Okay, so I got one of those Keurig machines a while back, mostly for coffee, you know? Quick and easy in the morning.
Getting Started with Tea
After using it for coffee for ages, I started wondering about tea. I like tea sometimes, especially in the afternoon. I saw they actually sold tea K-cups in the store. But first, I had this reusable K-cup filter thing, the kind you fill yourself. Someone mentioned you could just stick a regular tea bag inside it. So, I thought, why not give it a shot?
Trying the DIY Method
So I grabbed one of my usual English Breakfast tea bags, kinda stuffed it into the reusable mesh filter cup, and popped it into the machine. Hit the brew button. Water went through it alright. The tea came out… well, it was tea. Honestly, it tasted a bit weak the first time. Maybe I didn’t position the bag right, or maybe the water flow wasn’t ideal for a bag. I tried it a few more times. Sometimes it was okay, sometimes a bit messy to clean out the soggy bag. It worked, sort of, but wasn’t amazing.
Moving to Actual Tea K-Cups
Then I decided to just buy a box of actual tea K-cups. Way easier, gotta admit. Just drop it in and go. No fiddling with bags. I started with some basic stuff.
- Black Tea: Tried a few brands of English Breakfast and Earl Grey. They were pretty decent, actually. Strong enough, tasted like they should. Convenient for sure.
- Green Tea: This was more hit-or-miss for me. Some tasted fine, others had this weird, almost plastic-y aftertaste? Not sure. Maybe it’s just me. Found one or two brands that were okay, though.
- Herbal Teas: These were generally better. Peppermint, Chamomile, that kind of thing. They seemed to come through pretty well. The flavors are strong usually, so maybe that helps. I quite liked having a quick peppermint tea option without boiling a kettle.
Thoughts and What I Do Now
So, the convenience is the big seller, right? It’s super fast. But is the taste as good as brewing a loose leaf tea or even a good quality tea bag in a mug the old-fashioned way? Nah, not usually. It’s good enough for a quick cup, though.
You hear people talk about the plastic pods and stuff. I get it. It’s a lot of little plastic cups. While I read they’re generally considered safe, sometimes you just think about brewing plastic, you know? For me, it’s a trade-off. Some days I just want the speed and use a K-cup tea.
Lately, I find myself doing a mix. I keep a box of my favorite black tea K-cups for rushed mornings or lazy afternoons. But if I have a bit more time, or want a really good cup of green tea, I still just use a tea bag or my little infuser in a regular mug with hot water from the kettle. The K-cup machine is great for convenience, but it hasn’t completely replaced the old ways for me when it comes to tea.
