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Empty the water tank, dry every part, remove the carafe, and wrap each piece separately before boxing. A coffee maker breaks in transit when water leaks, the glass carafe knocks against the body, or the cord and loose parts shift. Pack the body upright with padding on all sides, and keep the carafe in its own wrap.
Start by emptying the water reservoir completely, then run a short rinse if the machine has been sitting with old water in it, and leave the lid open until every surface is dry. Water left in a tank, a filter basket, or a drip tray will leak in transit no matter how well you tape the box, and it soaks packing paper into pulp. Remove the carafe, the filter basket, the lid, and any reusable filter, and wash and dry each piece separately.
Bag small parts together in a zip bag and tape the bag to the inside of the box lid or to the top padding, so nothing rattles loose into the machine body. Wrap the power cord in a loose coil and secure it with a twist tie, never a tight knot that stresses the plug. If the machine has a warming plate, cover it with a layer of cardboard or bubble wrap: a bare warming plate can scuff the carafe and can dent soft packing around it.
The carafe is the part most likely to break, so it gets its own wrap and its own space. Wrap it in two layers of bubble wrap, with the handle covered, and place it beside the machine body, not on top of it and never inside the warming-plate area. A carafe sitting loose on top of the body becomes a hammer every time the box is set down.
Glass also breaks from temperature swings in a cold delivery van, though this matters less than impact. What matters more is that the carafe never touches another hard object. Keep it separated by at least a layer of padding on every side, and fill the space around it so it cannot slide. A box that passes the shake test, no sound and no movement when you tilt it, is ready to seal.
| Part | How to pack it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Machine body | Upright, padded on all sides | Heating element and pump sit low in the body |
| Glass carafe | Wrapped alone, beside the body | Most breakable part; must not touch hard surfaces |
| Filter basket and lid | Washed, dried, bagged together | Loose parts scratch the body and get lost |
| Cord | Loose coil, twist tie | A tight knot strains the plug |
| Drip tray | Emptied, dried, wrapped | Leftover water leaks and soaks packing |
Use the original box if you still have it, since its foam inserts were cut for that machine. If not, pick a box at least a couple of inches larger than the machine on every side, and line the bottom with crumpled paper or foam. Set the machine upright, pad the sides, and fill the top so the box closes without pressing down on the lid. Never ship a coffee maker on its side if you can avoid it: internal parts are mounted for upright use, and a sideways machine puts weight on the lid and hinges.
Before sealing, do the shake test and the press test. Tilt the box gently in each direction and listen. Press the top flaps: they should sit flat without bulging. If anything moves or the flaps rise, add padding and test again. A coffee maker that arrives with a cracked carafe usually failed one of these two tests before it left.
Ask your AI assistant for a Canada Post Xpresspost shipping label through LetterAgent, approve the exact quoted price, and print the label PDF. LetterAgent labels are Canada-only, flat-rate Xpresspost, and cover parcels up to 5 kg. If the parcel is headed outside Canada, LetterAgent cannot provide the label, so use a carrier that serves that destination directly. Put the label flat on the largest side of the box, clear of seams, and photograph the sealed parcel before drop-off. That covers most drip machines once packed, but a large machine with a full set of accessories can run close, so weigh the finished box first.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
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