They’ll be sending out free coffee to randomly selected testers— all they ask in return is honest feedback. No catch. No pressure. Just great coffee and your honest opinion.
Just visit their page at conchcoffee.com and sign up!
If you're a coffee lover who uses a Keurig or other K-Cup Brewer, you know how quickly K-Cups can pile up and unfortunately, most of them end up in the trash. But did you know those tiny plastic pods can have a second life? With a little creativity and care, K-Cups can be reused, upcycled, and even repurposed into fun projects and helpful tools.
Here are 20 clever, easy, and eco-conscious ways to recycle your K-Cups instead of sending them to the landfill:
After brewing a cup of delicious coffee, clean out the old grounds, poke a hole in the bottom for drainage, and fill with soil and seeds. They're the perfect size to start herbs or flowers on a windowsill!
Decorate the outside (or you can leave it as is), add succulents or air plants, and turn them into tiny decorative pots for your home or to share little startings with friends!
Use K-Cups to store beads, sequins, buttons, or pins in your craft drawer. Label the containers for easy access, and then turn the extra cups into a fun piece of art!
These cups are just the right size for rinsing paintbrushes or mixing small amounts of paint during craft time.
Cut them up and use them to create colorful mosaic designs on picture frames, flower pots, or trays.
Add some glitter, paint, and ribbon to make adorable ornaments for Christmas. They make adorable Snowmen, Reindeer, Santa Clauses, and more! Endless options.
Use them for portioning out small snacks like raisins, trail mix, or nuts for kids or lunchboxes.
Glue 24 K-Cups to a board and fill each one with a treat, note, or small toy to count down to a special holiday. Glue cut squares of tissue paper over the tops and put a number on each, one yo be opened for every day of December, up until Christmas.
String a few together with twine, fill with bird seed, and hang in the garden for a cute mini feeder.
Fill them with water and freeze to make ice cubes for sensory bins. Add a couple drops of food color to each one for an added extra bit of fun!
Use the open end to dip in paint or ink and make circle patterns on paper or fabric. This is so cute when making snowmen!
Sanitize and reuse as containers for small batches of homemade beauty products.
Perfect size for shaping round bath bombs or shower melts! Pop them out once dry.
Paint and decorate, then fill with candies or toys for birthday or holiday party favors. This also works well at making name plates for table guest seat decor.
Melt down old candle wax, pour it into clean K-Cups with a wick, and let it set for a tiny but cute candle.
Fill with dry beans or rice and seal with tape for toddler sensory play or musical fun. They also work well to make confetti poppers!
Decorate your K-Cup with the open part on the bottom, making a slice in the top, this will be where the cards sit. Check out this adorable raccoon idea to see how to make yours!
Package different types of bath salts in K-Cups for gifting or travel.
Add a cotton ball with essential oils, cover with fabric and a rubber band, and place in a drawer or car. This is a simple but effective way to get your space smelling good.
Use them as measuring cups, sorting bins, or tiny containers for science or homeschool experiments. They can bring loads of fun!
Always remove the used coffee grounds (they're great for composting!).
Peel off the foil top and rinse thoroughly. Sand down any sharp edges.
You can store empty, clean pods in a large container or bag until you’re ready to use them for future projects.
Recycling K-Cups doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. With a little imagination, you can keep them out of the landfill and put them to good use around your home. Whether you’re looking for kid-friendly crafts, garden tools, or clever storage hacks, those little pods have big potential!
Which idea will you try first?
Have a fun way to reuse K-Cups not listed here? Drop it in the comments below, I’d love to see how you recycle these little pods!
Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
I love all things Pumpkin Spice, so I was really happy to get to try a #freesample of the limited edition Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew!! It was very easy to make, just 6oz of water and 6oz of the brew. Add in any sweeteners + cream and you have yourself an easy at home coffee drink!
I did expect the pumpkin taste to be a bit stronger so that was slightly disappointing but for an easy drink to make at home, it was fine enough. I found it to be best mixed with home brewed coffee and sweetened with milk and honey.
Want to receive coffee products to try? Join me over at the Coffee At Home Community today, for a chance to get your own free products to test!
I received a complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.
Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
There are so many great things about this coffee pot. It makes me want to have a Coffee Party to have all my friends and family try it out! I like everything about this piece, although the beeping the machine does, to signify that the brewing is complete. It’s so loud and goes on for too long, I wish that it could be turned off. It is a nice thing to have, to let you know when your coffee is done, but if you’re trying to make coffee on a sleepy early morning, that’s not really something you want to be hearing :) Other than that, this coffee pot is amazing, easy to use, and brews an excellent cup of coffee!!
You can find the Braun MultiServe Plus Coffee Pot available for purchase on Amazon or in a store near you. It comes with paper filters, a measuring scoop, and a charcoal filter.
If you have a coffee machine in your kitchen and it's not currently broken, you may not even be considering an upgrade. If it's not broken and it's still producing an excellent espresso, then don't upgrade the machine just for the sake of it. It's very easy to upgrade your coffee machine once you know the 10 reasons you should go for it, but if you're happy with what you've got, then hold on for now.
Of course, you can still learn the reasons you should be upgrading your machine for when the time does come around, but there are so many amazing coffee machines out there today that it can become confusing as to which one you should really choose. However, if your drinks are not whether you want them to be. And you are not hitting that cafe quality that you've been hitting before, then upgrading your coffee machine can be the best thing that you do for yourself this year.
Everybody wants just at least One Cup of coffee in the morning to get them started on the day, but not everybody wants to spend $6 a time to do that. You don't have to do that when you invest in the right coffee machine for your house instead. The best espresso machine out there is the one that gives you the coffee that you enjoy the taste of, is easy to clean and is easy to use. If your espresso drinks right now are exactly what you want, then you're in good company. If not, then let's take a look at the reasons you should upgrade your current machine.
The temperature sucks. Let's be honest, Nobody wants a tepid morning coffee. You want your coffee to be hot so that if you're walking to work with it, or you're driving with it, or if you just want to have a leisurely morning with it, it will last you for longer.Nobody wants to have to pop it in the microwave to warm up again, especially if you can buy one that has a PID controller. This is a Proportional Integral derivative, which means that you can employ a PID algorithm to manage the heating and cooling process of your coffee effectively.It maintains a steady brew temperature, which is exactly what you want for your coffee in the morning. Some coffee bean concoctions do not brew well as others, and you want to make sure that you have a decent roast for your coffee in the morning. The brew temperature can work for some brews, but not for others.
The shots are not as consistent as you would like. You want to brew the perfect coffee in the morning, which means that you need to make sure that you have the right shot and it has to be controlled over time, temperature and the right recipe. Espresso brewing is not as easy as you think it is. When you add control over pressure, the pre infusion length and volume can be helpful, but it's not really the most important thing. You don't want inconsistent coffees every day, so if your shot is not coming out the way that it should, then it's time to upgrade.
It’s running too slowly. A coffee machine is supposed to make your coffee quickly. That's the whole point. Even the word espresso should tell you something about how fast it should be. If you only make one espresso drink a day, it can still be quite frustrating to have a slow coffee machine, but the biggest issue is when you have back-to-back drinks. You might not be somebody who's slamming down espresso after espresso or latte after latte, but you might still want to have more than one coffee made for yourself everyday. You want to have a machine that is designed to do more than One Cup of coffee, because otherwise you may as well just go to the cafe and buy one. Most of the espresso machines that you buy for the home only have one single boiler. This means you won't have a brewed coffee and a steamed milk at the same time. A single boiler espresso machine has one boiler for both functions, so you don't have to just have espressos. Of course you can have lattes, but upscale single boiler espresso machines have a temperature controller to maintain that stable brewing temperature.
Your Porter filter and basket cannot fit enough coffee grounds. Most of the cheaper single boiler home espresso machines don't have particularly big baskets and can only hold really a tablespoon or two of espresso at a time. You don't want to overstuff the coffee machine basket because that will produce that poor quality drinker trying to get away from. You want that truly cafe quality taste and to make that modern milk based espresso drink, you'll need to have a basket that can adequately hold up to 20 grams of ground at a time.
You want a machine that will last. If you're currently in the market to upgrade your coffee machine, then clearly it's not lasting you as long as you'd hope it would be. If your current machine is broken beyond repair, or it's going to cost just as much as the machine itself to repair it, then you should consider a machine that's a bit more cafe quality than it is home quality. You need to know what your machine is built off both inside and out, and try to find commercial grade internal copper and stainless steel for your component. High grade machines don't have much in the way of plastic on them. Have you ever seen a plastic coffee machine in Starbucks? Absolutely not. You should also look to make sure that you are finding home coffee machines that have great product reviews. You don't want to buy something and find out that once you've got it home and plugged in that it's a dud.
It's not making the type of coffee you want it to make. Have you seen those gadgets that make different types of coffee in the stores and feel jealous of the fact that yours only makes black coffee? If that's the case for you, then it may be worth shopping around and looking for a new machine that gives you different types of coffee, such as lattes or mochas in the morning. Dark roasted coffees, for example, always come out a little too bitter, and lighter roasted coffees are not hitting that brightness you expect. Controlling the brew temperature can help here, but you also want to have the option to make something that's more delicious, such as a vanilla coffee or Chai latte. You may even want your coffee machine to make tea - but let’s stick to kettles with that one!
You can’t fit any accessories in your portafilter. Some coffee machines don't need any specific upgraded accessories but if you want to add aftermarket accessories like paper filters, baskets and more, then you need to shop around. You want to have a machine that fits those aftermarket accessories as it could really enhance your experience with your morning brew.
You want to be a coffee-making pro. Do you ever watch your baristas in awe and wish you could do the same thing? Grinding and brewing and steaming? There are plenty of double-boiler coffee machines that allow you to do that and you can do it well with espresso pressure profiling. This is the ability to adjust the brew pressure of the espresso from the standard 9 bar to a pattern that both gradually increases and then decreases. With this change, you can enhance your coffee making AND tasting experience.
There’s no direct plumbing option in your current machine. Have you got a refrigerator plumbed directly into the wall? If so, you know how convenient it can be. If you choose to have a coffee machine plumbed into the house, you’re going to always get the hottest coffee with the freshest water. Of course, not every home has this option but it’s worth it if you want to have that additional extra of water filtration.
The grinder no longer cuts it the way it used to. Quite literally, your grinder is there to ensure that your coffee beans are cut and ground correctly. If the blades aren't doing their job, then there’s a problem and you need to make a point of replacing them. You might also not want to upgrade just the blades and that’s the point we’re making with this article - upgrading your coffee machine as a whole is going to be a better option. You can end up breaking the entire machine with broken blades, so start shopping for a machine that does what you need it to do. You want a grinder that actually grinds the beans rather than fall apart when you just want your morning coffee.
I love the little canister of ready to go coffee, where each pouch has an ear drip filter to help hold it in place. It takes a little bit to get use to, and you also have to be really gentle as the filters rip easily (see photo); But this is such a great invention, and would be great for taking on camping or beach trips. It's also perfect for minimalist homes or those that don't drink a lot of coffee but would like to every now and then.
I
recently won an awesome little package from Chike Nutrition, with their
brand shaker bottle and four packs of their High Protein Coffee Shakes.
2 TBS Instant Coffee
I cut the recipe in half and used a packet of Folgers instant coffee for mine. So in a little glass jar, I added in 1 TBS of Hot Water, a little less than 1 TBS of sugar, and the instant coffee packet. I then used my frother and frothed away until it was whipped to perfection. This makes such a beautiful color and looks good being poured over your drink! 
If you're looking for a really good cup of coffee, you gotta try the Gourmesso Caramello Espresso pods. That caramel flavor is so delicious and gives you a rich and creamy cup of coffee. The coffee is made of a 100% Fairtrade blend of finely ground Arabica beans from South America and Robusta beans from Asia, which is then combined with a slow roasting process. 
Laird Superfood Creamers are made with simple ingredients, and are better for you than other creamers with a lot of sugars added in. This creamer has 4g or less of low-glycemic coconut sugar per serving and it's made with all-natural, whole food ingredients. It also contains Aquamin, which is a multi-mineral complex that is rich in calcium, magnesium, and 72 trace minerals. The creamer is vegan and Paleo friendly, also free of stevia, dairy, soy, gluten, and GMOs.
I recently had the chance to try Rise Brewing Co Lattes, a cold brew coffee that originated from New York. Their coffee has been grown at a high altitude in the Chanchmayo Valley in Peru; made all organic, with purified water. It is 70% less acidic than standard coffee, naturally sweetened, and has no artificial add ins. Each can is complemented with a Nitrogen infusion, which gives the can a nice 'pop' and the coffee a smooth texture with a creamy top.
