For me, a rare brain flash regarding a McGyver solution

[Starboard Tack]

25. That's a shame

I've found them in thrift stores before for less than $5, both electric and stovetop versions. In have both, in different sizes. Bought a single cup stovetop one new a couple of weeks back for less than $5.
Coffee is something I refuse to compromise on, though. Has to be espresso unless there is no other choice.
I used to drive across the US, from LA to the east coast, 4-5 times a year, in the days before Starbucks, and I got to know every place I could find a "real" cup of coffee (espresso/cappuccino) along the way, no matter which route I took. Wasn't easy back then, especially outside of major cities. But there were these little coffee houses that I discovered all over the heartland, from Winslow, Arizona to Huntington, West Virginia.