A consumer took to Reddit looking for advice on how to use a single-serve coffee maker more efficiently.
They shared their plight to the r/ZeroWaste subreddit.
"So it seems my partner has been going to people's houses and they've been showing them their single-serve coffee machines (keurig types?) and now he wants one," the original poster wrote. "Not any coffee machine (as of now he is not a regular coffee drinker), but he likes those single serve ones because of the flavors. Has anyone here found a sustainable alternative or has any advice or thoughts that would be pertinent here? Thanks."
Single-use coffee pods have been a hot-button environmental issue since their debut in the 2010s. While a 2023 article stated that single-use pods were better for the environment in terms of energy usage and pollution, it was not peer-reviewed and has yet to be confirmed.
In fact, a 2021 study found that when the creation of the pods was factored in, single-use pods had a much higher carbon footprint than traditionally brewed coffee. Plastic Keurig pods are notoriously difficult to recycle too. While Nestle's Nespresso pods are made of aluminum and therefore easier to recycle, only 36% to 37% are recycled annually, according to NPR.
Commenters in this case had a good solution to the problem: reusable pods.
"I only use my reusable k cups," one said. "Plus a bag of coffee lasts so much longer and is cheaper in the long run than a box of k cups."
"Reusable K-cups are a thing and very inexpensive," another said. "I've used them for over a decade."
Another user warned that the machines can get gross quickly if you're not careful.
"Came here to say this but to add, those machines get so dirty and disgusting," they said. " If you don't plan to regularly and thoroughly clean it, do NOT use one."
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