Coffee drinkers are a diverse bunch, and if you're going to buy a gift for one of them, you better be familiar with their branding.
There's the stereotypical café brooder in need of a pick-me-up. Or how about the energetic, workout-obsessed early riser? They could probably use a French press in their on-the-go life, and the do-it-yourself artisan might be interested in a home cold-brew kit.
Your coffee gift should make their mornings easier or more luxurious, preferably both. Whatever the temperament of your oh-so-temperamental coffee lover(s), these 22 fun and useful gifts for coffee lovers will have you covered.
1. Coffee Subscription
There is no better coffee gift for a coffee enthusiast than some of the best coffee they have ever tasted.
With the rise of the subscription box a few years ago, brands in all sorts of wonderful sectors sprouted up offering monthly deliveries of goodness.
Coffee subscription services, on the other hand, have always managed to stick around and appear to have withstood the test of time, whereas other more transient sub boxes have vanished.
If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind coffee gift, a coffee subscription could be just the thing.
In each subscription box, Batch Coffee features the best independent coffee roasters from across the US.
2. Manual Coffee Grinder
If your recipient enjoys their morning coffee and the process of making it, then freshly ground coffee will blow their mind.
Investing in a handheld grinder is a great way to get started with freshly ground coffee.
A basic electric grinder can be purchased for the same price, but the majority of electric grinders at this price point are blade grinders that essentially blend the coffee beans.
This isn't ideal for specialty coffee because the fragments of ground coffee vary in size, resulting in a cup of coffee that can be over- or under-extracted.
Handheld grinders use ceramic burrs to grind the coffee to a consistent coarseness so that it can brew to perfection.
They're also great for traveling because they fit inside backpacks.
3. Ceramic Coffee Mugs
There are hundreds of thousands of coffee mugs available in almost any shape and size you can imagine, and the chalice in which you consume your coffee is entirely subjective, much like specialty coffee.
However, I don't think you can beat a hand-thrown ceramic cup for us.
If the coffee you're brewing is of high quality, the vessel should be as well (you wouldn't drink a fine scotch from a plastic glass).
Some of HK Living's ceramics are particularly appealing to us. living, based in the Netherlands, is responsible for some of the most amazing ceramic coffee cups on the market.
4. Coffee Flavor Wheel
The iconic coffee flavor wheel was created to help anyone categorize the delectable flavor notes in their cup of specialty coffee.
It was invented in 1995 and has since become the industry standard for coffee tasting.
Aside from being a beautiful piece of coffee art, it has become the go-to resource for anyone interested in learning about the various flavors of specialty coffee.
Every day, we sample new coffee to review and possibly feature in our subscription box.
5. Coffee Scales
Coffee scales are a great coffee gift if your recipient wants to perfect their morning brew and are more than just dumping a couple of heaped teaspoons into a cafeteria.
To make the best cup of coffee, the brew ratio must be consistent.
Coffee scales differ from standard kitchen scales in that they are usually accurate to 0.1 gram, which is extremely accurate and can make a difference with certain brew methods.
Pour-over methods usually include a timer so you don't have to keep pulling out your phone.
6. Coffee Plant
The coffee beans we know and love are seeds encased in two fruity outer layers known as the cascara or coffee cherry.
Now, I'm not saying you can start your coffee farm and produce your coffee because these little seeds are very picky about climate and take a long time to produce fruit.
However, you can still buy a coffee plant as a novelty, and their shiny green leaves make excellent houseplants.
They're not as easy to find as going to your local B&Q, but you can find some online.
7. Espresso Machine
Until recently, these magnificent metallic beasts could only be found in city espresso bars or on the back bar of Italian restaurants.
Because of the time it takes to heat the boiler and the amount of coffee required to dial in the shot, espresso machines were not only expensive to buy but also impractical to use at home (adjust variables to pull a perfect shot of espresso).
There has always been a domestic version of espresso machines, but the results have never been close to the real thing.
This was then, but today's home espresso machines have significantly improved, and the results are dangerously close to what you'd expect in a specialty coffee shop.
8. Personalized Latte Art Stencil
If your recipient enjoys latte or cappuccino, a personalized latte art stencil will allow them to dust their cheesy smile on top of their latte every morning or whenever their mother-in-law is around.
I got one of these as a secret Santa gift a few years ago, and it's hilarious to see people's reactions when they realize your face is on top of their cappuccino.
Simply prepare your favorite milky coffee and place the stencil over the cup's rim (make sure that there is a small gap between the top of the cup and the stencil).
Then sprinkle a small amount of chocolate powder on top and, voila, your face is on the coffee!
9. Specialty Coffee Pods
Coffee pods have received a lot of flak in the coffee industry in recent years, whether it's for the environment, sustainability, or quality.
Grind has since grown to become a cult east London coffee brand.
It now has eleven locations, including espresso bars, cocktail bars, restaurants, a professional recording studio, and a cutting-edge coffee roastery.
Grind is still based in Shoreditch and now employs around 200 people, with the majority of their investors becoming Grind regulars and friends all over the world over the years.
10. Burr Coffee Grinder
A coffee grinder is potentially the most important piece of coffee equipment that a coffee enthusiast owns.
Burr Grinders work by passing coffee through two mechanical burrs (conical or flat, see below) that crush the coffee into small enough pieces to pass through and into a chamber where the grounds are collected in a box or caught in a portafilter.
The consistent size of the coffee grounds, combined with the ease with which the coarseness can be adjusted, makes it the only choice for anyone who wants to experience the delightful flavors that specialty coffee has to offer.
11. Chocolate Coffee Beans
As a snack or treat, many artisanal shops now sell chocolate-covered coffee beans.
They make excellent Christmas coffee gifts.
The smooth and sweet chocolate on the outside balances out the coarse and bitter coffee in the middle.
Coffee beans can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as a topping on ice cream.
To balance out the bitterness, they usually pair well with sweet foods.
At a reasonable price, chocolate-covered coffee beans will make the ideal gift for any coffee or chocolate lover.
12. Coffee Magazine Subscription
A coffee magazine subscription is another unique coffee gift that your coffee-loving loved one may appreciate.
Standart is the one for you if you believe the recipient will appreciate the beautiful design and a well-put-together magazine that will be used as a coffee table mag.
Caffeine mag is a good choice if they are a coffee snob who enjoys experimenting with grind size and water temperature in their pour-over recipe.
13. Coffee Storage Container
They are the original coffee storage containers, dating back before coffee bags were invented.
They make an excellent coffee gift for coffee enthusiasts, especially if they consume a lot of coffee.
Many roasters are now opting for bags that can be easily recycled or composted, which usually means foregoing the bag's valve.
This is acceptable as long as the coffee is consumed within a month.
Coffee tins are an excellent way to store coffee and allow roasters to use less harmful bags.
14. Coffee Bags
The undeniable convenience of coffee filter bags, combined with the use of coffee grounds rather than instant coffee, makes it an appealing coffee gift.
Although coffee bags were previously only seen in hotel rooms and corporate events, there has recently been a significant increase in quality products.
Many new coffee brands have recently emerged, each with their own coffee bag.
15. Moka Pot
The stovetop, also known as an Italian stovetop, is a kitchen staple throughout Italy and has long been the Italians' go-to brew-at-home coffee maker.
The original Bialetti Moka pot was invented in 1933 in Italy and hasn't changed much since.
Fill the lower chamber with water, the middle brew brackets with pre-ground coffee, and screw the whole thing together.
Place the Moka pot on the stove and prepare for a sensory overload of delicious espresso flavors to permeate your kitchen.
16. Cupping Spoon
The event when coffee is tasted is known as coffee cupping.
This occurs at the point of origin when the coffee is picked and processed, as well as in coffee-consuming countries when the coffee is roasted for sale.
In larger cities, there are many coffee cupping events hosted by specialty coffee roasters who want to showcase their latest coffee menu or introduce people to specialty coffee.
The 'proper way' to taste coffee is to line up the cups of coffee and slurp and taste the coffee with a cupping spoon.
Cupping spoons are an excellent gift for the coffee connoisseur who enjoys trying to identify flavor notes in his morning pot spoons r over coffee.
17. Reusable Coffee Cup
Five-morning coffees per week, divided by 46 working weeks per year, equals 230 disposable coffee cups saved. If you gave a reusable coffee cup as a gift.
A reusable cup is a great coffee gift for coffee lovers who usually grab a coffee on their way to work.
There are many on the market right now, and I'm sure you've heard of the concept of a reusable coffee cup, but there are only a few brands that I believe have nailed the reusable cup in terms of practicality and style.
Nothing is worse than spilling half your flat white down your coat due to a leaky cup or your latte tasting like plastic.
You also want this thing you're carrying around to look halfway decent because you never know who you'll run into on that Tuesday morning coffee run.
The lids screw or clip on, allowing you to put your coffee in your bag and drink it when you arrive at work. There is no plastic taste when drinking the coffee, and it comes in a variety of sizes and colors.
18. Tampering with Coffee
Does the coffee enthusiast in your life own a home espresso machine?
If so, a brand new coffee tamper could be a fantastic one-of-a-kind coffee gift.
The coffee tamper is used to compact the ground coffee in the portafilter basket so that the water can extract the coffee evenly.
Although the majority of home espresso machines include a coffee tamper, they are typically simple and lightweight.
There is a huge selection of coffee tampers available online in a variety of price points, functionality, and sizes (the diameter of the basket varies between each machine). So don't just buy the first one you come across.
19. Gooseneck Coffee Kettle
If you're looking for filter coffee gifts, a gooseneck coffee kettle might be just what your coffee enthusiast needs.
The kettle's neck allows for more controlled water pouring, which is required in most filter coffee methods.
If your recipient enjoys pour-over filter coffee, this may be the best coffee gift they've ever received.
Choose from a variety of functionalities, such as electric or stovetop, as well as various designs and materials.
20. Home Coffee Roaster
Roasting coffee is both an art and a science.
Green coffee is imported into the country before commercial and independent coffee roasters transform the raw coffee beans into the deliciously balanced roasted coffee that we buy from shops and cafes.
If your recipient is a do-it-yourselfer, you can now get them a home coffee roaster so they can experiment with and create roasted coffee from the raw product.
21. Coffee Book
Of all the coffee books on the market, The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffman makes an excellent coffee Christmas gift for any coffee enthusiast.
The book emphasizes the fundamentals of coffee and provides a detailed explanation of where coffee comes from.
It is also available as a hardback book, which makes an excellent coffee table book.
If you're looking for a gift for a barista or coffee professional, Colin Harmon has a fantastic book called What I Know About Running Coffee Shops.
22. French Press
A cafetiere makes an excellent coffee gift because it is simple to use and produces a good cup the first time.
Simply purchase a bag of cafetiere ground coffee from your local coffee roaster (see our Coffee Roasters Map UK) to complete your ideal coffee gift set in the UK.
The cafeteria plunges the coffee through a mesh filter into the bottom of the beaker, allowing you to pour the brew directly into your cup.
They make ideal gifts for those who enjoy full-bodied brews and want to explore the world of specialty coffee.
