While we have no plans to release Trade Coffee Pods any time soon, there are many reusable versions out there — all of which are better for the environment than single-use plastic ones.

It can be a little tricky to make great-tasting coffee from a reusable cup, but our simple tricks will put you well on your way to the easiest morning brew!

Grind wisely

Start with a medium to medium-fine grind size for your coffee (compare it to the size of table salt). This is the best starting point because it will tell you which adjustments you need to make, if any.

If the coffee rushes out of the reusable cup, you’ll want to make your grind size more fine. Conversely, if it takes forever for your coffee to drip, you’ll want to coarsen up the grind.

The actual cup you use will also affect your grind size. If your reusable cup has a mesh filter, avoid a very fine grind size as it may clog the screen.

Pick your proportion

The six to eight ounce setting is recommended for the best brew from your pod. If that’s way too little coffee for you in the morning, double up your brews for 12 to 16 ounces of delicious coffee.

Filter, filter, filter

Always use filtered water! If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with pretty good tap water (like NYC), you can get away with filling the reservoir straight from the tap. Otherwise, filtered water is perfectly primed to get the best taste out of your coffee.

Clean your machine

Make sure you clean your reusable cup and machine from time to time! Even a brewing method as simple and easy to use as this still requires a clean machine to work as best as possible.