The best gifts for the coffee nerd in your life

This holiday, why not encourage friends and family to expand their coffee-consuming horizons. We’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for coffee nerds you can buy this year, with options for brewing, drinking and more. And if that special someone isn’t into java, we’ve got gifts that will work just fine for tea drinkers too.

Aeropress Go

The Aeropress is a fun way to make a single cup of coffee at home with an apparatus that doesn’t take up much space in the cabinet. It’s a versatile brewer that allows you to experiment with different times and strengths as you go. I like to use it to brew a double-strength cup directly over ice whenever I forget to make cold brew. For the coffee nerd on your list that has a regular setup already, the Aeropress makes a great gift. And the Aeropress Go is even more compact. It tucks neatly inside a cup that you can brew directly into and is perfect for camping and travel. — Billy Steele, Senior News Editor

Buy Aeropress Go at Amazon – $32

Adagio Simplicitea starter set

Coffee isn’t everyone’s caffeinated drink of choice, and Adagio’s Simplicitea starter set is a thoughtful gift to give the tea lover in your life. It includes a 12-ounce Borosilicate glass teapot with a stainless steel lid and mesh rim, allowing them to brew loose leaf tea and pour all from one vessel. And you can choose the type of tea they like the best — black, green, herbal or a best-sellers mixture — to accompany the new pot. Serious tea aficionados probably already have their preferred brewing tools, but this set is a great option for anyone looking to step back from traditional tea bags and dip their toes into the wide world of loose leaf tea. — Valentina Palladino, Commerce Editor

Buy Simplicitea starter set at Adagio – $24

Baratza Encore

While there are more affordable coffee grinders out there, few of them have achieved the workhorse status of the Baratza Encore. The conical burr design offers consistently even grinds with 40 size settings for a variety of brewing methods. The hopper holds eight ounces of whole beans and it’s clear so you can see exact supply levels at a glance. It’s simple, easy to use and will help the coffee geek on your list produce some truly outstanding brews. — B.S.

Buy Baratza Encore at Amazon – $170

Brumate Toddy

I’ve been a big fan of Brumate’s wares since I bought myself a Hopsulator Trio for a beach vacation a few years ago. I still use it all the time, during both warm and cool months. However, when the temperatures begin to dip, I tend to reach for hot beverages more often, so Brumate’s Toddy insulated mug is a better option. The cup works well to keep drinks hot or cold and the trademark feature is the spill-proof lid. That thing has saved me from massive cleanup more times than I can count. The regular Toddy can hold 16 ounces while the Toddy XL doubles the capacity to 32 ounces. Plus, it’s a gift someone on your list can use year-round. — B.S.

Buy Toddy at Brumate – $30

Cosori Gooseneck Electric Kettle

A good kettle is essential if you want to up your home-brewing game, and it can help make a bunch of other things too like tea, ramen and more. Cosori’s Gooseneck Electric Kettle packs most crucial features into a relatively compact kettle that’s also priced right at $70. Goosenecks can be intimidating but they give you much more control when pouring over a Chemex, and we think Cosori’s, with its matte black finish, also looks pretty nice on most countertops. It has a stainless steel interior and five temperature presets so you can easily get the perfect temperature for things like green tea, black coffee and more. Plus, the “hold temp” option lets you set and forget the water for a bit; you can turn it on before you start your morning routine and come back to perfectly heated water, ready for whatever’s picking you up that morning. — V.P.

Buy Cosori electric kettle at Amazon – $70

Ember Mug 2

I’ll be honest: when I first saw the original Ember travel mug, I thought it was a bit ridiculous. Most insulated tumblers are capable of keeping your brew warm long enough for you to drink it. However, my mindset changed pretty quickly when I got the Mug 2 for Father’s Day. The rechargeable cup keeps your coffee or tea warmed to a desired temperature that you set in the Ember app. Battery life could be better, but it gets the job done. And when you need to, you can dock it on the charging base to replenish the power source. — B.S.

Buy Ember Mug 2 at Amazon – $130

Fellow Carter Everywhere Mug

For something a little less tech-heavy, the Carter Everywhere Mug from Fellow is one of my current favorites. It keeps coffee warm and cold brew cold even without the lid on. When closed, it can keep drinks warm for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. There’s a nice lip around the top that offers an enjoyable sipping experience. Sounds weird, I know, but I’m not being dramatic when I say this mug is a joy to drink out of. The interior is also coated in ceramic, so you don’t get that metallic taste a lot of travel mugs impart. — B.S.

Buy Fellow Cart mug at Amazon – $30

Hario Mizudashi

It may seem odd to give a cold brew pitcher as a holiday gift, but trust me, when that person makes their first batch, they’ll be thanking you all over again — no matter what time of year it is. I’ve been using the Hario Mizudashi for several years now. In fact, I have two just to make sure I have enough cold brew on hand during the summer. The real key here is the removable basket. You can take that out after an overnight soak, rinse it under warm water and the rest of the pitcher is there to store your coffee until you need it. — B.S.

Buy Hario Mizudashi at Amazon – $22

Technivorm Mochamaster KBGT

If you’re shopping for a pour over fan who could use a few extra minutes in the morning to do something besides manual brewing, Technivorm’s Moccamaster line is worth a look. They’re pricey coffee makers, but they simulate the action of pour-over-style brewing without all of the… well, pouring. The outlet arm pulses water over the brew basket rather than a steady stream like most automatic coffee makers. The KBGT also has a thermal carafe and automatically pauses the brewing cycle when you need an early refill. — B.S.

Buy Technivorm Mochamaste at Williams-Sonoma – $340

Coffee subscriptions

What do you get the coffee nerd who has everything? Well, we’re always down to try new beans. Most coffee roasters offer a subscription of some type with varying frequency based on consumption habits. And even if they don’t, you can still send a bag or two as a one-time gift. Some of my favorites include Hatchet in Boone, North Carolina, Dark Matter in Chicago and Vesta in Las Vegas, which has been a lifesaver during CES.

Shop Hatchet Coffee Roasters
Shop Dark Matter Coffee
Shop Vesta Coffee Roasters