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#REDIRECT [[Keurig#Keurig_K-Cup_brewing_systems]]
{{Advert|date=July 2012}}

[[Image:K-Cup-Silo.gif|thumb|right|Five K-Cups]]
[[File:InsideKCup.jpg|right|thumb|The inside of a used K-Cup, with the top foil and the used coffee grounds removed. This shows the filter inside the K-Cup.]]
'''K-Cup''' portion packs are used with [[Keurig]] single cup brewing systems to brew a cup of [[coffee]], [[tea]], or [[hot chocolate]]. Each K-Cup is a plastic container with a [[coffee filter]] inside. [[Coffee bean|Ground coffee beans]] are packed in the K-Cup and sealed air-tight with a combination plastic and foil lid. When the K-Cup is placed in a Keurig brewer, the brewer punctures the foil lid and the bottom of the K-Cup and forces hot [[water]] under pressure through the K-Cup and into a mug. Keurig licenses its K-Cup technology to coffee roasters and tea makers such as [[Green Mountain Coffee Roasters]], Diedrich/[[Gloria Jeans]], [[Timothy's World Coffee]], [[Van Houtte]], [[Caribou Coffee]], [[Celestial Seasonings]], [[Bigelow Tea Company]], [[Twinings]], [[Tully's]], [[Coffee People]] and [[Newman's Own]].

Keurig's patent on the K-Cup expired in September 2012.<ref>http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2012/11/28/the-k-cup-patent-is-dead-long-live-the-k-cup/</ref>

==K-Cup Varieties==

Keurig K-Cups come in a range of varieties, flavors, and blend options. They offer single-origin coffees from [[Costa Rica]], [[Mexico]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Guatemala]], [[Colombia]], [[Brazil]], [[Kenya]], [[Ethiopia]], and [[Sumatra]]. They also offer custom coffee blends, Organic Coffees, Fair Trade and flavored coffees. And a variety of roasts including Extra Bold Roasts - with 30% more ground coffee, Dark Roast, Medium Roast, Light Roast, Flavored, Decaf, Fair Trade Certified and Organic Coffee Roasts.
[[File:Keurig K-cup patent drawing.jpg|thumbnail|left|Patent drawing showing the placement of the filter in the plastic "cup".]]
K-Cups also offer [[tea]], K-Cups do a wide range from companies such as Bigelow, Cafe Escapes, Celestial Seasonings, Gloria Jean's Tea, Timothy's Tea and Twinings Tea. English Breakfast, Chamomile or Earl Grey decaf, Chai, Peppermint and Mango.

They also offer premium hot chocolate from brands such as Cafe Escapes, Green Mountain Coffee, Timothy's and [[Ghirardelli Chocolate Company]].

==K-Cup Controversy==

Keurig K-Cups are often cited as an environmental concern because they are not easily recyclable.<ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2012/01/keurig-environmental-impact.html LA Times - Keurig Environmental Impact]</ref> Keurig has developed a reusable k-cup that is fillable with any fine ground coffee.<ref>[http://www.keurig.com/social-responsibility Kuerig's Social Responsibility]</ref>

K-cups also are more costly than brewing a regular cup of coffee. Many estimates put the cost of a k-cup at double the price of a regular cup of coffee.<ref>[http://moneyland.time.com/2012/02/09/beans-vs-single-serve-cup-just-how-much-more-does-k-cup-coffee-cost/ Time Magazine]</ref> Some estimates of the same brand of coffee point out that although a k-cup may cost three times as much as brewing a regular cup at home, it is still only one third the cost of buying that same cup at a coffee shop.<ref>[http://www.coffeehouseexpress.com/k-cups/are-k-cups-cost-effective.html]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Coffee pod]]
* [[Coffee service]]
* [[Easy Serving Espresso Pod]]
* [[T-Discs]]
* [[Flavia Beverage Systems]]

==External links==
*[http://www.keurig.com Official Keurig web site]
*[http://www.justkups.com/history_of_k_cups.php History of K Cups]
*[http://www.keurigk.com Official Keurig web site]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Packaging]]
[[Category:Coffee brands]]
[[Category:Drinkware]]
[[Category:Single-serving coffee]]

Latest revision as of 06:01, 20 September 2016