K-cups have been around for a while, but some people are just beginning to use them now. If you're one of those people, you may feel like there's a bit of a learning curve involved. This list will help. It includes 7 simple rules for buying, storing, and using your k-cups.

1. Buy variety packs first.

Before you buy a 30-pack or 60-pack of a certain k-cup, buy a variety pack. This way, you can try various coffees and then buy larger quantities of the ones you like best.

2. Check expiration dates before buying.

K-cups are made with ground coffee, which does eventually go stale. You can save by buying in bulk, but only if you can use all the k-cups by the expiration or best-by date. So, make sure you check this date before buying.

3. Store in the freezer, if needed.

If you won't be using all of your k-cups within a few weeks, storing them in the freezer can keep them fresh a bit longer. You won't want to keep them in there for years on end, but a couple of months is okay.

4. Find the "right" setting for each cup variety.

You might like one coffee brewed a little strong, and another one brewed a little weaker. So, each time you get a new type of k-cup, try brewing it on the different settings to see which one you prefer.

5. Remove the cup after brewing.

Don't let the k-cups sit in the brewer for too long after you make your coffee. Doing so will just encourage debris buildup on the brewer over time. Remove your cups right after brewing.

6. Add water if the coffee's too strong.

If your coffee tastes too strong even when you're brewing on the weakest setting, just pour some hot water into the finished up. This happens sometimes with really strong, dark coffees.

7. Keep experimenting. 

Even when you find a k-cup you like, don't stop experimenting. Buy a new variety pack now and then so you can expand your palate and potentially discover other coffees you like just as much, if not more.

Brewing your coffee with k-cups is a bit of a change from brewing with a drip coffee maker. Luckily, it is not hard to adapt, especially if you follow the tips above. You'll be an excellent coffee maker with k-cups before you know it.