Coffee Options

Each day pretty much starts with coffee, exceptions for Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av.  The Keurig machine has made me lazy.  I keep four different varieties around, generated more by what is most favorably discounted than what I like.  Current k-cups:  Martinson's and three varieties of Shop-Rite house brand.  I also have k-cup adapters which enable any ground coffee.  Currently open containers:  one from Starbucks, one Folgers variety, and one from Vietnam.  These adapters do not work as well on my current Keurig Express as they did with the Mr. Coffee generic that preceded it.  And I have to wash the adapter, so they don't get used very much.  

There are other ways to make coffee.  Percolator was once my default, vivid orange electric one on nights before exam in college, now stovetop.  Not very adaptable to a cup or two and takes a while to make.  Rarely use it.  I have two espresso makers, electric assigned to a shelf in basement, stovetop above my stove with a deteriorated gasket.  It may be better just to replace the unit than to try to pry off the hardened gasket and replace it.  Not used it in recent memory, don't have espresso grind coffee in my kitchen either. I like my French presses.  Great coffee.  Used too infrequently.  Even the cleanup isn't arduous.  And the Melitta cone which preceded the availability of k-cups still gets used.  An exclusive on Passover.  I like the coffee.  Don't like having to pour successive aliquots, then watching it drip into the cup.  Filters starting to get pricey, even the house brand.  It does enable me to use more premium coffee than my usual k-cups.

And then there's going out.  Expense rarely worth it.  Coffee shops really only have three options: dark, light, and flavored, as I eliminated decaf from consideration.  WaWa has more.  I like their coffee.  Mostly a treat to put in the cupholder of my car if I have a substantial drive or when I am on a road trip with either my own car or a rental.  But making my own is more economical absent a special circumstance.

Enough options.  Too many choices invites dissatisfaction with the one selected.