This Common Keurig Mistake Is Sabotaging Your Coffee's Flavor

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Quality, or convenience? This is a choice many people make unconsciously throughout the day, particularly when it comes to food. Are you going to cook a homemade meal, or hit the drive-thru? More to the point: Do you throw a prepacked pod into your Keurig, or expend a little more effort to brew that perfect cup of coffee? If your coffee habit mostly revolves around Keurig pods, you may not even realize what you're missing. However, says former barista and coffee expert Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, "I know the point of these machines is you just grab a pod and use it, but pre-ground coffee really is much worse than fresh ground, plus these pods are expensive."

The prepackaged pods are indeed convenient: Just load one into your Keurig, add water, and push a button. However, you're always sacrificing flavor when you use pre-ground coffee, which is what's inside the Keurig pods. "Freshly grinding beans into a reusable pod will instantly improve your coffee experience," Woodburn-Simmonds exclusively told Chowhound. Consumers were limited to Keurig-branded "K-Cups" up until 2012, when the patent ran out; nowadays, Keurig users have the option to purchase reusable cups, such as the Perfect Pod 1-Stream reusable K-Cup pod, which can be found for under $10. Pair this with even a cheap manual coffee grinder — Woodburn-Simmonds recommends the JavaPresse Manual — for an instantly improved cup of joe. If you're committed to the prepacked pods, "the cheap coffee pods are probably cheap for a reason — spend a little more for something that might taste good," advises Woodburn-Simmonds.

Another pitfall is using too much water per cup. Although you can brew up to a 12-ounce cup using the Keurig, you rarely want to use anything above 6 ounces when making coffee. "Most pods are for 4- to 6-ounce servings, so using that pod for 12 ounces is going to result in weak and bitter brews," explains Matt Woodburn-Simmonds. "Use the correct size and, sadly, more pods, for better flavor." The water you use is important, too. Woodburn-Simmonds recommends choosing filtered water over tap water "for a brighter and more flavorful brew."

Finally, it's important to keep your Keurig clean — and always throw away your K-cups after brewing. "People leave their pods in the machine after brewing, sometimes as long as overnight," says Woodburn-Simmonds. "This is how you get mold and other nasties into your machine, ruining the flavor and even making you sick." He also recommends descaling your machine often, a fairly simple process that involves using a descaling solution and running hot water through the machine. This eliminates calcium buildup that can change the flavor of the coffee. Keurig recommends descaling every three to six months. For more frequent cleaning, a good practice is to wipe down the surface of the machine and wash the removable parts in soapy water before letting them air dry. Doing this weekly helps keep your coffee area looking nice and reduces the risk of mold or other factors impacting the taste of your coffee.