Keurig’s K-Cup coffee pods are popular brewing devices that you can find in homes, offices, and waiting rooms. There are even refrigerators with a machine built right in. Do you know where you won’t find one, though? The home of the man who invented the machine back in the ’90s, John Sylvan.
This week, The Atlantic looked at the practical and environmental problems that the Keurig causes, and started from the very beginning, when inventor Sylvan was just a guy who wanted to invent a better way to dispense coffee in the office. He figured that people would buy the pods, but didn’t foresee how popular his invention would become. He sold his share of the company (“Keurig” is the Dutch word for “excellence”) for $50,000.
K-Cups are complicated; Keurig-licensed cups can theoretically be disassembled, but only in rare cities that recycle #7 plastic and if you have the patience to take the cup apart, tossing out the foil top, paper filter, and coffee grounds, and recycling the tiny cup.
“It’s like a cigarette for coffee, a single-serve delivery mechanism for an addictive substance,” he explained to the Atlantic. Very few people want to disassemble a convenience pod so it can be recycled.
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5 comments:
Drip coffee maker with a permanent, washable screen filter:
-can make a cup or more at a time
-creates no waste other than the grounds, which go well in the garden (worms love 'em)
-costs a fraction of a Keurig
-makes coffee that costs a fraction of a Keurig's
-lets you add extra ingredients, like flavorings, into the grounds before brewing, at your pleasure
-lets you adjust the strength of the finished product
-lets you grind your own beans for a much fresher cup of java
-isn't restricted to just a few brands of coffee
So, what's the draw, other than the "need" for more "convenience"?
I think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread! I use the reusable pods.
The beauty of having this machine is there is no waste of coffee. You drink only what you want and nothing really to clean up. The reusable pods, simply just need to be emptied in the trash can and then just rinse the screen filter and you are set to go again.
I always keep two of them in the morning for my normal morning two cups of coffee. I like the ability of having a variety of coffees to pick from.
Great for when I have friends or family over and they can pick or choose what they want to drink. Very little prep, and very convenient! A great invention!
Forgot to mention, I can use it for instant hot water for a great cup of tea as well.
I don't think this machine is going away anytime soon! You can also use it for Oatmeal in the morning. Put a packet in a cup and the instant hot water works great without having to heat a kettle on the stove!!!! It's more than just pods!
I don't like them. If you notice, they now make regular pots of coffee. Can you say R I P?
I'd hate being the 10 th guest waiting for my coffee.
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