Review on Hamilton Beach 49979 FlexBrew Single-Serve Coffee Maker - Pod Packs and Grounds Compatible, Black & Chrome: Enhance Your Coffee Experience! by Mary Pattinson

I bought this when my trusty old Keurig finally died. I take special care of my coffee and usually use freshly ground beans with a strainer and jug. But I've used a Keurig pod on occasion when I just wanted a little bit and didn't want to make a big product out of it. I bought the Hamilton Beach unit as a replacement because it was about $20 cheaper than the base Keurig. It worked great with Keurig pods, although I did notice that after every second or third cup, the vent hole in the bottom of the pod holder and the hole in the steel pod piercing block needed cleaning to prevent the coffee maker from jamming. and shutdown. With a partially straightened paperclip, this takes less than 30 seconds. I then tried using the Flexbrew feature with freshly ground coffee. You simply replace the capsule holder with the supplied filter basket. It takes about three heaping teaspoons of coffee, enough to cover the fine filter at the bottom of the basket to brew a 16-ounce cup of medium-strength coffee. Hot water enters through the same steel tip that pierces the pods, but in this case a rubber ring seals the filter basket shut when the lid is closed, and the coffee is brewed under pressure like an espresso machine. The quality of the coffee is excellent and it's so quick and easy to make that I almost never use the pour over method. Another tip - I recommend rinsing the coffee filter right after each cup as it gets cold and dry like a brick. I bought this little gem of a machine thinking I would only use it occasionally. a cup of pod coffee, but it has become my number one method of making coffee all day, every day. Thank you Hamilton Beach for the idea of creating a simple, versatile and affordable way to make coffee!