How Keurig is Changing the Way We Enjoy Coffee

The world has known a lot of different coffee-making contraptions. A mocha pot, espresso machine, French press, traditional coffee maker, Turkish coffee pot, and coffee siphon are some of the most popular. But in recent years, people have refocused their attention on coffee to the Keurig single cup coffee machine. Unlike anything the world's seen before, Keurig is changing the way we enjoy coffee.

What is a Keurig Machine?

A Keurig machine is a type of coffee maker that allows for individuals to make their own, personalized, single-serving cup of coffee. Individuals can choose from a variety of "k-cups"—miniature sized packages of coffee, tea, or cider—that offer either flavored or plain options. These flavor options and the fact that everyone in a home or office can make their own preferred type of hot beverage at the touch of a button makes the Keurig machine unique.

 Preparing one of the beverages is easy: the k-cup is simply inserted into the machine, water is added, and a single cup of that particular choice is brewed. Keurig offers over 200 varieties of k-cups and has even expanded its business to include a cappuccino machine as well.

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Are Keurig Machines Cost Effective?

Keurig machines' cost-effectiveness depends on a person's current coffee needs and expenditures. If you're currently drinking one to two cups of coffee (or other hot beverage) that are purchased from a coffee shop, then switching over to a Keurig machine will definitely save you money. However, if you currently use a traditional coffee pot once a day, then a Keurig machine may be more costly. While the machine itself isn't very expensive, the cost of purchasing individual k-cups can add up.

What About the Environment?

One concern with the Keurig machine is that it's not the most environmentally friendly coffee maker ever made. While the brewing process doesn't use more energy than a regular coffee machine, the k-cups are made of three materials: plastic, paper filter, and aluminum. This combination of materials makes the k-cup hard to recycle. 

The Keurig Company has acknowledged this negative environmental impact and has pledged to work towards a product that's more environmentally sustainable. Some green companies have created reusable k-cups that make single-serving cups just like the traditional Keurig cups, but they have to be cleaned just like regular coffee filters, and the flavor options aren't endless like they are with k-cups.

One environmental benefit of the Keurig machine: It may save water. Making a whole pot of coffee often results in a lot of that coffee being tossed out; a Keurig machine, on the other hand, creates single-cup servings that don't allow for much water-waste.

Similar Companies

Keurig isn't the only company to make single-cup servings, although they are the most popular. Tassimo, Flavia, Nespresso, Hamilton Beach, Sense, BUNN, and Gevalia all manufacture one-cup brewing systems. Nespresso focuses on espresso, hence the name; Hamilton Beach, Sense, BUNN, a Gevalia all make regular coffee; Tassimo can make coffee and teas in different flavors, including milk-based drinks; and Flavia can make a whole bunch of dessert-flavored drinks, including one beverage that's based on the flavor of a Milky Way candy bar.

This article was written by Martin Sanders, a coffee expert who hopes to help you be more informed about this great drink through the information that he shares. He writes this on behalf of My Cap, your number one choice when looking for Fillable Packs for Keurig K-Cup Brewers. Check out My Cap’s website today and see how they can help you enjoy great coffee without breaking the bank!