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This article originally appeared on the Strategist.
Finding the perfect holiday gift can be maddening—is this the color they’d want? Is it something they already have? Is it so last year?—but really, once you have a sense of a person’s taste, it’s not impossible. This season, we’ll be talking to members of various tribes to find out exactly what to get that serious cook, or booze connoisseur, or picky teen girl in your life. Think of it as a window into their brain trust—or, at least, a very helpful starting point. Today, eight coffee nerds on the gifts they’d want to receive (or give) this year, from high-end burr coffee grinders to delightfully tacky coffee mugs.
“My wife and I have been using the OXO Adjustable Temperature Pour Over Kettle. It’s by far the most cost-effective kettle on the market and one I strongly recommend for home use. For serious home brewers, I’d also recommend the OXO Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. A burr coffee grinder is an important investment and will provide you with a consistent grind size to brew the perfect cup of coffee time after time.” —Paul Schlader, co-founder and co-owner, Birch Coffee
OXO On Adjustable Temperature Electric Pour-Over Kettle
$100, Amazon
OXO On Conical Burr Coffee Grinder With Integrated Scale
$200, Amazon
“The Baratza Encore allows for an impeccable grind, really bringing the coffee to its full potential. Also, a case of Pure Black is a great gift for anyone who loves coffee. It’s balanced and smooth, making it a great cold coffee you can dress up in so many ways.” —JP Iberti, president and co-founder, La Colombe
Baratza Encore Electric Grinder
$139, Amazon
La Colombe Cold Pressed Coffee, Pure Black, 4 Count
$3, Amazon
“As the owner of a growing coffee business, I’m always trying to think of ways to stay ahead of the curve, and I find inspiration all around me. It’s silly for me to think that I can remember everything, so everywhere I go, I always bring a trusty durable notebook. Moleskine has been my go-to and I have my fair share of filled notebooks on my shelf.” —Jeremy Lyman, co-founder and co-owner, Birch Coffee
Moleskine Limited Collection Denim Notebook, Large, Ruled, Navy Blue
$23, Amazon
“Because we often work from home and are spoiled with the best coffee, we love using our KitchenAid pro series espresso machine. Not only is it a beautiful piece of art for your kitchen, but this espresso machine is as close to the real thing as you can get! Perfectly pulled shots and frothy foam from your very own home will have you skipping your morning coffee run.” —Elisa Marshall, founding partner, Maman
“For a couple of friends who own record players and are heading up to Portland, Maine, this spring and need a reason to stop at a great café: The Tandem Coffee vinyl and coffee subscription.” —James Freeman, chief product officer and founder, Blue Bottle Coffee
The Good Thing - Coffee & Vinyl Subscription
$35/month, Tandem Coffee
“For all of my cocktail-loving friends who go to Tokyo, and then return morose because they are 6,000 miles from perfect ice: An ice mold that gets you very, very close to perfect ice. My friends can then enjoy the ice they make with a finger or two of Hibiki 12-year poured into a perfect, delicate Hario tumbler with sides as thin as a dragonfly’s wing.” —Freeman
W&P Design Clear Ice Mold - Charcoal
$35, Amazon
Hario Rock Glass RG-300
$28, Amazon
“At the top of my list this year is the Stagg EKG kettle from Fellow Products! It’s the ideal brewing kettle for any coffee enthusiast; with its temperature stability and variable settings, it allows you to hold the water at 200 degrees for up to an hour. This means that every time I make a pour over at home, I know that my water will be consistently hot throughout the brewing process. (If you’re curious why water is so important in brewing, just remember that coffee is 99 percent water!)” —Noah Goodman, barista, Nobletree Coffee
Editor’s note: If you’re looking for a slightly-less-expensive alternative to this electric kettle (or one that’s eligible for Amazon’s two-day shipping), Fellow’s pour-over kettle is what Grub Street editor Sierra Tishgart will be giving everyone this holiday season.
Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle, Polished
$79, Amazon
“I have a collection of tacky coffee mugs from places I’ve been. This one is from Bondi, where I grew up, so I drink my morning coffee from this one when I’m feeling a little homesick.” —Giles Russell and Henry Roberts, co-owners, Two Hands
Zazzle Bondi Beach Vintage Travel Poster Coffee Mug
$15, Amazon
“Our dear friend and coffee roaster César Vega, from Café Integral, created these bowls for his café on Elizabeth Street in Nolita. They’re a dream to drink your morning (or afternoon) coffee from. Combining the comforting feeling of drinking from a bowl, but with the practicality of drinking from a cup. And as each one is handcrafted, they’re a beautiful piece of art to sit on your shelves as well.” —Russell and Roberts
Azure Au Lait Bowl
$30, Café Integral
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