Keurig coffee makers will implement DRM to block third-party coffee

[The Straight Story]

Recently, we learned that Keurig planned on expanding its business from hot drinks to cold. To begin that endeavor, Green Mountain Coffee will team with Coca-Cola to produce single-serving Coke pods for use in a cold beverage machine. Now, Keurig is further strengthening its grip on the quick in-office coffee fix market by implementing a form of DRM that will block third-party coffee pods from being used in Keurig machines.

Keurig coffee, as many of you that have been within the off-white walls of an unremarkable office are unfortunately aware, is that plastic-tasting coffee that you drink at work because the break room is (only slightly) closer to your desk than a coffee shop. Plus the in-office Keurig coffee is free. Mercifully, there are cheaper, compatible third-party coffee pods that aim to raise the quality of the coffee you drink when you get into work in the morning, after lunch, and two hours before you leave for the day. However, Keurig isn’t too fond of these third parties maneuvering where Keurig is king, so in order to more tightly clench its claws around its coffee crown, Keurig will be implementing a new “lock-out technology” to prevent third-party pods from working with machines that are expected to launch this fall.

Of course, Keurig claims that the decision to prevent third-party pods was made with quality control in mind — even though the real, monopolistic reason is obvious — and that the new system will provide a more familiar user experience and higher quality of coffee.

http://www.geek.com/news/keurig-coffee-makers-will-implement-drm-to-block-third-party-coffee-1586636/

[Ilsa]

1. Someone will have to invent a new Keurig-style

Machine that accepts generic Kcups.

I haven't had any plastic-tasting coffee from a k-cup. Just good coffee.

[reformist2]

2. I still can't get over how popular these are.

[Vashta Nerada]

3. Another reason (among many) not to buy that wasteful piece of crap.

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. I think you can buy a reusable cup/filter and put whatever coffee you like in them

I think they are like the gold plated ones you can buy for drip coffee makers. I use a french press, but I keep breaking the fragile beaker.

[Historic NY]

9. I got one from Santa...

I am havign fun trying out different coffee's. I bought the refillable pods too.

[jmowreader]

5. "More familiar user experience"?

You open the lid, stick the K-cup in the cup well, close the lid and push a button. And that works no matter whose cups you buy.

[mike_c]

6. why anyone would drink that drek is beyond me....

Making great coffee is only a tiny bit more time consuming than making utter swill, i.e. grind some top quality beans, throw the grounds in a filter cone, and pour very hot water over. With decent store bought beans, this makes better coffee than any pod machine ever will. With one more step, albeit a somewhat bigger commitment-- roasting your own fresh beans-- great coffee becomes awesome. But those pod things. Ugh.

[cali]

7. Higher quality of coffee? GM Coffee is pretty good. It's fair trade

granted I don't have a Keurig thing and I've only had their regular coffee, but I thought it was pretty good. don't go for those flavored coffees though.

http://www.gmcr.com/Sustainability/Overview.aspx

[we can do it]

8. Wasteful, expensive and greedy, what a great brand.

No thanks.
French press, freshly ground beans for me.

[MineralMan]

10. The Betamax of coffeemakers.

Fail.

[beaglelover]

11. Nespresso.....'nuff said!

Awesome coffee/espresso makers and you can recycle the pods. A bit pricey but well worth it!

[longship]

12. Keurig, making home made coffee as expensive as Starbucks!

One cup at a time!!

Why anybody would want to make coffee that way is beyond me.

Me? I have a percolator. Multiple cups of coffee ready in about 10 minutes every morning. Yummy!

[Xithras]

13. This will actually make their competitors less appealing and drive down their sales.

This decision would make sense if Keurig made the only machines capable of making coffee using their cups, but there are plenty of competitors making competing cup machines now. I have a Bunn machine that can make K-Cups, pods, or coffee from loose grounds. My daughter has a K-Cup Mr. Coffee in her dorm room. There are plenty of alternatives.

So buyers will have a choice. They can buy a Keurig machine that can ONLY use Keurig K-Cups, or they can buy someone else machine that can make Keurig K-Cups AND K-Cups from other companies. Why would anyone choose the Keurig?