The best coffee makers for Airbnb and Vrbo homes

People take their coffee seriously. Some guests like starting the day with a piping hot cup of dark roast. Others lean towards robust and bold cold brews. Your coffee maker is likely to be used everyday, so select a good one that fits your budget.

However, with all these different tastes and the dizzying amount of coffee maker options on the market, how do you choose the best one to enhance your guest experience? We’re here to decode the best ones for your vacation rental and your guests. Let’s get brewing.

What type of Airbnb or Vrbo home do you have and who stays there?

Let’s start here first. Some questions to ask yourself:

Where is your vacation rental located?

For instance, a vacation home in a bustling neighborhood packed with locally-owned coffee shops won’t need a fancy coffee maker. Guests are more likely going to visit the local coffee spots versus making their own.

What ambiance does your vacation home offer?

Do you have a cozy, homey mountain cabin? Or a sleek and sophisticated beachfront condo? Whatever your home’s aesthetic, your coffee maker should complement that.

Who are your guests?

Does your Colorado slopeside condo mostly attract ski groups? A drip coffee maker that makes a full coffee pot for everyone may seem like the best. Meanwhile, a quick-and-easy Keurig machine might be best for a condo that’s popular with business travelers.

Type of coffee makers

Let’s comb through the major coffee-making options.

Drip coffee machine

Drip coffee makers are the easiest and most familiar coffee makers out there. They work by gradually heating up water and passing it through the coffee beans. They’re easy for guests to use, can make several cups of coffee at once, and best for groups or traditional coffee lovers.

Single-serve machines

Single-serve machines, such as Keurig and Nespresso, allow guests to make a single cup of coffee at the touch of a button. This convenience is its best trait. They use pre-ground and measured pods to deliver a consistent cup of coffee every time. These are best for guests who want a quick and easy way to make a variety of coffee flavors, but don’t want to brew a full pot.

French press

A manual coffee maker, a French press works by combining coarse to medium-ground coffee with just-boiled water and allowing it to steep. After a few minutes, you push down a plunger to move the grounds to the bottom of the carafe. They are best for coffee aficionados who love flavor-packed, full-bodied coffee.

Espresso machines

Espresso machines go beyond just making espressos. Guests can also make morning lattes and cappuccinos, too. They’re considered the most elite of the coffee machines and can be quite expensive. These best fit luxury vacation rentals that cater to high-paying guests. However, espresso machines are often the most complicated to operate and require a learning curve.

What to consider

Now that you’ve narrowed down to the type of coffee maker that best suits your Airbnb or Vrbo (and the guests staying there), let’s look at the details that are most important.

Features

Some features that could help guests make that perfect cup of coffee (and help your housekeeping staff with cleaning) include:

• Brew-strength control: Allows guests to adjust the strength of the coffee.
• Pause and serve: So guests can pour a cup of coffee before the brewing cycle is complete.
• Self-clean cycle: To help your coffee maker work properly and perform its best.
• Water filter: Improves the taste of the coffee by removing impurities from the water.
• Built-in grinder: Grinds coffee beans for a fresh taste.
• Auto brew: Allows guests to pre-schedule brewing, so they can wake up to freshly brewed coffee.
• Adjustable brew strength: So guests can customize the strength of their coffee.

Price

The average price of a coffee maker is $60, but prices can range from $20 for the most basic to $1,000 for a high-end product with plenty of bells and whistles.

Aesthetics

As we mentioned earlier, consider the style of your vacation home and select a coffee maker that complements your rental’s overall aesthetic.

Easy maintenance

Invest in a durable coffee maker made from high-quality materials that can withstand frequent use and are easy to clean. Look for models with removable and washable parts so it’s easier for you and your cleaning staff to keep things clean and hygienic.

Eco-friendliness

Want to keep things green? The most environmentally friendly coffee makers are those that minimize waste and use sustainable materials. French presses are considered the most eco-friendly since they don’t require paper filters and are often made of glass and stainless steel. Meanwhile, single-use pod coffee makers are considered the least eco-friendly because of the waste they generate.

Top-rated coffee makers for Airbnb and Vrbo homes

Here are the most highly-rated coffee makers for vacation rentals:

1. The Black+Decker CM1160B is highly rated for its low price tag, 24-hour auto brew feature, QuickTouch programming buttons, Sneak-A-Cup technology, Duralife glass carafe, and easy-clean design. Customers appreciate its ease of use, quality, and value, as well as the brand's reputation for reliability.
2. The Ninja CE251 is popular for its ability to brew both classic and rich-strength coffee, a 12-cup glass carafe, and a convenient 24-hour programmable delay. It also has a hot and cold frother for creating specialty drinks. Customers praise its versatility, flavor options, and ease of cleaning[1].
3. The Keurig K-Duo is well-liked for its ability to brew a single cup or a carafe of coffee, accommodating both K-Cup pods and ground coffee. It features a 60-ounce water reservoir and a programmable carafe auto-brew.
4. The Mr. Coffee 2129512 is ideal for smaller vacation rentals, with its compact design, easy-to-fill water reservoir, and compatibility with both grounds and coffee pods. It offers a 24-hour programmable timer and a grab-a-cup auto-pause feature.
5. The Mueller Single Serve Pod Compatible Coffee Maker is popular for its rapid brew technology, which delivers a hot cup of coffee in seconds. It accommodates various cup sizes and is compatible with most single-serve coffee pods. Users appreciate its speed, simplicity, and space-saving design.
6. The Cuisinart 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker is highly rated for its adjustable temperature control (allowing guests to keep the coffee warm), brew-strength control, and self-cleaning feature. It also has a 24-hour programmable brew start and a gold-tone coffee filter. Customers value its customizable options and the brand's reputation for quality.
7. The Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker is favored for its slim size (limited counter space anyone?), making it suitable for small spaces. It brews cup sizes between 6-12 ounces and accommodates travel mugs. Users find it easy to use and appreciate its space-saving design[1].
8. The Nespresso Vertuo by Breville is well-liked for its ability to brew espresso and regular coffee using CentrifusionTM extraction technology. It uses barcodes to customize the brewing process based on the capsule used.
9. The Ninja Hot & Cold Brewing System is popular for its ability to brew hot, flavorful coffee and over-ice tea. It offers multiple brew sizes and styles, including classic, rich, over ice, cold brew, and specialty.
10. The Cuisinart 12-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker is highly rated for its double-wall insulated stainless steel carafe, which keeps coffee hot without the need for a warming plate. It also features a brew pause function and a 24-hour programmable timer.