Say just two or three cups of coffee per week. Is cleaning these a trouble?
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Could you clarify whether you already own a coffee maker that you consider getting rid of or whether you are considering to buy a new coffee maker.– Orange PukekoNov 1, 2018 at 8:32
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You can get a nice cup of coffee from a Melitta One-Cup pour over coffee maker (costs around $5). Clean up is throwing away the filter and grounds and giving it a quick rinse, unless you use a permanent metal filter. I would not put coffee in the freezer. Taking coffee in and out of the freezer can introduce moist air and condensation that alter flavor or even cause "freezer burn." Rather, I would buy a smaller amount, just enough for a week, and keep it in my pantry.– BJ SafdieNov 10, 2018 at 0:11
3 Answers
Cleaning is a hassle, sure. But something else to consider is the recurring cost of the coffee itself. Where I live, a bag of coffee costs almost as much as a coffee maker. Cheap coffee makers can be found for as little as $10 - $20. Small French presses are around $20 to $30.
According to wikipedia:
A customary "cup" of coffee in the U.S. is usually defined as 4 fluid ounces, which is the commonly used as the measure for an amount of coffee.
So if you really mean just a few "cups" per week, then it might not be worth it to buy a coffee maker, because your bagged coffee will probably get stale before you can even use it all. Just grab a drink from your local coffee shop occasionally.
To add to @MindS1's answer,
To help preventing your beans/grounds from going stale quickly, store them in the freezer in an airtight container. This mainly helps with preventing the oils from going rancid/off and helps prevent any unwanted flavours. This works better for beans as they will remain colder for longer and prevent the oils from turning and remaining flavourful.
This will allow you to make better coffee using french press or moka pot. However, that being said, if you only buy 2-3 coffees a week, its probably better to find a really nice cafe where they know what they are doing and make a moment out of your coffee. It is most likely that a good cafe will easily surpass whatever coffee you can make at home (especially if you are only making 2-3 a week), and then it becomes easily worth the extra couple of bucks.
Cleaning is definitely a nuisance, but for me it's definitely worth it to keep a coffee maker at home. Even though during the week I drink all my coffee at work, I love to have the option of making at home on the weekends. I agree with @J.N 's comment above that you should put the beans in the freezer to avoid spoiling--no point in wasting coffee beans even though you only drink a few times a week.