For the uninitiated, the Keurig machines are taking over the planet, and while no doubt many a purist would prefer two cups of coffee, they have gained significant market share, with major coffee brands (e.g. Dunkin) now offering K-Cup varieties.

There are other, competing cartridge products on the market as well.

This idea is about being able to manufacture, including in a home setting, a sealed packet of arbitrary shape (say, a snowman), that contains coffee, and contains the minimal required characteristics (a centered rigid base and top area) to fit into the cartridge area of such a brewer and allow it to deliver a cup of coffee.

Random shape tea bags next.
-- theircompetitor, Oct 21 2011

Wikipedia page on Keurig http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keurig
to assist with what might be the least helpful introductory paragraph ever to contain the phrase "for the uninitiated" [calum, Oct 21 2011]

Coffee Cup Printer (but not k-cups) http://cunicode.com/one-coffee-cup-a-day/
[swimswim, Nov 20 2011]

Many would prefer even one cup of coffee.
-- pocmloc, Oct 21 2011


teletubbies!
-- po, Oct 21 2011


The Keurig Device sounds ghastly. According to the Wikipedia page, the user " invokes the brew feature". I cannot imagine any civilized, sane society in which the words "invoke the brew feature" would occur.

Regrettably, therefore, I must bone.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 21 2011


I've had "coffee" from a Keurig machine. I think I would rather have vagina jam.
-- DIYMatt, Oct 21 2011


There's only one question to answer... Will it pass the Keurig Test?
-- infidel, Oct 24 2011


But, you still have to buy the grains? I don't see how this really makes anything easier. A bit fun, perhaps, but not easier.

I had a friend who simply did not understand the difference between my espresso machine and his Keurig. To the point where if I asked what he was doing he would occasionally respond that he was making "an espresso", presumably because this sounds fucking awesome and saying "pressing a button and watching runny brown water come out" does not. This infuriated me to the point of ruining our friendship, needless to say.
-- daseva, Oct 24 2011


Keurig, Nespresso, Tassimo, Caffitaly, Flavia etc are all (to some extent) "successfull" in applying the Gillette loss-leader business model to the world of espresso. Some of these make reasonable cups of coffee.

That same model is to blame for countless other cynical, consumer infantalising, proprietary, non-open, producer-focused, wastes-of-resources, inefficiencies that proves that reasonably often, the "market" is an ass.

Other examples (other than Razors) include: Propriatary charger-connectors for mobile phones, Apple's DRM, The Entire Motor Industry, Microsoft, Printer Cartridges, blah blah etc

<rantus interruptus>

Onward to the idea - I quite like the idea of "hacking" the form/function of the container so that you can start selling warranty-voiding novelty versions. However, would people really go for it? If they've already invested in a proprietary one-task device and opted not to use the generic coffee grains/coffee-bag versions, then who knows what else they'll splash-out on.

Actually, there are advantages to the "cartridge" - they can be left out in public areas to be used to make drinks, with minimal mess made. So it's not all bad - but for home use? The mind boggles! Who in their right mind...etc etc, etc

<rantus continuum>
-- zen_tom, Oct 25 2011


There's obviously a niche in coffee between instant and brewed convenience, and Keurig has been the most successful in exploiting it. Branding of K-cups is already happening -- this idea is just the next step.
-- theircompetitor, Oct 25 2011


Isn't a K-cup 1000 cups?
-- phundug, Oct 25 2011


I used to think it was a Pamela Anderson experiment.
-- theircompetitor, Oct 25 2011


//warranty-voiding novelty versions// Buy them to use in other people's machines.
-- mouseposture, Oct 26 2011


want good coffee? Get it fresh roasted, find your nearest coffee roaster. I found mine years ago.

Use coffee roasted no longer than 2 weeks ago. Grind every time you make. Use french press method, water at 190-200 degrees. Use a dark-ish roast, not a light one, but not really dark like french roast, just not a light roast.

If you want to roast your own, no need to buy a specialized coffee roaster, can simply use popcorn popper. Could use oven, but may not come out as evenly roasted.
-- EdwinBakery, Oct 26 2011



random, halfbakery