I bought my first Senseo in Sept. 2004 and I loved it right away. Some days I make one cup of coffee and sip a little bit all day long, some days I drink 5 or more cups before noon. Before the Senseo I found that I either ended up drinking stale coffee most of the day or I threw away a lot of coffee the next morning. With the Senseo I always have a fresh cup of coffee and never throw away more than half a cup.

In April of 2005 I moved to Kuwait. I already knew that I could not buy a Senseo there so I pre-planned my trip to fly through London with enough layover time to buy a 220V European model. Because I knew I could not get coffee pods there I bought about 400 pods and them ahead of time. They still tasted fresh when I left in June of 2006. I also brought along an Ecopad reusable filter to use with ground coffee that I found to be a very acceptable alternative. When I left Kuwait I gave that Senseo, the few remaining pods I had left and the Ecopod to a friend. I am now back in America using my original Senseo.

The Ecopod is great. You can use any brand or flavor of ground coffee. It really helps out when you realize you just used the last pod or can't find pods to purchase. It can be a little messy and you have to be careful not to over pack it. If you like strong coffee be sure you use an espresso roast or very bold flavor. It is also best to be sure the coffee is finely ground.

My only complaint about the Senseo is that it is impossible to put a large mug under the spout and if I am making a cup to go I have to brew it in one cup and then pour it into my travel mug. I recommend the extra large water tank if you expect to make more than a couple of cups in a day.

I don't think I will ever go back to a regular coffee maker again. I do still use my drip coffee maker when I have large groups of people over, but because some of my friends love the Senseo as much as I do it gets a work out along side my drip machine.