I Asked 3 College Baristas How to Set Up the Perfect Dorm Coffee Station (It’s So Easy!)

No desktop space for a coffee setup? No problem. A rolling cart is a small space lifesaver, so much so that Target’s Brightroom 3-Tier Metal Utility Cart took first place in the Dorm Therapy Awards for best dorm storage. Load up the tiers with your coffee tumblers, syrups, and shakers, and tuck the cart away wherever you have room, then roll it out when you’re ready for a bev.

If you prefer the mess-free ease of a dorm coffee maker that uses pods, or you can’t have an electric tea kettle in your room, try the Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker. It was the winner of Dorm Therapy Awards for good reason — it’s compact (perfect for a dorm), comes in five cute colors, and can brew a cup of coffee in minutes. 

If you opt for a dorm coffee maker that uses pods instead of a pour over — like a Nespresso or Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker — a cute container can help your coffee station feel even more pulled together. If you buy your pods in bulk, put as many in the holder as can fit, and stash the bulky cardboard box away in your closet or under your bed. 

At Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, Sofia Baker uses a coffee shaker to make nearly every cold drink on the menu. “Instead of having to mix a drink and get messy, you can shake it,” she says. “They’re very useful.” Baker says it’s an underrated tool that doesn’t take up much space in a dorm, and you can use it to make everything from all kinds of iced lattes to fruity tea refreshers. “It’s very versatile,” she adds.

Another Starbucks tool Baker recommends for a coffee station is a milk frother. Not only can you use it to foam up hot milk, you can also whip up some cold foam for your iced lattes. If you’re into coffee syrups, Baker suggests adding a pump or two to your milk before frothing it to make a fancy flavored foam. It’s a wonderful finishing touch for drinks, she says, and a great way to make a coffee shop-worthy drink in the comfort of your dorm.

If you’re looking to spruce up your coffee, having a few flavored syrups can help you feel like a real barista in your own dorm — and satisfy that going-to-a-coffee-shop craving. At Dutch Bros in San Diego, California, barista Avery Siemens says she loves using Torani syrup to spruce up her coffees. “That’s in all our drinks [at Dutch], they’re very popular and come in every single flavor for coffee,” she says. She also recommends Monin syrup, which doesn’t use any unnatural dyes or flavors, if that’s an alternative that sounds better for you.

Though it’s certainly a little luxury, Siemens suggests a small espresso machine as a worth-it investment for your coffee station. If you’re feeling a bit splurge-y, one of these could go a long way in saving you the money you might otherwise spend buying lattes and americanos from cafes. “If you prefer an espresso-based drink, this is the way to go,” Siemens says. One of these Nespresso machines won’t take up too much space in your room, and will give you that much-needed caffeine kick before early classes.