If You’re the Sole Coffee Drinker

If you're the sole coffee drinker paddling through a sea of tea, it's a cinch to set up a small personal brewing station that can be kept at your desk, stashed in a drawer, or tucked into a safe corner. A grinder(Opens in a new window) would be a nice touch (but it's probably a bit much if you're on your own in the caffeinated struggle). If your office doesn’t have a grinder, you can bring a week’s worth of coffee grounds from home in an airtight container(Opens in a new window) so it stays fresh.

A small manual brewer will sit snuggly next to your sticky-notes and pencil cup, and a low-maintenance, sturdy brewer like a Pour-Over(Opens in a new window) or French Press(Opens in a new window) along with a hot-water kettle(Opens in a new window) is pretty much all you need.

Form an Office Coffee Coalition
Brewing for yourself and a few officemates? It might make sense to form a coffee coalition, to ensure all of your cups overfloweth with the perfect joe. Scrap the K-cups and invest in a 9-cup brewer like the Barista Brain(Opens in a new window), which can satisfy a small office multiple times throughout the day, and a burr grinder(Opens in a new window) (which grinds coffee beans more consistently than a blade grinder) is great to have.

Print an Easy Coffee Recipe
Printing out an easy recipe (such as 2 tablespoons of coffee per every 1 cup of water) and posting it near the equipment takes the pressure off that one office coffee nerd, and keeping filters and drinking accessories (like milk or sugar) in a shared space will make everyone happy. Even if your bosses won't buy the machines with company funds, a minimal contribution from a few interested folks should make paying out of pocket a lot less painful.

Bean Duty
Nominate someone to keep the beans stocked up. A group of 5–10 people can each pitch in a few bucks a month and join a whole-bean subscription service that curates a rotating selection of fresh coffee from artisanal roasters near and far, shipping them to your door on a regular schedule. You may also make a monthly "coffee KP duty" calendar, assigning a different coworker to keep an eye on cleanliness and filter inventory every week.

Treat Yourself
Most importantly of all, remember that coffee breaks are you-time, and you should make the most of them. Drink from your favorite mug, bring along a sweet treat to dunk, and always try to savor the flavor.