Kia

Recently I traded my gas hog Lincoln Aviator for a Kia Optima. If you're thinking this is an unusual move... I'd have to agree with you. I've driven SUVs for about 15 years and switching to a car was a drastic move. About 15 months ago I got a used Aviator in great shape, low miles and a great price. This thing was almost show room new... yet it was actually 2 years old. I've always wanted a Lincoln. When I say always I'm saying I've wanted to drive a Lincoln for 25+ years. I finally was able to work my way into one at an affordable price. But I was really disappointed. This thing had rattles and imperfections and sucked gas horribly. I should have known about the gas, but I guess I wanted one so bad I overlooked that part. For example, there was a gap under the radio where you could see metal... rusted metal... in the dash. What the hell?

I've come to the realization that you probably can't get a really high quality luxury car unless you spend $100,000. Sad but true. A $60,000 Cadillac and other vehicles in the $50,000 range just aren't the high quality that I'd expect for that kind of cash. I think you need to go to the ultra-high priced models to get real quality. I'm not going to pay $50,000 for something that has rust showing through the dash. I'm also not going to pay $100,000 for a car! I'll leave that to the rich people and to companies who lease vehicles.

So I decided to step down to a very good quality car with a great warranty at a great price. I got my Kia Optima for less than I could get a used Honda or Toyota. I didn't want to go from an SUV (15 years of driving SUVs) to a Compact car, so I wanted to go to a Mid Sized Sedan. I figured my budget wasn't going to get me a new car, so I wanted used but as new as I could get for my budget. I know that Honda and Toyota are the best cars on the road. Period. So I set out looking for a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. While looking at used Honda's at Hagerstown Honda/Kia I discovered a Kia Optima that was brand new and cost less than my budget for a used Honda. It has a 5 year bumper-to-bumper warranty and 10 year, 100,000 mile power train warranty.

I went for it! I got a brand new sedan for less than a used one. This was a couple months ago and I'm still really happy. I kind of surprised myself actually. I wasn't sure I'd be happy in a car after driving an SUV for so long.

The guys in Hagerstown were great to deal with too. No pushy sales going on over there. At some of the other places I visited I ran into very pushy sales people that were intimidating and even abrasive. Not at Hagerstown Kia. This was the first time dealing with them and it was a pleasure.

I know that a Kia is not the same quality as a Honda or Toyota. So don't even go there with me. I know the resale value will not compare to those two either. But I saved money and got a high quality car with a good warranty. That's enough for me. I know some others who have these Kias and they've all been happy. So far I'm happy too.

The Tassimo Brewer by Bosch

Last month I received a Tassimo for my birthday. I have to say this thing is awesome. I'm sure these single cup brewing machines aren't for everyone, but we like it. Our old Mr. Coffee machine was acting up so it got pitched in the trash and replaced by the Tassimo.

The Tassimo will make a great cup of coffee in about one minute. Turn on the machine, stick in one of the coffee pods, wait for the auto light to come on, then hit go. No messy cleanup either. Water sits in a tank in the back, enough for many cups of coffee, so there's no fumbling with water each time you want a cup. There's a bar code on the pod that tells the machine how to make the coffee - temperature, brewing time, pressure, etc. This thing even pumps air into the process when making a cappuccino, latte, etc.

You will quickly find yourself stocking up on many different kinds of coffees, teas, etc. That's because the Tassimo gives you the freedom to make a single cup of whatever drink you're in the mood for at that moment. Hot Chocolate, Latte, Cappuccino, Starbucks Coffee, Gevalia Coffee, a Morning Blend, Special Blends, Teas, etc. Check out the list here.

Most of the pods are a single unit. One pod for coffee, one for a tea, etc. But the cappuccino and latte drinks come as two pods. One pod for the coffee and one pod for the milk. You make the coffee first. I guess technically this is Espresso. Then you pull out the coffee pod and stick in the milk pod and it will heat/steam the milk into the cup with the coffee and even throw in some steam or air at the end for a nice foamy topping.

Brewer Cost - the system itself is a bit pricey. I believe they have two models and I got the cheaper of the two. I don't see a lot of difference between the two and I'm very happy with my model. My wife said she got a super deal at Amazon.com for around $80. That's amazing because the cheapest I saw was around $120.

Pod Cost- the pods themselves range from about 30 cents a serving to $1.25. A Maxwell House blend will be in the 30 cent range, where a latte will be in the $1.25 range. I'm sure that's because the Latte requires two pods - one for the coffee and one for the milk. So the price isn't too terribly bad. Convenience is not free. They seem to have lots of freebies from Tassimo too. For example, I got a coupon for a couple packs of samples. I discovered I like the Seattle's Best Henry's Blend by way of this sample pack. I also got a coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond for some free packs when you purchase three at the store. We requested a free sample of Camomile Tea pods.

We have a Coffee Press, a cheap-o Espresso pot that you put on the stove and a Percolator, in addition to the Tassimo now. The Percolator will be used when company is over so we can make mass quantities of coffee. Most people really enjoy the percolator brew too. They're used to the Mr. Coffee drip stuff all the time and they seem to really enjoy the added flavor the percolator gives to the drink. And of course, doesn't coffee always seem to taste better at someone else's house? Well, maybe not anymore with the Tassimo.

OK, so by now if you've taken the time to read all my ramblings and you're wondering if there's anything I don't like about the Tassimo. Well, just a couple things in the annoying and what the hell were they thinking categories. 1) There seems to be some excess water runoff into the bottom of the cup holder. It's clearly designed to work this way and it doesn't cause any mess. I guess it has to do with pressure from the hot water, steam or something. Its a small bit of water that needs to be dumped out after every couple cups of coffee brewed. 2) It doesn't brew a large quantity of drink. I think the largest I've seen is about 12 oz. If you're used to getting the Venti size down at the Starbucks you'll have to get used to the Tall size or brew two pods. 3) It won't hold a very tall cup in the maker. I guess that's because it doesn't brew large cups. I like to use a Styrofoam to-go cup in the mornings but it won't fit into the machine. So I have to brew into a large mug, then transfer into my Styrofoam cup. That's it. Not much to complain about is there?

OK, that's about it for the Tassimo review. If you're looking for a single brew coffee maker you should check out the Tassimo.