Opinions sought regarding Gevalia coffee

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:17 am

You are right. Squire probably has some woman

rotfl

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:47 pm

I confess that I just read the first post, and skipped ALL the rest. Here's what I do: I love Community Coffee produced in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It just seems to be perfect for my habit of drinking coffee since I was 4 years old. Yes, my mom gave it to me because I wanted it and liked it, and that is that. I like the Medium Roast version of Community, and when my supply in the deep freeze runs low, I buy at least 10 pounds of it, and it lasts around a year. Community comes in 1 pound bags. They also make variations in 12 ounce bags.

My point is: Community Coffee is cheaper than Gevalia. It is better than Gevalia. Community Coffee has a website and a "club", where you can receive it through the mail as often or as seldom as needed. Prices are reasonable, for example, recently, or currently, you can get 5 pounds for $20, and shipping for the 5 pounds is about $5. For someone like me who really digs the Community Coffee, that's a superb deal. I can buy it locally at the grocery store for just a bit more than that, plus tax, so getting it in the mail is no big deal for me. However, for folks who don't have access to it at the grocery store, mail order is the next best thing.

That's my contribution.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:25 pm

GA, Their coffee is good, but there are better....I especially recommend La Semuse if you can find it ( or mail order ) it. This kind of stuff is our bag...particularly my wife, who has fine taste and is the main coffee drinker here ( I'm a teaman mostly ). We/she are not interested in super expensive, single estate, have to grind it yourself coffees. What we want are top quality blends that are consistant and pre-ground. There are a number, all from Europe, that fill this bill, but La Semuse from Switzerland is the best, IMO. I don't know how they are now, but in the late '80s we had one hell of a hassle getting the Gevalia people to cancel our deliveries. They just kept sending it and then demanding that we pay them, despite our having formally canceled. It was like the proverbial magazine subscription trip....sigh. Of course, that was twenty years ago so maybe they've changed their tune....maybe. The coffee is decent though.
Regards,
Gordon

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:58 pm

We are in a deep recession. A few companies somehow managed to miss that fact. I received an email from my hawaiian kona dealer inquiring if they did something wrong; as I haven't ordered in sometime. This, from a lady I've talked to about paneole bands and finding red clay sea salt. I explained, sheepishly I am still looking for work and dead broke

Today's mail brought a unexpected package with a bag of coffee- and 1lb of red sea salt she bought at the market.
Also in the mail and on my answering machine was the weekly come on from the Neptune Society for cremation and scattering at sea. I've given up explaining I don't want cremation and after 6 years in the USCG being dumped in the water would be the final insult. Today included a billing for the first installment 'I agreed to.'
You find a brand like Gary's you enjoy and get good service-buy it!

GA Russell · Post by **GA Russell** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:13 pm

I received my Gevalia coffee today. I'll have some tomorrow.

There are two "refer a friend" programs.

The first is by mail. You get two half-pound boxes of coffee from a selection of 19 coffees and the fancy coffee maker. This costs $10.00 with free shipping.

The second way is via the internet. The internet deal costs $12.95. It isn't clear if the shipping is free. (As far as I can see, shipping when not free is always $5.95.) You get the fancy coffee maker plus a stainless steel scoop, plus two half-pound boxes from a selection of 40.

Or you can take the internet deal to get a stainless steel tea kettle with a canister and a travel mug and two boxes of tea from a selection of 19 teas.

PM me if you are interested.

GA Russell · Post by **GA Russell** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:57 pm

Here's the deal with Gevalia: No matter what you order, there is a $5.95 shipping charge.

So I set it up on the internet to receive an order once every 14 weeks. I put in for five half-pound boxes this shipment. My thinking is that the shipping charge is better amortized over five boxes than over two (which is their standard).

My next shipment was scheduled to be mailed the week of Nov. 14. On Oct. 29 I called them to see if I could have the shipment sent immediately and use the 30% internet coupon I found.

The call center is apparently in India. The guy punched in my order before I was finished, and said that it was too late to use the coupon - it had already been processed. I said, No way Jose, and he said that if I didn't like it I could just send it back.

So the box arrived today, and without opening it I called Gevalia to see if they would refund the 30%. (If not I would send the box back and cancel my membership.)

Gevalia did even better than I expected. They offered to refund the entire amount except the $5.95 shipping. I told them I was happy, and the conversation was ended before anyone had a chance to change his mind.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:49 pm

GA, Glad that it worked out. As I noted above, twenty years ago we did not have such an easy time of it with those folks.
Regards,
Gordon

razorburned · Post by **razorburned** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:11 pm

I completely missed this thread the first time 'round, so I am adding my $0.02 now....sorry for being late...

Gevalia coffee is good. But it is way over priced. I had a 'scrip with them about 5 years back (came with a free coffee pot), and canceled about 6 months later. I had a bit of trouble canceling, they send a new shipment a week after I canceled and had to call them to get the issue finalized. They let me keep the last shipment free of charge. About a year after I canceled, the coffee maker (which had some sort of guarantee) broke. I called them to see about replacement part and they sent me a new complete maker free of charge. So, about 2 years ago we re-joined and got another free coffee maker. This time it was much harder to cancel, it took about 3 weeks and 5 phone calls to get the account closed, and no free anything.

I do not like Starshucks, the coffee always tastes burnt. I do occasionally buy their bottled fapachino things from the gas station, or if I am driving a long way, I get one of their canned doubleshot things, but I don't buy from their stores or get their beans for my home making. My wife likes their beans, so we buy separate beans for our house.

Peet's is great. I used to get it from a Peet's store when I lived in northern California. It is available at most local megamarts, and is what I normally buy for myself to brew at home. It is as strong as Starshucks, but smoother and none of the roasts I have had have any burnt bean flavor. I normally stick to Sumatra or French roasts, but also go for Columbian and a few others from time to time.

8 o'clock is great for the price. It is available just about everywhere, and normally goes for about $9 a pound.

razorburned · Post by **razorburned** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:49 pm

fallingwickets wrote:I envy you gents that have access to roasters. Living here in Nj is like living in a 253rd world country.....yeah even 3rd and 4th world countries have dam roasters

clive

Clive, While I do see your point, NJ is a 253rd world country (I've been to Camden), all is not hopeless. There are at least a two roasters within easy drives to you, there is La Sierra in Perth Amboy, Jersey Shore Coffee Roasters in Leonardo. I have no clue how they are, but they could be worth a shot

GA Russell · Post by **GA Russell** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 4:47 pm

razorburned wrote: Gevalia coffee is good. But it is way over priced.

So far I have received seven half-pound boxes of seven different coffees plus a metal travel mug for zero dollars plus $11.90 shipping! So I can't complain. LOL

Gevalia apparently has an ongoing deal for its subscribers - buy three, get a fourth free. That brings the price down somewhat. Most of the coffees cost ca. $7.50 for half a pound. So that's four boxes (two pounds) of four different coffees for $22.50 plus $5.95 shipping, or about $14.25 a pound total. I wouldn't pay that much for two pounds of one coffee, but for now I'm willing to spend a little extra for the variety.

Besides, I suppose that's it's a little like top tier shaving soap. When you break it down to how many pennies a day it is costing you, it isn't much if you like the product.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:49 pm

razorburned. Umm....sounds like our experiance of trying to cancel 20+ years ago was neither a product of that time nor an isolated incident. Hassles of that sort aside, I agree that Gevalia is overpriced, partially because one has to pay the shipping. There are other European coffee blends that are as good or better and if one can find any of them locally than one is home free. Even in a backwater like Tampa we manage. When all else fails there is a German deli at the other end of town that always stocks Dallmyer and one or two other decent brands. If you ever see any La Samuse though, pick it up because it's excellent.
Regards,
Gordon

changabang · Post by **changabang** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:38 am

brothers wrote:I confess that I just read the first post, and skipped ALL the rest. Here's what I do: I love Community Coffee produced in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It just seems to be perfect for my habit of drinking coffee since I was 4 years old. Yes, my mom gave it to me because I wanted it and liked it, and that is that. I like the Medium Roast version of Community, and when my supply in the deep freeze runs low, I buy at least 10 pounds of it, and it lasts around a year. Community comes in 1 pound bags. They also make variations in 12 ounce bags.

My point is: Community Coffee is cheaper than Gevalia. It is better than Gevalia. Community Coffee has a website and a "club", where you can receive it through the mail as often or as seldom as needed. Prices are reasonable, for example, recently, or currently, you can get 5 pounds for $20, and shipping for the 5 pounds is about $5. For someone like me who really digs the Community Coffee, that's a superb deal. I can buy it locally at the grocery store for just a bit more than that, plus tax, so getting it in the mail is no big deal for me. However, for folks who don't have access to it at the grocery store, mail order is the next best thing.

That's my contribution.

Gary, I logged on to that link, and I must say I'm tempted to try their lighter roasts, if it weren't for their club subscription setup. Have you tried the hotel blend (probably their lightest)? How was it?