Airbnb coffee station setup.
The coffee station is the most-touched square foot in a rental and the cheapest thing guests mention in reviews. Here is the machine, the par levels, and the tray that make it work every morning without a message.
STRKit Editorial
Updated September 2026
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Three decisions: a machine that brews pods and a pot, a stock level the cleaner restocks to a number, and a tray that keeps it all in one photographable place. Everything below is the detail.
The machine.
Guests are split between pods and drip. One machine that does both, with hot water for tea, removes an entire category of guest messages. Our full comparison is on the coffee maker page.
What to stock, and to what level.
Par levels turn “is there coffee?” into a number on the turnover checklist.
Coffee pods, variety pack
Par level: 2 per guest per day of stay, plus 20%; include decaf
Ground coffee, medium roast
Par level: One 12 oz bag, replaced when under a quarter
Paper filters
Par level: A full box in the drawer; they last months
Tea assortment
Par level: One box of 20, mixed caffeinated and herbal
Sugar, sweetener, shelf-stable creamer
Par level: Small labeled containers, refreshed every 4–6 stays
Mugs
Par level: Guest capacity plus four; they break and walk off
Electric kettle
Par level: One; international guests expect it
Tray or caddy
Par level: One; keeps the station in one place for photos and cleaners
The instruction card.
Print it, put it on the tray. It also belongs in the kitchen section of the house manual.
Coffee The machine takes pods and ground coffee. Pods and filters are in the basket beside it. Press the pod button for a single cup, or the carafe button for a full pot. Hot water for tea is the right-hand button. Please empty the used pod bin into the trash when it fills. Enjoy!
Common questions.
What should an Airbnb coffee station include?
A machine that brews both pods and a full pot, pods and ground coffee for the length of the stay plus a little extra, filters, a tea assortment, sugar and shelf-stable creamer, mugs for capacity plus four, an electric kettle, and a tray that keeps it all in one place. Total setup runs $150 to $250 and consumables a few dollars per stay.
Pods or drip coffee for a rental?
Both. Guests are split roughly down the middle, and providing only one format is a reliable source of lukewarm reviews. A dual-format machine plus a starter supply of each covers everyone for the cost of a few pods.
How much coffee should I leave for guests?
Two servings per guest per day of the stay, plus about 20 percent. For a couple staying three nights that is a dozen pods or one bag of ground coffee. Running out costs a review; the extra pods cost a dollar.
Should I provide a Keurig or a Nespresso?
A machine that does pods and a carafe, which usually means a K-cup compatible dual brewer. Nespresso pods are pricier and guests are less likely to bring their own; K-cups are the format most guests already have in the car.