The verdict: not bad, but we didn’t like the lack of coffee choices available in pod form. Being spoiled by locally-roasted, fresh-ground beans, we found most of the pods lacking the depth of flavor that had spoiled us. I also took issue with the lack of Fair Trade Certified options, and with throwing away so many paper pods (four on a slow day).

In less than a month, we purchased one of the many gadgets that proclaims the ability to replace the pods with the coffee of our choosing. We found ourselves with mediocre coffee - usually all over the counter - and the risk of blowing the top off our Senseo. I don’t need that much excitement pre-coffee on any morning.

My husband’s an engineer and it took several months of dire threats from me before he gave up the idea of making his own pods. Again, I prefer coffee sans explosions.

Eventually we found a blend we liked (Archer Farms Fair Trade Organic Tierra del Sol from Mexico) and ignored the DIY options.

Last summer, though, I started longing for something different and once again found myself reading reviews (mostly bad) of the pod replacement systems. Only one item seemed to get consistently good reviews - the Eco Pads. At two dollars apiece, sold in 2-packs, it was worth a shot.

In the ten months since I bought my EcoPads, not one pre-packaged pod has entered our house. We’re back to enjoying the wide variety of varietals, roasts, and blends we loved in our pre-pod days. By grinding our beans at a coarseness between auto-drip and French press, we truly have the perfect cup every time. Plus we were saving a lot of money, since pre-made pods cost about twice as much as the same amount of coffee beans.

The only problem arose about six months into our abundant EcoPad use. Gradually, I noticed a lower output from the machine despite washing the components regularly. When we reached the point where the volume had dropped by 1/3, I decided that we’d finally put our Senseo in an early grave from overuse. I called my mother so she could priority ship the emergency backup Senseo we kept at her house.

I probably should have taken a really good look at the pod holder’s sieve before entering panic mode. Since the EcoPad’s screen is more open than the paper filters in the pods, dregs of thick coffee tend to embed in the silver sieve in the pad holder. Ours was no longer silver; it was black. While this sounds horrible, it’s actually good. We now give the tiny screen a good scrub with a brush and everything’s back to normal.

But if the filter was that gross, what about the internal workings of the machine? Senseo advises against descaling with vinegar, since it’s a steam machine and no one wants a faceful of vinegar steam. The recommended citric acid-based descalers are hard to find, though. You can make a homemade descaler with two tablespoons of powdered citric acid (available with the home canning supplies in grocery and hardware stores) mixed with a quart of water. A bargain cleaner for a bargain machine with bargain coffee - it’s a winner all around.

Photo courtesy of Senseo.com.

Around the same time this article extolling the virtues of cold brew iced coffee appeared in the New York Times last year, my barista friend Raquel introduced me to the wonders of cold-brew coffee and I became a cold coffee convert.

Often called toddy coffee in the U.S. after a patented brewing system created by Todd Simpson in 1964, cold-brewed coffee uses less energy than most methods, since it only requires cold water, a filter, two vessels and some time. Coarsely-ground coffee beans are steeped in cold water to create a thick concentrate with less than half the acidity of hot-brewed coffee. This lack of acidity creates an extremely smooth, naturally sweet brew that’s easy on the stomach.

While the cold-brewed concentrate is best known for its wonderful iced coffee (created by mixing one part concentrate with three parts cold water, milk, or a combination of the two), it also makes a great cup of hot joe. Using the 1-3 concentrate-to-liquid ratio, just add hot water or steamed milk to the concentrate.

While commercial toddy systems are available for sale in coffeehouses and at Toddy Cafe for around $40 , it’s easy to make your own system with items you probably already have in your kitchen.

Cold-Brew Coffee

Makes 2 cups coffee concentrate

• 1/3 pound coarse-ground coffee beans
• 3 cups cold water

Equipment

• 2 32-ounce glass jar with lid
• large funnel
• Chemex coffee filter or three regular coffee filters

Make layers of water and coffee beans in first jar, being careful not the blend the mixture. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours but no more than 15 hours. The result will look like a muddy mess.

Place a funnel fitted with filters in the clean jar’s mouth. Gradually pour the coffee mixture into the filter, being careful to not overload it and allow thick concentrate to slowly drip before discarding grounds.

The concentrate will stay fresh if it’s tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Remember - use one part of the concentrate to three parts other liquid - hot or cold water or milk for the perfect cup or glass.