One in three homes has a coffee maker in the US, which means a lot of popular single-serve plastic coffee pods are piling up in landfills.
And all these plastic cups are causing serious environmental problems every year so people can get their caffeine kick.
John Sylvan, the man that created coffee pods didn’t realize how powerful the consumer interest would be, how popular single-serve coffee pods would become, and how much damage this coffee system would cause.
Which is why we need to turn to the best biodegradable k cups that don’t contain any plastic.
But first:
What are the problems with plastic cups? Can you recycle them? And what is better than recyclable k-cups ?
All will be relieved soon!
Contents
What To Look For When Buying Biodegradable K Cups
You’re finally ready to make the switch to top biodegradable coffee pods, but you don’t know where to start. So, what should you look out for to make great coffee without sacrificing our planet?
Here are the things I look out for before I purchase great coffee pods:
Price
For anyone that continually reads my posts, you’ll know that price is always on the top of my list. I love a good bargain and make savings every year. And if you love a bargain too then, price should be important to you too. Try to find a brand that offers the most k-cup pods for the least money.
Count
How many you get in the pack is equally as important as how much the pack costs. As I said, it’s the key to find out if you’ve grabbed yourself a bargain.
Freshness
If the coffee pods don’t seal airtight, it ruins the freshness of the coffee blend. Make sure you check the packaging to get the freshest blends for and a smoother, creamier taste.
Flavor
There are many varieties of coffee on the market, and everyone has their favorite flavor profile. Dark roast coffee medium roast, medium-dark roast, rich and smooth, rich strong… everyone has a different caffeine fix. When choosing a new brand, it’s important to choose something you’re familiar with.
Decaf
For some people, the effects of a strong caffeine fix is too much, but they still want their caffeine fix. Finding a good decaf ground coffee can be a challenge.
Organic
If you’re looking for eco friendly packaging, then surely a nice organic blend will be on your mind. Lower the amount of chemicals you expose yourself to and go certified organic.
Which Are The Best Biodegradable K Cups?
If you’re still struggling to make up your mind about which is the best biodegradable k-cups and trust me. I know it’s hard.
Then here are a few household name products for you to think about as a better option than single-use plastics but still make great coffee:
Camerons Coffee
The blend Cameron use is a real coffee filter and also certified compostable components but remember the Kona blend compostable cups are only for commercial composting facilities.
The pods are compatible with Keurig machines as the company continues to strive for product good coffee with convenience. Each pod delivers a high-quality cup of brewed coffee.
The blend is made rich and smooth but very flavorful, the Hawaiian blend has hints of chocolate undertones and nuts. The blend is smooth with a light roast, which isn’t bitter making the end product good.
Key Features
- Six boxes of 12
- 100% compostable biodegradable k-cups
- Hawaiian blend
- Light roast
Overall a nice K cup to get us started, the flavor is great and seemed to satisfy people’s needs. Although for the chocolate might make it to sweet for me. It is a shame that it doesn’t work on Keurig 1.0 although I guess that’s because it’s outdated now. But a great way to get your strong caffeine fix.
Pros
- Rich strong and flavorful
- Compostable
- Fair trade Sourced
Cons
- Not compatible with Keurig 1.0
Tayst Coffee Roaster
You also get the choice between a pack of 30, 50, 100 and 240, so you have no problem with your coffee needs.
The container is 100% compostable pods and doesn’t contain any plastic waste making it eco friendly, which is also certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Tayst Pods are compatible with the Keurig 2.0 only, so make sure you watch out for that.
The companies goal is to stop billions of non biodegradable K cups ending up in landfill sites.
Key Features
- 11 blends to choose from
- Rainforest Alliance certified
- Comes in packs of 30, 50, 100 or 240
- Has a decaf option
It comes with a great selection of flavors; choosing the variety pack might be the best option to start with as you can try different roasts from dark roast, medium roast, even medium-dark roast etc… You’ll get to find your favorite blend. It’s also nice to see that it’s Rainforest Alliance certified at least we know it’s sourced sustainably.
Pros
- Great flavor variation
- Decaf option
- Compostable K-cups
Cons
- Doesn’t work with Keurig K-cups
Organic Coffee Co.
Each of the K cup pods is fully compostable and compatible with both Keurig machines which is great news for coffee lovers around the world.
Meaning getting your coffee cup couldn’t be easier.
The compostable K-cups for coffee is made with paper lidding, mesh filter and other plant-based materials.
As for how the coffee is made… the rogers family is on a mission to find the finest Arabica beans blend Varieties.
They find the richest dark roast and medium roast and the most flavorful coffees from the Arabica beans sourced. You’re guaranteed to find the coffee beans for you. Whether that’s a breakfast blend, medium roast or a dark roast, they’ve got you covered.
Key Features
- 6 Flavors to choose from
- 36 in a pack
- Compatible with both Keurig machines
- Has decaf
I like this brand the coffee. It’s 100% organic, so you know what you are putting into your body. You also get a selection on how many you receive in the pack, perfect for the modest coffee drinker, or a seasoned pro. They also have a vast range of flavors to choose from.
Pros
- Great flavors
- Compatible with both Keurig machines
- Rich roasts
Cons
- Decaf was a little weak for some
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay gourmet coffee has 13 flavors for you to choose from, with breakfast blend being the most popular. Each box contains 80 of their best biodegradable K cups, which is more than enough.
The coffee pods are compatible with both brands of Keurig K-cups coffee machines and are top biodegradable k-cups.
The compostable k-cups are single serve but cannot be chucked on the compost pile, instead they must be disposed by commercially compostable means usually at a composting facility.
The single serve biodegradable coffee pods are great for a delicious and convenient good coffee.
Key Features
- 13 flavors
- 80 pods in a pack
- Full of rich flavors
- Compatible with both Keurig machines
They seem like a tasty brew, you have plenty of flavor the coffee to get stuck into, and there’s plenty in the pack. It’s a shame they seemed the blend is made a little weak for some people. But, I guess it all comes down to personal preference if you like K-cups with weaker coffee beans than San Francisco Bay might be perfect for you.
Pros
- Great flavor range
- Commercially compostable
- Great value
Cons
- Might be too weak
Faro Roasting Houses
Each of the onecup pods has a distinctive exotic taste.
The company Faro supports work done by the Rainforest Alliance and is certified accordingly.
Their coffee single serve pods are fully compostable pods but cannot be put in your home compost, it needs to be sent to commercial composting facilities.
The compostable pods are also compatible with a range of coffee makers.
Key Features
- 5 Flavors
- 60 compostable pods
- Works with a range of coffee makers
- Rich Blends
Another great selection of flavors to dig into, 60 pods should be more than enough to find out what flavor you prefer. It’s a shame you can’t home compost them, but at least you can take them to a commercial composting facility.
Pros
- Compostable pods
- Good blend of flavors
- Exotic taste
Cons
- Not home compostable
Are K Cups Environmentally Friendly?
The short answer is no, millions are chucked away every day, and I’m sure you can agree this is not doing our environmental problems any good.
Meaning the world faces one of the worst fights against single-use plastics.
It’s thought that there are over 75 million K cup pods used in homes every day, here’s something for shock value:
That’s roughly enough to wrap around the world 10 times.
How crazy is that?
The problem isn’t just with how many we consume. It’s that the pods can’t break down, and if they do, it leaves behind harmful chemicals.
You do have a few options if you want to be more environmentally friendly; reduce, recycle (spoiler alert) or go compostable.
Granted, the first options isn’t everyone’s favorite idea, but the other options are very viable.
Are K-Cups Recyclable?
Yes, some K-cup pods are recyclable, and at least recycling them is better for the environment. It significantly reduces the amount of trash the world faces piling up in landfills sites.
But how do you recycle them?
- First open the lid
- Empty the coffee grounds and compost them
- Clean out the container
- Compost paper filter
- Recycle foil with aluminium
- The plastic part can be upcycled
But, what if you can’t recycle them, but you still feel bad chucking the cups away?
What Can You Do With Old K-Cup Pods?
So, you’re feeling guilty about using plastic K-cups in your coffee maker, but you still have a load leftover. And I understand recycling them isn’t an option for everyone because separating them is difficult.
If this is the case, I have a few things you can do to make old K-cups recyclable and decrease your plastic waste:
1) Paint cups
Kids love to paint, but give them a full tub of paint and your asking for a big problem. Why not use your old plastic K-cups to hold their paint. And the tubs as washable so you can keep reusing it.
2) Seed starter
It’s slightly poetic that plastic, something that’s doing so much harm, can be used to do something good. With some damp cotton wool and a couple of seeds you can start germinating your seeds for increased success
3) Jello Shots
Hey, don’t judge me! Everyone needs a little release sometimes. So why not bring some joy to a party? K cups are a perfect size, and if you’re a heavy coffee drinker like me, then you’ll have plenty of makeshift shot glasses to go round.
4) Frozen Herbs
Some times when you’re cooking, you cut too many herbs, or you need somewhere to store them while you chop something else. Recyclable K-cups are the perfect size to store your fresh herbs, And when you’re done, you can freeze the rest ready for next time.
5) Advent Calendar
Spend some time with the kids and make your own arts and crafts advent calendar. You can all create your own cool designs, and fill the recyclable K-cups with treats of your choice. It’s the perfect pre-Christmas activity. Your kids will love it.
But as we already discussed, using compostable k cups and hitting a compost facility is better than recyclable k-cups.
Summary
So, next time you’re looking for a single serve coffee pod, make sure you go with the best biodegradable K-cups. But, remember there are a few things you need to think about in order to choose the right compostable biodegradable k-cups to reduce your plastic waste.
How many do you get in the pack? If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, then you might need to choose a brand with the highest count. And be aware of commercial composting and where your nearest composting facility is.
Make sure you check the blend, if you’re not sure about a brand, then try something you’re familiar with. You’re more likely to make a reasonable choice and find the best biodegradable k cups for you. There are a range of roasts to try from dark roast coffee medium roast just as a starter.
I hope that cleared up any questions. If it hasn’t, please comment below, and I’ll get back to you. Don’t forget to hit the share button to let people know what a big problem onecup pods like K-cups are to the environment.
If you’re a coffee drinker than I’m sure you like an iced coffee, the problem is they come with plastic straws. But you can lower your carbon footprint a much better option of the best metal straws without sacrificing great coffee.