This is my third Tassimo coffee maker. The first, a Braun Tassimo TA 1400 Hot Beverage System still works, though I recently gave it to friend. It is much louder than the Bosch machines including the Bosch TAS4511UC Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer, Silk Silver which I just moved to my office. Both Bosch models are significantly better than the original Braun.

The key to excellent coffee is not just in the grind. Good coffee requires good water and a descaled coffee maker. With the Braun machine, this requires you to keep track of the date of the last filter change. On both Bosch machines this is done electronically and even better so annoying but attention grabbing red lights tell you to descale, and once you mix the scaling solution in your reservoir it completes the process automatically. What this means practically is that your server will be at maximum efficiency most of the time.

Tassimo offers a wide variety of coffees, teas and even Tassimo Suchard Hot Chocolate T-Discs, 8 Count, 12.7 Ounce Bags (Pack of 2), which is really good. Expresso, latte and cappuccino lovers can easily make them without a dedicated expresso maker. Just buy the T-discs (Gevalia Espresso T-Disc, Gevalia Latte T-Discs for Tassimo Hot Beverage System, 8 Espresso and 8 Creamers (Pack of 2), Gevalia Cappuccino T-Disc. Tea lovers will find lots of selections from Tassimo Tazo Awake Black Tea, 7 T-Discs, 0.7 oz. net., and Twinings Earl Grey Tea, T-Discs for Tassimo Coffeemakers, 16-Count 1.7-Ounce Packages (Pack of 3), to Twinings Chai Tea Latte, T-Discs for Tassimo Hot Beverage System, 16-Count Packages (Pack of 2). Starbucks coffees are also available.

Why should you use single servings? The first and best reason is that it is more efficient. How many half pots of coffee have you thrown away? Secondly, it is flexible. At Christmas dinner last year we had a whole range of coffee requests to accommodate- American coffee, lattes, decaf, hot chocolate. With a Tassimo system this is not a problem, nor is their any waste.

So how does this Bosch machine differ from the previous model? One nice feature is the light which comes on over the cup during brewing and serving. The internal electronics are a bit jazzier as well. But mainly you want this coffee server for making the perfect cup of joe, every time.