Breville Gourmet Single Serve Brewer for Keurig K-cups BKC700XL

I have used this for over a year now & can't imagine life before the Breville. If you don't want to be spoiled or spoil your guests by whipping up a variety of 'tailor' made coffee & tea beverages in an instant, then stay away from this chic machine. Remember you don't need to buy the k-cups to have variety, you can use your own blend & add more for a stronger cup for you & less for someone who would like theirs milder, buy some fresh ground flavors etc. You won't want to go back to the 10-15min 'one pot fits all' method, that's just so 2009....

This is an excellent single cup brewer and it looks beautiful on a kitchen counter. I have had mine for 9 months and it's the best kitchen appliance choice that I have ever made. After using this machine and enjoying the incredible variety of K-cups (coffees, teas, hot cocoa) I can't imagine ever having to go back to my old drip coffee maker, especially through the holiday season when friends and family are gathered. There are so many choices, not just one kind of coffee or tea or hot chocolate! Everyone gets to choose whatever hot or cold drink they would like, and the strength and size as well. The supreme quality of the coffees and teas that it makes is beyond question. There are mild, medium, bold, extra bold and flavoured coffees to choose from. For tea drinkers, the various teas are delicious and it's impossible to tell they've not been made from loose tea in a 'Brown Betty' pot.
The only con to this single cup brewer: it's pricey, although much less so at Amazon.ca, but believe me, it's worth it! It's a solid, heavy machine--obviously not plastic but metal (note the shipping weight). I even took mine to the cabin this summer--just couldn't be without it!
If you are looking for the perfect Christmas gift, or you'd like to pamper yourself and replace your dinosaur of a coffee maker, I strongly suggest you try the Breville BKC700XL Single Cup Brewer. I notice that Amazon.ca offers not only a very good price but you can also add the 30 k-cup carousel. However, you don't need to opt for the reusable filter because your Breville already comes with one in the lid! I hope my review encourages others to try it. My friends have loved mine so much that three of them have gone out and bought their own, and one is giving them as gifts to her siblings this Christmas! Thank you Amazon.ca for allowing me to brag about my Breville. I love it!!

Having used this product for a week now, I can confidently say I'm going to enjoy it for a long time. I'm currently drinking a cup of Gloria Jean's Hazelnut coffee and it's brewed to perfection in just a couple minutes (boiling and brewing).

Features I like so far:

1) The quality of the product, from the stainless steel finish to how it operates.
2) It boils and brews so quickly and quietly!
3) Detailed instructions.
4) 12 k-cups to start; they're all different so you can "taste test".
5) Cleaning seems very efficient. It comes with a filter in case you are planning on using water straight from the tap. Even if there's a lot of mineral build-up over 6 months or so, the cleaning method seems quick and easy.

One little snag:

After buying, friends recommended I register @ Keurig.com for a free sample pack of k-cups. This only works for Keurig brewers, not for Breville's version. So *sigh* no more free k-cups for me. Keurig.com does have a good free membership sorta dealie where you gain points for ordering k-cups and that can go towards discounts on swag such as future brewers. Oh, and you can still register the brewer @ Breville's website for warranty purposes.