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I’m not into single-cup coffee brewers like Keurig. Sure they’re convenient and in addition to regular coffee, they have a nice variety of flavored coffees to choose from. But as a drinker of more than one cup of coffee a day, Keurig pods are pricey, in my book, cost prohibitive.
I’m a drip brew coffee maker guy. Drip brewing is quite a bit cheaper than pod coffee and frankly, just as convenient. No, you can’t change flavors from cup to cup like you can with pods, but a drip brewer is just about as fast as a pod maker, with most modern drip machines allowing you to pour a cup before the whole pot is brewed. And because a drip brewer keeps the coffee warm, I can simply pour that second cup, no trashing the old pod, inserting a new pod, and the wait to brew, required.
The only real advantage a pod maker has is in the flavor department. The choices are many. Some folks are into changing flavors with their second or third cup or trying something new. I’m not into that mid-morning change and if I want to explore new flavors, then a pot of it is brewed. And while you can purchase some flavored coffees for drip brewers at the grocery store like Hazelnut and French Vanilla, the options are limited. You can expand on those options at specialty stores and some online shopping, but that price point goes up.
Don’t pay extra for coffee blends…
Flavor your coffee using your spice rack and extracts.
For health reasons, I’ve been mixing cinnamon and ginger in my canister of coffee grounds for a couple of years now. Those two spices have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other beneficial properties, in addition to adding a little flavor to that morning cup of Joe. If you don’t want to doctor your canister of grounds, you can simply add a few dashes of spice to the brew basket in making your daily brew.
You can really flavor things up this way, adding quite a bit of variety to your normal cup of coffee. The beauty is, it’s blended with the brew, it’s balanced, with the filter keeping out any spice grittiness. About a 1/2 teaspoon of spice per six cups will do.
Spices to try:
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Ground Clove
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Pumpkin Spice (Yes, despite the pumpkin spice flavored everything overkill from Halloween through Thanksgiving, this is tasty)
- Star Anise (I’m not a black licorice flavor fan, but some people like this combo)
Cocoa Powder is another great flavor addition. And if you grind your own beans, try adding some cocoa nibs to the grind.
Extracts to try: When making a pot of coffee, throw a couple of drops of extract in the pot before brewing, rather than doctoring up the coffee grind.
- Almond
- Coconut
- Maple
- Mint
- Vanilla
- Fruit flavors
- There are other flavors to have fun with to, like “Cake Batter”
You don’t need to buy special blends or pods to get great flavored coffee. Take advantage of the spices and extracts you have on hand.
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Related: A Bachelor on the Cheap Challenge: Going Gluten-Free For Good
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike
Spice up your coffee – Bachelor on the Cheap
BachelorontheCheap.com
I’m a drip brew coffee maker guy. Drip brewing is quite a bit cheaper than pod coffee and frankly, just as convenient. No, you can’t change flavors from cup to cup like you can with pods, but a drip brewer is just about as fast as a pod maker, with most modern drip machines allowing you to pour a cup before the whole pot is brewed. And because a drip brewer keeps the coffee warm, I can simply pour that second cup, no trashing the old pod, inserting a new pod, and the wait to brew, required.
The only real advantage a pod maker has is in the flavor department. The choices are many. Some folks are into changing flavors with their second or third cup or trying something new. I’m not into that mid-morning change and if I want to explore new flavors, then a pot of it is brewed. And while you can purchase some flavored coffees for drip brewers at the grocery store like Hazelnut and French Vanilla, the options are limited. You can expand on those options at specialty stores and some online shopping, but that price point goes up.
Don’t pay extra for coffee blends…
Flavor your coffee using your spice rack and extracts.
For health reasons, I’ve been mixing cinnamon and ginger in my canister of coffee grounds for a couple of years now. Those two spices have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other beneficial properties, in addition to adding a little flavor to that morning cup of Joe. If you don’t want to doctor your canister of grounds, you can simply add a few dashes of spice to the brew basket in making your daily brew.
You can really flavor things up this way, adding quite a bit of variety to your normal cup of coffee. The beauty is, it’s blended with the brew, it’s balanced, with the filter keeping out any spice grittiness. About a 1/2 teaspoon of spice per six cups will do.
Spices to try:
Cocoa Powder is another great flavor addition. And if you grind your own beans, try adding some cocoa nibs to the grind.
Extracts to try: When making a pot of coffee, throw a couple of drops of extract in the pot before brewing, rather than doctoring up the coffee grind.
You don’t need to buy special blends or pods to get great flavored coffee. Take advantage of the spices and extracts you have on hand.
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Related: A Bachelor on the Cheap Challenge: Going Gluten-Free For Good
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike