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Nervous about getting the right gifts for coffee lovers in your life? We don’t blame you. Coffee connoisseurs tend to be particular about every detail of their morning (or all hours of the day) beverage, so we navigated the complex landscape of coffee gadgetry and artisanal sipping vessels and delicately- roasted beans for you. Here are the best gifts for coffee lovers, the ones that’ll earn you maximum points with espresso lovers, people whose morning coffee routines have more steps than a celebrity skincare regime, or that one friend who wants an iced coffee even on a 20° day in January.
- A mini espresso maker that performs way above its paygrade: Nanopresso, $70 on Amazon
- A coffee subscription to get them out of a bean rut: Trade Coffee subscription, $16/bag at Trade
- Our all-time favorite drip coffee maker: Technivorm Moccamaster $330 on Amazon
- A stunning French Press: Yield French Press, $81 at Food52
- The very best burr grinder: Fellow Opus Grinder, $195 on Amazon
For the espresso enthusiast…
Anyone who drinks espresso straight probably wants to either drink it out of a little paper cup, or something that looks like a work of art. We’ve got both the purist and the opulent espresso drinker covered with the options below, including a set inspired by the painterly concept of chiaroscuro and a stackable (and surprisingly affordable) set of modern espresso mugs.
Our reviews editor Noah tested this mini espresso gadget and found that though it’s mostly marketed as a camping tool, it makes such a quality cup of espresso, he thinks you could justify using it at home, daily. In terms of quality espresso below $100, this is probably the best you can do, and it’s small enough to be a stocking stuffer.
This classic Italian device from Bialetti still has its original chic octagonal shape from the 1950s. The technique takes some trial and error to perfect, but once you get it down you’ll enjoy a creamy, rich espresso-like drink without shelling out for a high-dollar machine. It’s also tiny enough to fit in the cupboard when you’re not using it..
Our favorite espresso machines
When it comes to at-home espresso makers under $1,000, the Breville Barista has been our favorite in our product test four years running, thanks to its quality construction, easy operation, and, of course, the full-flavored shots of espresso it produces. It also froths milk into velvety foam for lattes and cappuccinos. If you’re shopping for a true espresso nerd, and your budget allows it, the Rancilio Silvia Pro is a worthwhile upgrade thanks to superior temperature control and regulated pressure that allow you to pull a coffee-shop-level shot. It’s an investment, sure, but if you’re looking for a group gift or a very big I love you as much as you love coffee statement, this is the gift for you. For the highest style option, you can’t beat the Rocket Apartemento espresso machine.
For the coffee lover who’s in a bean rut…
Maybe the person you’re shopping for really loves coffee, but they don’t know any better than to buy generic beans at the grocery store. A Trade Coffee subscription lets you personalize the beans to their taste—you fill out a quiz before ordering, including your level of coffee knowledge, preferred brewing method, and taste preferences. All of the coffee comes fair-trade from small roasters. It’s the perfect way to introduce your loved one to a local roaster they may not have tried before and broaden their coffee knowledge. Or compile your own gift set comprised of some of our favorite coffee beans.
For the caffeinated commuter…
In our travel coffee mug test, this tumbler by Kinto ranked well thanks to its comfortable handle, leakproof design, and narrow mouth. But if we’re being honest, we also just love that it’s so adorable: In a sea of utilitarian-looking to-go containers, this smooth-edge bottle in cheery shades of mustard and rose really stands out.
So many travel mugs are just too big—we don’t need a Big Gulp–size coffee in the morning. The Yeti Rambler is the perfect size with a 10-ounce capacity, and this handle-free version will also fit in your car’s cup holder. Insulated stainless-steel sides keep drinks warm or cool, while an easily removable top means you can easily sip with or without the lid.
Even if your coffee pro is brewing the best beans at home, chances are they haven’t found a solution to sad airport, airplane, or gas station coffee yet. Enter Blue Bottle’s instant craft coffee, which is so good, even former baristas swear by it. We also love Verve’s take on instant coffee for a coffee gift that’ll go in a stocking or be great as part of a gift set.
For the slow sipper…
This Faro mug coffee service set from Japanese brand Kinto is beautifully understated. The porcelain and stainless-steel collection comes with a stackable pot, a mug, a brewer, and a strainer. Every piece has a double-wall construction and is dishwasher-safe. Plus, everything but the strainer can be used in the microwave.
This smart ceramic mug keeps your coffee the exact temperature you set it to—a blessing for anyone who sits down to work with a cup then looks up to find that it has gone cold 20 minutes later. The mug is controlled via an app, which also has setting for timing a tea brew.
Or, take a simpler approach. If you have trouble getting through a whole big mug before your coffee gets cold—get a smaller mug! Here are a few we love.
Decanting your brewed coffee into a fancy coffee pot is stylish and practical. Your coffee will stay warm and look good doing it.
For the drinker who likes to sweeten and add flavor…
If the coffee lover in your life likes things a little sweet, skip the tired coffee syrups and blow their mind with a coffee-friendly cocktail syrup. These are great for zhuzhing up ice coffee, lattes, and even drip coffee with a little bit of sugar and spice.
For the one who always wants people to come over for coffee…
If you take great pride in your selection of coffee beans, you should really feel similarly proud about the way you store them. These Fellow containersvacuum-seal your beans—meaning more robust flavor for your morning cup.
Because your host friend probably likes their mugs matchy-matchy.
Nothing says superb brunch host like the ability to make a latte, cappuccino, or café au lait. This Smeg milk frother is big enough to make steamed milk for a crowd—and, as is characteristic of the Italian brand, looks absolutely fabulous doing it. If you want a stocking stuffer milk frother, this smaller model is a favorite of ours and will let you make steamed milk for your morning brew any day of the week.
For the person who wants to upgrade their brewing method…
If your coffee lover swears by the ease of a drip machine but deserves an upgrade in taste, look no further than the winner of our test of the best drip coffee makers. The Technivorm Moccamaster produces a flavorful, nuanced brew thanks to a pre-soak function and an even shower distribution that covers all of the grounds. This machine also allows for greater customization in your brew than other models do, making it a favorite among coffee experts. It’s the ideal gift for anyone who wants to upgrade their coffee maker to something high-style.
This is the method of choice for the particularly caffeine-addicted aesthete: This all-glass pour-over method is easy to use and produces a light, gorgeous cup. It’s also good for sustainability minded folks since our favorite reusable CoffeeSock filter fits the vessel perfectly. And if they’re into this brewing method, they’ll appreciate a sleek gooseneck kettle, which will let them disperse the hot water perfectly over the ground beans and make the coffee “bloom.”
The Clever Dripper has a unique design that combines pour-over and immersion brewing methods, resulting in a remarkably clean, consistent cup. If they’re into Japanese coffee culture, the Hario Tehcnica Syphon uses the principles of chemistry to brew coffee with a cult-following. Even if they have every piece of coffee equipment known to humankind, there’s a decent chance that the coffee obsessive in your life doesn’t have one of these yet—and nothing sparks joy for a true caffeine fanatic quite like a novel brewing method.
No list of the best gifts for coffee lovers would be complete without a French press. Yield’s glass French press is so stunning, you might start making a second (or third) pot of coffee every day just so you have an excuse to look at it. Aside from having a strong, clean look, Espro’s sturdy stainless steel option has a two-screen system to keep the brew grit-free—a common complaint of coffee made in a French press. Plus, you can actually use this coffee maker for all sorts of other kitchen tasks, like frothing milk and squeezing moisture out of potatoes for latkes.
Let’s assume the coffee enthusiast you’re shopping for owns more than one type of coffee maker and grinds their beans on a daily basis so they don’t get stale. Did you know that coffee tastes better when it takes a bit of manual labor to prepare? Even if that logic doesn’t quite hold up, a hand grinder is incredibly handy to have if you live in a place where the power regularly goes out or you like to have great coffee with you wherever you travel. The exceptional grounds, the arm workout, and the compact size that come with this coffee grinder make it an excellent gift.
Technically, this Breville grinder came in second place in our test of the best coffee grinders. But that was because it had more bells and whistles than the winning Oxo model—features that might not be necessary to the everyday coffee drinker. You’re here for a gift for the true coffee lover, though, which makes this the ideal selection. Some of those extra features? There’s a slot for you to attach an espresso portafilter cradle, making it possible to grind your espresso directly into your portafilter. The Breville offers absolute precision, down to the dosing, which is controlled by a timer you set to the tenth of a second, and the dial has 60 different settings. If you’re looking for something that will give you a fantastic grind for your drip or pour-over—and you think the space-age look gives major countertop appeal, go for a new winner in our product test, the Fellow grinder.
For the person who drinks iced coffee year-round…
Did you catch contributor Maggie Hoffman’s passionate plea against cold brew as the iced-coffee brewing method of choice? If not, check it out. Maggie’s favorite way to make iced coffee is by shaking espresso with ice in a cocktail shaker. She recommends using the Breville above, but if you don’t want to spring for that, an Aeropress is, she says, “maybe the best bang-for-your-buck piece of coffee equipment around.” And when you outfit it with a metal filter, you get closer to espresso-style coffee. (And you don’t have to worry about running out of paper filters.)
For those of you who are holding fast to iced coffee even in subzero temperatures, our tested-favorite cold brew makers, the Hario and the Takeya, also make great gifts. The Hario is our favorite overall for smooth, great-tasting iced coffee drinks. But the Takeya takes the cake if you prefer a strong brew or want to make cold brew concentrate.
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out more of our gift guides below:
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