When it comes to holiday shopping, 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 this holiday season. 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
Buy AeroPress Go at Amazon – $40
Baratza Encore
While there are more affordable coffee grinders out there, few of them have achieved the workhorse status of the Baratza Encore. The conical burr design offers consistently even grinds with 40 size settings for a variety of brewing methods. The hopper holds eight ounces of whole beans and it’s clear so you can see exact supply levels at a glance. It’s simple, easy to use and will help the coffee geek on your list produce some truly outstanding brews. — B.S.
Buy Baratza Encore at Amazon – $170
Cuisinart DBM-8
You don’t have to splurge for an Encore 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.
Buy Cuisinart DBM-8 at Amazon – $58
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
Buy Cosori electric kettle at Amazon – $70
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.
Buy Stanly Neverleak mug at Amazon – $28
Miir cold brew filter + Wide Mouth bottle
There are a million ways to make cold brew, but it doesn’t get much easier than adding a stainless steel filter to your insulated travel bottle. Miir’s cold brew filter works with some of its drinkware canisters to provide a cold brew setup with “micro perforations” to reduce sediment after steeping. The filter fits Miir’s 32- and 42-ounce Wide Mouth Bottles (and 33oz Tomo) for plenty of smooth, cold coffee for adventures or taking to work. Plus, those Bottles have a leak-proof lid and can keep drinks hot or cold for hours. — B.S.
Buy cold brew filter at Miir – $15
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 $30 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.
Buy AeoPress attachment at Fellow – $30
Chemex Ottomatic 2.0
Plenty of drip coffeemakers promise a brewing experience that closely mimics pour over, but few deliver. Chemex is one of the biggest names in pour over. With the Ottomatic 2.0, you get a drip machine with a spray head that automatically manages brewing stages thanks to a pulsing water bath to maintain temperature and even extraction. The result is perfectly smooth coffee without the need for a scale or timer. The Ottomatic also has a hot plate to keep your Chemex warm and can accommodate both six- and eight- cup brewers. And if the person on your list already has a Chemex, you can just purchase the machine itself and save money. — B.S.
Buy Ottomatic 2.0 at Chemex – $350
Coffee subscriptions
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.