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After hosting since 2016, I have decided to replace my regular drip coffee maker with a K-cup single cup machine. It seems that my guests almost never used the coffee maker and I have a case of expired coffee I have to throw out now.
My new machine can brew grounds or cups. After reading the instructions, I decided to try to make it idiot proof and provide recyclable K-cups.
I don’t drink coffee and have no idea what my guests will like. I bought a box of Newman’s organic medium roast to start and it comes out to 40 cents per coffee. Is that a good price?
What Brands and types of coffee and flavors do you and guests like and where are the places to get the best pricing? I have Amazon prime and Costco.
If I bought a cheaper brand (say Kirkland - Costco’s brands) would guest be put off?
I thought about a sampler pack but was afraid that the weird flavors would be left over.
Also, do I need to get de-caff? As a none drinker, I don’t understand drinking de-caff but maybe folks just like the taste.
I buy samplers of tea and always end up with leftovers so I would not recommend that. I would have a supply of medium and dark roast, and a decaf option. I believe that you are in MA as I am so some of your guests might like hot chocolate in the cold weather. There are some coffee lovers who are very fussy about their coffee but you will never satisfy everyone. If you list that you have a Keurig some guests will bring their own. Newman’s own seems like a good choice. I would consider any New England brand to match your location. I don’t know how you are offering tea, but there are also pods for good morning coffees and decaf tea options. I still make a pot of coffee, the only problem being that if the guests don’t drink it, I do and end up jazzed for hours.
Thanks for the info. Any idea where to find good sales?
As for tea, that’s a hard no for me because as a tea drinker when you brew hot water from a coffee maker it will ruin the flavor of tea. I provide an electric hot water kettle and an assortment of black and herbal teas.
I don’t know if they would be put off but when I’ve had a brand name like Starbucks and a store label like Costco in the room at the same time, the Starbucks gets used faster than the generic.
I’d just get a basic medium roast and I wouldn’t care about the brand. In every restaurant I’ve ever been in, if one orders coffee, you just get some basic coffee. This is an airbnb, not a coffee shop. If they are that picky they can buy their own. I’d only buy a sampler if I were in a position to use the ones guests didn’t. I do that with tea.
I drink decaf and provide decaf. You could just buy a jar of instant or get decaf coffee bags on Amazon, which is where I get mine for the guest house.
I’m glad you got re use able K cups because the pile of waste K cups leave is not a good look.
Kirkland brand isn’t bad at all. I’m a coffee drinker and while Costco sells another brand I like better here in Mexico, they don’t always have it in stock, so then I buy the Kirkland. Personally, I prefer the dark roast, but if you are only going to provide one choice for guests, I’d use the medium.
And I second the idea to put it in a glass jar, rather than leave bags. That also eliminates the possibility of guests who think the bag of coffee is all for them walking off with whatever they didn’t use during their stay.
My original plan to use the refillable k-cups with ground coffee but I just feel like guests don’t read and I don’t want to have the extra work cleaning up the mess. I have a kitchenette without a sink so I’m concerned about overflows. I provide a pitcher of filtered water and a measuring cup next to the coffee maker and electric tea kettle.
I went with k-cups that can be recycled and made a notation on the instructions to recycle the cups.
Eventually I may go back to that option of using the refillable k-cups and if so, then I’m not as concerned about the coffee brand.
I thought the same with my drip coffee maker but it seems like folks never used it. Maybe one in 20 guests. I know that I appreciate when a host has an electric kettle and black tea so I’m trying to give an added benefit for coffee drinkers.
I’m guessing that the new generation doesn’t know how to work a drip coffee maker.
The coffee was individual bags of Kirkland but previously I provided high brand names too.
If I find that the cost is too prohibitive. I have the option of using the refillable K-cup files and will do as suggested and put coffee in a glass container so no brand.
I also have instant and de-caff coffee tea bags but they aren’t used either.
Yeah, I can’t do anything before my morning coffee, so even if I went out for breakfast, I’d have coffee at home.
@Lynick4442 I’d forget the flavored coffee option. While some people like it, most serious coffee drinkers don’t, in my experience. I think of it as sort of the equivalent of wine coolers- stuff for teenagers or young women. If someone drinks coffee, regular coffee will suit everyone for their coffee hit, whereas flavored won’t.
We do not provide K-cups only a small drip coffee maker or French press with ground French roast mixed 1/2 with a Hazelnut or Hawaiian blend, which is what we drink, a Grocery outlet store brand. We also supply instant coffee from the $ store. One guest wanted to know where that was purchased…! We do not supply decaf.
If I had K-cup I would start with an assortment pack and see what happens.
The coffee does get drank regularly and no guest comment either way. Maybe they are enjoying it!
If I had a k-cup machine, I would be inclined to ask longer-term guests (sAY… more than $2k per stay) in advance if they have a favourite, and then have a comp package of that flavour/brand waiting for them upon arrival as a welcome gift.
The other thing I would do is invite guests to bring their own pods to use in my machine if they wanted a “taste of home” while staying with us – and make this offer in the listing as a “guest-friendly” feature. I would also, at the same time, point out that your guest kitchen is already stocked with comp standard roast from Starbucks (or whatever) for all guests.
If someone drinks coffee, regular coffee will suit everyone for their coffee hit, whereas flavored won’t.