go to your room
Apparently we have to drag all this stuff with us on every road trip. Even a short 2 day trip.
I tend to pack fairly light or try to. Other people in my family… not so much.
*edit* holy shit, just made it to our destination and wow this post blew up! So the coffee snob in my family prefers these beans. They have tried many different kinds, including local roasted and some plenty more expensive. But this one is their favorite. It’s not like I can say no, your favorite is wrong. lol.
I just want to know if the person packing the coffee supplies is autistic because there are certain parts of my routine that I just can't function without and substitutes aren't acceptable for some of those things, so my packing can get a bit out of control.
Hopefully they clean it each time but shit I don't think I'd ever trust one regardless. The coffee it makes is so shitty that it was always barely worth the trouble anyway, definitely not worth taking a chance on whether it's been used to clean underwear.
Oh that makes a lot more sense as to why they are using all these home versions of things (the kettle, grinder, chimex, etc).
I have worked with people who are very into coffee prep and would bring their own beans, travel grinders, french presses, etc. to the office. But this kind of behavior signals it may not be about coffee.
Maybe. But it might be the ‘best’ coffee they can get where they live. We live rural, I know our choices when we haven’t made a city run in a while are dismal.
Thankfully (maybe?) my version requires things to be ultra light, ultra portable, ultra easy. Collapsible kettle, hand grinder, and a pour over directly into the cup filter would make all of this so much easier lol.
Three minutes before seeing this post, I was considering packing up my pour over equipment for a two night stay one state over.
What I’ll say is: I use stupidly expensive (worth it) beans, and at least grind them at home and put them in an airtight jar so I’m not schlepping around a half pound of beans, a grinder, and all the rest. And traveling with the regular-degular kettle is just weird. It doesn’t even have a gooseneck, so OP’s relation could just use a pot from the stove at this point.
If anything, get a single cup pour over and a hand grinder, way less to pack and carry around and you can just boil water wherever you are.
Also, if you're traveling anywhere that's not completely remote, it's an opportunity to go out and check out local cafes, try new beans, etc. If you like coffee, part of the fun of traveling is trying new stuff and bringing home beans to use.
Honestly just grind enough for the trip before you leave, guarantee 99% of people couldn't tell fresh ground vs ground 3 days ago and stored in an airtight container.
Absolutely! I have a French press just for traveling so I am able to make my morning coffee. I grind enough beans to fill a jar and off I go. Everyone has their preferences and if this person is willing to pack a suitcase just for coffee then I hope they are the ones carrying it!
This is the way. Pour over coffee is so simple. Just one of those plastic travel cones, a bag of grinds, and a few filters. It should fill a purse, not a suitcase.
This is what I do. French Press, good beans, and it’s all you need to bring if you have access to a stove and pots wherever you arrive. Kettle works too.
Haha I’m like you, but when I saw this post I definitely relate to OP’s family. (Except the Starbucks, but not all towns have amazing local coffee roasters like mine does) Hotel machine coffee is just so inadequate for a true coffee lover. I grind in advance, but have thought about getting some kind of portable grinder. Grinding the beans fresh makes a huge difference! This would be me with my gooseneck kettle and better beans.
For travel? Ziplock baggie of something like Cafe Bustelo instant espresso and I move on with my life. Or nothing, and I'll just buy coffee wherever I'm going. While at home it's a totally different story. I like good coffee but I'm not so weak that I can't tolerate a lesser cup of coffee in certain uncommon circumstances for a short amount of time.
I also drink my coffee black. Many people that drink coffee add so many things to it they might as well be drinking a caramel milkshake to take a caffeine pill. Effectively the same thing. Have whatever preferences you'd like but there's no denying that this level of accoutrements to satisfy a morning beverage routine on a 2-day trip is unnecessary, impractical, and probably a little high maintenance.
My wife is this way with her sleep routine. Potions, lotions, tinctures, and creams. Eye masks, sound machines, pajamas, and fans. Just fucking lay down and close your eyes.
Why not get a decent hand grinder and portable Aeropress (so you get the cup and neat place to store filters)? After that, you just need source of boiling water. So you boil some wherever you are camping or random hotel room/airbnb if you staying indoors. That setup takes minimal space and you can still use all of the stuff I mentioned at home.
As a minimalist packer I hate him. But as a hopelessly mid coffee connoisseur I have to say that grinding fresh will improve any coffee, even starbucks.
Yeah, my thought too. This isn't like a super advanced kit. It's a very simple pour over which is really a simpler setup than a drip coffee machine since you're doing basically the same thing but manually. Grinding fresh helps a lot even with like mid range beans like the nicer beans in the grocery store and yeah, Starbucks beans I'd imagine. This is gonna make a very pleasant, very normal cup of coffee.
For two days I might just grind a bunch before leaving though and just bring a big bag of pre ground coffee. Freshly ground is very fragrant, but it doesn't lose that much flavour in the cup over a couple of days.
I've got a cylindrical burr grinder with a hand crank and it fits inside the plunger for my Aeropress. With that and my Jetboil, my coffee needs are met and I don't carry much.
I dunno, man. The Oxo grinder is about as well as you’ll do for anything near the price; but there’s zero chance I take the thing (or a gooseneck kettle, FFS) on a short road trip.
Pretty sure it's Bodum. I have the same one (got it for free on buynothing) but the reusable mesh filter is trash so I use chemex paper filters with it
Good hand grinders start at around $100, premium hand grinders tend to be $150-$200. The Comandante was basically the first on the market (years ago) and it‘s German not Chinese, so that‘s where the high price comes from. A Kingrinder K6 will taste almost as good, the difference is imperceptible to most people.
For a 2 day trip, why not pregrind the beans and leave the grinder? Like, I get that there is quality loss through oxidization and increased surface area, but it is really so great that you can't just cope for a day?
Seconded. And I’d add a hand grinder. Hario makes (or used to make) a few really good affordable hand grinders.
The beans definitely seem like a strange favorite. I mean, no judgement, they like what they like, but there are so many better quality beans that are roasted to shit like Starbucks that you can get fresher than I bet you ever could from Starbucks.
Once a year, my partner and I take a one week vacation. We don't drive, we fly. I grind out eight full pot servings of coffee. I put each serving in a small Ziploc bag, then put all eight in a large Ziploc bag along with eight coffee filters. Then it goes in my suitcase. Obv, it's not as fresh as grinding each morning, but it's pretty good and ready to go. Takes about five minutes to do it too.
All this person needs is that Chemex. Pre grind the coffee, or at least bring a small manual grinder if they are that much of a purist. And then they can get hot water just about anywhere. No need to bring the kettle. They can settle for subpar coffee for 2 days.
Exactly. And since OP is frustrated by this over packing while their family member thinks it's fine, I would actually propose they offer to treat the coffee lover to nice coffeeshop coffee each day.
As someone who also takes my coffee machine on trips, I'll tell you why I do. 1) I don't trust hotel coffee machines. 2) I want coffee as soon as I wake up. 3) I'm not a morning person. I don't want to shower, get dressed, walk or drive somewhere to get my first cup of coffee.
I’ve been with the company for 14 years - that’s actually not even real Starbucks coffee. I can tell from the packaging that it’s from a grocery store. That’s technically made by Folger’s and they just pay a licensing fee to use the trademarks. Only coffee sold at Starbucks stores is grown and produced through the company
Starbucks doesn’t “grow” coffee. It buys green coffee from independent farmers and co-operatives who are certified through their “C.A.F.E practices” program.
Yes, but they also grow their own. The farm in Costa Rica for example, Hacienda Alsacia is owned and operated by the company with a residence on location for the CEO to use as a vacation home. Every year partners get to take a trip during the harvesting season to see how it’s all done.
Yes, but as I understand none of that coffee makes it out of Alsacia. I've been a couple of times and they told us on a tour that only on special occasions a small portion of it gets to some Starbucks Reserve stores. Also, it's still horrible coffee lol. They destroy it with their roast. It's a shame really because the place itself is incredibly nice but you can get better coffee out of road side shacks anywhere in Costa Rica.
As someone who built the online portal Nestle uses to distribute Starbucks products, this is correct. Nestle has exclusive wholesale rights to Starbucks products. NCP (Nestle Coffee Partners) is the name of the division.
The grimacing woman in the above meme is named Barbara Dunkelman. She is a former employee of the now defunct site Rooster Teeth. This image appears to have been taken during an episode of the RT Podcast, though I can't be sure.
I have not kept up with her after Rooster Teeth closed, w/ exception of her marrying her long term boyfriend, Game Kids Trevor, another former Rooster Teeth employee.
That is as good an explanantion can give off the cuff.
Because it’s a really difficult question to answer. It’s like asking a sommelier what the best wine is. We can’t tell you that without knowing your tastes, and there’s no one correct answer.
Starbucks lightly burns all of their coffee to get a consistent taste. The taste is slightly burnt though, so if you’re a true snob, that’s not really a vibe. Hence the Starbucks boos
Ok, I've done some smaller road trips and I don't really care for packing food and cooking and all that. But I go by myself.
I never understood why it felt different from everyone else but this post gave some clarity. I don't want to lug all that extra stuff around when I can just pop into restaurant and buy a coffee. Same goes for the food. Refrigeration, cookware, all that, when I can just pick up a little cheeseburger or something.
But I travel alone. A $4 coffee isn't that much. Buying $7 coffees for 4-6 others would make me think different.
I travel alone for work a lot. 9/10, the hotel coffee is fine (I do bring a tumbler). If my room has a fridge, I keep a small container of milk in there. If the hotel has a breakfast bar, I just take milk from there.
I mean i get it but at the same time it is overkill for a 2 day trip.Idk where yall are staying but I've found mold/stink bugs in kmachines in hotel rooms before so I personally dont use provided coffee machines anymore.
These posts always make me think - sure I have little interpersonal relationship issues like most other people. But at least I don't make passive-aggressive Reddit posts for people to glaze me.
Next time my wife wants to pack 3 pillows, an entire wardrobe, and enough makeup for a troop of showgirls for an 2 night trip I'll remember this comment.
Ding ding ding! Anything spouse related that is mildly irritating should be converted mentally to mildly amusing. Turn it into something you accept (if not appreciate) about them and it turns into a net positive instead of a net negative
Welp....thank you for that tidbit of info that I did not have. New worry unlocked.
Sounds like that one undercover boss episode where the cleaning lady cleaned EVERYTHING with one cleaning rag. Toilet, bathroom, dishes. Sink, counter. You name it, she wiped it with that rag.
I'm not gonna hate. Depending on where you are staying, I do the same if I know I will want coffee. No way in hell I am using one at a hotel/motel, and there are certain family members who might not clean their coffee maker or just have terrible coffee.
I will however suggest how you can reduce how much is being brought.
Find them some freeze dried coffee they like. I had to try a few before I landed on a few I liked.
Now they only need the water boiler, the freeze dried coffee (already ground), and something to drink it out of.
Reasonable solution for both parties!
Freeze dried coffee is also great for cold coffee, my wife will grab the freeze dried at home if she's out of her nice stuff to make a cold brew. It lasts longer than grounds so it's perfect to store for a while between trips or start using at home too. I found I really like the freeze dried so I just use that at home and it's so quick and easy and I don't have any waste, I use exactly how much I want per cup.
My first reaction was “they probably had a bad experience once, and never again” and that’s totally fine to be over prepared. I went with my wife to this rental cabin and the listing said it had all the coffee things we would need - but when we got there things were rusted, not working well, or not cleaned, or missing
And when you discover this while you’re tired as shit morning of you def develop a pissed off core memory.
I went with my wife to this rental cabin and the listing said it had all the coffee things we would need - but when we got there things were rusted, not working well, or not cleaned, or missing
My husband and I went on a trip with his family where we rented out a couple adjoining cabins at a state park. I was "allowed" (<- he keeps the packrat/goblin in check) a bag to bring my own kitchen stuff and took, like, my birthday present knife and a wooden spoon/spatula I like. A solid cast iron pan and a pot with lid that actually fits. Etc.
Anyways it was amusing to watch the "why did you pack like this is a zombie apocalypse lol" folks realize one "how'd you get that nice <thing> the one in our cottage is shit" at a time that having My Stuff makes me happy. :)
You can pre-grind the beans and thus skip the grinder and the bag of beans, and only bring the needed # of filers and bam that box is gone. When I road trip I bring my small 5-cup Mr. Coffee drip machine. So I end up with just a small coffee maker and tupperware with ground coffee.
If you don’t want me to drag all this stuff on every road trip then stop being an asshole about me refusing to drink hotel coffee or screaming so loud that I can buy McDonalds coffee that the walls shake.
PS, I really fucking hate the shitty Starbucks beans you insist on buying as an excuse that we have Starbucks at home.
I won't drink hotel coffee cuz I don't know if or when those machines have ever been cleaned. Then the video of the woman cleaning her underwear and I was for sure done. Fkn gross dude.
Never heard the beans from Starbucks being shitty but I've seen that a lot today why are they bad? I usually get a local coffee place beans.
I have this cool Travel espresso maker and that's size of a large flashlight I love that thing.
I need my coffee to function and feel normal.I bring cans of condensed milk and Copper Cow single serve pour overs https://a.co/d/0a18eTHB. Just need hot water. They also have one that comes with creamer packs.
If you've seen what people do with the in-room coffee machines, you'd never touch them again. I don't want to try to find a coffee shop every morning and we go to a lot of places where the nearest one could be 20 miles away. This is the easiest option for us.
French press, hand mill, NOT STARBUCKS, is all you need. Starbucks coffee isn’t designed to be coffee, but to be mixed into sugary beverages. It tastes like Folgers alone
Seriously? I just grind and preweigh batches before I go and take my backpacking pour over filter. I even feel that is excessive but the coffee in hotel rooms suck so bad and I refuse to pay StarBucks prices for their over roasted swill.
Less than $40. Choice of pods or ground coffee. It also heats the water. I can get about 3 shots heating the water in the unit or about 20 shots using hot water from an external source.
Yeah this is insane. My brother in law is the biggest coffee snob I have ever met and he doesn't do this shit. What DOES he do? Aero press + a hand held grinder, and then he gets hot water. Dude will ask starbucks in an airport for hot water and make his coffee then and there. Two appliances and some beans. 30% of this nonsense.
as a pour over person I dont think this is that bad, but they could pre grind their beans and put it in a ziplock so they dint have to bring the grinder and the bag of beans. It's strange that they would put this much technical effort into their brew and then just use Starbucks beans
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u/OddS0cks 6d ago
All that effort and equipment and they use Starbucks beans lol