I'm not advocating that you use the Keurig but the K-cup bin is usually accessible on such machines.
Advice for Making a Good Single Cup of Coffee in the Office
- Thread starter dgreene120
- Start date
I used to use a Melitta pour over when I worked in an office small enough where I could have a hot water kettle at my desk. I'd grind some beans at home that morning and put them in a ziplok for the day. Actually in that office, it reached a point where several of us were doing that.
Now, no kettles allowed. So I just bring two travel mugs I fill at home with me. Not a perfect solution, but better than buying Starbucks or DD.
Now, no kettles allowed. So I just bring two travel mugs I fill at home with me. Not a perfect solution, but better than buying Starbucks or DD.
Check out ROK espresso machine
- Thread starter
- #24
Thanks for all of the tips! I decided to try an Aeropress. Made my first cup this morning. Really enjoying it and am sure it will get even better as I get a little more experience with it.
I absolutely love my Aeropress at home. When I was working, I used a Melitta cone and #2 filters (that I could purchase at the RiteAid across the street.) Here's my analysis:
Aeropress:
Pro: GREAT cup of coffee. Paper filters are super cheap, and a metal filter is only $10-15 (I recommend the one from Kohi Labs.)
Cons: I find the cleanup a little messy. The "puck" comes out pretty cleanly, especially if you make the coffee and let it rest for a few minutes so the puck dries out a little. However, that requires a spot to let the Aeropress sit while full of grinds and a little water. Also, I get a little coffee on my hands when I twist off the mesh cap that holds the filter. Not a big deal at home, but has the potential to make your hand smell like coffee, and you might get it on your shirt. If you plan to brew in the kitchen/break room, it may not be a big deal.
Melitta/pourover filter:
Pros: Like the Aeropress, the filters are cheap. Plus, you can find them in most any grocery store or pharmacy. Also makes a great cup of coffee.
Cons: Takes up a little more room that the Aeropress. Also requires a little more coffee to make the same size and strength cup, since you're doing a pourer, and the Aeropress uses pressure to extract more flavor. It also takes a little longer. Aeropress brews take no more than two minutes, but a good pourover can take 5 or 6 minutes to finish. The pourover requires a little more technique to get a great brew, but if you're only looking for something better than Folgers out of the Mr. Coffee in the break room, it's not hard to figure out.
I don't use either at school, but that's mostly due to a lack of access to hot water, and no storage for my gear. If I had to go with one or the other, I'd use the Melitta here and keep the press at home.
Regarding a grinder, I'd second the Hario, or consider a Porlex. I usually ground my coffee in the morning into individual servings and bagged them in snack size Ziplock bags. Not as good as just ground before brewing, but I was only trying to beat the swill served at the bank, not replicate a good cup of coffee from home or a quality coffee shop.
Long story short, you've got good options. It really depends on how in depth you want to get, what the facilities are like where you're trying to brew, and how long you get for a coffee break.
Aeropress:
Pro: GREAT cup of coffee. Paper filters are super cheap, and a metal filter is only $10-15 (I recommend the one from Kohi Labs.)
Cons: I find the cleanup a little messy. The "puck" comes out pretty cleanly, especially if you make the coffee and let it rest for a few minutes so the puck dries out a little. However, that requires a spot to let the Aeropress sit while full of grinds and a little water. Also, I get a little coffee on my hands when I twist off the mesh cap that holds the filter. Not a big deal at home, but has the potential to make your hand smell like coffee, and you might get it on your shirt. If you plan to brew in the kitchen/break room, it may not be a big deal.
Melitta/pourover filter:
Pros: Like the Aeropress, the filters are cheap. Plus, you can find them in most any grocery store or pharmacy. Also makes a great cup of coffee.
Cons: Takes up a little more room that the Aeropress. Also requires a little more coffee to make the same size and strength cup, since you're doing a pourer, and the Aeropress uses pressure to extract more flavor. It also takes a little longer. Aeropress brews take no more than two minutes, but a good pourover can take 5 or 6 minutes to finish. The pourover requires a little more technique to get a great brew, but if you're only looking for something better than Folgers out of the Mr. Coffee in the break room, it's not hard to figure out.
I don't use either at school, but that's mostly due to a lack of access to hot water, and no storage for my gear. If I had to go with one or the other, I'd use the Melitta here and keep the press at home.
Regarding a grinder, I'd second the Hario, or consider a Porlex. I usually ground my coffee in the morning into individual servings and bagged them in snack size Ziplock bags. Not as good as just ground before brewing, but I was only trying to beat the swill served at the bank, not replicate a good cup of coffee from home or a quality coffee shop.
Long story short, you've got good options. It really depends on how in depth you want to get, what the facilities are like where you're trying to brew, and how long you get for a coffee break.
I've used the Melitta for years, it is cheap and works well.
Either the Melitta or the Aeropress are good because they offer no-fuss cleanup. I use an Aeropress personally, and love how the squeegee action wipes the chamber dry and pushes the grounds into the trash with one push and a quick wipedown. It makes great coffee (I use an inverted method where I let the coffee grounds steep - I don't just press through like the manual suggests).
Get the "President Choice" k-cups from Loblaws.
My wife who's a true coffee junky swears that it's the best k-cup coffee she's had, as good as coffee shop stuff if not better. (as I'm not a coffee drinker)
Two flavour: "Great Canadian" and "West Coast Dark Roast Gourmet" (which she prefers)
My wife who's a true coffee junky swears that it's the best k-cup coffee she's had, as good as coffee shop stuff if not better. (as I'm not a coffee drinker)
Two flavour: "Great Canadian" and "West Coast Dark Roast Gourmet" (which she prefers)
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This is what I used 'back in the day' when I needed coffee at the office and it was a total "do it yourself" situation.
Or, you could just switch to tea.
Or, you could just switch to tea.
The reusable K-cups thing didn't work for me anyway. The water that comes out of the machines isn't hot enough to brew a decent cup of coffee or the water isn't in contact long enough with the grounds.
There are tons of great suggestions above! My personal favorites are 1) French Press 2) Cold brew strong (at least double strength) coffee at home and bring it to work. It'll easily last a week in the refrigerator. Then I just mix it with hot water. This creates coffee with less overall acidity, but I personally feel that k-cups taste worse than instant coffee. 3) Drink tea instead.
There are tons of great suggestions above! My personal favorites are 1) French Press 2) Cold brew strong (at least double strength) coffee at home and bring it to work. It'll easily last a week in the refrigerator. Then I just mix it with hot water. This creates coffee with less overall acidity, but I personally feel that k-cups taste worse than instant coffee. 3) Drink tea instead.
My office is a police cruiser, so my Melitta plastic pour over goes on top of a Stanley Thermos on my way out the door. Hot coffee for about 6 hours.
Here's my office setup. Not pictured is my electric kettle. The water available in the break room is just not hot enough.
Clever Coffee Stopper paired with a Hario Skerton hand grinder. Hopefully one day soon I can splurge ($175) on a Lido for better grinding.
Clever Coffee Stopper paired with a Hario Skerton hand grinder. Hopefully one day soon I can splurge ($175) on a Lido for better grinding.
Now with a picture!
- Thread starter
- #34
You guys are serious enablers! I've been alternating between an Aeropress and a Melita pourover. Big difference just using fresh ground beans! Now I'm looking for a local roaster to buy really fresh beans from.
If you drink a lot of Starbucks at home, make sure you get the bags with the little sticker doo-dad on the bag. If you peel the sticker off, underneath is a "star code" ... if you have a starbucks.com account, you can register the star codes on your account. After you collect enough you get free refills ... now, with that said, your ability to get a refill is dependent on your local Starbucks shop. Also you should get one of those plastic reusable Starbucks cups - they cost about $1.00 and they're "green" because they're reusable. I work near a college and the Starbucks is always packed with college kids ... with that much traffic the folks behind the counter have no problem refilling my reusable cup. I've takenmy cup with me traveling and found that many other Starbucks shops won't refill the cup for free.
Just an FYI, paying for a refill at Starbucks cost $0.59. That's brewed coffee, but pretty cheap in my book.
Also, if you decide to do the sticker-thingus, you can only register 2 star codes per day. Doesn't sound like a big deal but if you have a pile of Starbucks bags with stickers, it'll slow you down a bit.
-Dave
Get a popcorn popper and roast your own!!!
I use a GSI backpacking coffee press at work.http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-...d=1426686517&sr=8-3&keywords=GSI+coffee+press
Grind your beans at home before you leave for work. Don't have to get too crazy.
I use a GSI backpacking coffee press at work.http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-...d=1426686517&sr=8-3&keywords=GSI+coffee+press
Grind your beans at home before you leave for work. Don't have to get too crazy.
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