Aren’t Keurig’s wonderful?
Pop in a K-cup, push the button and in less than a minute you have a perfect cup of coffee. Throw the K-cup in the garbage, no clean-up required.
What could be better?
Well, K-cups get expensive and some people prefer freshly ground coffee. Others don’t want to add yet more plastic to the landfills. Since reusable filters, similar to K-cups are available, some people wonder how to grind coffee for a Keurig. This article will not only talk about how to grind coffee for a Keurig, it will advise you about coffee, grinders, and reusable filters so that you can get the perfect cup of coffee.
What Type of Coffee Should I Use?
If you are going to grind your own coffee, you have to purchase whole coffee beans. Whole roasted coffee beans are available in a variety of retail establishments. If your primary reason for grinding your own coffee is to save money, you may be happy with the mass market brand beans you can buy at your local grocery store. If you are grinding your own beans to get the utmost in coffee flavor, try your local gourmet shop, coffee shop or Amazon.
What Are Some Good Grinders?
Before we talk about how to grind coffee for Keurig machines, we need to look at grinders.
[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”330″ identifier=”B00CL1TAHU” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/41u3U2AuqfL.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”203″]Solofill Single Serve Coffee Burr Grinder
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00CL1TAHU” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]The Solofill Single Serve Coffee Burr Grinder[/easyazon_link] is specifically made to grind coffee for single-serve machines. It is designed to automatically grind and drop a single serving of coffee beans into the reusable filter. Users who like it comment that it is mess-free, easy to use and that the grind can be adjusted to the individual’s taste. Those who are unhappy complain about the mess, state that they can’t adjust the grind to their tastes and sometimes complain that the motor burned out despite relatively little use. Nevertheless, it managed to garner 3.8 stars.[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”300″ identifier=”B00018RRRK” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/41LUNKmSL.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”171″]Cuisinart the Burr Mill
While The Solofill Single Serve Coffee Burr Grinder is designed to for single-serve machines, the [easyazon_link identifier=”B00018RRRK” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Cuisinart Burr Mill[/easyazon_link] is a more of a general purpose grinder. With it, you can grind coffee for anywhere from four cups to eighteen cups. The coffee beans go into a container at the top and are dispensed into a covered container at the bottom. When you remove the container from the grinder, there is a lid on it. Many coffee aficionados believe the burr-type grinder allows the coffee beans to release the most flavor.
We recommend that when you first get the machine and are learning how to grind coffee for a Keurig, or any other coffee maker, you start with a medium grind and experiment until you get the flavor you want. One complaint about this model is that the grind is not completely uniform.
Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”300″ identifier=”B0043095WW” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/41rA4B16alL.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”300″]
The [easyazon_link identifier=”B0043095WW” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder[/easyazon_link] is another popular choice. The top is shaped like a funnel and the ground coffee ends up in a borosilicate glass container. The Bodum has over fourteen settings from coarse to fine. It also has both a timed grinding feature and quick grind button that allows you to set the exact amount of time you need to grind the amount of coffee you need. It comes in a variety of colors to match your decor.
The downside to the Bodum is that it has plastic gears and they tend to wear quickly. Once they break, either from wear or from getting something like a spare bean in them, the machine is useless; replacement gears do not seem to be available and people complain about the lack of customer service, even when the grinder is under warranty.
How To Grind Coffee for Keurig Machines
So, you have the coffee, and you have the grinder, and the grinder has all sorts of settings. Which do you pick to grind coffee for a Keurig?
Most experts recommend starting with a medium grind, such that the ground coffee is about the texture and size of sand. Start with grinding enough for one cup of coffee and see what you think. If you are happy, note the setting you used, so you can do it again next time. However, if the coffee is too strong, try a coarser grind next time; or if it is too weak, try a finer grind. Just be careful not to go too fine or the coffee grounds can end up clogging your filter.
The reason many people want to learn how to grind coffee for Keurig machines is so they can not only pick the perfect coffee bean but also grind it to the perfect texture (whatever that is to them). Learning what that grind is will take experimentation.
Picking the Perfect Filter
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”152″ identifier=”B00JST8RD6″ locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/514hzww6rqL.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”250″][easyazon_link identifier=”B00JST8RD6″ locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Solo Coffee K-Cup Pods[/easyazon_link] are an inexpensive choice for reusable filters. They are compatible with most Keurig machines and are BPA free. Customers who like them appreciate the low price.Because packs contain between six and twelve filters, users can pre-fill a number of them if they have airtight storage available. Exposure to air lessens the flavor of the beans, so pre-fixing too many is not recommended.
The cups have stainless steel micromesh screens. They also have lids that are hinged for convenience (no lost lids) and snap tight for use. Like most things involved in making coffee, experimentation is in order. Some people complain about the mess these make, while others love that they don’t make a mess.
[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”350″ identifier=”B0051SU0OW” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/518HRI6HKYL.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”216″]While Solo Coffee K-Cup Pods are sold inexpensively in multi-packs, the [easyazon_link identifier=”B0051SU0OW” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Ekobrew Refillable K-cup[/easyazon_link] for Keurig Brewers is a more expensive product and you only get one in a pack. It appears more durable than the Solo and 59% of over 3,500 reviewers gave it five stars. It is one of the few non-Keurig products that will work the Keurig 2.0 machines. They come with a special tape to put on top of the filter to fool the Keurig into thinking it is a real 2.0 filter. However, they do not work with all Keurig’s so check the specs closely before you buy.Conclusion
Everyone wants the perfect cup of coffee; however, everyone has a different idea of what that means. By picking your own beans, purchasing a grinder, learning how to grind coffee for a Keurig and finding the perfect filter, you can make the perfect cup of coffee for you–whether or not that is the perfect cup of coffee for me.
