I sometimes go on at Coffee Sensei about the environment and with that in mind I want to share with you how to reuse the K cup. As coffee drinkers, whether we know it or not, we are intimately involved with the ecosystem and coffee growing environment. Many of use are moving towards shade grown, organic and fair trade coffee beans and I encourage this whenever possible. Coffee ecosystems are quite fragile and we need to protect them as well as grow coffee ethically and sustainably. Some of the things we can do is to learn how to reuse Keurig K cups. Believe it or not, I have had a few folks write to me and ask “Can you reuse K cups”. So instead of answering everyone individually, I decided to write a post about reusing K cups for not only more variety but more sustainability too.
If you want to jump ahead you can head on over to Amazon by clicking here and check out some of the options as I discuss them. The first option and is the one that actually in my opinion is the best option is to reuse K cups themselves. Other options that we will discuss about K cup coffee are about buying replacement parts. But this one is my favorite and probably the least expensive. Now before we get into that, why reuse K cups? Well, other than the environmental impact and fiscal frugality, I have heard from some folks that they find some of the Keurig coffee pods to be a little weaker tasting than what they are used to. I have even heard this about some of the Green Mountain K cups out there too. So, by creating a reusable K cup you can start using any type of coffee you like. From espresso coffee beans to 100 Kona coffee and anything else your heart desires. This really frees you up.
First choice on how to reuse the K cup
Okay, so first up is my favorite way of how to reuse the K cup. As you can see in the image to the left, these are called Kaps for K-Cups and you can see more and buy them from Amazon by clicking here. Most folks love these things and he’s sold over 30,000 of them worldwide and he offers a 30 day money back guarantee. They’re cheap like Borscht and you get a set of 3 caps for your K cups and a brush. It is a simple but ingenious idea. These Kaps for K Cups assumes that you already have a Keurig coffee maker and you did already buy K cups. Now don’t throw those K cups away, because you’re going to reuse them. You just wash them out, dry them, pack in the ground coffee of your choice. Pop on your Kap and you’re ready to enjoy Keurig coffee 7 ways from Sunday :). I’ve been able to reuse individual K cups a minimum of 6 times and as much as 18 times each before having to recycle them. But you should be able to expect at least 6 uses from each reused K cup. The only small drawback is that you might find these Kaps leak a little into your coffee cup, so there is the chance of a bit of sediment in your coffee, but not as much as with the K cup filter, the other option on how to reuse the K cup that we’ll move onto next.
Second choice on how to reuse the K-cup
Next up as shown in the image to the left is the EZ Cup Coffee Filter. Also available at Amazon at some great discounts. Check it out here. As mentioned before, this one will also leak and from what I’ve heard it leaks a little more than the Kaps for K Cups. However, this reusable K cup doesn’t require you to have any used K cups on hand, as you can tell from the image. It is a complete plastic unit that you fill with a disposable paper filter, add your coffee, pop the lid back on and enjoy. The drawback here, is that the EZ cup paper filters are mandatory, so you are throwing out paper filters after each use. And yes I know that paper biodegrades but still, with the Kaps, there isn’t anything to throw out except for the ground spent coffee beans into your composter. You compost right 😉 I’ve heard that this unit takes drip ground coffee beans quite easily and works well with them, and you can use the coffee grind set for drip with the Kaps too.
In my opinion, you’ve invested a bit in your Keurig coffee machine and you’ve bought cheap K cups already, so get both of these units. They’re cheap and you won’t get free shipping with either one, but combined you’ll be eligible for free shipping. Then see which one you like the best. Then roll with it. You’ll also have a back up this way. So I hope you like this post my friends on how to reuse the K cup. Coffee by environmental evolution 🙂