Brewing your favorite ground coffee in a Keurig brewing machine with reusable K-cups is simple, convenient, and environmental-friendly.
In addition, reusable K-cups are a more sustainable way to help keep the environment clean.
For this reason, reusable K-cups are a better alternative to single-serve, non-recyclable pods.
Filling a reusable K-cup with ground coffee takes a little work before you insert it into the brewing machine.
Yet, you can use your favorite blend to make a convenient single-serve cup of coffee.
Reusable K-cups can last for years, depending on how often you use them and if you choose to hand-wash them or put them in a dishwasher.
How to Choose Reusable K-cups
Quickly after Keurig created the original K-cups, other coffee machine manufacturers developed their versions of the K-cup. These Keurig-compatible K-cups became known as pods.
Manufacturers strive to make their pods compatible with as many coffee machine brands as possible so customers are not limited to only using a Keurig coffee machine.
Single-use disposable K-cups generally have plastic and foil in their design. Tiny needles puncture the foil lid and plastic bottom of the pod after you place it inside the chamber of the coffee machine.
These holes allow the hot pressurized water to enter the pod, brew the coffee, then come out.
You can throw the pods in the trash when the brewing process is over. However, throwing these pods in the trash after a single use is not eco-friendly.
Reusable K-cups vary in material, capacity, mesh size, compatibility, and accessories. Here are a few things to consider when choosing reusable K-cups.
Material
K-cups are made with stainless steel and plastic and have different designs to suit your brewing preference.
The percentage of stainless steel to plastic will vary based on the design of the K-cup.
Many K-cups have a plastic lid and frame with a stainless-steel mesh in the basket. These K-cups have a higher percentage of stainless steel than plastic.
It works well and has no significant impact on the taste and strength of the brewed coffee.
Reusable K-cups can last for years if they are gently hand washed. A reusable K-cup with more stainless steel is generally more expensive than a reusable K-cup with more plastic.
However, the K-cups with more stainless steel can withstand the heat of dishwashers better than the K-cups with higher plastic content.
Capacity
Reusable K-cups can hold up to two tablespoons of ground coffee for a single serving. For example, a standard 8-ounce single serving of coffee has two teaspoons of ground coffee.
Some K-cups have different fill lines for you to fill the cups to a different level depending on how strong you want your coffee.
Be sure not to overfill the reusable k-cup above the top fill line. Overfilling the reusable K-cup can result in weaker coffee.
Too many coffee grounds can prevent the water from penetrating all the ground coffee to release the flavor.
Mesh Size
Making the perfect cup of coffee takes some practice. One of the main factors in creating the perfect brew is the mesh size of the K-cup.
Other factors that contribute to the flavor of the coffee, along with the mesh size, include the coffee grind, extraction time, extraction temperature, and the type of coffee you use.
The key is to find the reusable K-cup with the mesh that complements your preferred coffee roast and grind.
Take notice of the mesh size of the reusable K-cup because the mesh can affect the flavor of the coffee.
A finer mesh works best with finer coffee grounds and a coffee machine with a shorter extraction time.
Fine coffee grinds take less time for the water to penetrate to extract the flavor. Therefore, a finer mesh provides a more robust flavor, preventing the grounds from getting into the coffee.
However, a courser mesh works best with courser grounds in a coffee machine with a longer extraction time.
Courser coffee grinds require extra extraction time because it takes a while for the water to bring out the flavor.
The type of coffee machine you have will determine the reusable K-cup and coffee grind you can use.
Most standard coffee machines use fine to medium mesh reusable K-cups, so you need to use fine to medium coffee grounds.
Compatibility
The popularity of K-cups started with Keurig. Yet, not all reusable K-cups can fit in other coffee machines.
Some reusable K-cups fit many coffee machines but may not work with other coffee machines.
Therefore, the effectiveness of brewing coffee in a K-cup largely depends on the coffee machine.
Look at the manufacturer’s list of coffee machines compatible with their K-cups.
Using a compatible K-cup with the appropriate device will increase your chances of brewing the perfect cup of coffee.
Looking at this list will also keep you from wasting money on K-cups that do not work with your coffee machine.
Accessories
Reusable K-cup accessories will not make your coffee taste better. Yet, these accessories can keep coffee grounds out of your coffee and help you measure the right amount of coffee to put in your reusable K-cup.
K-cup accessories often include paper filters or a coffee scoop. These accessories are unnecessary, but you can save money by purchasing a K-cup bundle with paper filters and a coffee scoop.
How to Use Reusable K-Cups
Purchasing reusable K-cups creates less waste and is friendly to the environment.
They are a simple and convenient way to brew your favorite coffee. Yet, most people do not use K-cups because they are more expensive than single-use K-cups.
Also, many people find breaching strong coffee with reusable K-cups hard. You should try reusable K-cups if you are not currently using them.
Here is everything you need to know about getting the best coffee from reusable K-cups.
Grind Your Coffee Beans
Grinding your beans is the best way to get great-tasting coffee from your Keurig brewer.
You should have a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder because a burr grinder will give you a more consistent and uniform grind size and flavor.
You will also need a scale to know the amount of coffee you need to place into the filter. Plus, be sure to use the freshest coffee beans possible.
Use coffee beans no older than three weeks past the roast date for best results.
It is best not to use superfine coffee grounds in a Keurig brewing machine. Superfine coffee grounds can clog the filter and cause the coffee to spill out of the brewing machine.
You can always test different size coffee grounds to see which produces the best coffee cup. Coffee grounds that are fine to medium size seem to work best.
The Perfect Cup of Coffee
Making the perfect cup of coffee is more of an art than a science because we all have individual preferences for how we like our coffee. The items you will need to brew your coffee include:
- A Keurig machine or a K-cup-compatible machine such as Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, or Mr. Coffee
- A reusable K-cup and measuring spoon
- Freshly ground coffee
- Your favorite coffee mug
Here are some basic steps to get you started on your path to creating the perfect cup of coffee:
First, pour your coffee grounds into the K-cup filter basket until it reaches the cup line. It takes two teaspoons and two tablespoons to get the cup line.
There is no need to pack the grounds down into the filter. Reaching this line is enough to produce an 8-ounce single cup of coffee.
Next, place the filter basket with the ground coffee into the holder. Then, twist the lid on top of the K-cup until you lock it.
Do not twist the cap too tight to avoid breaking the device.
Third, remove the K-cup holder from the Keurig brewing machine. You do this by opening the brew head and pushing the holder up from the bottom.
After removing the K-cup holder, place the K-cup into the brew holder where the K-cup holder typically sits.
Then add six to eight ounces of water into the reservoir, lower the handle, and start brewing your coffee. You can adjust the coffee ground and water measurements to brew coffee that suits your taste.
Conclusion
A reusable K-cup is a sustainable, environment-friendly choice when you want to brew your favorite coffee. You can experiment with different kinds of beans and grind sizes.
Yet, it may take some time to create a satisfying, beyond-the-ordinary cup of coffee consistently.
Reusable K-cups may cost more than disposable K-cups, but you will save more over the long term because you will not constantly need to buy more K-cups.
Ultimately, you will minimize coffee waste when you use reusable K-cups.
