The best on-the-road coffee maker, at a price

May 10, 2009 by admin

I know what you’re thinking: This is a fishing Web site. Why is he reviewing coffee makers?

I’m reviewing coffee makers because whether I like it or not, coffee has become a central component of every fishing trip I’ve ever taken with a friend or family member.

One friend has to stop for coffee before he leaves Lexington. Another drinks several cups before he leaves his house, lets nature take its course, then gets more coffee at every pit stop. I point out that it’s a vicious cycle, and he points out that it’s better than using drugs or drinking too much….. then I stop again for coffee.

My uncle, my favorite fishing buddy, will start talking about how we’re going to procure coffee before he talks about which baits he should stock in his tackle box. He’s not picky: gas station coffee will do. But if I don’t get coffee in this guy before a day of fishing, the already taciturn man will turn darn near comatose.

So it is with reluctance but acceptance that I come to my review of the Keurig B30 Mini Personal Single-Serve Brewing System.

Here are some of the traits that make it better than a hotel-room coffee maker, a gas station brew, or the stuff they pour at McDonald’s.

It only brews one cup at a time. No washing the pot every time you make coffee. You simply slip one of the coffee “cartridges” in the machine, put a cup underneath, push a button, and a perfectly brewed cup awaits in about 30 seconds.
There’s no fighting over whether you should brew light roast or extra, extra dark, desert Sumatra blend. Each cup of coffee uses its own cartridge. You like it bold? Go for it. You like it a step above water? There’s a wimpy coffee cartridge just for you.
You can also use it for hot chocolate for the kids or tea for the English in your group. You can even heat water for oatmeal, soup or raman noodles.
It comes with a nifty carrying case.

There are, as always with do-it-all gadgets, a few downsides.

It’s REALLY expensive. I have one of the larger models in my home, and I bought this one for travel. It took me a while to decide that great coffee-on-the-go was worth $79.
It’s REALLY expensive. Oh, wait, I said that.

In the end, whether you buy this thing depends on how important coffee is to you on a fishing trip, and how much time you waste tracking some down or brewing some up.

I’m one of those guys who wakes up in the morning and appreciates nothing if it delays fishing. Sadly, I have yet to find a fishing partner who can throw a lure without throwing back a cup of Joe first.

So….the Keurig mini is my solution. It takes 30 seconds to brew a cup.

The time you save you spend on the water.

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