Do you have a friend or family member who can't start their day without a perfect cup of coffee? Or are you that coffee lover who your friends need help shopping for? If so, be sure to share this article with them!
This is the ultimate coffee gift guide designed to help you find the most meaningful presents for the coffee lover in your life. We’ll chat about beans and brewing options, how to save money all year long with a gift subscription, and a list of resources to share with your person(s) to dive deeper into the world of coffee.
Coffee Bar Equipment
What Brewing Method to Choose
There are so many different brewing methods one can choose from, so we’ll break it down by their morning routine. These tools will enhance the brewing process and add a touch of sophistication and ease to their coffee brewing experience.
The Morning Person: This person is up with or before the sun and loves a nice, slow start to their day. They prioritize time to enjoy the small details of the finer things in life…especially their yummy cup of goodness to get it goin’.
- Kalita Wave
- V60
- Aeropress (clear)
- Hario V60 Pour Over Set or Hario V60 Pour Over Stand Set
- Chemex for larger quantities of coffee
- Espresso machines: The ultimate coffee gift. This one is a higher investment but will quickly become their favorite hobby!
The Traveler: This person is always on the go. Either traveling the world for pleasure, or a job that requires travel to various places. Even our on-the-go coffee people need a way to enjoy their favorite cup in their home away from home!
- Aeropress Go
- French Press
- A simple coffee dripper like the V60, Kalita Wave, or Origami dripper also travel well
- A hand grinder for fresh grounds on the go
- Don’t forget a coffee tumbler - our Elemental Tumblers are a favorite!
The Sleeper: This person barely operates in the morning hours…no matter how many hours of sleep they get. They need an automatic start to their day so they can grab-and-go.
- Breville Precision Coffee Brewer
- What to look for in an auto-drip coffee maker (regular ole coffee pot):
- Insulated stainless carafe instead of a burner (it'll make bitter coffee as it sits on the warmer)
- Temperature control
- Option for single-serve coffee
- Brewing options and pre-set recipes
- Airscape Canister to keep coffee fresh
Coffee Beans
100% Arabica Coffee will enhance the way your coffee lover enjoys their daily brew. Arabica coffee is grown at higher altitudes and processed with the utmost care from farm to cup. There are specialty grade checks throughout the process to ensure quality of the bean, compensation of farmers, and well-trained roasters to bring a flavorful cup full circle to consumers.
Grinding Needs
You might wonder why a coffee lover would find interest in a coffee grinder, when coffee can be ordered already ground? It’s actually a really important step and once you know…you know.
Grinding coffee fresh, we’re talkin’ per cup/pot, is vital to a good cup of coffee because it preserves the flavorful and aromatic notes until ready to drink. Buying already ground coffee off the shelf means that much of the aromatic compounds have left the grinds due to the increased surface area.
With fresh ground coffee - from the start of the grind to the first sip of hot, rich coffee, all senses are ignited…making the home-brewing experience a craftsmanship of its own. The staff here at Pinup Coffee Co. use the Baratza Encore Grinder for drip coffee at home and highly recommend it to our fellow home brewers. It’s a fantastic and affordable option, but we recommend only using it for drip (not espresso or cold brew).
Coffee Gift Subscription
Let’s be honest, shall we? The ultimate coffee lovers gift would be to travel to various coffee farms within The Coffee Belt to learn, taste, and explore. And we know, as much as you’d love to give this, and join them (of course!), this is simply not budget friendly. Would you believe us if we told you a coffee subscription was the next best thing?!
Subscribing your coffee lover to a coffee gift subscription service enables you to give them a taste of joy all year long. This will allow your coffee lover to discover new flavor profiles, single origins, and roasters’ choice (aka…the coffees their roaster enjoys most!) from around the world without leaving the comfort of their home. Check out Pinup Coffee Co.’s Coffee Gift Subscriptions for more information.
Coffee Related Reads
There are various reasons a coffee lover, new or well-versed, might enjoy books about coffee; beans, brewing, history, etc. The world of coffee is one that is always evolving and changing. From coffee culture to new home brewing tips and tricks, to how coffee affects our health and lifestyles. And for our history/philosophy/etc. folks, the environmental and societal impacts, but we’ll leave this one for another day.
The point in saying this is that there are a million and one reasons a coffee lover might enjoy a book or 2…or 5…about their favorite daily ritual. Here’s a list we at Pinup Coffee Co. refer back to often:
- The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann
- The Professional Barista’s Handbook by Scott Rao
- Everything but Espresso by Scott Rao
- Coffee Covered by Mark Shimahara: a great photo book / coffee table book
- The Physics of Filter Coffee by Jonathan Gagné: a deep dive for the ultimate coffee lover
In short, we hope this ultimate coffee gift guide leads you to the perfect gift for the coffee lover in your life. Whether it's upgrading their coffee bar equipment, giving them a coffee subscription, or sharing other coffee-related resources to them, we’re confident this guide will make their coffee experience even more enjoyable. Cheers to high-quality coffee and gift-giving made easy!
