We have some good news: you don’t need a bunch of fancy gear to make great coffee at home. And, maybe this is good news to you, you can still have fancy coffee gear if you want! We want to help you be the best home barista you can be, so we’ve got some ideas about coffee gear for any budget. (And just a note, none of these are paid, affiliate links, just stuff we really like!)
Weighing
Any kitchen scale, as long as it can display grams, will work just fine for coffee! If you’re looking for something fancy, the Acaia Pearl is a great option that will walk you through the whole pour over process including timing and water flow rate. We sometimes use it in our cafe, and it’s great. The taste of coffee is very dependent on how much coffee you use, and getting the ratio exactly where you like it is a first step to being a great home barista.
Grinding
This is the only step where spending a little money makes a huge difference. While any grinder will get the job done, we strongly recommend using a burr grinder. Unlike a blade grinder, burr grinders ensure that the ground coffee particles are all the same size. This means that in hot water they will extract at the same rate. This gives the coffee a balanced and consistent flavor. On a budget, the KRUPS Precision Burr Grinder will do the job for about $50. For those looking for something fancy, the Baratza Virtuoso+ is excellent and sturdy.
Brewing
However you like to make your coffee is the right way to make your coffee. Anything from an inexpensive drip machine, French press, pour over/beehouse, or espresso machine can make delicious coffee at home. You can find a French press or pour over brewer for about $25 at a lot of places.
A good home espresso machine is more expensive. Some of our staff really enjoy the Breville Barista Express. A less expensive (and more portable) option is the Aeropress. This uses pressurized air, rather than pressurized water, to push the coffee through the filter. Any of these options can make great coffee. Just check a recipe to get the right amount of coffee grounds, and then tweak it to your tastes.
Water
The most important thing here is that you use filtered water. This can come from your fridge or from a sink attachment. Using filtered water will give your coffee a cleaner taste and allow the flavors of the bean to shine. If your water tastes funky and filtering it doesn’t help, Third Wave Water tablets are great for balancing out the minerals in your water for better coffee.
That’s it. Everything you need for a tasty cup, and you don’t need to spend a ton of money. But there’s one more thing you might need. If you’re out of coffee, try some BCR Espresso, Golden Bean Sumatra, or Existential Support. They’ll taste great in whatever gear you have.