for coffee and one for tea. We were surprised at this inclusion, as most companies don’t bother- but the small hassle can be worth the better flavor. In practice, we used only one, but we appreciate the thought!
The brewer can use all 60 and 61mm pods, which are increasingly common- we have even seen them in grocery stores. Plenty of variety available, in both coffee and tea- the brand Simplehuman recommends is Molto, which is pricy but excellent.
The Simplehuman single serve brewer is priced at $130- comparable to other models. It doesn’t heat up quite as fast as some others, but is easier to use and more solidly constructed than most. If you’re looking for something that will do cappuccino, lattes, froth your milk- you need a full-featured brewer. For everyone else who wants excellent coffee, fast and simple- pods are the way to go.
