Over the last 6 or so years I’ve had a Gaggia bean to cup machine in my office, which gets used 5 or 6 times a day to make an Americano.

It isn’t that I *like* coffee, it is more that I _need_ coffee.

In mid Sept I am moving to sharing an office with 3 other people. In fairness to them I can’t expect them to put up with the whirrrrrchunkachunachuna noise of a bean to cup machine 5 times a day.

I have thought of some sort of pod based machine, but don’t like the amount of waste they produce. What other options do I have for easily ( little mess or fuss ) making good coffee without me or the solution being thrown out of a 24th floor window ?

If you want a proper Americano, your only option to do it silently would be a lever machine. Londinium get a good reputation, they aint cheap though. https://londiniumespresso.com/

Alternative (and much cheaper) option would be doing something more filter style. Personally I find my Aeropress ideal to use at work.

Aeropress makes a very nice Americano indeed and is silent.

Aeropresses and Caffetieres don’t make any noise. The latter in particular is pretty much the most dependable, repeatable way you can make good coffee and the former is one of the quickest.

Both require a good kettle though

In fairness to them I can’t expect them to put up with the whirrrrrchunkachunachuna noise of a bean to cup machine 5 times a day.

Why don’t you offer to make them a coffee?

This might increase their noise tolerance levels somewhat.

Switched to a hario-type dripper and filters a while ago. If you want a mug-sized black coffee it’s nicer IMO.

Simon g has it. Makes nice mugs of coffee but very unfashionable in the UK. Too cheap and not endorsed by any celebs.

You could never do your flies up in the new office.

The fear your tally whacker may pop out will distract your colleagues, they’ll not even notice the whirrrrrchunkachunachuna.

Sage have brought out a decent drip machine , should be suitable for a busy office as everyone can benefit from decent coffee

It isn’t that I *like* coffee, it is more that I _need_ coffee.

If that’s the case, wean yourself off the stuff.  Your “need” for coffee is likely to be the comedown from the previous hit.  You don’t get free energy from coffee, the surfeit you get will come at the expense of a deficit later.

I used to drink a shedload of tea and coffee. At work I never had an empty mug on my desk. At home in the evenings I’d happily glug through a pint or two of Coke. Then I’d wonder why I couldn’t sleep and was like the walking dead first thing in the morning.

I switched to decaf maybe two years ago, went cold turkey. The first few days were hell on earth, but it soon passed. Once I’d kicked the addiction I realised I missed nice coffee, so now I’ll have one caffeinated brew mid-morning and that’s it. Decaf for the rest of the day.

I’m still not a “morning person,” but that’s just me, I’ve been the same all my life. I’m sleeping better now (mostly), and I’m not falling out of bed “needing” a mug of rocket fuel just to have the basic ability to get dressed.

Pact are still doing an offer where you get a free Hario dripper and filters with your first bag of coffee – http://welcome.pactcoffee.com/list2/

As an aside,

I suffer from a condition called hyperhydrosis – I have excessively sweaty hands. It used to be really bad as a kid and got a bit better as I got older. Saying prayers at school, by the end of the Lord’s Prayer it’d be dripping off my elbows. Got taken to the doctor and got told basically “he’ll grow out of it.” It was awful. Kids being kids I got the piss ripped mercilessly, it badly impacted my schoolwork and destroyed my confidence. It’s amazing how many things you do during the day which require hands.  It makes rock-climbing interesting, for instance.

Knocking the caffeine on the head stopped the symptoms almost outright. I actually only realised when I started drinking it again, my hands started sweating and I suddenly thought “hey, they’ve not done that for a while…” All my life I’ve put up with this and it turns out it’s a bloody caffeine intolerance.

As an aside to this aside: If you’ve ever played the computer game Theme Hospital, there’s a condition in there called Sweaty Palms. I have the dubious claim to fame in that this is a joke at my expense, the developer was a friend of mine.

Anyone with any sense would happily tolerate the nose of a bean-to-cup coffee machine in their office with the convenience of having  bean-to-cup coffee machine in their office. A boiling kettle for an Aeropress or filter won’t be much better – it’s not intolerable but it is noticeable.

As an aside to this aside: If you’ve ever played the computer game Theme Hospital, there’s a condition in there called Sweaty Palms.

I know that bloke too. He didn’t ask my permission before including ‘Bloaty Head’ in the game. 🙁

Can’t the kettle sit beside the sink? I’m assuming you don’t actually have that in the office room itself.

Kettle + cafetiere/aeropress/drip has been my choice up to now, which all have their own minor benefits and disadvantages but are much the same overall.

Aeropress makes a very nice Americano indeed and is silent.

It may be, but the noise of the aeropresseur(se) telling everybody how good it is rather cancels out that advantage.

are your officemates sleeping babies with collic?

I know that bloke too.

Are you being serious?  Small world if so.

(For the record, he certainly didn’t ask my permission, the git.)

I’d get in there, see what the score is then decide how unimpressed they all are by a coffee machine noise. You could even ask them if they seem friendly.

For the time I t takes to pluck up the courage just take a flask….

Are you being serious?  Small world if so.

Nah, was just my Slack Tongue talking. Sorry!

Any opportunity for a gratuitous TH reference. 🙂

(-: fair enough.

My mates filter coffee machine makes better coffee than most posh shops Americano, he doesn’t even grind his own beans!

Caffetierre and stop being a snob.

Or a filter machine, we stuck one in our little office on site as there were only 6 of us stuck in a room at the end of the corridor. Even if you bought the coffee for everyone from now to eternity it would be cheaper than some Gaggia Carlos Fandango machine.  And even if it wasn’t single origin, artisan roasted by hipsters in some depressing provincial town and ground fresh in your immaculately calibrated burr grinder then I imagine you’d still be quite popular as the new guy who brings free coffee for everyone.

Have you thought about buying 3 pairs of noise cancelling headphones?

Aeropresses and Caffetieres don’t make any noise. The latter in particular is pretty much the most dependable, repeatable way you can make good coffee and the former is one of the quickest.

Both require a good kettle though

What makes a good kettle?  If it boils water surely its done its job.

I thought the good kettle comment must be a joke.

Just off to make myself a coffee.  Will be using an Aeropress and the wall mounted boiler which may or may not have been calibrated to coffee making temperature

What makes a good kettle?  If it boils water surely its done its job.

One that doesn’t boil water. It’s better not to use boiling water with a caffetire or an aero press

Why not give the bean to cup machine a try and see if people really do object to it? If it’s an issue you can look at alternatives. If it’s not a problem. then job done.

Surely that’s a bad kettle?

Moka pot. Nearest thing to espresso without espresso machine as it’s still passing pressured water through the coffee. Was using a caffetiere for my “can’t be arsed with the Gaggia” coffee, but since trying the Moka it’s a world of difference.

Though you still need ground coffee. Pre-grind for a few days worth and keep in fridge maybe, or order fresh pre-ground. Not supermarket stuff. May as well just use a filter.

Also you need some means of brewing the thing in an office 😉 . Maybe you can get a hot plate though.

I tried the Pact drip thingy. Don’t really see how it’s any different to any other filter, but even if it is, it tasted no different. Just convenient to use with one cup. Also wasn’t that impressed with their coffee.

Or pre-brew a big batch at home and fill a decent flask with it. Pour as necessary through the day.

One that doesn’t boil water. It’s better not to use boiling water with a caffetire or an aero press

If only there were some way of turning a kettle off before it boils.

Why don’t you ask them if they would like to share the machine?  I run a Nespresso in a box to keep the noise down and often make coffees for others.

If you want Americano, I’d switch to a cafetière to be honest.

I have a dualit kettle type percolator thing that makes nice coffee. Does make the plop splurge shhh noise for a while though. Good if you need coffee for 4 but it’s a pain to clean compared to a noisier bean to cup.

I’ve tried various –

We have a Nespresso at home but I only use if for Espresso.

Moka makes decentish coffee but i can’t get a good espresso from it, and I find it a bit of a faff if I’m honest.

Bean to cup would be lovely but is expensive (and noisy)

So in the end I tend to use my aeropress at home or travelling (easy to pack and not breakable), and a cafetiere at work for long coffees. Or, luddite that i am, some of the whole bean instants are OK in a push.

Agree that boiling water is an enemy of bitter tasting coffee, so i boil the kettle and then add back another 10% of cold water to bring it down to 90-odd, can’t be standing around waiting!!

Excuse the Amazon link, small full sleeve tattooed bearded artisan sellers are available but

Zyliss Cafetiere Hot Mug, Red, 350 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DB4JY72

Then you can even have one on your travel to the office.

Or given you don’t like coffee, you just need it, drink instant hot brown caffeinated beverage instead. It doesn’t really taste like the coffee you don’t like, but it looks the part and will save you a fortune and all that horrid noise.

so i boil the kettle and then add back another 10% of cold water to bring it down to 90-odd

A real artisan can tell by the sound when it’s approaching 90C 🙂

Hario or Mazzer grinder – Grind what you need for the day once in the morn then just stick in an old style espresso machine for half the noise. You are then free to pick your own beans.

No fan of bean to cup noise machine – just makes office sound like being in bad chain coffee shop all day.

I personally prefer a tasty cup of tea 🙂

Bags or leaves?

Infuser or strainer?

I sometimes make tea in my cafetiere, if i fancy something fancy rather than Sainsbury Gold