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To delight the coffee lover in your life, we added five new finds, including a reusable coffee filter, a beautiful dripper, and a gift box of really great beans. Disposable Plastic Cake Containers
Many people love coffee. Yet it can be difficult to find just the right gift for someone who has a real compulsion—sorry, predilection—for a good brew. To discover gifts for the person who worships at the altar of espresso and can’t stop tapping their heel at 4 in the afternoon, we spoke with a handful of experts, including the owner of New York City’s Ninth Street Espresso and Wirecutter’s coffee-obsessed staffers.
This stainless steel electric kettle boils water, that’s all, but it does so reliably. And it’s nicely priced and takes up very little space.
May be out of stock
Bodum’s sleek, 34-ounce Bistro Gooseneck Electric Water Kettle does just one thing: It boils water, with the touch of a single lever. Compared with most other models, our favorite gooseneck kettle from testing costs more yet also offers more—including adjustable temperature settings and a keep-warm function. So if your favorite coffee lover prefers to keep things simple and unfussy, a compact, one-and-done stainless steel kettle is just the thing. Bonus: It looks great sitting out on the counter.
This ceramic version of the classic New York City to-go coffee cup is both nostalgic and dishwasher-safe.
Nothing can replicate the experience of grabbing a coffee from a street cart before running to catch the subway on a perfect New York City morning. But this ceramic cup, inspired by the classic to-go design from 1963, replicates an element of that scenario, with a sustainable twist: Unlike the disposable paper original, this cup is dishwasher- and microwave-safe. It would make a particularly great gift for a Big Apple expat or nostalgia lover.
For those who want a high-quality manual grinder that’s portable yet affordable, this aluminum canister is the best in its class for speed, ease of grinding, and consistency.
This lightweight, manual grinder is our favorite model under $100. Our testers appreciated the impressively smooth and speedy grinding action. And the handle comes off, so this grinder is easy to store or to travel with—excellent for outdoorsy coffee devotees who don’t want to sacrifice fresh grounds. Dedicated brewers can dial in the coarseness and chop through about three tablespoons of coffee at a time.
These airtight ceramic containers feature no-slip cork bottoms and a double-lid system to keep coffee beans fresh.
To stay fresh, coffee beans need to be stored in an airtight vessel, somewhere that’s cool and dry. The ceramic canisters from Airscape are just the thing. Available in small (5¼ by 4 inches) and medium (5¼ by 7 inches), these canisters are just the right size for the moderate coffee drinker, the java fiend, or the person who likes to have different bean options. The vessels’ vacuum seal pushes air out to keep contents fresh. And thanks to their streamlined aesthetic and bamboo lids, these canisters look adorable on a countertop or kitchen shelf (though we don’t love the logo printed on the outside).
This stoneware cup hides its microwave- and dishwasher-safe functionality behind its cool, modern good looks.
Whether you’re shopping for a minimalist or a maximalist, you can’t go wrong by giving them a mug from Japanese ceramics company Hasami, which has been making porcelain items for more than 400 years. And these sleek mugs look cohesive if they’re collected in different sizes and complementary colors, especially since they stack effortlessly. The Hasami Mug is dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and several Wirecutter staffers have enjoyed drinking from their own for years.
The heat source is built into the base of this somewhat pricey mug, so it stays warm even when you’re on the move. And, in true tech-era fashion, the temperature can be controlled via an app.
The concept of a mug that keeps a drink at your preferred temperature may initially sound absurd, but James Hoffman, coffee expert and co-founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, eventually warmed up to the idea (pun intended). “I drink coffee while working, and I’m prone to distraction—never having to worry about missing that window of temperature when your coffee tastes best is a fantastic thing,” he said. In our testing, we were impressed by the Ember Mug², which lets you control the temperature (from a toasty 120 °F to a piping-hot 145 °F) via an app on your phone.
Available in a variety of colors, this travel mug offers amazing heat retention, and it comes with a locking, leakproof lid that can be operated with one hand.
At Wirecutter, we’re obsessed with the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug (which has remained our top pick over four years of testing). And when your loved one receives this travel mug, they will be equally enthused. With its vacuum insulation, the Zojirushi mug keeps coffee hot for hours, even in cold environments (so it’s equally good to use on winter hikes and in chilly apartments). And thanks to the secure lid-locking mechanism, the Zojirushi vessel doesn’t spill a drop. This model also comes in several cute color options, so you can choose the one that suits your gift recipient’s style.
These 3-ounce ceramic cups have a charming, handmade quality, and they can go in the dishwasher with ease.
The espresso drinker on your list will adore these tiny, colorful espresso cups from Felt+Fat. Available in an assortment of colors (including off-white, gray, red-orange, and pink), the cups hold 3 ounces of liquid, so they’re the perfect vessel for a caffeinated pick-me-up. Senior editor Marguerite Preston, who’s owned these little cups for a few years, said she’d get them for “anyone who makes espresso at home, whether with a machine or a moka pot.”
These sleek, stylish cups are made of a heat-resistant borosilicate glass that’s comfortable to hold and dishwasher-, microwave-, oven-, and freezer-safe.
It’s annoying when hot coffee gets cold or when iced coffee becomes warm. To avoid both scenarios, senior staff writer Lesley Stockton swears by Bodum’s Pavina Double Wall Glasses. The stylish tumblers feature a double-wall construction and are made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass, which keeps beverages at their desired temperatures longer. These glasses are also just nice to hold, and they’re dishwasher-, microwave-, oven-, and freezer-safe.
This beautiful ceramic coffee dripper from Japan makes a great cup of pour-over, works with standard coffee filters, and looks elegant on the shelf.
It’s true that the Origami Dripper’s crisp pleats and vibrant colors are hard to resist, but staffers on our kitchen team also laud the cone’s shape and heat-retaining construction. Made of Japanese mino ware clay, this pretty dripper is compatible with wave and conical paper filters. The small version makes one to two cups, and the medium makes up to four. Although the dripper is compatible with most pour-over holder stands, if your coffee-loving pal brews directly into a mug, throw in the $15 collar, too.
Never buy another paper coffee filter: This fine metal mesh cone comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Made from titanium-coated stainless steel, this super-fine mesh coffee filter saves money and eliminates paper waste. And unlike paper filters, mesh versions won’t strip the natural oils from the coffee, so they can produce a richer cup. This version fits the Chemex and Hario V60 and comes with a lifetime guarantee. Staff writer Samantha Schoech has been using hers for more than 10 years (and admits she has never done the recommended vinegar soak), and it still works beautifully.
This lightweight, all-in-one grinder, brewer, and insulated mug can be used anywhere—just add beans and hot water.
“For someone who’s always on the go, I recommend the Cafflano Klassic,” said Yuki Izumi, coffee director at Hi-Collar, a café and sake bar in New York City’s East Village. “I bought it for one of my friends who constantly tours as a musician, and he loves it.” The Cafflano Klassic contains everything someone would need to brew and hold their coffee: a ceramic burr grinder, a kettle, a stainless filter dripper, an insulated tumbler, and a lid. Amazon reviewers have left positive reviews on the Klassic, noting that it’s lightweight and practical, and it can be used anywhere.
This elegant enamel stove-top kettle from Japan provides excellent pour control.
There are several reasons why Wirecutter’s coffee aficionados (including a former barista) swear by this little stovetop kettle from a Japanese enamelware maker. For one, this pot’s pour spout provides excellent precision and control. And because of its slender profile and elegant design, the Jirushi Slim Pot looks beautiful on any shelf. Some people even water plants with it!
The flat bottom of this dripper produces evenly extracted, flavorful coffee.
If your coffee-loving friend likes java that offers intricate flavors and the perfect balance, it’s hard to beat a good pour-over. In our search for the best dripper, we brewed more than 150 cups of pour-over coffee. And we found that the single-cup Kalita Wave 185 made consistently flavorful, balanced cups, thanks to its even water drainage and easy-to-use design. Plus, it comes in three different materials—glass, ceramic, and stainless steel—to suit anyone’s style.
This beautiful glass vessel makes plenty of delicious, brightly flavored coffee at once.
If you want to give a brewer that’s also a statement piece, the Chemex is the pinnacle of pour-over gear. Designed in 1941, this minimalist coffee maker has earned a spot in the MoMA’s permanent collection. It doubles as a carafe, and it produces a bright, delicious brew that our testers loved. Also, the Chemex can brew six cups of coffee at a time (unlike our other favorite dripper, the aforementioned Kalita Wave, which maxes out at 12 ounces).
This neoprene cozy zips over glass Chemex carafes, to insulate hot brews and pad against drops and scratches.
We love the Chemex coffee maker, but the truth is that its brew does cool off quickly. Enter this neoprene zip-up cozy, made to solve that very problem. It comes in multiple sizes to fit every model of Chemex. And, in addition to keeping coffee warmer longer, it also protects glass from bumps, bangs, and scratches. To clean off any spots or spills, rinse the cozy under the faucet with a little dish soap.
Frozen capsules of delicious, concentrated coffee provide a quick and versatile caffeine jolt. Just combine with hot or cold water, or toss in an instant machine.
For someone who’s as committed to sustainability as they are to excellent-tasting coffee, may we suggest Cometeer Frozen Coffee Pods. The recyclable-aluminum capsules house an iced tab of concentrated coffee; you just add hot or cold water, milk, or toss into a Keurig machine. The resulting drinks are nothing short of transcendent, especially considering the minimal effort required. Their flavor, of course, reflects rigorous production. Cometeer instantly freezes each of the seven different brewed extractions at -321 °F, ensuring that each tastes coffee-shop-fresh for up to two years of being kept in the freezer.
This mini espresso machine makes the same great-tasting espresso as $400 Nespresso machines.
In the ’90s, a true coffee flex was owning your own espresso machine, in all its bulky, generator-sized glory. These days, that same person may enjoy owning a Nespresso Essenza Mini. Our testers found that drinks made in the pint-sized Nespresso were of the same quality as those made in models costing $400 or more, and testers were smitten with the Mini’s simplicity. Budding espresso enthusiasts need only fill the reservoir with water, pop in a capsule, and choose espresso or lungo. What follows, in seconds, is a rich crema atop a perfect espresso. Even more wonderful, the Essenza Mini comes with a two-year warranty, lifetime access to Nespresso’s technical hotline, and flat-fee repairs in perpetuity.
This 100-micron mesh stainless cold brewer is an infuser and filter all in one.
Cold-brew devotees will appreciate Wirecutter’s top-pick cold-brew maker from OXO (mentioned below). But for dabblers, or someone with a small kitchen, this no-frills Modern Joe’s filter is the perfect solution. Coffee grinds go into the mesh tube, and the cylinder fits snugly in a quart-size Mason jar. After grinds are topped with water and left for about 12 hours, the coffee lover in your life will enjoy a strong, silt-free brew. The fine sieve keeps out particulates and is also dishwasher-safe, with no worry of warping.
This French press offers superior filtration alongside excellent heat retention, thanks to a double-walled carafe. It’s available in brushed stainless steel or matte black.
For someone who doesn’t have endless counter space and wants a full-bodied, smooth cup of joe in a jiffy, a French press is a great brewing method. After testing 15 presses and making more than 75 pots of coffee over the years, we’ve picked the shapely Espro P6 as our upgrade favorite. Not only does it make great-tasting, grit-free coffee, it also keeps that coffee hot for hours, thanks to its insulated double walls. As is the case with all Espro models, the P6 is designed to stop extracting once you’ve pressed, so your coffee won’t turn as bitter or sour if it sits in the press for a couple of hours. And best of all, the Espro is dishwasher-safe, so cleanup is a breeze.
This easy-to-assemble maker consistently produces the strongest, boldest coffee.
Anyone who loves to drink iced coffee year-round will likely also love to receive a good cold-brew coffee maker. For this method, grounds are soaked for several hours in cold water, resulting in a sweeter, milder-tasting coffee that’s also low on bitterness and acidity. (There’s even a camp of people who heat up their cold brew, for a smoother hot cup.) From testing, our very favorite cold-brew model is the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker, which produces cold coffee with balanced acidity, a stronger aroma, and a cleaner finish than the competition. On top of that, we found the OXO is the easiest to use and clean.
We love the classic design of this moka pot. It’s incredibly simple to use and brews rich, flavorful coffee.
Ubiquitous in Europe and Cuba, a moka pot uses heat from your stove to pass boiling water through ground coffee, creating a beverage that’s close to espresso (but less fussy). Senior staff writer Sarah Witman tested six moka pots, confirming that her beloved Bialetti was the best, both in terms of function and fashion. This pot has a simple design, so it’s easy to use and clean, and it brews coffee that tastes just as smooth as pricier models. Finally, due to its mid-century modern shape, it looks chic on any countertop.
This staff-favorite coffee maker is stylish, simple to use, easily repairable, and backed by a solid warranty.
We’ve tested plenty of great drip coffee makers, and even though the Moccamaster KBGV is no longer one of our picks, it still makes an excellent gift, according to supervising editor Hannah Morrill, who’s had hers for a decade. There are no settings or timers—which means the machine isn’t prone to malfunctions. And the Moccamaster brews 10 cups in under five minutes. (Read more about its simplicity here.) Since this machine comes in several beautiful colors—including a shimmery rose and a pastel green—it also makes an eye-catching counter dweller.
This lightweight, compact coffee and espresso maker is perfect to travel with—it produces an excellent-tasting cup of coffee, without electricity.
Wirecutter’s coffee devotees are obsessed with the original AeroPress—it’s one of the best devices out there for making really delicious coffee on the go because it requires nothing more than ground beans and hot water. And making coffee while you’re traveling is even easier with the AeroPress Go, thanks to its included container, which holds all the accessories (stirrer, scoop, and filters). Plus, the Go is petite, so it tucks beautifully into a holiday stocking and packs up nicely for shipping.
This bamboo stand is a pretty vessel for storing cone coffee filters.
If your coffee-obsessed friend uses several methods to brew their coffee, they may appreciate having a better way to organize all those filters. The Unibene Bamboo Coffee Filter Holder neatly stores all of the filters for a standard coffee maker, an AeroPress, and a pour-over dripper. And it looks so much neater than that random stack of cardboard boxes.
This inexpensive manual frother is surprisingly efficient, thickening milk in a minute or two of plunging.
For your latte-loving friend, a milk frother can be the difference between a medicinal cup of java and an enlightened morning experience. For several years, editor Signe Brewster has been using this Bodum frother, and she reports that the method is “surprisingly efficient and requires very little effort.” The carafe is made of glass, so your recipient can pop it into the microwave to heat up the milk and then run the whole thing through the dishwasher afterward. They’ll think of you every time they sip their cappuccino.
This skin-smoothing body exfoliant is made with coffee grounds, natural oils, and sea salt.
For the coffee aficionado who swears they love java enough to bathe in it, why not make their dreams come true with this Insta-famous body scrub from Frank Body, an Australian skin-care company known for its coffee-based products. Inside the cheery pink bag there’s a finely ground blend of coffee, almond oil, vitamin E, and sea salt; it smells invigorating and washes down the drain no problem. It’s also not overly rough, and it leaves skin polished and smooth, with absolutely no jitters.
With this simple coffee warmer, sippers can warm their favorite mug to just the right temperature.
A mug warmer will allow your favorite coffee drinker to sip all day long without their cup going cold. Among the ones we tested, the Bestinnkits Smart Coffee Warmer stood apart from the rest because it accommodates any mug (as opposed to a proprietary mug) and keeps the contents in a consistent range (between 133 °F and 135 °F) for hours. Though the wall plug limits where someone can use the Bestinnkits, it has a small footprint, so it can easily live on any desk or side table.
This cleverly packaged, roasted-to-order coffee sampler will surprise and delight even the most expert coffee enthusiasts.
This cardboard box containing eight 4-ounce bags of beans looks unassuming, but it unfurls like a scroll, revealing intricate line drawings and brewing advice. And each bag within it indicates the roasting date, the coffee’s origins, tasting notes, details on how the beans were processed (natural or washed), and where the flavor falls on a scale of “traditional” (chocolaty, nutty) to “modern” (citrusy, floral). If your coffee-loving pal happens to fall for a certain bean, they can order bags up to 5 pounds directly from Onyx or start a subscription.
Atlas will take your coffee-drinking beloved on a world tour of coffee, with beans from a different country arriving every month. They come ground (or not) and roasted to the customer’s liking, and they are available in decaf and coffee-pod variations.
Wirecutter staffers love coffee subscription services. Our resident coffee snob, supervising editor Ben Keough, insists that an Atlas Coffee Club subscription makes the best gift. Each month’s coffee comes from a different country, and not just from Colombia or Ethiopia (as is true of many other services). Atlas also gets beans from countries such as Peru, Rwanda, and Papua New Guinea. So this subscription is ideal for globetrotters as well as those with global-minded palettes. Each package includes a postcard with fun facts about that country’s coffee industry, and the recipient can select their roast and grind preferences.
This hand-roasted instant coffee has notes of citrus, apple, and molasses, and it blows away old notions of instant coffee.
For a long time, instant coffee had a reputation for tasting awful. But today there are actually some really great instant coffees on the market. And for the busy coffee drinker on your list—or the one who travels a lot—being able to make a cup sans gear will be well worth the skeptical looks they might receive. We think Verve’s Streetlevel makes a particularly good gift. With notes of citrus, apple, and honey, it has some acidity, but its mild flavor isn’t likely to offend anyone. Note: We prefer it brewed with nine ounces of water, instead of the recommended 10.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Dorie Chevlen is a staff writer from Youngstown, Ohio, now living in Los Angeles. She has worked as a copy editor, fact checker, and sandwich maker, but this is probably her favorite gig. Her writing has also been published in Science, Slate, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. She has been called—both flatteringly and not—“a lot.”
Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.
Give your caffeine routine a jolt with these Wirecutter-recommended electric kettles, coffee makers, tea steepers, mug warmers, and more.
We think the easiest way to make good coffee is with the OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker . We also have picks for a budget option, an espresso machine, and more.
Subscribing to Atlas Coffee Club means you’ll never run out of coffee again.
We’ve been testing cold-brew coffee makers since 2016. The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker makes the tastiest brew and is the easiest to use and clean.
Disposable Espresso Cups Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).