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I think it was about $400, but it was a custom jobā¦hence the price. However, if you want to build your own Great Wall Oā Coffee ā¢, trot on over to Etsy and look up k-cup racksā¦thereās usually someone making a similar product. The ones I got off Etsy held around 80 cups per rack, and I ordered three racks. Butā¦with the shipping they came to almost a hundred bucks a rack. I peripherally knew a guy with a computer controlled laser cutter for doing metal work and asked him if he could duplicate the racks I got off Etsyā¦just bigger. I figured for the money I wouuld have spent for the Etsy product, I may as well go custom and get exactly what I wanted. And, while weāre at it, letās just go bigger. Two weeks later, I had my racks. Now it holds enough coffee to jump-start an aircraft carrier. The reviews of my space on Airbnb almost all have the guest raving about the coffee selection and that sort of thing. I suppose someone with some thin sheet plywood, a hole bit for their drill, and some paint, could fab up something similar. The only drawback I have encountered thus far is when some smartass thinks itās clever or funny to rearrange all the cups into random patterns. In addition to coffe and tea, thereās also hot chocolate in there as well.
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I have a simple drip-coffee maker but I am considering Keurig (just saw a compact one for $60 yesterday).
Does anyone provide refillable K-cups? I know they may be a hassle and defeating a purpose of having a Keurig (ease of coffee making, no changing filters, grounds all over the place) so would it be even worth it?
I donāt mind buying āregularā cups, but my guests have taken things in the past (like a whole box of tea, toilet paper rolls, you knowā¦), and with most of my guests staying one night, I just donāt want them to walk away with a box of Keurig cups. Does anyone limit the number of cups provided depending on the number of guests and the length of the stay?
I hate to sound this petty but I find guests taking things somewhat demeaning. Even the hotels leave 1-2 packages of coffee, not the entire box.
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I offer both K-cup & traditional drip coffee makers but only provide k-cups. I offer a few so they can get through their first morning or two. Starbucks is only 1 mile away. A grocery store is only 2 miles away.
I am always surprised how many guests with a group of 4 or more will only use the keurig. Also Iām surprised at how many people find having a keurig brewer a priority when they book.
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We only offer a drip coffee maker and decent quality ground coffee. I myself drink copious amounts of coffee and canāt imagine a Keurig to be cost effective, but maybe I should get one?? I would have to use compostable K-cups. Iām not even sure how that works. Are most coffees available in the compostable form??
I have a Keurig and a cafetiere. Like @Annet3176 I provide just a few k-cups as starter packs. Incidentally, I provide both regular and decaffeinated but hardly anyone ever uses the decaf.
Guests who really, REALLY care about their coffee bring their own. favourites and have sometimes asked me in advance what the coffee making facilities are. These guests usually bring (or buy) freshly ground coffee and use the cafetiere. Sometimes they buy their own favourite k-cups. Guests who are really concerned about the coffee bring their own so thatās fine by me.
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I think it also depends on how many guests stay at your place. I have whole house for the guests, usually 6+ guests staying. I just fill up the k-cup holder for 28 cups every time change guests. Sometimes they use a lot , sometimes only use a few. But so far I donāt think anybody still all of them. Hotel rooms are only accommodate 2 guests in one room and they have room service every day that they will refill everything every day. Thatās a little difference I guess.
I provided both the refillable and the āregularā k-cups. I bought some really cheap (like 20 cents each) bulk k-cups from an online office supply store. They had the bold flavors like Newmanās Own, etc. but I didnāt personally like the k-cup coffee, I found it all to be too weak.
Soooo I bought a couple of refillable cups and (I personally) used those instead, and left it up to the guests which ones they used (what else was I going to do with all these k-cups I bought! LOL). Refillable ones make better coffee by far, I think.
BUT, a guest broke the Keurig machine while using refillable cups! They can be difficult to insert properly, and they busted the needle/piercing portion off and it no longer worked. In the garbage it went and I bought a regular coffee machine with thermal pot. Sighā¦
There is such a thing as compostable cups?
Looks like they exist (I did not know that). Not sure if we are allowed to post links (moderators, please delete if necessary) but here is one of offerings from Amazon (just a random pick, I do not use Keurig, I like stronger coffee ;)) https://www.amazon.com/GLORYBREW-Compostable-Rainforest-certified-Biodegradable/dp/B06XCPS9TL/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?
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Links can be posted. Itās a case by case basis as much as anything. This is fine.
Hey @KKC,
Do you know if all links from this site to amazon are āaffiliateā links with $$ going to Tom2 ? I assumed they were, but wanted to make sure.
Thanks!
Thanks for the link @Siladhiel. What a great idea! They are pricey though, and Iām with you, I wonāt be buying another keurig, since mine broke and I donāt like the coffee either! My french press is my favorite, but too much trouble and mess to have for guests.
No. If Tom posts it, itās an affiliate link. If anyone else posts it, it should not be an affiliate link, just helpful. 
I wish there was a way he could set the whole site to automatically pay him for amazon links! Oh well. Thank you for the info!
The issue is that buying compostable cups does NOTHING for the environment unless you actually compost them. They still take as many resources to make, and they mostly still end up inside of plastic bags at a landfill where they will likely never break down. No point in spending that extra money unless youāre actually going to ask your guests to put them in a compost bin. I have a hard enough time just getting guests to get their cans in the recycleā¦ lol
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I was thinking the same thing. Iām envisioning myself picking through garbage looking for k-cups lol. I think Iāll just stick to my regular coffee maker.
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In my first year I had nothing but tea bags. This year itās the coffee committed.
I have a Keurig with refillable cups. It sounds impressive but nobody wants it.
People like drip coffee makers in their rooms.
But most of them lurk for the French press when I make mine. Beans, grinder, and 18 percent cream.
I buy Eight OClock beans on special in bulk and keep it in the storage fridge. In summer I sometimes roast beans.
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Most guests donāt use the coffee I provide, even when I provided $14/lb specialty coffee that was locally roasted. Now I just use whateverās on sale or pick up a few packs when I make a trip to the $$ store and put it into a nice little canister.
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