Why Are K Cups So Expensive? (The Reason!)

The Green Pods Why are Heurig k cups so

Compared to buying bags of pre-ground or whole-bean coffee, K Cups are EXPENSIVE. They can vary in price, anywhere from 40c a pop for the cheap ones, to over $1.80 each for the premium brands.

But why is this?

After all, they are just a little bit of plastic, foil, and paper with some coffee inside.

In this article, we’ll deep dive into why are k cups so expensive.

Why Listen To Us? Well, because we KNOW coffee! In fact, we make our own coffee, coffee machine cleaners, and reusable capsules which we've sold to over 41 countries. Our team ouf experts include Tristan (an engineer), Claire (a food writer) and Richy (a barista). So, whether you're looking for a recipe or repair guide, we've got you covered 💚

What Exactly Is A K Cup?

K Cups are single-serving devices that contain ground coffee and are used for brewing. K cup pods are containers used to hold the coffee.

Each K Cup consists of a plastic capsule with an aluminum foil lid, purged with nitrogen, and hermetically sealed to keep the coffee fresh. Inside, is a paper filter basket filled with between 8 and 22 grams (0.2 to 0.6oz) of freshly ground coffee.

(In this article we figure out exactly how much coffee you’re getting in each K Cup.)

The Green Pods why are k cups so

How Are K Cups Made?

Ground coffee fills the K Cups. For the smoothest, most even brew, coffee grounds are small and more granular.

The cup is made of plastic with an aluminum cover and has a filter inside.

Keurig coffee is placed into airtight pods immediately after roasting. A particular nitrogen flush during packing guarantees minimal oxygen in the pod. It prevents air, light, and moisture from the K cup-all of which can impair the flavor of your coffee.

What Is The Manufacturing Process?

Single-serving coffee capsules have been frequently criticized for being unsustainable, but newer K-Cups feature a recyclable plastic cup and foil top and have a biodegradable filter.

They are available in three sizes: 6, 8, and 10 ounces.

Once the capsule has cooled, you may remove and recycle it.

Recyclable plastics make K Cups that are filled with 13 to 18 grams of ground coffee depending on the mix.

After applying the filters and filling the pods with coffee, photo technology inspects each K-Cup to ensure they are in good condition.

The K Cups are also weighed to ensure the right amount of coffee is there.

If the label on a K Cup does not suit proper proportions or contain the correct amount of coffee, it is discarded, and the capsules are recycled.

K-Cups that pass testing are transferred to a conveyor belt and packed into boxes.

A suction machine removes the K-cups from the conveyor belt and packs them into boxes. After that, the boxes are tagged and stacked, ready for shipping.

What Are The Different K Cup Flavors?

With every company producing its own branded coffee pods, which K Cups are worth your money and time?

How Much Do K Cups Cost?

Individual K Cup pods usually cost between $0.20 and $0.80. Specialty coffees or brand names like Starbucks are the most expensive.

On average, Keurig branded K-cup brewers cost more than alternative brands. All the cheaper ones are non-Keurig.

Keurig brewers cost from $70 to $275, while non-Keurig K-cup brewers cost an average of $81 and range from $40 to $200.

A few Keurig models are designed for office/semi-professional use. These are more costly and may cost up to $1000.

The k-cup capsules are expensive. 12 capsules are $13, and one capsule is about $1.

What should you pay for a K Cup coffee maker?

While K-Cup brewers are more costly than the ordinary drip coffee maker, there are several relatively cheap K-cup brewers on the market, with prices starting at $40. You may purchase them for less during sales events.

They all make K-cups, but do you receive anything additional for your money if you pay more?

The biggest distinctions are in appearance and construction quality. To be honest, spending more money will not result in better-tasting coffee.

What’s The Difference in Price between Keurig and Nespresso?

 The Keurig can prepare tea, hot chocolate, and other hot beverages, whereas the Nespresso exclusively makes coffee, espresso, and cappuccino (in models with milk systems).

Nespresso capsules are more expensive than K Cups but contain a higher grade of coffee; yet, they are still less expensive than going to a coffee shop. Nespresso produces two lines of coffee machines: the Original Line, which solely produces espresso beverages, and the VertuoLine, which produces both espresso and coffee.

K Cups and Nespresso provide two very distinct coffee brewing options.

If you enjoy the taste of espresso and want to create tasty coffee with an adequately sized capsule, invest in a Nespresso.

If you want a quick cup of coffee that is adequate yet quick, consider a Keurig. If you want both, acquire both.

Here are 5 K Cups with the greatest coffee tastes:

Looking for the perfect K-Cup for your tastes? With over 500 different flavors to chose from it can be tricky, so check out these guides below

1. Green Mountain Coffee Caramel Vanilla Cream

It’s a medium-bodied coffee that’s incredibly smooth. Ideal for a small kid or a peaceful day. It’s not too sweet and has a delightful blend of caramel and vanilla tastes. After dinner, this is the ideal dessert coffee, and it goes great with a sweet pastry.

If you want a lighter coffee with taste, this is the one for you. It emits such a pleasant scent when brewing that everyone in the workplace knows it’s coffee time.

The Green Pods Recommends Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla K Cup Coffee

Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla K-Cup Coffee

  • Great taste, great flavor, not too sweet
  • May lack aroma compared to other choices
  • Always delivers great taste and flavor.
Check Price On Amazon

2.  Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend

 This coffee is delicious. When compared to other mixes, it is quite smooth and does not taste bitter at all. They repackaged this coffee in recent years, so some coffee enthusiasts may not know it, but the flavor remains the same. There is no harsh aftertaste that is typical of most medium / dark roasts.

The flavor is fantastic-rich and welcoming. These cups have enough strength to brew a large cup of coffee without it becoming weak.

The Green Pods recommends Keurig K Cups for Working Out Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend

Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend

  • Caffeine content: 140mg
  • Medium roast with a smooth, mellow flavor
  • Made with a blend of beans from Central and South America 
Check Price On Amazon

3.  Eight O’clock Coffee 100% Colombian Peaks

 If you enjoy medium roast coffee, this is a wonderful option for you. Smooth, with low acidity and a full-bodied coffee taste. This coffee is naturally well-balanced and does not require milk or sugar.

This coffee is unique because it has nearly no aftertaste. As a result, each sip tastes exactly like the last, with no aftertaste. We could drink this coffee all day and not know how much we had consumed.

The Green Pods Reccommends Eight Oclock Coffee 100 Colombian Peaks

Eight O’clock Coffee 100% Colombian Peaks

  • Medium roast
  • Smooth, with low acidity and a full-bodied coffee taste
  • Naturally well-balanced and does not require milk or sugar
Check On Amazon

4.  Barista Prima Coffeehouse Italian Roast

You’ll never grow tired of the flavor of Italian roast. It’s black and strong, almost like espresso. This coffee is aimed at those who enjoy a stronger cup of coffee. If you drink morning mixes or light roast coffee regularly, this is not the coffee K-Cup for you. Those who prefer dark or medium mixes will not be dissatisfied.

The Green Pods Reccommends Barista Prima Coffeehouse Italian Roast

Barista Prima Coffeehouse Italian Roast

  • Black and strong, almost like espresso
  • Aimed at those who enjoy a stronger cup of coffee
  • Italian roast coffee
Check On Amazon

5. Starbucks Caramel K Cups

Without any additional ingredients, the coffee is creamy and smooth. This coffee is ideal for those with a sweet craving and tastes fantastic with a dash of creamer.

The flavor is robust for a medium roast coffee, and there’s no denying they are delicious. This is more suited to someone who wants to experience something with a wide range of

The Green Pods Reccommends Starbucks Caramel K Cups

Starbucks Caramel K Cups

  • Creamy and smooth
  • Ideal for those with a sweet craving and tastes fantastic with a dash of creamer
  • Flavor is robust for a medium roast coffee
Check On Amazon
Green Pods Coffee Pod Cookbook

Stop Making Boring Coffee!

Are you sick of making the same booooring coffees every day? We've crafted 34+ fun and tasty recipes specifically for your pod coffee machine.

For a limited time, we're selling the ebook for only $5 (That's a $15 saving!)

I want to make epic coffee

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Easy To Read Nespresso Caffeine Chart: 2024 Updated

Nespresso is considered the most popular capsule coffee solution worldwide, and the ‘original line‘ is [...]

The Best Espresso K Cups For Espresso Coffee (And Our Brewing Trick!)

Read First: Before we dive into what pods work the best for making Espresso – [...]

How to Recycle Nespresso Pods In Australia (Complete Guide!)

The Australian Nespresso pod recycle program started in 2012 following the successful implementation of similar [...]

2 Comments

Do K Cups Have Dairy? (Keurig K Cup Ingredients Explained)

Keurig K cups are a convenient way to get delicious coffee without the mess and [...]

Nespresso Stormio Review and Key Info (Read Before Buying)

If you’re tired of drinking bland and boring coffee every morning and want to experience [...]

Nespresso Melozio Review and Key Info (Read Before Buying)

Have you ever had a moment when you unboxed something and felt a surge of [...]