The negative reviews for this product rose the following concerns: 1 - The lid doesn't easily close. 2 - The brew result is weak. 3 - No Trace of Gold on the Mesh. 4 - Not fitting in Keurig machine. 5 - Lids break off after less than a year of use. 6 - Coffee grounds in my coffee. We've used [and re-used] these pods for several months, now, so I'm in a position to address most of these complaints: 1 - Maybe if there are coffee grounds on the lip. Otherwise, we've found, beyond the expected resistance of an o-ring seal, they close quite easily, and completely for an excellent seal. And, even if a few grains between the lid and the pod, they, typically, crush under minor pressure. Maybe the reviewers are not grinding there beans enough [or not at all]. See #2, below. 2 - Yes, our first brews resulted in weak, watery coffee. So, we made a few adjustments: a - We switched to a Dark French Roast. But, consider that we were accustomed to drinking a Medium Roast [Starbucks Veranda], so if you like a strong cup of coffee, this might not satisfy. Following is the coffee we now use: > Ground: https: //amzn.to/2QAG9cv > Whole Beans: https://amzn.to/2QAH2Sn [strangely, the smaller 12oz bags are a better value than any of the larger quantity offers!!] b - We always make sure the pod is filled completely to the brim. c - We buy the whole beans, and make sure to thoroughly grind them, for the greatest surface area. Another, possible, reason for a weaker brew is the way these pods are constructed. The geometry of the pod is dictated by a lower needle, in the Keurig machine. When I did my original research, it was clear there are two main solutions [across the various products I considered]: a - Completely bottom out above the needle, resulting in a flat inner base. Con: Under-utilizes the available volume. Pro: Easier to clean. b - Extend the bottom of the pod beyond the needle, with a raised, central "terrace" that avoids the needle. Con: Harder to clean. Pro: Accommodates a larger volume of coffee grounds. I opted for easier to clean. 3 - The mesh on all 6 of our pods are quite gold. 4 - We have an old K-40 Elite machine, and the pods fit quite nicely. But, to be fair, the negatives, of this category, involved model numbers such as k150 and k200, so I have no experience, there. 5 - So far, the hinges, on our pods, are in good form -- but, our use duration likely falls short of the reviewer's "less that a year". But, there are three of us, using them once, and even twice, a day, and they seem fine. Our use is, though, spread across all 6 pods, with no accounting for frequency/pod. 6 - Maybe one time [out of hundreds], did I find a coffee ground floating in my coffee. And, never, at the bottom of the cup. This just doesn't happen. The mesh on these reusable pods is very fine, and even when filling them with coffee bean's that I've ground the snot out of [I actually shake the grinder, to get as much product into the blades, as possible], nothing escapes [except, maybe, that one spec I previously alluded to]. In fact, it's more likely the pod chamber, on the Keurig machine, needs a cleaning, as coffee dust can accumulate there. BTW: The reason I'm so zealous in my coffee grinding, is to get the grounds as fine as possible, for the greatest surface area, as remedy for issue #2. UPDATE [2/25/2021]: One was accidentally tossed in the trash, so we have 5 left, and after over a year of heavy use, they are still in fine shape! Still VERY happy with these!! UPDATE [7/12/2021]:Still working great, and in great condition. These get used by several people, once or twice a day, so they get a LOT of use, and all are still intact. No hinge failures or visible wear of any kind! FYI, we use a chopstick to remove the spend coffee grounds into the waste bin, to avoid deforming them. Then to the sink to for a rinse, then to the drying rack.