Comments on: How can I reuse or recycle ground coffee cans?

By: Claudia

Claudia — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:37:52 +0000

I am a science teacher in middle school and we use them to dispose of broken glass. When full, we can then throw the can in the trash bag without worrying about them cutting the bag or our custodial staff hurting themselves on the glass chards…

By: PainChaud

PainChaud — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:47:20 +0000

I use a coffe can too, but one made of plastic, that I keep in the fridge so it doesn’t stink up too fast.

By: Sanctus

Sanctus — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:19:27 +0000

Well, some people use it as a directional antennas to boost wireless, or to pack small things. For example, my kids keep their pencils in exactly the same Illy can.

P.S. I was looking for such a site for a long time. You’re added to my Google reader!

By: Murariu Serban

Murariu Serban — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:34:18 +0000

I used 8 Illy cans and a flat piece of wood to build a small shelf over my espresso machine: http://smurariu.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/what-do-you-do-with-your-empty-illy-cans/

I’m thinking that one could expand this into a more elaborate shelving system that could take up a whole wall or something. Also, for added stability one could use soldering a iron to solder the lid to the bottom of the can so that you end up with small modules you can easily join together

Cheers,
and looking forward to pictures of your deeds!

By: freya

freya — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:29:43 +0000

stilts

By: Lucia

Lucia — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:14:14 +0000

Is there a bar in your neighbohood using Illy? You can ask the barman to buy beans from him: they buy huge quantity, I think you can manage to have your tin filled by him for a cheap price, also.
I know, maybe it’s difficult, I mean, I am writing from Italy and I would be advantaged if I would do the same…

By: Just Staci

Just Staci — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:24:23 +0000

In the winter time,I make alot of homemade soups and stews,so I can pass some on to other family members.As long as the cans are’nt rusty,use them to put soups and other foods in them.Then,you won’t have to fuss with people to bring your tupperware back!

By: Mollyh

Mollyh — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Rich, where can you buy Illy in bags? I was going to suggest this too – and keep the bag to take back to the store to refill. I’d love to know where one can get Illy as loose beans rather than in a can; I’ve yet to find a coffee that I like as much!

By: Pattie

Pattie — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:49:17 +0000

My children and I enjoy turning those coffee cans into planters for our outside garden. We clean them, paint them, poke holes in the bottom for drainage, and plant flowers in them. Cheaper than buying pots and great for reycling the cans. Can also be resued the next year. Hope you liked the suggestion.

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:52:26 +0000

Urm… Don’t buy coffee in cans???

Just a thought – we bought one can of Illy about 6 years ago and now we buy it in bags and just refill it…

Saves you about 2 quid a can as well

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:41:53 +0000

If you remove the bottom With a can opener)and hammer it flat, you will end up with a cone sort of shaped thing, you nail em to the post, fill ‘em with dirt, and grow som herbs!

By: Cliff

Cliff — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:53:52 +0000

With a few holes in the bottom (hammer and nail) coffee cans make a good small watering can!

By: laura

laura — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:37:13 +0000

I use a coffee can to put food scraps in under the kitchen sink until I take it out to empty in the compost bin in my backyard. It’s big enough to fit food from a day or two and it seals well, so you can’t smell the food getting funky in there before it fills up and gets emptied.

By: Roman

Roman — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:07:30 +0000

I was listening to National Public Radio the week of 05/18-05/24 and one man’s story about his father’s use of old smaller coffee cans was really touching. He stated that when he was young, in his father’s cluttered garage, there was an accumulation of old coffee cans. After suggesting that his dad stop buying the small cans and start buying the larger ones for the sake of space and waste management, his father told him, as a dad might, to more or less mind his own business. Many years later, on Memorial Day, his father asked for and received a commitment from him to plant flowers. They met up and put flowers in all the cans and then took them to the cemetaries of many of the influential people he’d met or that helped him out or took care of him in his life; each grave being the introduction of a person lost but not forgotten, as a way for his dad to tell his life story in a secret tradition.

Thought it was pretty amazing.

I’d only be concerned of what might happen to them after they’re removed from the graves.

By: anna

anna — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:59:52 +0000

Store ANY dry food items or spices on them, and add a label to find what is in them. So pasta, flours, lentils, spices, … seeds for planting, edible seeds, you name it.
The more coffee containers of the same size you have the better it will look.

I also like using some pretty and big coffee containers to flower pots. Use a nail or a screwdriver or something to make a few holes on the bottom, and add some small stones on the bottom of the cans to keep them well drained.