Review of Keurig B145 OfficePro Brewing System

Just recently our office has purchased a Keurig B-145 single cup coffee brewer. Too many days had gone by where someone would brew the traditional old style pot of coffee which would end up sitting on a burner all morning creating a nice heavy acrid aroma in the office. The reason the coffee was not consumed so quickly was attributed to everyone having different tastes and coffee strength preferences. Enough was enough so we all decided to go with the Keurig B145 OfficePro brewing system. The product was ordered from Office Depot for $145.00 which was not terribly expensive when comparing to the other high end Keurig brewing systems or even the traditional Bunn coffee makers.

Advantages

I have really enjoyed the convenience of brewing a single cup to the strength and flavor of a coffee at my choosing. The coffee selection for Keurig brewers are sold in what are called K cups which include tasty flavors as Donut Shop, Caramel Cr¨me, French Vanilla, and so many more. The single cup brewing options include filling a cup based on six, eight, or ten ounces. The coffee brews in less than thirty seconds and the system provides a fun churning sound even a barista could appreciate. The real treat to this machine is the minimal to practically no mess left behind after brewing a single cup. How many times do we all spill coffee with the traditional coffee pot?

The relatively small size of 13.5 x 8.5 x 11 inches makes this coffee system perfect for office break room or even a kitchen counter at home. The coffee system involves filling up a reservoir of water which holds approximately 48 ounces or six eight ounce cups of coffee.

Disadvantages

One instant dislike of this coffee system is the inconvenience of having to fill the water reservoir constantly in an office shared with four others. Our previous coffee pot system was connected to the office water line which entirely eliminated the step of manually adding water. Perhaps the more sophisticated and pricier Keurig models include the ability to connect to home or office water lines. The other down side to this coffee maker is the "fix it and forget about it" mentality with the used K-cups. Just about everyone that uses the coffee system in our office almost always forgets to open up the k cup holder and discard the used coffee cartridges. I myself am guilty of this behavior due to the fact I cannot physically see the k cup while the coffee is brewing.

One other huge disadvantage of all Keurig brewing systems is the much higher cost of coffee compared to traditional brewers that are capable of cheaper bulk coffees sold in large bags or cans. The Keurig system is currently tied into only using those K cup brands of coffee which sell at about fifty cents a cup which is high but still much cheaper than the visit to a coffee house.

Probably the biggest disadvantage to the Keurig B145 is the inability to brew a large cup of coffee. The single cup brew size maxes out at ten ounces which is small for most daily commuters and those looking for a tall brew for the road trip. One has to brew two or three cups in piecemeal to fill up that travel mug that may not even fit under the dispenser anyway. For this reason, it is probably best not to discard that old style brewer quite yet.

Overall

I would definitely rate the Keurig B145 OfficePro coffee systems a strong buy for the small office setting. This brewing option provides the work staff a great opportunity to brew coffee to his or her choosing. It also spares the office the undesired effect of smelling that leftover pot of coffee that maybe one or two individuals seem to like. I would not recommend this brewer for home given the small quantity of brewing and the higher price tag for a coffee system that may not get used daily.