Coffee drinkers help please!

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I’m trying to furnish my extension to be used as an air b n b type place. I want it to be sort of higher end so I’ve been buying lots of Joseph Joseph kitchen stuff, naice sheets etc. What should I do for coffee making facilities? I don’t drink coffee at all so have no idea what’s best. A cafetière? A Nespresso? Would the environmental impact of Nespresso annoy you if the place advertised itself as eco friendly? Other ideas?

Also any other particular things you’d like in a holiday let that are often overlooked?

if advertised as eco friendly a machine that uses pods is not very friendly to the environment look at a bean to cup machine we have a delonghi cafe corso and its brilliant and easy to use and robust ours is 6 years old and still works perfectly

A bean to cup machine is best but can cost £££. I find a cafetière a bit of a faff to clean out but it is eco friendly. As far as the capsule machines, I think the Nespresso has the best options for real coffee drinkers, I think they do offer recycling on the capsules but not sure how it works.

Mine is also a Delonghi Cafe Corsica and I agree it is very robust.

I've read a few articles recently suggesting that capsule machines are better for the environment than many others.
www.wired.co.uk/article/coffee-pods-nespresso-recycling
Nespresso recycling is very easy.

Nespresso with recyclable capsules, and make sure you leave a note for the guests to place the capsules on a receptacle from which you can recycle them (not the general bin).

You can also get a device from Hema (and no doubt other retailers too) to make your own reusable pods. To me, this sounds like a brilliant idea IF it works and the homemade pods don't damage the machine. You could look online for reviews to find out? (You'd also need to make sure there were sufficient reusable pods with coffee in for the guests each day (say 4-6?) rather than expecting them to/letting them try to make their own pods).

Bear in mind a lot of people boycott Nestle too.

Also you mentioned high end linen (sounds lovely), do ensure that is eco-friendly too if advertising the accommodation as such.

I'd go for a cafetière. Easy to use and the grinds can go in the green recycling bin.

If a bean-to-cup machine isn't financially viable, how about a filter machine? Most of them have a permanent washable filter now.

Nespresso machine with Grind capsules which are recyclable.

Cafetiere would get my vote.

I'm a coffee drinker and I swear by my cafetiere. Easy to use so there's no complications or faffing with instructions on a machine you're not familiar with. It's not a bother to clean (good rinse between uses and a proper was at the end of the day). You could get some decent, locally roasted coffee too.

Nespresso pods can be recycled, with Nespresso providing the bags and then we drop off at a shop in our village.

I'd be more worried about people nicking stuff TBH.

Cheap pod machine but with Grind capsules

A coffee bar in London that does amazing compostable capsules made out of rice paper - totally eco

I get a monthly delivery and the coffee is incredible

grind.co.uk

Fresh ground coffee goes off quite quickly, so I would recommend setting up a subscription with a good coffee company. Our favourite by far is Aritisan Roast, they are based in Edinburgh but post everywhere.

Their coffee is ethically sourced, they usually buy direct from small farmers and as a result it is unusual to get the same coffee twice. (Like apples, different coffee varieties taste very different). You can set up the subscription however it suits, once a week, once a month... and you can select what type of grounds you prefer (for cafetière, V60, espresso...).

I would recommend a cafetière, it is simple to use, easily to clean, no unnecessary waste and all coffee drinkers will know how to use it. Another option, for similar reasons, is a filter coffee machine which also keeps the jug of coffee warm. Not so many people know how to use these and there is the additional waste of a coffee filter, but less waste than a pod machine.

I’m not sure if you’re interested in eco-friendly tea, but the Tea Makers of London frequently win Good Taste awards and sell delicious loose tea. You can purchase their tea in smart looking, reusable, airtight tea containers and very large refill bags. If you get a teapot with a metal filter then they are easy to use, clean and reduces unnecessary waste from the tea bags (and reduces transport and packing waste due to large refill bags).

A bean to cup machine is much nicer than Nespresso, but a lot more complicated to use. It needs tons of maintenance. Some of it's easy and people could do it themselves (emptying and filling various things). Other things like descaling, filter change, infuser soaking etc, you'd probably want to do between clients or have a schedule of every 3 or 4 weeks, and they're not hard, but they take time. There is also a lot that you can change on the machines to make the coffee just how you like it, changing the grind and the amount of coffee or milk that are automatically dispensed, as well as things like which drink, how many shots, how strong, etc, and the instructions generally might take getting used to. They can be very simple and one-button, but only if people don't fiddle with any other settings! So you'd have to check that it was all reset back to normal settings each time, or leave the manual there for people to work it out if they don't like how it's set. Some people might not want to bother with that, or waste a lot of coffee trying it out until they get what they want.

But they are a lot nicer than nespresso or cafetieres, in my opinion.

I use nespresso compatible pods from the Eden Project. They’re fully compostible (available from Amazon amongst others).

I’ve just bought a bean to cup machine. No idea where I can get decent coffee beans from though. I’ve got the teabags from a company a friend runs, they’re local and no plastic involved.

Nice. Was just about to ask what you're doing for us tea drinkers :)

Yes I can cope with. I know tea. But I can’t stand coffee and so have no idea what people like.

*tea, not yes

I think a cafetiere is best.