My first experience with a Keurig was at my in-laws’ house. At the time, the one-button simplicity felt like a win. But after a few weeks of plastic-tasting coffee, constant descaling, and the growing guilt over all those pods in the trash, it started to feel less like convenience and more like compromise. The Keurig K Mini coffee maker promises the same quick fix in a smaller size, but the downsides? Still the same, though maybe even worse.
Coffee fuels my freelance life, strategy sessions, deep work, and many zoom calls. So when Amazon’s Black Friday Deals hit, I always take a moment to share my setup as there really is no better time to change things up.
Why the Moccamaster Still Beats Every Flashy Deal Out There
If you’re a fan of dark roast coffee, you probably know how tricky it can be to find a bag that’s actually fresh. Sure, the grocery store has plenty of options, but most of them have been sitting on the shelf long enough to lose the bold flavor dark roast lovers chase.
I have travelled a lot over my life, both solo and with my family. Sometimes it’s cross-country for work, sometimes it’s hopping islands here in Hawai‘i, and sometimes it’s just chasing better coffee in a new city. But whether I’m booking a flight, hotel, or filling up the rental car, there’s now only one credit card I use for travel: my Capital One Venture X.
I’ll be honest, I don’t use a Keurig anymore. My first real experience with one was years ago at my in-laws’ house. Back then, it felt like the height of convenience: drop in a pod, push a button, and get coffee in seconds. But over time, the flavor started to fade, the pods piled up, and the machine constantly needed cleaning to keep from tasting burnt and stale.
If you’ve been around this blog for a bit, you know I rotate through coffee gear pretty regularly, grinders, brewers, travel setups, you name it. But there’s one piece of gear I’ve had for years that’s never left my setup: the Miir 360 Traveler.
(And What You Actually Need Instead)