Keurig Elite B40 Coffee Maker Review

When I asked for this coffee maker for Christmas, I almost took it off my Amazon wish list. After all, I have way too many coffee makers already. I can make coffee with a European press, my espresso machine, a small four-cup coffee maker or a nice LCD display automatic timer 12-cup stainless steel machine. Shoot, I can even brew coffee in the woods with my camping percolator or my camping espresso maker. Let's just say I like coffee.

So I really didn't think I needed another method of making coffee, but I had people bugging me for gift ideas and a shortage of time to look for things I want and this went on the list.

Then I got it. I plugged it in. I brewed coffee with it. The other coffee makers got tucked deep into a bottom cabinet in my kitchen.

The beauty of this coffee maker is does two things a groggy, sleepy person needs in the morning: it brews coffee quickly, and it doesn't take much effort to brew a cup. I've always hated finding the filters, fidgeting with them until I get one loose, finding the coffee, trying to scoop it in without getting grounds everywhere, pouring in water and, worst of all, waiting for an entire pot to brew.

Once my baby twins arrived, they conspired with my 4-year-old to keep me away from my beloved coffee in the morning. Then the Keurig arrived, and I could now brew my coffee and actually drink it before the kids finish their Cheerios. No handling filters or coffee grounds. The tank holds enough water for several cups. You just get a coffee cup, lift the handle on the machine, pop a K-Cup coffee pod in, close and press the "start" button. In 30 seconds, the coffee is done. Sweet!

After one day of owning my coffee maker, my husband said to me, "This was the best gift you got!"

The annoying thing about the coffee maker is that no one sells the coffee in stores. You can find maybe one or two varieties at Target, but no local grocery store carries the K-Cups. You can deal with this by ordering online ahead of running out. (I actually sent a rude email to Green Mountain Coffee when I learned it would be several days before my order shipped and I was running perilously low. The customer service representative responded that she would have it shipped immediately, since it seemed to be urgent.)

If you are getting it as a new parent, the other downside is the noise. It makes a loud rumble as it brews and reloads the chamber with water. If you have noise-sensitive babies (or household members), it could wake them.

All in all, I just know one thing. I can actually drink a cup of coffee when I want it: the minute (literally) I wake up.