single serve k cup coffee maker

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by HarleyD

Also the K-cups can be recycled. For the process and an opener if you desire try.

https://recycleacup.com.

Not really. Yes, you can tear them apart and after separating the coffee grounds and filter for composting, you're left with a foil top and a plastic cup... which almost no municipal recycling systems can handle. You can put it in your blue bag or bin, but in most (perhaps all) municipalities they will just be contaminants that ruin the rest of the materials and make work for the waste handling system.

The recycle-a-cup web page says to check with your local municipality for their policies and procedures... so do that. Here, they certainly won't take either the "foil" lid (which isn't just aluminum) or the plastic cup.

It's better to do this separation and compost the filter and coffee but garbage the rest than to put the whole thing in the garbage for landfill... but that's not recycling.

[John in Santa Cruz]

you can actually buy refillable k-cups that you put your own ground coffee in, then clean and reuse. HAHAHAAAHAHAHAH, OMG, that cracks me up that people would do this. I'd as soon use a Melita #4 or #6 filter for a whole pot, and be done with it.

btw, someone was saying that can't handle 'acid' coffee. the coffees I prefer are low acid, headed up by Kenya AA, and Moka Java. most all the tropical island coffee beans are low acid, Sumatran, Java, Tanzania, Kona/Kauai, etc.

the word 'blend' should NOT appear, because that suggests they are a blend of maybe 5 or 10% of what they say, and 90 or 95% generic crummy columbian/etc industrial coffee, which IS high acid.

high acid coffees need to be brewed weaker, while the low acid varieties can be brewed quite strong. but thats all according to what you like. I grew up on local microroaster coffees, ground before each pot, when I was a kid in the 1960s that was my parents thing, and I was really shocked when I got out into the world and tasted the nasty swill that was considered acceptible coffee by most Americans.

I prefer light to medium roast as the dark roasts tend to be oilier and stronger in the bitter aftertones, and also don't keep as long without starting to go rancid. Now, a good oily italian roast is excellent in a properly pressed Espresso, but thats a whole other thing I only occasionally dabble in.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

But caffein does not have anything to do with acidity. Caffein is more likely affecting your nervous system. Caffein is actually considered a drug, and it is also the most abused substance in the world.

I'm just describing how the caffeine makes my stomach feel. Maybe instead of "too acidic" I should have said it feels like a gut bomb.
I did read on the internet (and therefore it must be true!!) that caffeine causes the stomach to produce more digestive acids, but I'm no doctor so I can't say.

[Meandering Minstrel]

I have to be honest here. I'd leave my Keurig at home and buy an Aero Press coffee maker. You heat up some water to 180° on your stove and make really good coffee, far better than a Keurig, in a couple of minutes. And cleanup is a cinch which is always nice when camping. The Aero Press is available at Amazon, Bed-Bath&Beyond, etc. Totally worth $30.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'm just describing how the caffeine makes my stomach feel. Maybe instead of "too acidic" I should have said it feels like a gut bomb.
I did read on the internet (and therefore it must be true!!) that caffeine causes the stomach to produce more digestive acids, but I'm no doctor so I can't say.

Yes, Mike, but did you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?

Let me start by saying I wasn’t questioning how coffee or it’s caffein make you feel. (I always laugh about some in the medical profession. When any medical professional suggests something I consider a bit ridiculous, I typically ask them “How do I feel today?” Invariably, the answer is something like “I don’t know,” to which I answer “Exactly. So please listen to what I am saying before jumping to a conclusion.” You alone best know how your body responds or feels. I had one doctor insist I had bone spur(s) in my shoulder when I knew I had injured my rotator cuff. Guess who was correct!

It is true that caffein, or actually coffee, can result in your stomach releasing more hydrochloric acid (that is the acid that is produced). But introduction of almost anything into the stomach will stimulate release of acid. Digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth due to an enzyme in saliva. That is why chocolate melts in your mouth and a chunk of steak doesn’t. Some people are more sensitive to stomach acid than others; I would suspect that is what is affecting you, especially if you drink coffee on an empty stomach. Obviously, coffee is not a good beverage to consume if it causes any discomfort, and coffee beans from some locations contain more acids than beans from other locations.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Meandering Minstrel

I have to be honest here. I'd leave my Keurig at home and buy an Aero Press coffee maker. You heat up some water to 180° on your stove and make really good coffee, far better than a Keurig, in a couple of minutes. And cleanup is a cinch which is always nice when camping. The Aero Press is available at Amazon, Bed-Bath&Beyond, etc. Totally worth $30.

Had one, gave it away. Found it was messy and too much work to make coffee that I PERSONALLY didn’t find tasted better than any other method. And actually, water needs to be in the 195°-205° range for the best extraction of flavor in any brewing method. 180° is too cold. But many folks love the Aeropress. I am happy that you have found it meets or even surpasses your needs. Enjoy/savor your cup(s) of Joe!

[Jim Bennett]

Why I like the AeroPress, by Jim.

-needs no electricity
-so many ways to vary the process to achieve a better cup
-easy cleaning, maybe 30 seconds tops
-great size for storing
-ability to use fresh ground beans (the number one reason for any method as I mentioned above
-so simple, never really anything to go wrong with it
-inexpensive, though my manual grinder sure isn't

What I don't like;
-I seem to be the most deferred to coffee maker when out camping, often for 4-8 friends and family.
-2 cups at a time max. This is great for two of us, and even when more everyone else is glad to help running the grinder or rinsing the press.

I have never had a Keurig coffee that I really liked. The darn stuff is ground many days/weeks/months ahead. I know there is a pod that you can put your grinds into, but I have never seen anyone use it. I have had customers that have many cases of the stuff, HUGE volume.

As coffee is my second most drank substance, with water by far the first, I am going to make sure it is something really good. I am drinking a Ethiopia Yirgacheffe brewed in the AreoPress as I type. Mmmmm......

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Why I like the AeroPress, by Jim.

-needs no electricity
-so many ways to vary the process to achieve a better cup
-easy cleaning, maybe 30 seconds tops
-great size for storing
-ability to use fresh ground beans (the number one reason for any method as I mentioned above
-so simple, never really anything to go wrong with it

Given your reasons, what makes it better than a disposable filter in a filter holder (Melita)?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Given your reasons, what makes it better than a disposable filter in a filter holder (Melita)?

If Jim uses a stainless steel permanent filter (as he does or did, if I recall correctly) the comparison would be to a permanent pour-over filter. In that case, the AeroPress is quicker to clean. (And if using paper filters, the pour-over is quicker and easier to clean).

With paper filters I agree that the list doesn't show a lot of benefits over pour-over, but it does include the variation in brewing conditions (#2). I use an AeroPress, and I prefer the resulting coffee (which is why I bought one, back when they were not generally available in stores). After all, setting aside the characteristics of the coffee produced, the clear winner for convenience and for minimizing both storage of supplies and waste produced in the trailer is instant coffee... even over the Keurig system.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

you can actually buy refillable k-cups that you put your own ground coffee in, then clean and reuse.

Yes, this essentially converts the Keurig into an overly expensive, heavy, and bulky single-cup drip coffee maker with a permanent filter. The only rational reason that I see to use a Keurig this way is to keep the kitchen down to just one coffee maker, instead of having a Keurig for someone who like that and a separate coffee maker for someone who wants to use loose ground coffee.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

After all, setting aside the characteristics of the coffee produced, the clear winner for convenience and for minimizing both storage of supplies and waste produced in the trailer is instant coffee... even over the Keurig system.

Yuck! Even with my failing sense of smell and taste I would classify instant as just above disgusting. I just can’t set aside the characteristics of whatever the fluid is produced with instant. Convenient or not and minimal storage, I would give up coffee altogether first.

[Greg A]

McD's is running any size coffee for $.99 in the app.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Everyone, enjoy a cup in the morning whatever way you want to make it. Coffee appears to appeal in a wide variety of types and methods. Good way to start the day, especially camping.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Given your reasons, what makes it better than a disposable filter in a filter holder (Melita)?

While you can make a good cup of coffee with a pour over for sure, the AeroPress gives you a few more options that are flexible light varying grind and extraction time based on roast level and origin.

The best cup of coffee is the one you have available to you when you want one.

[Mike G]

You haven't tasted really unique coffee until you've made it from ground coffee stored in the fridge for 6+ months. A mellow yet complex brew with notes of chocolate, gravy and asparagus...
Just kidding!


My wife prefers Maxwell House instant. Not sure how, IMO, it can even be called "coffee." To me it tastes like hot water contaminated with something burnt.

[Greg A]

“Maxwell House” oh my. That’s what my parents drank in the 60’s.
Haven’t heard that name since they used to run the “Good to the last drop” commercials all the time.
Remind me not to have any of your fridge coffee at a gathering.

[cpaharley2008]

Perhaps a coffee tasting set up may be in the future..........

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by kiekhaefer

Here's the best I found and have been using for a year. It's a Keurig brewing machine designed for hotel rooms so they don't have to worry about overloading their circuits. It draws only 700 watts but the downside is that it takes a few minutes to brew a single cup, which when we're out boondocking is not an issue .
https://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-...%2C1497&sr=8-3

I have had one of those in the trailer for years-might have added an inverter if I realized I could run it. But someone else mentioned the Jackery Explorer solar generator/battery, and I ended up buying one for home power outages (hate the propane/gas generator, and just want to keep freezer cold and maybe turn the TV on) so putting two and two together- I charged it up and brought it. Two cups of coffee took 7% of its charge. No problem. Hardly slower than shore power. And I can do the same at home in a power outage. I am a happy camper today!

But totally off this topic-how do you external solar panel users secure the panels from theft? (Not using panels now as it is a short trip, no need to recharge.)

[gbaglo]

How do you charge the Jackery?

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

How do you charge the Jackery?

A. Plug in to house current or
B. Solar panels. (So on a long trip with no hookups or a long power outage I could recharge it if I had sun)

It's very light compared to a generator so easy to take along on a trip or move around in the house. Not the best choice for everyone but perfect for me.

[gbaglo]

I have a battery in the trailer and two solar panels. How is Jackery better?