This is quite exciting in that it removes plastic waste. I see no reason why different companies can’t make different shape ones to maintain their lock-in. I expect a knock-off market to pop-up, but that exists with plastic pods too. It’s a step in the right direction at least.
I just use the resuable pods. Can throw any coffee grounds in them, dump them in the compost when done, rinse, and use again. Have used these for at least 5 years.
This might be a really stupid question, but if you’re going to use reusable pods, why not just… Use a classic Mr. Coffee-style coffee maker that has been around for decades?
I’ve got two: One Keurig which was a gift and an off-brand single-cup coffee maker that uses pods. I’m the only coffee drinker in the house, so one cup at a time is about right (and uses less energy than keeping a carafe warm all morning).
I used to love my coffee maker (One of the ones with the thermos built in as the carafe) but my daughter wanted a Keurig. I was hesitant at first but I really like them now that I’m used to it.
We use reusable pods so making coffee is as cheap as before, and there’s little wasted coffee that sat too long. If I want coffee I get one without worrying if my daughter might want one later, and visa versa. It’s always fresh and never has to sit. And since we both don’t really have regular schedules this way makes it easier than planning how much to make. It also works just as well if one of us wants tea or hot chocolate instead.
If you are on a fixed schedule and always drink the exact same amount of coffee then it’s not as big of a deal though. The only real downside is if you have friends over then sometimes being able to brew a pot is less of a hassle than individually making multiple cups at the same time, but in our case that doesn’t happen often enough to keep the old coffee maker out.