☕ Lazy Girl Travel Coffee: How I Get Great Coffee Anywhere
I love to travel — but I don’t always love the coffee when I travel. And if you’re a coffee snob like me, you already know: bad coffee can ruin a perfectly good morning.
Hotel coffee? Usually burnt. Cruise ship coffee? Hit or miss. Airport coffee? $7 for disappointment.
After one too many mornings of watery hotel brews and “just okay” lattes on ships, I finally said: No more. If I’m going to travel this much, I want coffee that actually makes me happy.
And that’s when I found the tiny gadget that changed everything.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase — at no extra cost to you. I only share products I personally use, love, and pack on my own trips. Your support helps keep No Point Left Behind running and allows me to keep creating free travel resources for you.
✨ The Minipresso: My New Travel Non‑Negotiable
This little thing is now in my suitcase every single trip — hotels, cruises, road trips, national parks, you name it.
It’s called the Minipresso, and it’s basically a palm‑sized espresso maker that doesn’t need electricity, doesn’t make a mess, and somehow produces a shockingly good shot of espresso.
Like… better than most hotel cafés. And yes — I even preferred it over the specialty coffees I bought on my last Princess sailing.
Lazy Girl approved.
💁♀️ Why I Started Bringing My Own Coffee Setup
I’m picky about coffee. Not in a “complicated order” way — just in a “please don’t give me bitter brown water” way.
Here’s what pushed me over the edge:
1. Hotel coffee is almost always bad
The pods are stale, the machines are questionable, and the flavor is… not it.
2. Cruise coffee is inconsistent
Some ships have great baristas. Some don’t. And sometimes the line is 20 people deep.
3. I was wasting money on coffee I didn’t even enjoy
$5 here, $7 there — it adds up fast. Especially when the coffee isn’t good.
4. I hate wasting coffee
If I take two sips and toss it, I feel guilty and annoyed.
So I started experimenting with travel coffee setups… and the Minipresso won by a landslide.
☕ How the Minipresso Works (Lazy Girl Version)
This is the part that shocked me: It’s so easy.
Add a pod
Add hot water
Press
Done
No electricity. No complicated parts. No cleanup beyond a quick rinse.
I grab hot water from the hotel lobby, buffet, or cruise dining room, add ice + milk, and boom — iced latte.
And honestly… it’s become such a thing that even cruise employees have stopped me to ask about my “fun little coffee gadget.” I’ve had baristas, room stewards, and even a couple of crew members in the buffet lean over like, “Okay, what is that and where do I get one?”
Lazy Girl innovation at its finest.
🌍 Why I Take It on Every Trip Now
1. The coffee is actually GOOD
Smooth, strong, consistent. Better than most hotel cafés. Better than the specialty coffees I bought on Princess.
2. It saves me money
One morning coffee on a ship = $4–$7. Hotel café = $5–$8. Airport = $7–$10.
My Minipresso? Just the cost of pods
3. It saves me from wasting coffee
If I make it myself, I drink it. No more tossing half‑finished cups.
4. It makes mornings feel special
Even in a tiny cabin or basic hotel room, I get my perfect latte.
5. It’s tiny
Fits in my palm. Fits in my crossbody. Fits in my Lazy Girl life.
🧋 My Full Lazy Girl Travel Coffee Setup
(affiliate links — same price for you, helps support the blog)
Minipresso– the star of the show
Lavazza Super Crema Pods – smooth, reliable, never bitter
Insulated Tumbler– keeps iced lattes cold for hours
I keep everything in a small pouch in my suitcase so it’s always ready to go.
✨ When I Use It
Early mornings on cruise balconies
Hotel rooms with terrible coffee
Road trips
National park lodges
Airport lounges
Anywhere I want a latte without paying $7 for it
Basically… everywhere.
💸 How Much Money This Actually Saves Me
On a 7‑day cruise, I used to buy:
1–2 specialty coffees a day
$5–$7 each
Total: $35–$98 per cruise
Now? Just pods.
And honestly, the quality is better than a lot of cruise ships
🌟 Final Thoughts: Lazy Girl Coffee Just Got an Upgrade
I love to travel — but I also love good coffee. And I finally found a way to have both without spending extra money or settling for something I don’t enjoy.
If you’re picky about coffee, tired of wasting money, or just want a little luxury in your mornings… the Minipresso is the easiest Lazy Girl upgrade ever.
It’s officially part of my permanent travel kit.
🔗 Related Posts
✍️ About the Author
Julie Davis is the creator of No Point Left Behind, where she teaches families and retirees how to travel better, smarter, and often completely free using points and miles. She’s taken 20–30 free flights a year since 2019 (with only one cash ticket in the mix) and is known for her practical, Lazy Girl–approved travel hacks that make life on the road easier — and more fun.
When she’s not helping her parents (the unofficial mascots of the blog) travel the world on points, you’ll find her cruising, exploring national parks, or testing out the latest travel gadgets… like the tiny espresso maker that had cruise employees stopping her to ask, “Okay, what is that?”
Julie lives in Tennessee with her husband Brandon and their two teenage boys, Tanner and Finn, and she’s on a mission to help you travel more without spending more.
