Employee takes their personal coffee maker out of the break room after coworkers disrespect the machine and raid their desk's espresso pod stash: ‘I don't want my expensive machine to get broken by their negligence’

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Apr 5, 2026 9:00 AM EDT

He was trying to do something nice for the office, but nobody respected his espresso machine. 

Coffee lovers gag at the thought of the cardboard-flavored swill they serve up in the company break room. Ancient drip coffee machines that have never been cleaned leave a strangely haunting aftertaste in their mouths, like the taste of overworked fatigue and workplace desperation. In a pinch, some cafe aficionados may pour themselves a cup of Joe, but even the over-poured coffee creamer and sugar won't cover up the flavor of disappointment. 

That explains why this guy offered to bring his own coffee maker into the workplace. 

He had spent years at his desk dreaming of the creamy espresso, the frothy milk, and the perfect cup of coffee he could make from the comfort of his own kitchen, and a lightbulb went off in his head one day when lamenting with his colleagues: Why not bring my machine into work? There's no reason this man couldn't enjoy a good cup of coffee from his office chair, yet when he raved and cooed about the joys of his machine, his coworkers insisted he share the good word with them, too. 

At first, things were hunky-dory, but soon the office entitlement took over, and this refreshing amenity was being treated more negligently than the 15-year-old Mr. Coffee in the break room. 

It was never refilled, it was never wiped down, and most importantly, the office never brought their own coffee pods. At $1 a piece and in this economy, 12 coffees a day made this man's wallet ache more than his heart. A true coffee lover would never stand to watch their machine be treated with such distaste, and just because he had made a kind gesture to the workplace, it didn't mean he had to uphold it beyond its expiration. 

Nothing would stand in the way of a coffee lover and his good cup of the day, but he certainly wouldn't be extending the benefit to his ambivalent coworkers any longer. They proved where they stood when they raided his desk's private stash of coffee pods…

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  • Cheezburger Image 10620885248
    via yaccobochuk

  • [I'm going to] take my espresso machine back home because my coworkers refuse to buy pods or even rinse the tray

    I work in a small office of about twelve people. The coffee the company provides is basically brown water that tastes like burnt cardboard so about three months ago I decided to bring in my own Nespresso Vertuo machine from home.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • I had upgraded to a newer model and this one was just sitting in my kitchen cabinet.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • I told everyone they were welcome to use it as long as they provided their own pods and kept it clean.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • It seemed like a win win at first. For the first two weeks it was fine.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Cheezburger Image 10620886016
    via South_agency
  • Then I started noticing that the water reservoir was always bone dry when I went to use it and nobody ever bothered to refill it.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Then the used capsule container started overflowing because people just kept shoving pods in until the machine literally jammed.
    via CavalierLyre9
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    via Jakub Zerdziki
  • I cleaned it out twice without saying much but then I realized I was the only one ever buying the descaling kits or deep cleaning the milk frother which gets disgusting if left for more than an hour.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • The final straw happened yesterday. I went to make my morning coffee and realized my personal stash of pods which I keep in my desk drawer had been raided.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Someone had actually gone into my unlocked drawer and taken the last four sleeves of Stormio pods.
    via CavalierLyre9
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    via Karola G
  • When I asked in the group chat if anyone knew what happened one of the senior analysts joked that they thought it was communal property since the machine is in the breakroom.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • I pointed out that the pods cost about a dollar each and I am not a charity.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Another coworker chimed in saying I am being "petty" over coffee and that since I am the one who brought the machine I should expect to maintain it.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • I am seriously considering just packing it up and taking it home on Friday without saying a word.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • I know if I do the office will go back to the terrible instant coffee and everyone will probably act like I am the villain who stole Christmas.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • My partner says I should just leave it but stop cleaning it and see what happens but I dont want my expensive machine to get broken by their negligence.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • WIBTA if I just reclaim my property and let them deal with the brown water?
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Dangerous_End9472 NTA. Take it home.
    via Dangerous_End9472
  • OP CavalierLyre9 I think that is probably what I am going to do. I tried being nice about it, but I am done funding and cleaning up after people who cannot even rinse the tray.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Financial-Parfait 181 NTA. Nope. if no pay, no drinky. take it home and just bring a bring honking thermos in every day.
    via Financial-Parfait 181
  • OP CavalierLyre9 No pay, no drink is kind of where I am at now. I tried to be generous and it turned into people treating my machine like a free office perk.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • Special_Outside2306 NTA. It's your property. If they miss it so much, they can pressure your manager into buying one that is ACTUALLY meant for the office.
    via Special_Outside2306
  • OP CavalierLyre9 Exactly. This should have stayed a management problem, not somehow become mine.
    via CavalierLyre9
  • GhibliRune_8 Big thermos is such a funny petty answer, and also kind of perfect. They had a good thing handed to them and turned it into stolen pods, brown water, and a gross tray, so back home it goes.
    via GhibliRune_8
  • Aggressive-Walrus516 NTA you did something nice and they are acting entitled. I would pack it up and take it home. Then you can have a back up or resale it. I use to fall into the office "mom" role in previous positions, always cleaning up after everyone until I saw the inconsideration. People would just leave their trash out. It's not your job to clean up after coworkers. I would just prep your own iced coffee at home and take it in a jar to keep in a lunch box. I would have a word with your ma
    via Aggressive-Walrus516
  • lokis_construction This, just remove it. And take all your pods home as well. Wait for the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Just sit back and smile and know you are in the right.
    via lokis_construction
  • ontheleftcoast When they started raiding your desk that was the last straw, especially when he said "you brought it you maintain it"
    via ontheleftcoast
  • Dapper Tap_9934 I took my countertop toaster/oven back when they were closing my place of employment and were taking inventory of 'their' items.I took it back and they were looking for it when I bought and brought but didn't donate to my employer
    via Dapper Tap_9934
  • tropicsandcaffeine Take it home. They abused the privilege. You did something nice and a few people ruined it. They can start bringing in their own coffee during the day. Their attitude is horrible. If it were me I would be buying you pods and asking what I could do to help. If you were really being petty you would put a jar of Dollar Store decaf and a bottle of room temp water where the machine used to be.
    via tropicsandcaffeine
  • atomic_juggarnaut001 NTA take it home
    via atomic_juggarnaut001

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