If you are one of the 41% of coffee drinkers who own a single-cup coffee machine, you may have many questions about experience and cost. One of the most common questions for both people in this camp is about reusing disposable coffee pods.
It is not advisable to use the same coffee grinds, but the pod itself is reusable. You can purchase reusable caps (or make your own) to keep the grinds from overflowing during the brew. Reusing the ground coffee will be less ideal and will leave you with an almost flavorless cup of hot water.
While it is true you can reuse coffee pods, not every machine works the same. On top of this, there are alternatives to reusing coffee pods that will probably be more desirable for someone both economically and for the environment. Regardless of which way you go, we are here to help and have created a basic guide to reusing coffee pods. Let’s take a closer look.
Reusing K Cups: The Basics
K Cups have become incredibly popular for single-use coffee that is ready in moments. Whether you are using a coffee pod at home or work, you can opt for a more environmentally-friendly and budget-friendly option by reusing the pod (not the grinds). Then, you can sit back and take in all that your reusable K Cup has to offer- the warmth and flavor that will make the effort of reusing the K Cup worth it after all.
While it may seem simple at first, there are some things you should keep in mind when reusing your coffee pod. Getting a top on it for the grounds not falling out, and keeping a tidy station are two of the big ones. This will ensure a safe and delicious cup of Joe.
Besides these two-bit insights into reusing a K Cup, there are other components to consider. If you are looking for a simple process to follow, here is the process for reusing a K cup (and getting the best flavor as you do so).
Remove the Top
While it would be nice to reuse the top of the coffee pod, they do (fortunately or unfortunately) have to go. Coffee pod sealants/lids are usually made out of a thin tin or even durable paper, and stuck to the rim with an adhesive. Replacing this is going to be the most challenging part of the process for reusing your coffee pod (K Cup).
Still, while this might be disappointing, you cannot just squeeze coffee grounds into the hole that comes when the machine punctures the top. Instead, you will need to remove the top completely and begin fresh with a clean cup. With this in mind, we will get into what to do for a cap a bit later on.
Clean the Pod
When reusing a K Cup, you want to make sure you rinse the pod out thoroughly. Specifically, you do not want old (already brewed) coffee grounds sitting in it. You also want to make sure you clean it well (if you are not actively reusing it) immediately after the first use.
Coffee has a tendency to mold if it sits, so completing this step in a truly timely manner is especially important for the cleanliness, safety, and flavor of your next brew. Dish soap is fine to use, just make sure you rinse everything well so you do not have any bad flavor (harmful or just bad tasting) in your coffee.
You can use cold or hot water while rinsing, although many people prefer to use warm to hot water for the sanitization that this can bring. Much less, if you are preparing yourself for a warm cup of Joe, why start out by using a cold rinse as you clean the pod you plan to reuse? Opt for warm water with a bit of soap and you should be good to go.
Finally, in terms of what to clean the pod with, you can use a clean rag, but a sponge is not recommended considering the absorbance that it carries and the lingering scents, flavors, and bacteria that it might contain. Unless you know that the rag or sponge is clean, then you should opt for a new one. Regardless, this process should be pretty simple and take just a few moments if you act quickly.
Refill with Grounds
This is the best part! When reusing a K cup, you are able to use any coffee grounds you like. Personally, I like to roast my own any chance I get, but everyone has a favorite that they can get from the store or a local shop. Another reason to use refillable grounds is that you can have one flavor for your morning cup of coffee and another for the afternoon without having to waste a large pot.
To refill the grounds on a reusable K Cup, just fill it about three-fourths of the way up. You can always adjust this amount after seeing how you like it based on the strength and the flavor that you are going for.
When filling with grounds, be sure to take note that there is now a punctured hole in the bottom from the first use. If you are using finely ground coffee, you may lose some out the bottom. It won’t be enough to affect flavor, but keep it in mind if you like a clean workspace. I often just hold a napkin under my pod while refilling.
Get (or Make) a Cap
Getting or making a cap that can be used for a reusable K Cup is definitely the most difficult part of the process. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of easy workarounds for this. My personal favorite is to use a reusable top from My-Cap. They have a ton of unique products that can fit all sorts of coffee pods – so do not feel like a K cup is the only way you can go.
If you need to save some money, you can make a makeshift top with silicone. Unfortunately, finding food-safe and heat-resistant adhesive will not be easy. If you know how to make silicone molds, you can go that direction, but that would be more costly than purchasing a My-Cap for someone who does not already know how, so this seems a little pointless to me, honestly.
Quick note: I tried using aluminum foil as a top, and it almost worked. The seal around the edge gave toward the end of the brew. I do not suggest this route, but in a pinch, you may be able to scrape by without too many grounds in your cup. Just know that this is not a practical long-term solution.
Repeat
Now that you have been able to reuse your coffee pod once, doing it again should be easy! Especially if you bought a cap for the pod you use- you can reuse the few pods left in your kitchen indefinitely without contributing to waste and while also saving money! It is a true victory here, and you will soon realize that there are so many reasons why.
Reusable Coffee Pod: A Better Alternative
While this post was to answer a common question about reusing coffee pods, I feel it would be helpful to bring up a prominent alternative that is more suitable for most people. Online and at most grocery stores, you are able to purchase reusable coffee pods. They are usually made of plastic or metal, with a wire mesh.
If you are looking to reuse coffee pods, without a doubt the pods that are created to be reused are the best. They will cost much less than the time and energy put into reusing the disposable cups and will last longer. After all, this is what they were designed to do, so it should not be a surprise to you, consequently.
Still, if you are in a bind or are wanting to use what you already have at home (plenty of K Cups or other coffee pods), then there is no reason why following this method described above would not work. With that said, it would be wrong for me not to mention the ease of use and the longevity that a product designed with this specific purpose can bring for you. Not every DIY project is worth it, and I would argue that this one might fall into that category.