Homemade K Cup Filter

K cups are a type of filter -- sold loaded with coffee, tea and other beverage mixes -- made for Keurig beverage makers. However, the K cups tend to be expensive and can create a lot of waste that ends up in a landfill. You can create your own homemade K cup filters by reusing the K cup once you have brewed a cup of coffee. It creates less waste while brewing another flavorful cup of coffee, tea or cocoa.

K cups:

K cups are a small plastic container with a coffee filter and ground coffee inside. The cup is sealed with an airtight foil. The foil and the bottom of the cup are pierced when the cup is loaded into the K cup brewer chamber. Pressurized water that is regulated at an optimal temperature for coffee brewing flows through the K cup. A stream of brewed coffee lands in a coffee cup below.

Homemade Filter:

The K cup is meant to be disposable. However, the plastic cup and the filter it contains are durable enough to be reused several times. Cut the foil top from the K cup and remove it. Dump out the used coffee grounds. Rinse out the cup and filter. Fill the cup about three-quarters of the way with fresh ground coffee. Seal the cup with two plastic adhesive seal squares. The seal squares replace the foil top and ensure that the coffee grounds do not leak into the brewed coffee. Place the newly sealed K cup into the brewer, and wait for the single cup of coffee to brew.

Advantages:

The homemade K cup filters are convenient and easy to prepare. Once you have refilled the K cup, you can store it anywhere -- at home or at work. Just pull the K cup out and place it in the K cup brewer. These homemade filters are relatively inexpensive and work well when they are sealed correctly. You can also use your own favorite brand and flavor of coffee, tea or cocoa.

Disadvantages:

You must be diligent about rinsing out the used K cup and filter. The original airtight foil seal keeps out bacteria and prevents mold from growing on the filter. The filter must be dry before refilling the K cup with coffee grounds, especially if you do not intend to use the K cup immediately after filling it. Mold and bacteria can grow inside an incorrectly sealed reused K cup. The coffee grounds can leak into the coffee if the seal has even a tiny opening anywhere around the outside of the K cup. Coffee grounds can also leak into the coffee if the K cup is filled to the brim with coffee grounds.

How to Put a K Cup Filter in Your Keurig:

Keurig is a home coffee brewer that enables you to indulge in gourmet coffee, one cup at a time. Coffee companies produce individual portion packs, called K Cups, for the Keurig. The cost of these K Cups, however, runs relatively high for home brew--ranging from 42 cents to 65 cents for one cup of coffee. As an alternative, Keurig provides a reusable coffee filter called My K Cup. With this filter, you can brew any ground coffee in the Keurig. Switching out the K Cup holder for the K Cup reusable filter is a simple process.

1. Open your new My K Cup reusable filter assembly by turning the lid counterclockwise. Remove the filter basket.

2. Wash the filter's cover, holder and basket with warm soapy water. Dry all the parts with a clean towel.

3. Remove the K Cup holder assembly from the brewer. Lift the handle of the brewer and grasp the holder. Gently lift up while pushing from below with your index finger; the holder assembly will come out easily. Avoid hitting the needle at the top of the cover.

4. Insert the cleaned filter basket into the filter holder and screw on the lid by turning it clockwise.

5. Place the assembled filter holder into the K Cup assembly housing from which you removed the K Cup Holder.

Tips & Warnings:

- To make coffee using the filter option, fill the filter basket with your own coffee. Use 2 tbsp. of coffee for every 6 ounces of water. The filter basket holds up to 2.7 tbsp. of coffee, which will give you a stronger brew. Do not fill the basket past the top of the mesh. Clean any coffee grinds that collect on the rim. Insert the coffee-filled filter into the Keurig and fill the reservoir with water. Lower the handle and press the desired brew size, if you have a Keurig with different brew sizes.

- The reusable coffee filter is for ground coffee, not whole bean coffee.

- If grinding your own beans, start with a coarse grind and experiment.

- You can clean the filter basket and holder in the dishwasher.

- To replace the brewer's original K Cup holder. Lift the handle of the brewer and place the original K Cup holder into the assembly housing. Align the tabs and gently press the holder until it snaps into place.

- Do not use pre-packed K Cups in the reusable coffee filter.

- When removing the filter from the holder, allow enough time for the parts to cool to avoid burning yourself.

How to Use the Keurig Reusable Coffee Filter:

For the frugal or environmentally-conscious coffee drinker, using a new plastic K Cup every time you want to brew a cup of coffee in your Keurig machine may not be practical. Luckily, Keurig offers a product called My K Cup, which is a washable and reusable coffee filter that is compatible with most Keurig machines. It consists of a small filter basket, filter holder and lid that can be filled with any coffee you choose, saving money on ground coffee and creating far less waste than a traditional K Cup.

1. Remove the brewing cup holder that is normally in the Keurig machine. Lift the handle to open the machine and grasp the top of the holder. Gently push the holder from the bottom with one finger while pulling from the top to make the holder pop out.

2. Place the My K Cup filter basket into the plastic holder. Carefully add coffee grounds to the filter. The amount of grounds added should depend on your personal preference, but many ground coffees recommend using one tbsp. of grounds for every six ounces of water.

3. Screw on the lid of the My K Cup and place the entire assembly into the Keurig machine in the place where you popped out the previous holder. Close the top of the machine.

4. Place an empty coffee mug into the designated spot at the front of the machine, then select the cup size for your coffee just as you would if you were using a traditional K Cup.

5. Allow the My K Cup to cool off for about five minutes after brewing, then open the top of the Keurig machine and remove it. Unscrew the lid and remove the filter basket. Dump the used coffee grounds, then wash out the filter basket, filter holder and cover. If you plan to brew another cup of coffee right away, repeat the process, otherwise place the traditional cup holder back into the Keurig.

Tips & Warnings:

- Wash all three pieces of the My K Cup filter before using them for the first time.

- If you have any problems with water leaking from the My K Cup during brewing, try placing a small sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the filter basket before screwing on the lid.

Instructions for Keurig Reusable Filters:

Keurig coffeemakers brew one cup of coffee at a time to ensure freshness. This brewing system has pre-measured K cups of coffee in many flavors. A Keurig reusable filter is an optional addition to your brewer so you can use your favorite loose coffee grounds to make a cup of coffee. You can switch from brewing K cups to the reusable filter in just minutes.

1. Turn the filter holder lid on the top of the reusable filter assembly counter-clockwise. Pull the lid straight up and off. Pull the filter basket straight out of the holder. Wash the holder, basket and lid in warm, soapy water before your first use.

2. Lift the handle of the brewer and grasp the K cup holder between a thumb and forefinger. Place the other hand underneath the K cup holder and push the holder up with an index finger. Pull the holder straight up and out of the brewer.

3. Place coffee grounds in the filter basket for one cup of coffee. There are lines in the basket for 1 and 2 tbsp.

4. Insert the filter basket into the filter holder and screw the lid on clockwise. Place the reusable filter assembly in the K cup assembly. Lower the handle and choose a brew size button. Place a coffee cup under the nozzle.

5. Replace the K cup holder to brew pre-measured coffee by lifting the handle, aligning the K cup holder tabs in the brewer and pressing it down into the housing.

Tips & Warnings:

- Do not overfill the filter basket past the mesh line or the grounds will deposit into your cup of coffee.

- Disassemble the filter assembly and wash the lid, basket and holder in warm soapy water to clean it.

How to Install Keurig Reusable Filters:

Keurig produces individual-cup brewing machines designed for office or home use. The appliances come with pre-filled beverage packets called "K Cups" that eliminate the need for ground coffee or coffee filters. The units typically contain a water reservoir that is filled by the user prior to every use. Keurig sells a water filter that can be inserted into the brewer to filter water prior to the brewing process. Inserting the water filter is fairly simple to do.

1. Lift up the handle on the unit to open the water reservoir tank.

2. Set the water filter into the bottom of the tank after making sure there is no water in the tank.

3. Push the filter down firmly to secure it to the bottom of the reservoir.

4. Fill the water tank with water.

5. Lower the handle to close the tank. Insert a "K Cup" into the K Cup holder and set a cup on the drip tray. The unit is now ready to brew.