Best Reusable K Cups: Refillable pods for Keurig 1.0 and 2.0

By Shabbir
Last update:

Keurig coffee makers are a great way to brew a quick, easy cup of coffee in the morning. Even if it’s not a perfect, handcrafted cup that we’re normally used to, if you’re in a hurry, the Keurig will deliver hot coffee in a minute.

The secret to almost handcrafting Keurig coffee is switching to reusable K-Cups so you can use your own coffee grounds.

So let’s have a look at the best reusable K-Cups there are!

It’s also worth noting that K-cups are incredibly expensive, and reusable K-cups will save you a ton of money in the long term.

Compare the Best Reusable K Cups

IMAGE PRODUCT DETAILS
cfimvtbl-table__imageOur Top PickOur Top PickKeurig 2.0 Reusable My K-Cup
  • Official Keurig product
  • Works with 1.0 and 2.0
VIEW ON AMAZON →
cfimvtbl-table__imageKeurig My K-Cup Universal Coffee Filter
  • Official Keurig product
  • Works with 1.0 and 2.0
  • Updated version
VIEW ON AMAZON →
cfimvtbl-table__imageDeliBru Keurig Filters
  • Paper filters
  • Clearer than Stainless Steel
  • Disposable
VIEW ON AMAZON →
cfimvtbl-table__imageDi Oro Gold Plated K-Cup
  • Gold plated
  • Good tasting coffee
  • Long lasting
CHECK BEST PRICE →
cfimvtbl-table__imageCafe Flow Stainless Steel Reusable K-Cup
  • Nearly universally compatible
  • High quality
  • Easy to clean
VIEW ON AMAZON →

Best Reusable K cups – our favorites

Keurig 2.0 Reusable My K-Cup: best Keurig 2.0 reusable filter

This is the updated version of the first k-cup in our list, and this one is meant to work with Keurig 2.0 brewers. Interestingly Keurig designed a little attachment that fits on the base of these K-cups which you can remove or attach to make it compatible with your brewer.

With the attachment, it will work in classic series brewers.

Without it, it will work in plus series brewers.

If you choose to buy this K-cup, make sure the seller you’re getting from is either “Amazon.com” or “Keurig Direct”, otherwise you’re at risk for picking up a defective/knockoff product.

Keurig My K-Cup Universal Coffee Filter

The last original Keurig offering from our list is the My K-Cup universal coffee filter which works on all home brewers, whether they’re Keurig 1.0 or Keurig 2.0.

Like the 2.0 reusable My K-Cup, the universal filter also has a plus size attachment to use with those machines.

Inside the filter, you’ll find two fill lines: one for a regular cup of coffee and one for a travel mug size(slightly larger) since you can take more coffee with you on the road.

The construction is sturdy and you should be able to use this filter for a long time. It is BPA free and easy to clean: just pop it in the top rack of your dishwasher and you’re good to go.

iPartsPlusMore Reusable Keurig Filters: Best Stainless Steel Reusable K-cup

Most reusable K-cups are made from plastic, as it’s easier to handle once nearly-boiling water has passed through it, but the mesh material varies.

This K-cup filter, much like others, has a stainless steel fine mesh filter.

Additionally, the iPartsPlusMore filters are universally compatible with all Keurig home brewers(see below for a list). It’s dishwasher safe for easy cleaning and there’s no BPA so you don’t need to worry about any harmful chemicals.

DeliBru Keurig Filters: Best Reusable K-Cup with Paper Filter

Some of us are old school and prefer using good ol’ paper filters for coffee instead of the fancy stainless steel mesh. There are schools of thought in the coffee brewing world that feel that paper filtered coffee tastes the best. The Aeropress, for example, utilizes a paper filter.

So if you want to use your Keurig and you don’t want to give up paper filters, the DeliBru paper filter liners are great because they’ll fit in any reusable K-cup you have. You’re not necessarily locked into one ecosystem any more than you have to be(you are using a Keurig after all, so that’s one place you’re locked in).

There are a few advantages to using paper filters:

  • Paper traps any sediments that may slip through stainless steel, so your coffee will be clearer
  • Paper forces the water to flow more slowly, allowing for a stronger brew
  • Paper makes clean-up easy – just toss the filter and you’re good to go

However, your garbage footprint will slowly increase. This problem is mitigated by the fact that paper and coffee grounds are both bio-degradable so it’s not as big of as an issue as using plastic disposable K-cups.

Di Oro Gold Plated K-Cup: Best Reusable K-Cup for stronger coffee

Some of us like our coffee really strong, and want the gold standard of coffee. And why not? Coffee drinking is a rewarding, pleasing experience and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be the best.

Which is where the Di Oro gold plated filters come in. Now you may be thinking: damn son, gold!

That’s going to be expensive! But you’d be surprised – the Di Oro gold plated K-Cups are not that much more expensive than regular reusable K-cups.

All jokes aside, the real advantage of using gold is that it is one of the most unreactive metals known to us and you don’t want anything messing with your coffee!

That’s why we decided to keep the Di Oro K-Cup as our favorite reusable K-cup for stronger coffee – it will help you bring out proper, true coffee flavors time and time again. It’s also dishwasher safe.

I’d like to point out here that you’ll still need to use the right coffee for a strong brew. If you’re looking for a huge caffeine hit, check out some of these high caffeine coffees. If you want the boldest, richest flavors, consider using any of your favorite dark roasts.

Fill N Save Reusable K-Cups: Pack of 6

These are some of the best value reusable K-cups you can find as you’re getting 6 for quite cheap compared to the other ones we’ve listed here.

These work with Keurig 1.0, Keurig 2.0, Keurig K-Cup elite and single cup systems. One very neat design element in the Fill N Save cups is the silicone “O” ring inside the cap, which helps maintain the integrity of the seal and prevents any unwanted leaks.

While I don’t see any practical need for 6 cups if you’re living alone, if your entire family likes Keurig and you’d prefer not having to wash the cup every time one by one, you can just use 6 cups one after another and throw them all in the dishwasher when you’re all done.

Youngever Reusable K-Cups: Pack of 8

The Youngever Reusable K-Cups are a really funky set of K-cups that come in rainbow colors. Not that colors really make a difference in the taste of your coffee, but some people like to decorate with interesting objects. If you’re one of those people, these K-cups are for you.

As far as brewing and construction go, the Youngever cups are decent. They’re competitively priced, BPA free, and dishwasher safe – what you’d expect from K-cups.

Oh, and one more reason: if you’ve got a big family, everyone likes Keurig coffee, and everyone is very particular about their favorite colors, go for the Youngever K-cups 🙂

Cafe Flow Stainless Steel Reusable K-Cup by Perfect Pod

Many people prefer using stainless steel filters over paper filters as there is even less trash generated. Plus, cleanup is much easier, and these filters can last a very long time.

The Cafe Flow pod is very self-contained and you don’t need any additional accessories to get it to work. Just fill it up 3/4ths of the way(about two tablespoons of coffee) and pop it into your brewer.

These pods are nearly universally compatible with any brewers that use K-Cups. The manufacturer does note that it does not work with the Keurig K-Supreme.

Kenley Reusable K Cups Pack of 4

These Kenley K Cups are a cool idea for a gift for your Keurig-loving friend or family member, but you can certainly get it for yourself too.

Kenley pods are very aesthetically pleasing(if that’s important to you), and they come with a scoop/tamper that you can use to fill the pods with coffee grounds.

It’s good to have a few spare K-cups around, so picking up a pack of 4 is better than getting just a single pod.

These K Cups are only compatible with Keurig 1.0 systems and the newer Keurig systems.

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Froz Refillable K Cups for Keurig 1.0 and 2.0

Made from BPA-free plastic and stainless steel, the Froz refillable Keurig pods are compatible with both Keurig 1.0 and 2.0, which makes these pods the most universally compatible reusable pods on the market.

These pods are also some of the best value for money, as you’re getting 4 pods for a very low price.

The manufacturer suggests that you can use hot chocolate and tea with these pods too. I would try brewing tea as the leaves are big enough to not go through the filter, but you’d have a tough time with hot chocolate, as the powder will definitely get into your drink.

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Why you need reusable K-Cups

When it comes to single serve coffee makers, there is no doubt that Keurig is the king of the domain. Their machines are incredibly simple to use, and they can pump out cup after cup of steaming hot coffee, the perfect pick me up for when you need a jolt of coffee and you need it fast.

However, take into consideration the following:

Normal Keurig K-Cups are made out of plastic

Up until recently, this was non-recyclable plastic. Now, Keurig – or rather Green Mountain Coffee, the parent company – has started a recycling program where they take back K-Cups.

Even so, this is not always very practical.

Everyone should be, but that’s a topic for another website – for us, though, it’s not always that easy to remember to recycle something in it’s own special way. We’ll separate the trash, but having a third bin for K-Cups and remembering to send those to Keurig is a big hassle.

Considering that Keurig sells over 10,000,000,000 (ten billion) K-Cups every year, that’s an unimaginable amount of plastic going into landfills every year. Ten billion K-Cups could go around the entire world multiple times.

Plus, the cost of K-Cups can really add up, as they’re significantly more expensive in the long run than regular coffee.

Reusable K-Cups let you take control of your brew

Keurig has a wide variety of flavors and brews to choose from but those are usually made from lower quality beans and you don’t want to go anywhere near that under normal circumstances.

Also, real coffee is made from freshly roasted beans, so you don’t want to pick up something that has been lying on a shelf for so many days.

With freshly roasted and freshly ground at home coffee, you’ll be able to experience the nuanced flavors you read about but never taste: woody, nutty, chocolaty, fruity, and so many more.

While the variety and flavors may be plenty, there’s no options for modifying the brewing process. That’s pretty much fixed across all keurig models, and you’d be hard pressed to get the customization possibilities you have with other brewing methods.

That is, unless you use a reusable K-cup. With reusable K-cups, you can use proper, freshly ground coffee instead of whatever factory-processed stuff the manufacturer of the K-cup decides to use.

So what should you do instead?

You can grind your own beans and use the coarseness or fineness of the grounds to adjust the taste and flavor of your brew.

Experiment with different settings to see which level of coarseness or fineness produces the flavors that you want.

How much coffee do you put in a reusable K-cup?

Most reusable K-Cups will have fill lines inside the filter basket that are good references for how much coffee you need to fill. The lower line is generally for brewing a smaller cup of 6 ounces, and the top line is for brewing cups larger than 10 ounces.

In grams, this works out to around 9-10 grams per 6 ounce up and about 14-15 grams per 10+ ounce cup.

These measurements are sweet spots for brewing good coffee and you can use them even if your reusable K-Cup does not have a fill line in it.

I would strongly recommend picking up a coffee scale for measuring out your coffee exactly.

Even if you don’t want to pick up a scale, one tablespoon measure of coffee is around 7-9 grams, so you can use that as a reference as well.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that reusable K-cups are the way to go if you have a Keurig machine. You’re not limited to just coffee, either. If you like the occasional cup of tea, there’s no reason you can’t throw in some tea leaves and make tea with these mesh cups, either.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are reusable K-cups worth it?

Absolutely. Not only do reusable k-cups generate less trash, they’ll help you save money in the long run and you can brew better, fresher coffee.

Is it cheaper to use reusable K-cups?

For sure. One K-cup is $0.50 on average, so that’s $0.50 per cup of coffee. A 12 ounce bag of high quality, fresh coffee is about $15. You can brew about 50 cups of Keurig coffee from a 12 ounce bag. Going reusable, you can brew 50 cups for $15, compared to pre-packaged K-cups, which would be $25 for 50 cups.

How many times can you use a reusable K-cup?

If you take care of it properly, you can use a reusable K-cup hundreds of times.

Last update on 2024-04-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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About Shabbir

Shab is the Chief Caffeine Officer at Coffee Brewster. When he's not weighing out coffee beans for his next brew, you can find him writing about his passion: coffee.