When it comes to gift giving, there’s no success like feeding a hobby someone on your list is already knee-deep in. Whether they’re newly indoctrinated pour over lovers or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee nerds that you can get right now. Spanning brewing, grinding and, of course, drinking, we’ve got a range of options that can help the java geek in your life expand their at-home setup or just try something new.
AeroPress Go
The AeroPress is a fun way to make a single cup of coffee at home with an apparatus that doesn’t take up much space in the cabinet. It’s a versatile brewer that allows you to experiment with different infusion times and strengths as you go. I like to use it to brew a double-strength cup directly over ice whenever I forget to make cold brew. For the coffee nerd on your list that has a regular setup already, the AeroPress makes a great gift. And the AeroPress Go is even more compact. It tucks neatly inside a cup that you can brew directly into and is perfect for camping and travel. — Billy Steele, Senior News Editor
Fellow Opus
While there are more affordable coffee grinders out there, few of them have the mix of aesthetics and versatility of the Fellow Opus. The company’s second grinder, the Opus in an all-purpose canonical burr model with six blades and over 40 settings. Consistency is the key selling point here as the unit can prep whole beans for espresso, pour-over, drip coffee makers, French press, AeroPress and cold brew. The magnetic catch cup snaps into place and its spouted lid helps minimize mess. There’s also a quick reference guide inside the hopper lid, so you can double check your settings while weighing your beans. — B.S.
Cuisinart DBM-8
You don’t have to splurge for an Opus in order to get a reliable grinder for the coffee nerd on your list. Before I upgraded, I had a Cuisinart DBM-8 that served me well for years, and it was still doing so when I put it out to pasture. It’s a burr grinder so it provides a consistent grind size with 18 different options to choose from – spanning coarse to fine. The hopper holds eight ounces of beans while the canister can accommodate enough ground coffee for 32 cups. Since you probably won’t need that much often (if ever), there’s a selector that will automatically grind between four and 18 cups worth at the press of a button. — B.S.
Fellow Tally
You certainly don’t need to spend a lot on a coffee scale, but some companies throw in extra features that make us reconsider. Fellow’s Tally is a good example of this, combining weight accuracy with a Brew Assist Mode to help dial in the correct ratio for perfect pour-overs. There’s also a Timer Mode for more experienced users that only need time and weight info for their brewing process. Tally can be used in Weight Mode as a small kitchen scale that reads out grams, ounces, pounds and milliliters (up to 5.5 lbs). The rechargeable battery should last around three months, but you can still use the Tally when it’s plugged in via a USB-C port. — B.S.
Cosori Gooseneck Electric Kettle
A good kettle is essential if you want to up your home-brewing game, and it can help make a bunch of other things too like tea, ramen and more. Cosori’s Gooseneck Electric Kettle packs most crucial features into a relatively compact kettle that’s also priced right at $70. Goosenecks can be intimidating but they give you much more control when pouring over a Chemex, and we think Cosori’s, with its matte black finish, also looks pretty nice on most countertops. It has a stainless steel interior and five presets so you can easily get the perfect temperature for things like green tea, black coffee and more. Plus, the “hold temp” option lets you set and forget the water for a bit; you can turn it on before you start your morning routine and come back to perfectly heated water, ready for whatever’s picking you up that morning. — Valentina Palladino, Senior Commerce Editor
BruMate NAV mini
When it comes to travel mugs for coffee and tea, any item worth considering needs to check a few boxes – especially if you’re giving one as a gift. Being able to keep liquids hot for a few hours and fit in a cup holder are essential. BruMate’s NAV mini does both, and at 12 ounces, it’s the perfect size for on-the-go joe. Plus, it’s 100 percent leak proof thanks to the company’s robust lid. It can also keep cold drinks chilled for over 24 hours when that certain someone on your list needs cold brew next summer. — B.S.
Stanley Classic Neverleak travel mug
If you know someone that needs to keep coffee hot for much longer than a typical travel mug, Stanley’s Classic Neverleak option is the perfect gift. I’ve been using one of these for well over a year and it does an incredible job at keeping liquids at temperature for a long time. The company says your drink will still be warm for up to nine hours, plus the entire thing is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The three-position lid also locks closed to prevent accidental spills even if the mug gets jostled around. — B.S.
Hario Mizudashi cold brew maker
I make a lot of cold brew coffee between March and October. Sometimes it’s once or twice a week and others it’s almost every day. I’ve been using the Hario Mizudashi for years and I really enjoy the consistent, smooth results it produces. The simple, affordable pitcher holds a filter where you load the coarse-ground coffee of your choice. You then fill it with water, give the wet grounds a quick stir and secure the lid. In 8-12 hours, you’ll have delicious cold brew ready for ice and a splash of milk (if that’s your preference). While you can simply remove the filter and serve from the pitcher, it’s not air tight, so you won’t want to use it for days-long storage. There’s also plenty of liquid trapped in the filter when it’s submerged, so you’ll want to let that drain in another container instead of wasting it. — B.S.
Fellow Prismo AeroPress attachment
The AeroPress is a versatile brewing device and that’s why we keep it on your coffee gift guide list. But with the help of Fellow’s affordable attachment, you can take the humble method up a notch. The Prismo houses a pressure-actuated valve designed to mimic the process of making espresso so you can “pull a shot” without a machine. This creates the “crema” that you don’t typically get just by brewing stronger coffee with the AeroPress alone. The Prismo also comes with a reusable filter so you’re not burning through the paper ones an AeroPress usually requires. — B.S.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBGT
Technivorm’s Moccamaster coffee brewers are true workhorses, making a full carafe in four-to-six minutes. The boiling element quickly heats water to between 196-205 degrees Farenheit before moving water up a glass tube and out over the brew basket. Pulsing water delivery simulates a pour-over by blooming the grounds and the cone-shaped basket maximizes extraction. A thermal carafe maintains just-brewed temperature for up to an hour, although the coffee will stay warm for much longer than that. — B.S.
Coffee subscriptions
Hatchet Coffee
What do you get the coffee nerd who has everything? Well, we’re always down to try new beans. Most coffee roasters offer a subscription of some type with varying frequency based on consumption habits. And even if they don’t, you can still send a bag or two as a one-time gift. Some of my favorites include Hatchet in Boone, North Carolina, Dark Matter in Chicago and Vesta in Las Vegas, which has been a lifesaver during CES. — B.S.
Shop Hatchet Coffee
Shop Dark Matter Coffee
Shop Vesta CoffeeSource: www.engadget.com