Mark MorphewIf you’re a regular user of single cup coffee makers, like the Keurig, it’s probably hard to envision ever going back to a traditional drip coffee machine, especially after you have started to use those quick and easy coffee pods.
These coffee pod machines have been gaining popularity in households for over twenty years. They offer coffee-loving homes a quick and consistent cup of coffee at a push of a button.
There’s no need to worry about brewing ratios or whether your coffee grind is at the correct coarseness because the K-cups take away all of that guesswork. And let’s not forget that there’s little to no cleanup because the capsules are typically disposable.
But this is where the problem lies with Keurig coffee machines and other brewers just like it. K-cups and other branded coffee pods are expensive and not eco-friendly, and you’re confined to a small number of coffee roasters, many of which are mediocre at best.
Our Top Pick: Best Value
However, I have some good news for you. It is possible to brew a better-tasting cup of coffee, and you won’t be filling up the landfill in the process. A reusable K-cup!
Reusable K-cups will turn your Keurig into a more versatile coffee brewer, and rather than just being limited to a small selection of pre-packaged coffee, you will be able to use any specialty coffee you desire.
Plus, you can tweak the ratios as you please, bringing a whole new dimension to your home coffee brewing.
Do Reusable K-Cups Taste Better?
If you browse around Bean Ground, you’ll quickly realize that we’re not really fans of Keurig and other pod coffee makers, mainly due to their ability to brew a barely drinkable cup of coffee.
But, we have to admit that once you switch over to a reusable K-cup, you can turn your machine into something quite different indeed.
You can choose your whole coffee bean and grind the beans right before you brew, and by changing your grind size, you can refine the flavor of your coffee.
None of this is possible when using pre-packaged coffee pods.
For example, Adding a finer ground coffee to your K-cup will essentially extract a full brew faster than a larger grind.
This is because the hot water is moving slower through the smaller grounds of coffee, collecting the fragrant oils, flavorsome particles, and fresh-tasting acids as it moves through.
Regular standard K-cups will never be able to offer you this amount of control over your home-brewed coffee, so you’re stuck with what you’re given sealed inside the pod. Plus the K-cups will never expire.
Best Reusable K-Cup Options That Work!
Reusable K-cups have ballooned in popularity in recent years mainly due to the environmental impact of regular pods and consumers becoming more educated about their coffee and wanting more control of their brew.
In response to the popularity, the marketplace seems inundated with a vast array of K-cup alternatives, all vowing for your attention.
Browsing through everything available can be time-consuming, and choosing the best reusable k-cup can be a challenge. But don’t fret. We have done the hard work for you and picked out some of the best options for your Keurig coffee machine.
Yeosen Stainless Steel Reusable K-Cups
Our first recommendation is a premium stainless steel reusable K-cup sold by Yeosen. These are compatible with Keurig 1.0 and 2.0 machines, and they’re straightforward to use.
The stainless steel construction is definitely superior to plastic, and you won’t have to worry about any nasty chemicals seeping into your coffee. The stainless steel cup design features a hinged lid with side locks, and it will fit snugly into a wide range of popular Keurig machines.
The one-piece design makes it easy to fill and then clean after each use. They have been designed to brew coffee slowly, around 1-minute when a medium grind is added into the pod.
In the package, you also get a soup to make filling the pods even easier.
What We Love
- Good fit in most Keurig machines.
- Stainless construction eliminates the risk of harmful plastic chemicals reaching your cup.
- Filter holes ensure a slow brew time of around 1-minute.
- This product is well-built, heavy steel.
Take Note
- The lid has no snap feature, so you will need to ensure you insert the pod correctly inside the machine.
Maxware 6 Reusable Refillable Coffee Filters For Keurig
If you’re looking for reusable filters at an affordable price, this set of four reusable K-cups could be precisely what you need.
The Maxware six-piece set of reusable coffee filters is made from durable BPA-free plastic with stainless steel mesh filters on all sides.
The fine filter mesh does a reasonably decent job at keeping the sediment from reaching your cup, but using a paper filter will ensure better filtering for those who prefer to use a finer coffee grind.
The unique contour of the basket helps with extraction, and these pods should be able to brew a more robust cup than regular K-cups.
Cleaning is straightforward, just remove the coffee grounds and rinse under the faucet.
There is a downside. The Maxware is not compatible with many Keurig coffee makers, such as the mini range and a few others. So make sure you check that they are compatible with your machine before you decide to purchase.
What We Love
- Comes in a multi-pack of 4 or 6 coffee pods.
- They are easy to clean and refill.
- Fit into K-cup storage drawers.
Take Note
- Plastic isn’t as strong as some of the others and will flex.
- Fine ground coffee will come through the mesh filters.
Keurig Reusable Universal Coffee Filter
If you’re not interested in third-party products, this reusable universal coffee filter made by Keurig is a great option.
It’s hard to beat a product that has been made by the same company that makes the machine the reusable pods are intended to be used in.
These K-cups are sold per piece and are made from durable BPA-free hard plastic with a stainless mesh. They are designed by Keurig to precisely fit Keurig units so they will not function inside other machines.
Compared to others, the Keurig My K Cup universal reusable K-cup pod has a slightly more complex design.
The pod includes a lid, filter holder, filter basket, and a special brewer adapter that enables you to fit the pod inside multiple Keurig machines. So if you own more than one machine, you can swap out and use the pod in each of them.
A unique feature of this particular Keurig pod is the two fill lines. Filling coffee to either of these lines will allow you to brew a full cup of coffee or enough to fill a travel thermos. At maximum, these pods will hold 3.5 teaspoons of ground coffee.
Had enough of poorly fitting 3rd party manufactured reusable coffee pods? This might be the solution you’re looking for!
What We Love
- Made by Keurig for Keurig!
- Well-fitting pods with an adapter to fit a wide range of machines.
- Dishwasher safe (top rack only).
- Able to brew enough coffee for regular cups and travel cups.
Take Note
- More moving parts than others, so it can require more thorough cleaning.
Di Oro MaxBrew Gold K-Cup Reusable Filter
What if I told you that you could buy a 24k gold plated reusable K-cup? Well, here you go.
The DI Oro MaxBrew is a neat-looking product that is just as functional as it is pleasing to look at.
Apart from looking aesthetically pleasing, the 24-carat gold actually serves a purpose and helps to prevent the absorption of coffee oils and flavor compounds, so they end up in your cup and not stuck to the side of the filter pod.
The K-cup is made from durable BPA-free plastic. It consists of the primary coffee filter and a removable lid for extra fast filling and easy cleaning.
Di Oro also stands by their product and offers a lifetime warranty, which is always reassuring if you have any problems.
The build quality of the Di Oro is excellent and definitely feels better than some of the other cheaper options listed. If you keep it clean and maintain it, I see no reason why the DI Oro MaxBrew won’t last for many years – excellent product.
What We Love
- Compatible with Keurig 2.0 and 1.0 brewers.
- Well built, stylish, and durable construction.
- The 24K gold plated filter is non-reactive, so you will taste the coffee and not the filter.
Take Note
- If you use a very fine coffee grind, the mesh screen will let some sediment through.
Blendin Reusable Keurig K-Cup Coffee Filters
If you’re shopping on a smaller budget and don’t want to spend a small fortune on a set of Keurig reusable K-cups, these might just be what you’re looking for.
These are very reasonably priced for a set of 6 pods. They are a one-piece design manufactured from durable BPA-free plastic, and just like the others, they feature a stainless steel mesh system around the sides to filter the coffee.
If you also enjoy the occasional tea, good news. The Blendin reusable pods are also able to brew loose tea leaves and even hot chocolate.
It is worth noting that they are only compatible with Keurig 1.0 coffee makers, so they will probably not fit any other models.
A good budget option if you just want to give reusable pods a try before committing to something more expensive.
What We Love
- Great price for 6 reusable pods.
- The large ground coffee capacity allows you to brew stronger coffee.
- Micro etched stainless steel mesh filtration.
Take Note
- Not as durable as some of the others, but for the price, you can’t beat them.
EZ-Cup Stainless Steel Reusable Coffee Pod
Not too crazy about using a plastic reusable coffee pod?
The K-Cup filter from EZ-Cup is a great option that has been manufactured entirely from stainless steel. The only plastic parts can be found on the lid, and those parts are BPA-free, and they don’t make direct contact with your coffee.
The hinge is also metal, so it should last longer than plastic, especially with the wear and tear of daily use.
What I like about this product is the extra paper filters that come with the pod. By taking the extra step and adding a paper filter to your reusable pod, you will eliminate any sediment reaching your cup, and you will also have a far cleaner and smoother cup of coffee.
They also feature a self-tamping spring technology to compress your coffee grounds just enough for optimum extraction.
Using the EZ-Cup stainless steel coffee pod allows you to brew your single-serve cup of coffee from any fresh ground coffee beans of your choosing.
What We Love
- All-in-1 starter kit that includes everything you need to convert over to reusable Keurig pods.
- Features a self-tamping spring technology.
- Snap close lid that’s fitted with o-ring for a snug leak-free seal.
Take Note
- Extra ongoing cost of purchasing paper branded paper filters.
Keurig has many different units that often use different sizes of K-cups.
Fun Facts About Reusable K-Cup Filters
It was the Keurig company that pioneered the single-serve coffee pod craze. However, the innovation didn’t come without a cost.
The Keurig company co-founder John Sylvan fell ill in 1995 with heart palpitations and was diagnosed with caffeine poisoning. This health scare was due to the daily research he carried out in the early days, which saw him drinking up to 40 cups of coffee each day.
Pro Tips And Advice
Due to the design of reusable K-cups, the holes tend to be larger than they need to be to allow for easy cleaning. This can be an issue if you typically use a finer grind of coffee, and you’ll find that a lot of sediment will find its way into your final brew.
If you find that this is happening to you, there is a solution.
You can add a specially shaped paper filter inside of the K-cup basket. These can be found online, in retail stores, we found these over at Amazon, and they work pretty well.
Obviously, this means an additional step in the process and more cost, but the extra paper filter does give you a very clean cup.
FAQs
? Are Reusable K-cups Bad For You?
If you’re buying 3rd party manufactured K-cups, you need to be cafes about the material used in the manufacturing process.
Even if the company claims they are safe and meet all the health and safety standards, you have to put your trust in their claims.
We recommend buying stainless steel reusable pods with no plastic parts for complete peace of mind if you’re unsure.
? Do You Need Paper Filters For A Reusable K-cup?
Paper filters are not typically needed with the best reusable k-cups. However, some are designed to work in tandem with paper filters.
If you’re finding that coffee is passing through into your final brewed coffee, you can use a paper filter designed for coffee pods, or you could try to grind your coffee slightly more coarse.
? Do Reusable K-cups Cause Sediment?
The reusable coffee pods don’t cause sediment, or at least they’re not designed to. It depends on the size of the mesh filter used in the pods and, ultimately, the size of your coffee grind.
A finer grind will almost always find a way through the filter, whereas a more coarse coffee grind typically doesn’t pass through.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
