This is a great point, one I came to soon after having received a Keurig coffee maker for Christmas. Previously, I had been used to a French press, but had broken the carafe. Anyway, our perfect compromise was a cheap, reusable, plastic & steel-mesh cup that you can put ground coffee into and wash out when you're done. "Perfect" probably isn't the word, as I figure drinking heated plastic affluent isn't the best idea ever, but it's a work-around if you have one of these machines. When it dies, I'll probably just pop for the new French press carafe.