We know that you can’t live without your morning coffee. And for a true coffee aficionado – aka: coffee addict – you’re likely drinking several cups a day. But did you know that adding a reusable k cup to your routine can revolutionize your coffee, your wallet and make you an environmental hero?
We know that you can’t live without your morning coffee. And for a true coffee aficionado – aka: coffee addict – you’re likely drinking several cups a day. But did you know that adding a reusable k cup to your routine can revolutionize your coffee, your wallet and make you an environmental hero?
Best Reusable K Cups at a Glance
Here’s a breakdown of the reusable k cups I’ll be sharing about today.
Stainless steel
Fits all k cup coffee makers
Dishwasher safe
Hello! It’s stainless steel!
Easy to clean
Self-tamping spring technology
7 multi-colored cups
Compatible with Keurig brewers
100% satisfaction guarantee
Eco Friendly
BPA free plastic
Universal compatibility with most Keurig coffee makers
Easy to use
Eco friendly
BPA free plastic
Why You Need to Switch to Reusable K Cups Today
If you’re just in love with the convenience and simplicity of Keurig machines, you’re not alone. Most people are busy, and it’s super easy to pop a k cup in a Keurig brewer and hit go.
Unfortunately, there are some downsides to this approach. Let’s look at these together.
Coffee Quality
Let’s be honest, k cups don’t come with the most amazing coffee in the world. You don’t have to be a coffee connoisseur to know that freshly ground coffee tastes much better.
When you purchase single use pods, you reduce the quality of coffee that is available to you. K cups sit on grocery store shelves for a long time, losing freshness. Remember that the coffee grinds in those pods are ground months before you ever purchase them.
With a reusable k cup, you can enjoy a sophisticated cup of coffee without having to do anything sophisticated yourself. Simply add your own coffee grinds to the reusable k cup and brew your coffee like normal.
I personally recommend you grind your own coffee to add to your reusable k cup, but even if you get your barista to grind them, the coffee will be considerably fresher than what’s available in a normal keurig coffee pod.
Money
A k cup runs between 50 cents and $1.00 a piece. While cheaper than buying coffee from a coffee shop on the way to the office, it’s considerably more expensive than buying a bag of coffee.
Let’s say Folgers is your thing. A 24 count pack of Folgers Classic Roast k cups runs around $15.00, which is roughly 63 cents a cup. A 30.5 ounce container of Folgers Classic Roast runs less than $8.00, which means 43 cents a cup. At 20 cents difference per cup, assuming you drink two cups a day for 365 days, you’d be saving $146 over the course of a year. And that’s just for one person! If your spouse does the same, you guys would save $292/year. It all looks different when you put a price tag on the convenience!
Ironically, if you were to buy a 12 ounce bag of high quality, single origin coffee beans from a private roaster, the price would be on par with the price of k cup coffee.
An average bag of single origin coffee beans costs around $18.00-$24.00 in the United States. Were you to grind these beans yourself and brew them in a reusable k cup, you’d be looking at around $1.00 per cup for high quality coffee with amazing flavor.
A Planet for Our Children
I’m sure you’ve been noticing the changes in weather in recent years … ones brought on by global warming. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about exploring space to find a new planet to live on.
Did you know there are enough single use plastic k cups in landfills to wrap around our planet 10-11 times?
An estimated 13 billion k cups were thrown into landfills last year. 13 billion!
It’s mind-boggling to think that they are just piling up in landfills each morning while people enjoy their coffee.
Human beings produce 300 million tons of plastic each year. Fourteen million tons of that plastic makes its way into our oceans annually. K cups are made of plastic. See the connection?
We don’t think about stuff like this because it’s out of sight out of mind … and not all that fun to think about pollution in the first place. I know I don’t want to think about all the trash that I’ve thrown away.
It’s much easier to pretend my responsibility to the planet and future generations, who will hopefully still be able to live here, stops at the point I take out the trash.
One little switch to reusable k cups can make a huge difference! Together we can reduce plastic waste and ward off a point of no return for the health of our shared planet.
How to Choose the Right Reusable K Cup for Your Machine
Not all reusable k cups are created equally, so it’s important that you make sure the ones you buy will fit your single serve coffee maker.
Some reusable k cup pods are universal and can be used in any machine. Just be mindful to choose the right reusable k cup filter when buying yours today.
You’ll want a cost-effective option that’s made of high-quality materials, BPA free, eco-friendly and convenient all in one.
Five Best Reusable K Cups
After an in-depth study of what’s available, here are five options for reusable k cups worth purchasing.
Yeosen Stainless Steel Reusable K Cup
PROS
- BPA free
- Lead-free
- DEHP free
- Universally used in all machines
- Easy to clean
- Forever warranty
- Eco friendly
CONS
- Hinges detach easily
The $23.99 Yeosen Stainless Steel Reusable K Cup is BPA free, lead free and DEHP free. Made to stand repeated use, the Yeoson filter comes with a “Forever Warranty.”
Some users claim the hinges detach easily, which might prove frustrating.
EZ-Cup Stainless Steel Reusable Coffee Pod
PROS
- Did we mention they are stainless steel?
- Self-tamping spring technology
- Easy to use
- Disposable Paper Fillers
- BPA free
- Eco friendly
CONS
- Not Compatible with K-Supreme (Plus)
- Some people won’t like the paper filters
This might be where the “art of coffee” term came from. Not only does the $12.99 EZ-Cup Stainless Steel Reusable K Cup look sleek and stylish, but a disposable paper filter makes it easy to clean out used coffee grounds.
Self-tamping spring technology has been built into the design to improve extraction.
GoodCups Micro Mesh Reusable K Cup
PROS
- 7 multi-colored cups
- Stainless steel micro mesh
- Eco friendly
- Compatible with most Keurig models
- 100% Risk-free satisfaction guarantee
CONS
- The colors might be too “cheery” for people who aren’t “morning people.”
- Base of the cup is solid with a hole. No mesh bottom.
You get every color in the rainbow with this seven cup set of reusable k cups for $11.95 on Amazon. GoodCups Micro Mesh Reusable K Cups are durable and eco friendly. Best of all, your fresh ground coffee is filtered through stainless steel micro mesh for optimal extraction.
Delibru Reusable K Cup
PROS
- Eco friendly
- BPA free plastic
- Universal compatibility with most Keurig coffee makers
- Black or Purple
- Affordable
- 100% Money back guarantee
CONS
- Not compatible with Keurig mini coffee makers
Designed to be convenient and hassle-free, the Delibru Reusable K Cup works with most Keurig coffee makers. Made entirely of BPA free plastic, this well-designed coffee k cup is environmentally friendly and easy to use. A four-pack of these coffee filters will run you $7.49 on Amazon.
Keurig My K Cup Pod Universal Coffee Filter
PROS
- Easy to use
- Eco friendly
- BPA free
- Compatible with most Keurig models
CONS
- Doesn’t fit smaller Keurig machines
- Comes in four different pieces
If you’re a devoted Keurig fan, rest assured, they have a Keurig branded reusable K cup just for you. The $8.75 Keurig My K Cup Universal Coffee Filter is easy to use and fits most Keurig machines.
The Keurig My K Cup comes in four pieces for easy cleaning, which can also frustrate some users. The four pieces are a lid, filter basket, filter holder and Plus series brewer adapter. Just add ground coffee to the filter basket, place it in the filter holder, attach the lid and presto, you’re good to go!
How Do You Clean a Reusable K Cup?
Most reusable K Cups are dishwasher safe. If yours aren’t, I would suggest purchasing a baby bottle brush because they are great for cleaning in tight places.
Reusable k cups are easy to clean and only take a simple rinse in between coffees. Just knock out the used coffee grounds into the trash or a flower pot and run them under water.
Alternatively, rinse out your reusable k cups and toss them in the dishwasher.
Be sure to let them fully dry so they don’t mold.
Now to Brew That Perfect Cup!
Reusable k cups are the solution we’ve all been looking for to clear our consciences. You can enjoy the coffee of your choice while saving money and the planet just like a superhero … and who doesn’t love superheroes, right?
Villains, maybe.
With a reusable k cup you won’t have to worry about drinking old coffee anymore and can discover new favorites to brew one cup at a time.
The rest is up to you, so which one are you going to choose? Have you decided which is the best reusable k cup for you?
Stay Caffeinated!
FAQ on Reusable K Cups
Yes! K cups are made of single use plastic. They are not recyclable or biodegradable, so they just pile up landfills and devastate our planet.
Yes, reusable k cups are environmentally friendly because they remove single use plastic from the equation. By using a reusable k cup, you minimize the amount of plastic waste that you’re throwing away.
Yes, k cups can be recycled but it takes some work. You have to be invested in separating all the pieces and have a nearby recycling center that accepts them.
You can recycle k cups if you separate all the pod components. Coffee pods consist of a combination of plastic, organic material, paper and aluminum. You cannot recycle the whole pod in one place, but the individual pieces can be recycled separately. If you want to take a k cup apart and recycle it, that’s an option for you, but it can be time-consuming. You’re best to switch to a universal reusable k cup pod instead. It’s more convenient than recycling a single use k cup.
You can make using a Keurig coffee maker more environmentally by reusable k cups. That way you never have anything to throw away.
Some reusable k cups are dishwasher safe while others aren’t. Just do a little research before you purchase one. Many people chose stainless steel reusable k cups, as they are more durable than other reusable k cups made of plastic.
Daily cleaning is essential to ensure your reusable k cup doesn’t get clogged. Just rinse out your k cup every time you use it so that there aren’t any used coffee grounds stuck at the bottom or in the filter mesh. If you allow the grounds to dry out, then a reusable k cup can be harder to clean, but not impossible.
An estimated 13 billion k cups are thoughtlessly thrown into landfills each year. By purchasing reusable k cups you can reduce your carbon footprint.
Did you change to reusable k cups? Share your story in the comments to inspire other readers to do the same!