Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

The best home grinders work using the same principles as our big commercial models. Burr grinders have two disks, one spinning, one stationary. As soon as the coffee is ground, the machine spits it into a waiting container. Blade grinders are less expensive than burr grinders, and work by essentially whacking the beans into submission. Blade grinders produce a less consistent grind than burr grinders, but you can't beat the convenience.

Reusable K-Cup options are many. And with the many reusable K-Cup options out there, you can get even more use out of your Keurig coffeemaker. That' because reusable K-Cup options allow you to use your own favorite coffees in your machine. As you know, K-Cups are the small pods that can be inserted into your Keurig coffeemaker. The machine then pokes a small hole in the top with a sprayer and one in the bottom to allow the brewed coffee to enter the cup. It' a no mess, no fuss solution for making the perfect cup of coffee every time. But what is you have your own coffee that you love and it doesn’t come in a K-Cup? That' where the reusable K-Cup options come in handy, as these reusable K-Cup options allow you to make perfect coffee with your own beans or grind. There are a couple of great reusable K-Cup options out there too. The first of the reusable K-Cup options is the EZ-Cup. It' so easy to use. You place a paper filter into the EZ-Cup and fill it with coffee. Then you close the lid, ensuring that the edges of the filter are around the rim. Put it in your Keurig machine and brew it like any other K-Cup. It' one of the easiest reusable K-Cup options out on the market today. The downside of the EZ-Cup is that you need to purchase the filters separately. Not a big deal, but you know how maddening it can be when you want a cup of coffee, only to find that you’ve run out of filters.One of the other reusable K-Cup options on the market is the K-Pod, which doesn’t use paper filters. Instead, it has a permanent filtering system of metal that is easy to clean and maintain. And if you ever need replacement filters, they’re readily available. This is one of the smartest reusable K-Cup options as the K-Pod allows you to enjoy your favorite coffee or specialty grinds with any coffeemaker that uses K-Cup technology. So it' a great option if you have a Keurig or a Breville, Cuisinart or Mr. Coffee K-Cup model.

Growing and consuming coffee have a direct affect on the environment in many different ways that have recently become a topic of much discussion due to the movement to save the Earth' natural resources. Studies have shown that without the use of controlled farming and growing methods the effect on the environment can be devastating. The following issues are what can happen when sustainable farming practices are not used on coffee plantations. One of the main effects that coffee plantations who do not practice sustainable growing methods have on the environment is the cutting down of trees in order to plant more crops in the sun. Coffee farmers believed they could get more crops and hasten the ripening process of the berries if they planted in full sun; however, clearing forests results in environmental damage including soil erosion and the displacement of many animals which upsets the ecosystem.  This is why shade grown coffee is an important environmental aspect and is being practiced by more proactive coffee plantations today. Another important aspect of coffee growing plantations is the erosion of the soil. When crops are planted in the same location year after year the soil begins to erode and eventually becomes implantable. Plantations that are working toward becoming sustainable rotate their plantings so that they are not planting in the same location every year. This gives the soil time to recover and prevents erosion.