Full blown espresso bar in the cubicle or stealth coffee-making? Or somewhere in between?

When I decided that I couldn't stomach the coffee service swill (Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf office service) that's provided for us at work, I decided on an Aeropress. I've been using a cheapo (as in $50) La Pavoni bean crusher on either my own roasts or fairly fresh roasted beans from the local Whole Foods (who roast on premises), but have a PeDe hand grinder I found on Ebay on the way for a more even grind. Lots of people ask about the Aeropress, and a number of other folks are thinking of picking up their own. Once I figure out what I'm doing with my new Caravel, I may just start looking for a second one or a La Peppina to keep at work.

Baratza Virtuoso grinder and French press or Aeropress, depending on how clumsy I've been. Best beans I can find.

I tried a superauto last year for the convenience, but couldn't stomach the swill. Others in my department love it.

A cafe a block and a half away with a Mistral and a very good line in sandwiches and Portuguese tarts... I schedule meetings there.

My former job was at a company with a more relaxed environment and I had a slew of coffeedrinkers in my office every day (ocassionally to include the division director). There I was able to do pretty much as I pleased and so I kept a Baratza Virtuoso, a pair of Bunn Coffeemakers, and a few airpots to serve from.

Then I made a career move to a new company in January. Now I work in a big corporate HQ building. The environment here is more formal and the rules are a bit more strict (no electrical appliances or open flame burners allowed). So my setup is now a PeDe hand grinder and a Bodum double-wall glass French press with a thermos for serving. I use a large Pyrex measuring cup to boil water in the microwave

I feel like the coffee I'm making is better, but it's a bit more effort...

I'm lucky enought to work from home, so unless I'm on the road, it's the home setup.

The Caravel and hand grinder is not only a good office combo, it pretty much sets the standard for espresso (at least in my naive opinion). Purely stepless grind, kettle temperature +/- 1 degree, and user-defined pre-infusion. BUT, no milk, unless you get a MR. Coffee steam espresso maker, or an Ikea frother (which works fairly well). The Caravel, paired with the frother, is my planned "field ecology" duo for upcoming field season.

EricL wrote:I'm lucky enought to work from home, so unless I'm on the road, it's the home setup.

Same here, can't beat the commute!

I like the point about a good cafe a short hop away. That's my fall back and where I go for espresso. I use my Kitchenaid Proline in the office and either a big French Press when brewing for a small group (I'm trying to convert the others from their heathen/preground/aged coffee ways) or the Bodum Bistro mug press if it's just me. Recently, I've also been bringing in a plastic pour over cone to change things up a little. As much as I enjoy a cup of coffee from the aeropress, I just can't stand the thing. So messy and so much work for not enough payoff.

I actually tried to make the kitchenaid a kitchen donation - useable by all and so the office could upgrade to whole bean coffee. I got shot down because it would be too messy.

A bit of an explanation may be in order. I left the wine trade after 35 years, and presently work in my wife's law office -- she is a sole practitioner (Criminal Defense), so there is really just the two of us, plus a part-time bookkeeper/notary. So I'm everything from "Her Man Friday" to "Office Manager" to receptionist to quasi-paralegal to writer-and-server of subpoenas . . .

If nothing else, this gives me a lot of leeway!

So, the present OFFICE setup is as follows:

• Ala Di Vittoria La Valentina automatic (1st-Line);
• Cimbali Max Hybrid (Chris' Coffee Service);
• Arrarex [orange] Caravel (private sale);
• Bumper knockbox and Bumper 58mm Tamper (Chris' Coffee Service);
• unidentified 45mm tamper (for the Caravel).

In addition I have sitting in the office, unplugged for the moment:

• Olympia Cafferex, built in 1989 (eBay)
• Nuova Simonelli MCF grinder (1st-Line)
• 49mm tamper (Espresso Parts NW)

Cheers,
Jason

The office supplies a cheap Bunn, sugar, and whatever can of preground was on sale - variously MJB, Hills Bros., or Maxwell House.

I have a few Hotshot water heaters there to use with my Aeropress, and a guy who likes his presspot brought in his Zassenhaus knee mill. We take turns buying from local roasters.

No coffee at work for me, for a couple reasons

1. Too much caffeine puts me in atrial fibrilation
2. I enjoy my morning espresso waaaaayyyy better when it has been around 24 hrs since my last cup. I will sometimes have a decaf in the evening and even that dampens my enthusiasm for my morning cup a little.
3. Plus it is rare that I am sitting still at work long enough to enjoy coffee.

I don't keep any coffee making equipment in the office, but upstairs in the kitchen there's the J5 super-auto for a "drive-by" cup, or Maestro and Aeropress for break coffee.

my office is my coffee shop..

jon

my office is my coffee shop..

Now you're just bragging.

busted.!

I've got a Gaggia Coffee and a Macap M4 stepless in the office. I mostly use it to make straight espresso for myself and anyone else who wants it. It's too much trouble to bring in milk all the time, plus it's messier and more time consuming to make and clean up after making cappuccini. The little Gaggia makes surprisingly good straight shots, though they're a bit on the bitter side, perhaps due to poor temperature and pressure control. Or maybe user error.

I really want to get a lever machine for the office, because it would be smaller, quieter, and a different experience from what I make at home with Anita. Something like an Elektra Microcase a Leva or Ponte Vecchio Lusso would be perfect. But so far I haven't been able to rationalize spending a lot of money on a machine that's only a one shot a day backup. So for now I'll stick with the Gaggia.

I am a old geezer student and have a shared space at the college. Just an ancient Estro Profi with built in grinder. Read *$ barista on steroids. I rebuilt it a few years ago and it should be good for another 10 years. The students and instructors haven't destroyed it. It gets a good cleaning a couple times a semester. Not great espresso but a welcome change from vending machine caffeine solutions. I have been known to bring in a good hand grinder and flavor peak beans and then all bow to the machine! I do work at home also and so the mad collector list is in play here.
Cheers
-Richard

I never knew one could major in "old geezers" in college -- that explains a lot!

Just try auditing if you are hearing impaired!
-Richard

zin1953 wrote:I never knew one could major in "old geezers" in college -- that explains a lot!

Isn't an 'old geezer' major also known as 'philosophy'?