Sometimes Coffee, Sometimes Tea: iCoffee Opus Review

Do any of you have both coffee and tea drinkers in your home? Well, Mr. Houseful and I are. I drink both, while he is an avid tea drinker – so much so, that we’ve had to get him diffusers for work because well, sometimes he needs a stronger cup than most tea bags can give him. Don’t let that make you think that we don’t enjoy a good sachet full of a great blend, but I was missing my coffee. My coffee maker met its demise during a Thanksgiving prep period two years ago. Yes, you read that right. I have been without a coffee maker for two years. So when I was offered an iCoffee Brewer in exchange for my super honest opinion, my nerves – which were lacking caffeine, made me agree. I’m glad that they did. The iCoffee Brewer has really brought me up to the 21st century of pod brewing and I can still buy my whole beans or ground coffee. No need to spend a load on those plastic pods at all! 

The iCoffee Opus (which I have) has a MSRP of $139.99 and can be found at most Bed, Bath & Beyond stores brews a great cuppa joe for my liking. I have a dial-a-brew option which goes from 4 ounces of coffee all the way up to 12 ounces as well. If you have a larger cup, you obviously do the math to get the ounce quantity that you want. The dial increases in half ounce increments. The Opus features SpinBrew Technology which means that every single ground of my packed coffee in the reusable K-Cup is going to get steaming hot water massaged. Yeah, I said it. This method of brewing offers a smooth cup of coffee, and hasn’t ever brewed a bitter cup since I’ve had it. I know that has a lot to do with the coffee that one purchases – I’m not a purist – I love some Texas Turtle Coffee from World Market, but I DO like good flavor. I can go from espresso to a latte any day, but I know a good cup when I have one. It has to be full-bodied, and just good without cream. If I HAVE to put cream in my coffee, then it’s just not a good cup. It gives a French Press effect without having to pull out my French Press. Score. 

There are some drawbacks for me though. Most of them come from the lack of space on my counter in Nicholes Manor. It is quite hefty. I’m not sure how it compares to a Keurig, but it’s a bit large. Its measurements come in at 13 1/8”(H) x 10.0”(W) x 13 1/8”(D). The water reservoir holds 75 ounces, which allows me to brew all through the day without having to refill. It takes about one full minute to brew 10 ounces of coffee. Since all of my coffee mugs are greedy sized, I often have to redial in order to get enough coffee in my mug. I’ve adapted. 

I’m not sure if I would snag this right away. The size alone might have kept me back, but I will say that having had the cups of coffee that it has made, it’s a no brainer for me now.