Yesterday marked 8 full months since I started the K-Cup Challenge (that’s right, it’s .75 years old).  Granted, 8 months is a fairly arbitrary time frame to celebrate, but I figure since Thursday (which today happens to be) is an unusual day for a celebration (other than Thanksgiving and the occasional football game), and 48 (the number of K-Cup’s reviewed so far) are equally as arbitrary, why not go ahead and  latch on to this great big bundle of arbitrariness and use it as an excuse to partially answer a question I get asked more than any other:

What is the best K-Cup?

The Short Answer:

Hell, I don’t know.  I’ve only reviewed 48 of the well over 200 varieties available.

The Longer, more detailed answer:

Within the K-Cup Universe, the 48 samples I’ve reviewed so far represent well less than 25% of what’s out there.  So while the goal of the K-Cup Challenge is to review each and every K-Cup available on the market today (and in the future), I’ve got a long, long, long way to go.

That said, I certainly have a few favorites.  So while my longer term plan is to actually get a few friends to help me do an apples to apples (or more appropriately bean to bean) comparison to find the best Kona, the best Sumatran, the best Breakfast Blend, etc., for now you’ll have to settle for a more generalized list of my favorite K-Cup varieties (for Keurig Brewers, obviously) so far.

Best Light(er) Roast

Caribou Blend (full review) - A textbook case of liking it more and more as time passes.  One of the few K-Cups I recognize by aroma, probably because we drink so much of it.  At a time when we literally had 20 unique boxes of K-Cups in the house, this was the first one we emptied.

at Shoffee.com

Runner Up

Green Mountain’s Our Blend (full review) - An East Coast favorite.  Simple, yet flavorful, an outstanding foundation for people who like their coffee light and sweet.

at GMCR

Best Medium Roast

Tully’s Kona (full review) - My #1 K-Cup to date, and the second box to completely disappear (only days behind Caribou, despite arriving nearly 2 months later).  An absolute must try for any Kona lover, actually any coffee lover - or even coffee liker.  I’m actually trying to figure out how to re-review it, just so I can get another box.

at Keurig.com

Runner Up

Coffee People’s Donut Shop Coffee (also sold as Obama & McCain Blend) (full review) - I’m told it’s among the most popular K-Cups on the market today, which makes perfect sense to me.  No bells and whistles here, just straightforward good, hell, great coffee.  A throwback from a time when there were more than 2 places to buy doughnuts.  It plays very well on both Wall St., and Main St.

at Shoffee.com

Best Dark Roast

Green Mountain’s Dark Magic (full review) - Dark Magic, Dark Magic, Dark Magic.  I can’t say enough how much I love it.  It’s what I drink at work in the morning (when I’m not preparing a review), and perhaps more telling, it’s what I tell my dark-roast-loving guests to try.  I actually develop cravings for this variety.  The only reason I have any left is that although it’s not among the very darkest of the K-Cups on the market, it’s too dark for my wife’s tastes.

at GMCR

Runner Up

Caribou Mahogany (full review) - Dark roast with a sophisticated, almost leathery feel.  Not as easy drinking as some, but there’s no denying the outstanding (even if a bit unusual) flavor.

at Shoffee.com

Best Hot Cocoa

Timothy’s White Hot Chocolate (full review) - Creamy, white chocolaty goodness.  When my wife makes “regular” cocoa for herself, this is what I make.  100% of dentists surveyed agree that this is among the finest white hot chocolate anywhere.  Seriously, I actually surveyed a dentist.

at Shoffee.com

Runner Up

None - not yet anyway.

Best Flavored

Tie: Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice (full review) & French Toast (full review) - Here’s the thing.  I don’t like Pumpkin pie, but I love the amazing pumpkin flavor in this Green Mountain Seasonal.  As far as the French Toast goes; if you had told me that not only was there a K-Cup that tastes like maple syrup and egg, I would have told you that there’s not a chance in a billion that I would like it.  What can I say, it takes me back to my childhood.  I can’t wait for them to be available again in a month or so.

I think it’s worth pointing out that Green Mountain’s flavored seasonal varieties consistently taste better than my imagination would allow for.  Each and every time I tried a new variety my skeptical hesitation has been returned with a very pleasant surprise.

at GMCR

Runner Up

Coffee People Berry Blast (full review) - Sadly I just got word that this one has been discontinued.  Yeah, I know berry flavor (especially when it’s this strong) seems a bit out of place in a cup of coffee, but it really works for me and I’m going to miss it.

at OneGreatCup

So with the big question answered, let me answer one other I get from time to time:

What is the Worst K-Cup?

That honor (or dishonor) belongs to Coffee People’s Chai Coffee (full review).  In general I have a love/hate relationship with coffee people, or perhaps you’d call it a good cup / bad cup dynamic.  Whatever, as good as their good can be (Donut Shop, Black Tiger), no K-Cup has ever been worse than Chai Coffee.  Have you ever thrown up in your own mouth?  Well, that’s what it’s like.  I felt so bad about giving it a horrible review, I gave samples to 3 people who actually like Chai.  None of them could find anything nice to say either.  The only consolation is that I wasn’t expecting much to begin with.

at OneGreatCup

Runner Up

Gloria Jean’s Cappuccino Coffee (full review) - I drank one, and only one, cup.  My wife drank less than half a cup.  I gave the rest away.  Some people tried to give it back.  In the grand comparison of how good I thought this would be vs. how good this actually is, it rates as an all time EPIC FAIL.  I still feel the disappointment.  If you really, really, really like your coffee to taste like nutmeg and cinnamon, by all means, give it a try.

at Shoffee.com

Shameless Plug

First, apologies for all the “Buy Now” Buttons (hopefully you clicked on one or two along the way).  Each one links to the sponsor who provided the sample I’ve discussed above said annoying button.

I have been fortunate to have 4 truly outstanding sponsors for the K-Cup Challenge.  Keurig, Inc., Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Shoffee.com, and OneGreatCup.net have all been exceptionally generous in their support of the K-Cup Challenge.  I use these little plug sections to say “thanks”, not only because it’s the gracious thing to do (and my mama mostly raised me right), but also because they truly do make the K-Cup Challenge possible.  Without their support I’d be long since out of K-Cups to review.  I hope you appreciate the reviews and will help me thank my sponsors by visiting their sites for all of your K-Cup needs.  Lest you need any further motivation, let me assure you K-Cups are most definitely cheaper online.  I’d be willing to bet your grocer charges you nearly the same amount for 18 cups that you’ll you pay for 24 from my sponsors.  It’s true…look it up.