The coffee pot! It used to be a non issue, never on the radar screen when planning a kitchen. Now, it's absolutely a checklist issue to discuss.
I'm in the middle of the kitchen design process with a client. Up to now, we had talked about having a place for his coffee/espresso maker and other small appliances, perhaps in one area of the kitchen. Sort of an appliance "center."
Then, I received an email from the client saying he would like a built in coffee maker system. Shortly after, he said, "oh, let's just put a pot on the counter, that's good enough." I then realized that I had not told him the concept behind the built in coffee maker.
It's about convenience. Convenience is nice. It means always having a cup of coffee when you are ready.
Here are the reasons why one may want to consider a built in coffee maker appliance:
Here is more information from The Appliancist on coffee maker systems. It has good information for comparative purposes.
- convenience - always ready for one cup
- time saver - no more multiple steps of prep/clean up for one or two cups
- infrequent water filling, if at all (tank or plumbed)
- fast response, rather than waiting for the whole pot
- choice of different coffees and grinds
- no coffee wasted by making more than you need
- may select specific amount for a small or large coffee cup
You may read that the coffee maker system will "declutter" your countertops. I'm not so sure of that. The reason is, these appliances are fairly large in width, often 24". Now, space has to be found in the kitchen design, another challenge, which usually eliminates counter space and storage and has a large impact on cabinetry and the entire design.
In our house, the coffee addict (my husband) has, for now, found his solution. The one cup Tassimo. Can this $100 coffee maker compete with these gorgeous appliances in terms of taste? I'm sure the answer is no, especially, as most of the built in appliances grind the coffee beans to taste. So, there is convenience in the countertop one-cup models. The question then becomes, "at what price, taste??" (Shhhhh....don't remind my husband these appliances are available!)
Would you like one of these?