Morning coffee and wine glasses in a motorhome

One of the things that had been bothering us during motorhome travel was a complete trifle. But these are exactly the kinds of things you use every single day.

The coffee machine that had to be put away before every drive

Every morning we made coffee, but before we could set off, the machine had to go back into the cupboard. There was no way it could stay on the worktop while driving.

We use the Krups Nespresso Essenza Mini XN1108, which suits us perfectly. We had no interest in a different model or complicated solutions. We just wanted one thing — for it to stay in its place, just like in modern motorhomes.

After a long search, I came across an interesting solution — a 3D-printed holder that firmly fixes the coffee machine in place and also serves as a capsule dispenser.

Since then, everything has been much simpler.

• the coffee machine is always ready,
• no need to put it away before every drive,
• it doesn't move at all while driving,
• and we always have capsules within reach.

This is exactly the kind of small improvement you only truly appreciate once you start using it every day.

The second problem: where to put the wine glasses?

The other thing we struggled with for a long time was wine glasses.

Yes, plastic glasses exist. But when you spend weeks or months in a motorhome, you want to enjoy a glass of wine from a real glass in the evening.

The original polystyrene holder in the cupboard was made for small glasses. Our larger wine glasses simply didn't fit.

Chinese solutions that didn't work

I ordered several holders from various Chinese online shops. They looked great in the photos. Some were even chrome-plated and looked luxurious.

Reality? The glasses didn't hold at all while driving. After the very first bend in the road, it was obvious this wasn't going to work.

The German solution that actually works

Eventually I came across holders from the German company Froli. Honestly, I was sceptical again — they were significantly more expensive than the Chinese alternatives, and they're not made of chrome or stainless steel. They're made of grey plastic.

But after the very first drive, it was clear why they cost more.

The glasses hold absolutely reliably. They don't come loose even on rough roads, and there's no risk of opening the cupboard to find broken glass.

I had several holders installed in the glass display cabinet and one above the coffee machine as well, so the glasses are always within easy reach. The result exceeded my expectations.

Sometimes it really is true that a well-designed product is better than a cheap alternative that looks great but doesn't do its job.

Small upgrades that make every trip better

At first glance, these aren't major conversions. No new batteries. No solar panels. No air conditioning.

And yet these small details are what we use every single day, and in the end they improve travel comfort perhaps more than some much more expensive upgrades.

Today I can't imagine stowing the coffee machine before every departure or wondering where to safely store the wine glasses.

Sometimes all it takes is a good idea and a well-executed detail.