Beginner Coffee Lover Gift Guide
Embracing the Inexperience
To preface, this gift guide is specifically for people who are newly into coffee. This is a guide to help you give them something of actually good quality that will help them delve deeper into that realm as well as hopefully spark some more interest.
A lot of people try to substitute barista cafe coffee with a Nespresso or Keurig, and honestly I think that’s a waste of both interest and coffee. Those machines are not only bad for the environment, but keep a new coffee lover from being able to do any kind of experimentation. Getting a machine that does everything in a black-box-method stops you from learning anything about the process or the behind the scenes. But even if your gift receiver has one of these, we still have a lot of suggestions to make their coffee routine more interesting!
Keep in mind: we’ve managed to get some affiliate links for some of these products, so we get a small kickback for the purchases made on those sites
Coffee Makers
1. Moka Pot (aka Stovetop Espresso Maker)
TLDR: Inexpensive ($), easy to use & store, cute + my favourite
My ride-or-die coffee maker option will always be a moka pot. It’s such a cheap and amazing way to get into coffee at home. My first one was $16 and I’ve been using it for 3 years so far with no signs of slowing down.
These are great because of how small, portable, and stylish they are. There are some made specifically for induction, but most can be used anywhere from a stovetop to a campfire. They’re very easy to store when not in use, but pretty enough to leave out on your counter.
Moka pots can get expensive, but you don’t really need anything past the basic cheapo model. But if your friend has one, an amazing gift is a fresh, slightly scaled up version of their current favourite. Luckily for all of us, getting a slightly upscaled model is still pretty cheap these days! Or go in for a higher model with a couple people as a group gift!
These are our favourite Moka pots right now. The original is Billeta, but the quality and price in the last few years has been a bit of an issue. So, these are our alternatives! Our current fav, Grosche, is a Canadian company that donates 50 days of clean water with every purchase!
2. Pour Over
TLDR: $-$$ depending on brand, takes practice, requires kettle
Pour over is another really popular method of coffee brewing, especially for beginners! Unlike a big barista machine, these pour overs cost a more reasonable amount.
This also means that it’s an inexpensive way to upgrade their current setup to something like the well-known Chemex brand or even just help them move farther away from something like a Keurig machine. Here are some of our favourite picks!
I would advise that you make sure your gift receiver has a way to boil water, ex: kettle, or you might be giving them something they can’t really use. That being said you can also use this opportunity as a group gift and get a bunch of people to go in on a kettle for your friend.
This is also a great option if your friend likes camping and wishes they could bring some hot coffee with them!
3. French Press
TLDR: $-$$, a classic, easy to use, camping friendly
French Presses are another really common inexpensive but excellent tool for making good coffee. Besides being easy to use and very cute, these little French presses are also a great way to froth milk!
Not my favourite way to make coffee because it always comes out a little watery for my taste, but it’s just a matter of preference! There are two types of French presses: Glass and Double Walled Metal.
While the glass is the classic look and very cute, it’s much more fragile and isn’t very insulated. This lack of insulation means that if you make enough coffee for two servings but only drink one at a time, it’ll be cold by the time you come back for your refill. These little pots aren’t very large and therefore VERY easy to knock off the counter for clumsy people like myself, so I would personally avoid the glass version in favour of a double-walled steel version.
That being said, the single serving ones are awfully cute in glass if that’s the way you’re leaning aesthetically.
4. Cold Brew Maker
TLDR: $-$$, easy to use, only has one function
Honestly, cold brew coffee can be made for free once you have the grounds. You don’t really need any special equipment to make the magic of a double-caffeinated coffee happen. But it can be intimidating and sometimes a little piece of inexpensive equipment is what you need to get you started! Besides that, some of these can make the process easier, cleaner, a little bit more fun.
The prices can range from disposable bags for around $12/100bags or up closer to $50 if you’re looking for a really nice glass carafe that can make a lot of coffee and also be out on display. We’ve done our best to give you a mix of both in our product finds below!
If you’re looking for a dual-purpose gift, or your receiver doesn’t have much storage space, I’d recommend going with a French Press over a new piece of cold brewing equipment. French presses and cold brewers work under the same principles, but French presses also give you the option to make hot coffee and avoids being a one trick pony.
That said, some of these brewers are very cute and I would be happy to receive any of them as a gift!
Coffee
What better way to help someone get excited about coffee than to help them expand their pallets? It’s a great way to give them something you personally think they’ll love or something that will help give them a larger variety to explore! We always recommend knowing the basics of what your loved ones like before giving them something like this, but if they’re not quite sure what they like yet, a larger variety is recommended.
1. Coffee Tasting Subscription Boxes
If your recipient is new to coffee, they probably don’t really know their likes and dislikes yet. With a coffee subscription, you can change that! It’s a really exciting way to learn more about the coffee you’re drinking without committing to too much of it. A lot of people learning to brew at home go to the easiest place (the grocery store) to get their beans. It’s a great way to start, but the variety is pretty limited and you’re unlikely to find a lot of the specialty roasts that make people go into coffee in the first place.
One of the most well-known brands to help with this is Trade Coffee. They give the user a coffee quiz that works wonders for beginners in figuring out more of what you like so you don’t waste your time on the things you already know you dislike.
As a plus, Trade is also dedicated to making sure their producers are all fair trade. This means that they will be slightly more expensive than the average bag, but that everyone involved is paid a living wage. To me, those couple extra dollars are worth it!
2. Coffee Sample Boxes
Similar to subscription boxes, many stores like World Market and Trader Joes have coffee sample bags around this time of year. It’s a way to explore what a brand has to offer without feeling guilty if you absolutely hate one of the bags because it’s only a few ounces.
This time of year brands get a lot bolder with their flavoured coffees, syrups, and themes. It can just be plain fun to experiment with these many options. That’s why coffee advent calenders are so popular! If you want to give your recipient chance to explore more coffee without the cost of a subscription box, this is a great way to go!
3. Homesick Coffee
Is your recipient far from home? Maybe they’re just nostalgic for a place they’ve visited and have special memories. Either way, a lot of people have a favourite coffee shop from a place they’re missing.
My recommendation is to subtly feel them out for their favourite hometown or travelling coffee shop, and then order two different roast types or origins.
Coffee Accessories
1. Coffee Grinder
TLDR: $$-$$$
I got my coffee grinder in 2020, after there were no coffee grounds left on the grocery store shelves because no one knew how to grind the beans. Turns out, since then I’ve never bought a bag of ground again!
There are many studies showing that coffee tastes best when it’s freshly ground. Grinding it prematurely allows the grounds to oxidize and get a staler taste faster. If you want to help your recipient dive deeper into the world of coffee making, a coffee grinder is a great way to go!
There are two main types of grinders: manual and automatic. Manual is a very nostalgic, aesthetic type of grinder for many, but manual grinders tend to be very labour intensive and time intensive. Unless your loved one has specificially expressed interest in a manual grinder, I would gear towards the automatic side. This a gift they’ll be using before they’ve had coffee, so it’s always good to make it as fool proof as possible.
They’re relatively inexpensive and keep running smoothly even after years of abuse. Pair this gift with a bag of great coffee beans!
2. Reusable Nespresso/Keurig Pods
TLDR: $, double check dimensions, gift with good coffee
If your loved one loves coffee and has a pod-based coffee machine, it can be hard to shop for them other than mugs. A lot of people can’t even experience new brands of coffee just because of the business model set up by Nespresso and Keurig. By giving reusable pods, you can be environmentally friendly and give them the opportunity to try something new! Before you buy, triple check that these after-market pods are compatible with your recipient’s machine.
Doesn’t seem like a large enough gift? Pair it with a bag or two of grounds from their favourite local coffee shops!
3. Kettle
If your loved one is looking to get into something like pour over or French press, it might be worth it to look into getting them a kettle. Hot water is an essential part of either of those, and as someone whose tried boiling water in a pot and then haphazardly trying to get it into small funnel can lead to some not-to-be-recommended situations.
These can get expensive, but they don’t always have to break the bank! Probably the most expensive we’ve included is the classic kettle: the gooseneck from Fellow Stagg. But we’ve also included a variety of prices and styles as well!
4. Milk Frother
TLDR: $-$$$
The best part of going out for coffee is the latte art and crazy steamed milk that feels impossible to replicate without a fancy espresso maker. Luckily, there are many ingenious people out there who have solved this problem for us!
A milk frother can range from a little $10 frothing wand all the way up to a triple digit electric frother. Don’t worry, in we’ve only included double digit finds in this section. This alone is a great gift, but you can also spice it up by pairing it with a steel milk pitcher to make learning latte art even easier!
This gift also avoids being single purpose. If your recipient has ever expressed an interest in latte art, cappuccinos, matchas, or almost anything else that needs to be mixed, this is a great addition to someone’s kitchen tools.
5. Quality & Unique Mug
A nice mug sets the whole time for a good cup of coffee or drink of any kind. A nice quality, heavy duty mug that keeps your drink warm for as long as possible is my ideal cup.
It’s a relatively inexpensive gift, but if your recipient is new to apartments/homes and doesn’t have a lot of dishware yet, try treating them to a set of two to help their house feel more like a home. Definitely keep their aesthetics in mind, and then take to places like Etsy to see if you can find some handmade and one-of-a-kind beauties!
Of course, this wouldn’t be a gift guide without mentioning the Ember mug. We all know it’s an obscene price to pay for a single cup, even if it’s a cup that heats your drink for 1.5 hours. That being said, it can make a great group gift if your recipient has ever expressed an interest in it. With 3 or 4 people pitching in, it’s a much more doable gift.
6. Excessively Cute Coasters and Spoons
Having a great cup of coffee is just as much about the experience as it is the coffee itself. There’s something so endearing about stirring in your various sugars, syrups, etc using a small espresso spoon. The small acts of selfcare in making the mundane extraordinary are truly magical. This includes using a cute coaster to rest your mug instead of a folded paper towel, or even nothing at all.
Again, if your recipient is new to apartment living, this is another great way to make a new home feel a little more put together and purposeful. Things on display should be beautiful because they’re usually only a couple dollars more expensive than their mundane cousins and they make your house feel tidier because of that intentionality behind leaving them out. If you’re look for a collection of small gifts instead one large one, I’d suggest paring a few home decor and kitchen items together.
Pairing Gifts for Bigger Impact
The holiday season can be expensive, that’s no question. Especially as a student, do a friend gift exchange is inevitable.
One large gift isn’t always the move. Most of the time, a grouping of two or three small things is more fun, more personal, and less expensive. A mug and a bag of coffee are excellent gifts, and what makes that pairing so good isn’t what you spent. What makes it great is how much you show your recipient that you pay attention to the things they say.
If your friend always complains about leaving rings on their table (the first real wood table in their apartment perhaps?), getting coasters isn’t just an easy stocking stuffer but is a response to the things your friend says. If they always talk about how they love the coffee from their hometown and you secretly get them a bag, that’s obviously more than just a bag of coffee.
Another way to maximize your gift exchange is to get a price limit on everyone’s gifts. People get incredibly creative, more appreciative of the things they receive, and overall get to enjoy the holidays without hurting their savings. Again, it isn’t about what you spend, it’s about how much you can show your loved ones that you listen to them even if that just means a heartfelt card.
Pair two or three small things, wrap them cutely and gift!
Article Product Roundup*
All the products we linked in this article above were collected and surmised in this section. Be aware, while we do like these products, we have affiliate links set up for most of them. That means we get a little kickback if you decide to get any of these products through our website.
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