As an avid iced coffee lover, I’ve learned a thing or two about good coffee over the years. If you have a coffee connoisseur in your life that is in need of a gift, I have quite a few recommendations for you!
Sure, you can go with a Dunkin or Starbucks gift card, but there’s no fun in that.
Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone who is a seasoned coffee pro, or someone who is brand new to the world of coffee, there are plenty of options out there.
I could probably list hundreds of coffee gifts for you, but I’ll do my best to shorten it down to only the best gifts. We’ll explore three different categories of coffee gifts:
- Coffee & Drinkware
- Home Brewing
- Cold Brew
Note that these are all items that I have personally used and recommend. Feel free to shop around and use your best judgment, but I’ll let you know why I recommend each of these items!
And if you yourself are unfamiliar with iced coffee, what makes it special, and how it’s different from cold brew coffee, I’ve written up a few resources to help you out:
- Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee: Yes, They’re Different!
- How to Make Cold Brew Concentrate: The Fool-Proof Guide
Coffee & Drinkware
When it comes to coffee, you need to start with...well, coffee. Let's explore some of my all-time favorite coffee beans & coffee grounds, and some of my favorite drinking vessels.
Javy Coffee Concentrate
Javy is a coffee concentrate that you mix with water or milk to instantly have delicious coffee in seconds. If you want to take all the work out of making coffee, this is perfect.
Personally, I love drinking Javy cold because I can make it very strong, similar to a cup of cold brew coffee. However, I must admit that when you drink it hot, it blows any other "instant" coffee out of the water.
Javy is unique from other coffee concentrates in that it comes in a variety of flavors, as well as a decaf option, which is super rare to find! You can even sign up for a coffee subscription to keep the good stuff coming all year long.
Grounds & Hounds Coffee
Ground & Hounds is coffee with a cause that is perfect for the dog lover in your life. I've been a long-time customer of theirs not only because I love dogs so much, but because their coffee beans & coffee grounds are incredible.
20% of all sales are used to fund innovative and impactful rescue programs throughout the country, which is worth supporting in my book.
They offer a sample pack of their best-sellers to get you started, but I highly recommend browsing all of their coffee options. And while you're at it, they have very fun drinkware and apparel, too!
DEATH WISH COFFEE: The World's Strongest Coffee
We all have that person in our lives that can drink 10 cups of coffee and not feel a thing. Put that caffeine tolerance to the test with this high-caffeine Death Wish Coffee! I'll be honest: I don't find this to be the greatest-tasting coffee in the world. But as someone who needs caffeine to function, I found this coffee to be very fun to try, and it definitely makes for a great gift.
White Diner-Style Mugs
I am a sucker for a nice mug, and I always gravitate toward "diner-style" mugs. These are the mugs with a thick wall, which I find far superior to any cheap mug out there.
Whenever I travel, I try to find a diner-style mug from the place I'm visiting, so I have quite a large selection. But if you're looking for something a little less touristy, these are the perfect mugs to serve up coffee to your guests.
This may not be a coffee cup with a sleek design like others out there, but you just can't beat these classic mugs. Truthfully, I find this to be a very simple, thoughtful gift.
Fellow Travel Mug
This travel mug looks like a Tic Tac, and I am absolutely obsessed with it. This travel mug looks like a Tic Tac, and I am absolutely obsessed with it. And in terms of functionality, this beats any other travel mugs I've used.
This mug comes in various colors and sizes, and each one completely seals so you can tip, flip, or throw the mug (if you really wanted to) without your coffee spilling.
And speaking from experience, this mug keeps coffee at the exact temperature you want (hot or old) for hours. It definitely rivals Yeti, and in my opinion, is much cooler.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug
Yes, this is for hot coffee. But even use cold coffee lovers need a hot cup of coffee every once in a while!
The Ember mug is the perfect gift for the slow coffee drinkers out there. Personally, I drink my coffee far too quickly, so it's not an issue for me. But for someone who likes to savor their coffee, they may find that they have to reheat the coffee once or twice before finishing. This mug sits on a coaster that keeps the coffee at the perfect temperature for as long as you need, and the best part is that the coaster is not hot to the touch!
Ember also sells a travel version, so if you have a long commute in the car, you can keep your coffee hot the entire time.
Dogs & Coffee Mugs
I mentioned Grounds & Hounds coffee, but their mugs deserve a very special shoutout, too. They have a TON of amazing mugs, glasses, and more for any dog lovers out there. Frankly, it's impossible for me to choose just one mug, and I own several from 'em.
Home Brewing Gifts
There's truly no wrong way to brew coffee, but depending on your preferences, there may be a "best" way. Here is my list of home-brewing essentials to cover my favorite brewing methods.
If you want to make iced coffee, you need to start with a freshly brewed pot of hot coffee.
Gooseneck Electric Water Kettle
If you want to feel like a coffee pro, you need to get yourself a gooseneck electric kettle. The long neck is ideal for pouring, especially if you're going to be making pour-over coffee. Electric is also ideal, as you can have this kettle posted up right next to your coffee bar without the need to fire up the stovetop for your hot water.
Chemex Pour-Over
There are tons of different pour-over options out there, but nothing beats a Chemex. It may feel silly to spend up on a simple glass carafe, but the quality of a Chemex is unmatched. Trust me: I've had cheap pour-overs that were much thinner and ended up cracking & breaking on me. You won't have that issue with the Chemex, and the classic look of it makes it an amazing gift.
If you choose to buy a Chemex, be sure to pair it with the coffee filters.
French Press Coffee Maker
A French Press is another fun way to brew coffee that is much simpler than a pour-over. Just add some coffee grounds and water into the container, let it set, then press down to filter out the coffee grounds. I don't use a French Press very often, but it's a popular choice for people looking for a quality cup of coffee that want the process to be mostly hands-off (outside of using a drip coffee machine, of course).
The French Press is also a great way to make a very simple cold brew, but we'll get into actual cold brew gear further down this post.
OXO Burr Coffee Grinder
When it comes to home brewing, a good coffee grinder is an absolute must. If you use a cheap spice grinder to grind up coffee, which is what I used for a while, but a quality coffee grinder will change your life.
With the particular coffee grinder (the one that I use) you can set the coarseness of your beans. For espresso, you can go with a super-fine grind, and for French press or cold brew, you can keep it very coarse. Being able to adjust to your preferences is amazing, and this one looks pretty darn nice, too.
In terms of coffee equipment in general, OXO is definitely one of my favorite brands and the one that I trust the most.
Airtight Coffee Canister
There's nothing worse than sour coffee that has gone bad. Once you open a bag of coffee, you have about a week of freshness before you start to taste the difference, which is way too quick. With a quality airtight canister, you can extend that shelf-life! I prefer to store fresh beans in the canister to then grind them up when needed, but it's also great for storing coffee grounds, too.
Ninja Specialty 10-Cup Coffee Maker
No home coffee bar is complete without a classic drip coffee machine. This Ninja specialty coffee maker is absolutely amazing, and I love mine. You can choose to make a single cup, travel size, or even a full carafe for guests, and you can adjust the brew based on what you want to make.
Plus, this particular machine is so amazing because you can choose a setting to brew directly over ice without watering down your coffee! Iced coffee instantly... does it get any better?
Stovetop Espresso Maker
When it comes to espresso, you just can't be this classic stovetop espresso maker. When I traveled to Italy, this is all they used there, and even though it is incredibly simple, it makes an amazing cup of espresso. This is definitely a must-have for anybody who enjoys espresso!
Nespresso Coffee and Espresso Maker
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of Nespresso. I'm not an espresso drinker, but I have never heard a single bad thing about Nespresso from those who are. This espresso machine uses pods, which makes brewing incredibly simple, and it yields a perfect cup every single time.
And from what I've heard, this blows the Keurig out of the water.
Cold Brew Coffee Gifts
If you're not well-versed in cold coffee, it's important to note that cold brew and iced coffee are not the same things! To simplify it: cold brew slow steeps for 12-24 hours, and iced coffee is any hot coffee that is served cold over ice (but I wrote up a full detailed breakdown here).
But whether it's cold-brewed or just served cold, it's always my preferred coffee!
Here are some of the best gift ideas for cold brew lovers.
HyperChiller Coffee Chiller
When you brew hot coffee but then decide you want iced coffee instead, you always end up with watered-down coffee. In order to make it cold, you need to use a ton of ice which then just ends up melting. Enter: The HyperChiller.
You keep this stored in the freezer, then all you have to do is take it out and pour your coffee right into it. Within seconds it will completely chill your coffee so you can pour it over ice without it getting watered down! The best part is that you can re-use it over and over again.
This is the perfect way to make iced coffee quickly without watering it down from melted ice. Trust me, the cold coffee aficionado in your life will thank you.
Portable Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Cold brew coffee requires planning ahead, as it needs to steep for at least 12 hours. For some people, remembering to do that becomes a real pain. This portable cold brew maker changes that. All you have to do is load up the top with the coffee and water at night, then in the morning when you're getting ready for work or school, just press the bottom to strain the water into the portable mug below and you are ready to go!
Even better, you can keep this on your desk at work so you never forgot. Just load up the coffee at the end of the day, then when you come in the following morning, you'll have cold brew waiting for you.
There's truly no easier way to make cold brew.
OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker
The OXO cold brew maker is what I use every single week. If you make cold brew, this is the gold standard, in my opinion. You load up the top portion with ground coffee, add cold water, then let it sit. When you're ready, it strains out into the carafe below.
There are a few reasons why I love the OXO so much. One, it makes a concentrate in a small carafe, saving you a ton of fridge space. Two, the lid to the carafe measures out a perfect portion for you, so you don't have to guess how much concentrate to use. And three, the top portion has a "rainmaker" design, meaning you can pour the water over the top and it will distribute it evenly over the coffee grounds so you don't have to.
I've used this specific coffee maker for a long time, and I can assure you that it's THE perfect gift for any cold brew lover this holiday season.
Wandering Bear Cold Brew Coffee On Tap
Love cold brew but don't feel like making your own? Wandering Bear is the way to go! They sell these cold brew taps, which is absolutely perfect if you don't want to go through the entire brewing process. While it's not a gift that you'll be able to use more than once, you can actually sign up for a subscription to receive a new tap every month. When you do that, it comes out to about $2 per cup of cold brew, which is cheaper than opting for Starbucks.
Stone Street Cold Brew Coffee Grounds
When making cold brew, you want to start with coarse-ground coffee. When you use regular ground coffee that's very fine, you can end up with "muddy" coffee that has some coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup, which is appealing to nobody. This Stone Street coffee is coarse ground, and some of the best I've ever had when it comes to making my own cold brew.
Stone Street also sells beans for you to grind your own coffee, but I find the coarse ground version to make the best brew every time.
Nitro Cold Brew Mini Keg
If you want to take cold brew to the next level, this mini nitro keg is the way to do it. Nitro cold brew is simply cold brew that is served through a nitrogren-infused tap, giving it a smoother finish with a little bit of froth to it. It's delicious, but if you've ever ordered it at a coffee shop, you know it can also be super expensive- that's why I make my own!
Just brew your old cold brew (or buy some) and pour it into the keg, then let the nitrogen do its thing for about an hour before serving.
The stainless steel interior keeps the coffee super cold, so nitro coffee at the ideal temperature can become part of anyone's morning routine.
What coffee-related items would you add to these lists? I’d love to hear ’em!