Coffee Makers & Gear

Roasting coffee adds another dimension to your understanding of and enjoyment of the beloved beverage. It’s easy to get started, and you don’t need to invest in a lot of expensive equipment. With some green coffee beans and a basic setup, you can begin roasting coffee at home.

As soon as you brew your first batch of roasted coffee, you’ll immediately notice the difference that fresh roasting makes. Beans that were roasted just a few days ago are much more aromatic, flavorful and lively than those that were roasted months or years ago (like those that you might buy at the store). Even if you don’t get the first batch absolutely perfect, you’ll pick up on finer notes that aren’t present in stale coffee and you won’t want to go back to the old stuff.

From sourcing green coffee beans and selecting a roaster to actually roasting that first batch, here’s how to roast coffee beans at home.

Read moreHow to Roast Coffee Beans at Home

When I sold off most of my things and moved abroad, there was one collection of things that I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of: my coffee set up.

Over the years, I had built a small arsenal of different coffee equipment in my kitchen (much to my girlfriend’s dismay). As I was getting ready to fit my life into 2 backpacks and move abroad for the foreseeable future, I knew good coffee wasn’t something I could leave behind completely. I had to put together a travel set up that was consistent, reliable, and didn’t take up too much space in my bag. 

Read moreThe Best Way to Make Coffee While Traveling

The awesome thing about manual coffee brewers is that there are so many great options out there and everyone’s got a favorite. But once you get past the staples like a French press and pour over cone, it’s hard to know which brewer should be next on your list.

So if you’re looking to upgrade your coffee setup, let me help you narrow it down by introducing the Bonavita Immersion Dripper.

Read moreThe Bonavita Immersion Dripper: The Most Underrated Manual Brewer

There are so many coffee makers out there. So, if you’re like us, and you want to stay informed of all the latest coffee paraphernalia, it might seem like a tall order. After all, it seems like near-on each week there’s a shiny, new, and seriously cool piece of kit on offer.

This is especially true for those of us who consider ourselves to be ‘very serious’ and ‘grown-up’ about our coffee drinking habits! Needless to say, you’ll want a machine that does justice to those delicious beans and looks the business on your kitchen worktop. 

Luckily for you, here in this guide, we’re going to look at three different Japanese-style coffee makers, and let you decide which of these best suit your coffee-making needs. 

Read moreGuide to Japanese-style Coffee Makers

One of the most daunting things about deciding to explore making better coffee at home is the cost. After all, most people, whether they realize it or not, think of coffee in terms of convenience first, taste second. Which drive-thru is closest? Will getting a Keurig save me more time or convenience in the morning compared to my coffee pot?

So naturally, when people begin searching for ways to make coffee at home, they’re overcome with sticker shock. Often, they’ll end up sticking with what they’ve always done.

It’s true that coffee, just like any hobby or endeavor, does come with some upfront investment. But in order to see a substantial increase, you really don’t need to break the bank and you definitely don’t always need the latest and greatest gear.

Read more5 Fundamentals to Start Making Great Coffee at Home

So, you love getting your morning brew from the coffee shop down the road, and now you want to replicate that gorgeous taste at home? If that sounds like you, you’re probably unsure which brewing method to opt for.

Well, if you want to enjoy a rich, delicious cup of Joe, nothing beats a balancing siphon coffee maker.

Yes, these require more effort than an electric machine or the french press, but once you’ve got to grips with it, you’ll be able to blend your favorite coffee beans like the pros do, all within the comfort of your own home.

Read more4 of the Best Balancing Siphon Coffee Makers

Becoming a home barista isn’t rocket science. It’s easy to make delicious coffee in your own kitchen. You just need a reliable machine that looks and feels the part.

Siphon coffee makers offer serious coffee drinkers a fabulous coffee-making experience. It’s not just about taste, but about watching something beautiful and intense being created. True coffee geeks say that the several-hundred-year-old siphon brewing method is the best invented- and they’re right.

So, your perfect cup starts with making that crucial decision: do I buy an electric siphon or its stovetop version?

Read moreThe 4 Best Electric Siphon Coffee Makers

Made by the same Japanese company that manufactures the famous V60 brewer, the Hario Skerton is one of the most recognizable and popular hand grinders out there. Thanks to a quality build and an attractive price tag, the Skerton has long been touted as a solid entry-level grinder that won’t break the bank.

Read moreHario Skerton Hand Coffee Grinder

The Hario TCA-5 Siphon Coffee Brewer, much like many of Hario’s products, is an extraordinarily unique piece of coffee equipment perfectly suited for the specialty coffee enthusiast who wishes to branch out beyond the world of french press and pour over brewing. 

The Siphon is the product of an elegant intersection between basic chemistry and Hario’s world-renowned, high quality glass construction. The result is an easy-to-use system that consistently brews a delicious, full-bodied cup of coffee.  If you are interested in diversifying your coffee brewing equipment to get the most out of your coffee, the TCA-5 is both a top-notch brewing apparatus and a unique conversation piece perfect for sharing coffee with a friend.

Read moreHario TCA-5 Technica Coffee Siphon

Every day, more people are turning to hand-poured coffee for their morning cup. Coffee shops are still as popular as ever and most of us can’t resist a proper latte or espresso, but recently people are starting to seek that same level of quality and consistency from their coffee at home (or work).

For most people, the bulky counter top coffee maker is no longer cutting it. Pour over brewers are becoming kitchen staples and an essential part of many morning routines. Even though pour over brewers are nothing new – the first Melitta filter was created in 1908 – a renewed interest in the craft has produced some standout favorites. Today, we are going to put two of the premier pour over brewers, the Chemex and the Hario V60, through a head to head showdown.

But first, introductions.

Read moreChemex Vs. Hario V60: a Pour Over Coffee Showdown!