Being frugal (all right, cheap) by nature, I held off on buying a single-serve coffeemaker until I could find one I liked that offered a reusable filter. When Keurig came out with the B-40 Elite, a handsome, reasonably priced unit, and announced that it would be releasing its "My K-Cup" reusable filter for separate sale early in 2006, I was primed. As soon as I saw this product on Keurig's website, I was ready to buy my new coffeemaker from Amazon.com and the filter from Keurig's web site. My only wish was that Amazon.com would stock the reusable filter so buyers could purchase the coffeemaker and filter in one fell swoop, and here my wish is about to come to pass!
I have had my Keurig B-40 Elite for about a month now, and I've had great success with it. Bear in mind that if you're using the reusable filter, you must first remove the black plastic K-Cup holder from the unit's filter assembly (instructions on how to do this are included with "My K-Cup"; the black piece in the coffeemaker's filter basket doesn't act like it's supposed to come out, but it is, and it does).
Also, I've read elsewhere that some people don't like having to remove the reusable filter and clean it out after every use. However, I've found it to be a relatively simple affair: the reusable filter doesn't drip when you remove it, and takes about 30 seconds to rinse out after each use. You can use it again right away to brew successive cups.
One caveat is that the output splashes a bit when using the My K-Cup filter, so I always have a damp paper towel at the ready when I brew a cup. That having been said, I'm really happy to be using my own coffee and saving lots of money in the process. Those who are, like me, loathe to shell out 55 cents a cup for K-Cups will probably really like the new My K-Cup.
After reading many reviews about the problems with the My K-Cup and experimenting on my own, I have found an easy solution to the problem of weak coffee using this filter. As others have noted, the water goes through the My K-Cup way too fast as compared to the K-Cups. My solution was to take apart a K-Cup and use the outer plastic shell with the My K-Cup filter. Here's all you need to do:
Take a used K-Cup and cut the top foil off of a K-Cup. Cut the paper filter out of the K-Cup. It's okay not to cut it all the way off of the rim of the K-Cup because you will need to cut the top of the K-Cup (where it gets wider at the top). You need to cut the top of the K-Cup off because you need to fit the K-Cup shell into the My K-Cup holder. Once you slide the bottom shell of the K-Cup into the holder, you can add your coffee into the My K-Cup (tapping or gently pressing the coffee so that it is not loose inside the filter). Then place the My K-Cup filter into the holder and cover as normal. When brewing, the K-Cup shell surrounds the My K-Cup filter and slows down the water by making it pass through the punctured hole that the prepackaged K-Cup normally uses.
The great thing about this is that you can re-use the K-Cup shell that you cut apart over and over so once you have cut one apart you don't have to worry about it again- use the My K-Cup as you normally would.
I'm hoping Keurig will have figured this out in the near future and add a premade piece that is included the My K-Cup, but until then, I have found that this solves the problem of weak coffee.
Let me start out by saying that I love my Keurig brewer. It brews a great cup of coffee (GMCR Dark Magic is my fav) and the convenience can't be beat. However, I've always felt a little guilty every time I throw out a used K-Cup. It seems like they're not only completely UNrecycleable, but totally UNbiodegradeable as well.
Enter the My K-Cup reuseable filter. Yes, it takes a little practice to fill up the mesh filter with grounds without making a total mess, and sure it takes a few seconds of rinsing when finished. But the result is a great cup of coffee and no guilt trip about filling the landfill with punched out K-Cups. And if you're feeling reckless, it's an easy switch back to those good ol' prefab cups.
I'd recommend this to anyone with a compatible brewer. It's not that much more of a hassle to use, the results are excellent, and there's no waste. Oh yeah, it's also a whole lot cheaper to fill these with your favorite pre-ground GMCR blend (Dark Magic baby!) than to buy the equivalent number of cups.
The only negative that I've seen is a tendency for more "sludge" to get through to the bottom of your cup. Watch that last sip, it's a doosy!
I have gone through a few of these as have many other reviewers...but I think I see why these break so often: You must run your finger over the top of the basket to remove extra coffee grains so that the lid goes on easily. If you don't you can still get the top on, but it puts pressure on the plastic lips that hold it together. So a bit of care in keeping the basket top clean (a quick finger swipe is all you need) will save you from having to buy these often. - Single Cup - Coffee - Filter - My K-cup - Reusable Filter - Keurig'
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