Coffee Guide
Awesome Coffee Gear
Making great coffee from home is almost entirely a matter of having decent gear, fresh beans, and a recipe.
Richard Sapper’s Alessi 9091 Melodic Kettle
Need a little more music in your water-boiling routine? Check out the delightful Alessi 9091 kettle, which sports a brass whistle that produces a pleasant little melody when the water's ready, rather than an ear-piercing screech.
Circles 2014 Coffee Mug
As much as I would've liked to, I didn't get to make it out to the Circles 2014 conference. But hey, if I drink coffee out of their enamel coffee mug while repeatedly watching the short film they shot for it, it's almost like I was there...right? Guys?
Monarch Methods Gooseneck Kettle
I'm starting to think my fondness for gooseneck kettles is turning into full-blown addiction—and I'm okay with it. The Canadian-made Monarch Methods pour over kettle is among the more unique ones I've seen, with its copper construction and handle-less design. You grip it by the tanned harness leather insulator rather than an external handle, giving you better control over the pour. The…
Handpresso Wild Hybrid — Portable Espresso Maker
The Handpresso Wild Hybrid is a travel-sized espresso maker for coffee addicts on the move. It won't replace a $1,000 kitchen machine but it produces surprisingly good results for what it is. The brewing process takes a little practice, but it's worth the effort to get it right and produce some lovely crema. The top Amazon review suggests preheating the reservoir beforehand,…
Fino Pour Over Kettle
We love a good kettle here at Tools & Toys—particularly the gooseneck variety—and this stainless steel Fino Pour Over Kettle fits the bill nicely. Nothing fancy about it really, just quality Japanese design and craftsmanship. I like that it's so compact compared to other kettles. My only quibble is that it doesn't whistle when the water's boiling, but the lid does bobble…
Studio Neat’s Simple Syrup Kit
After a highly successful Kickstarter campaign for their Neat Ice Kit, the boys at Studio Neat are back with a new Kickstarter project: the Simple Syrup Kit. Simple syrup—a concoction of sugar and water—is great for sweetening both iced coffee and cocktails. We almost always have a jar of the stuff in our fridge. To use Tom and Dan's words, the Simple…
Takahiro Gooseneck Kettle
When it comes to kettles, you'll have to pry the Bonavita variable temp gooseneck out of my cold, dead hands—but I must admit, this Japanese-imported Takahiro kettle has a certain classic appeal to it. While the Bonavita is the more convenient option to be sure, the Takahiro's simpler design aesthetic is far more pleasing to the eye. The Takahiro kettle is $92…
‘Exceptionally Great Espresso — Art & Science’ Print
As this print's store page says, “Great espresso is both an art form and a science” Crafted with custom inks on beautiful Italian paper, this 20" x 27.5" print celebrates espresso by describing its theory and preparation in great detail, accompanied by illustrations. Get one from stellavie design for an introductory price of 59,95 EUR (~$81 USD) + 10,55 EUR shipping (~$14).
The Bonavita Variable-Temp Gooseneck Kettle is Cheaper Than Ever
The Bonavita variable-temp gooseneck kettle is one of our favorite coffee tools here at T&T, and one of the more popular items we've ever written about. If you still haven't made the jump though, you should know that it's now more affordable than ever, currently (as of 7/7/14) priced at $63 on Amazon, down from $90. We don't know if this is…
Cuppow
If drinking cold brew coffee out of a mason jar is your thing, you'll appreciate having a Cuppow around. It's a BPA-free plastic lid that essentially converts the jar into a travel mug. You can sip straight from the lid or use a straw, whichever you prefer. There are a variety of Cuppow colors and sizes to choose from, whether you're drinking…
Ekobrew Stainless Steel Elite — Refillable K-Cup for Keurig Coffee Brewers
I have mixed feelings about Keurig brewers. There's no denying their sheer convenience—I mean, you literally just push a button to brew—but those disposable K-Cup pods are wasteful and tend to produce a subpar cup of coffee besides. The Ekobrew Stainless Steel Elite might be the best workaround for this problem. Rather than tossing out K-cup after K-cup, you simply fill the…
Rocket Fuel Pour-Over Coffee Drip
Add a little sci-fi to your morning cup o' joe.
Fill Line Coffee Mug
This 12oz coffee mug perfectly describes my ability to think or speak in the morning, before I've finished my first cup. In case you can't read them in the photo above, here are the three fill lines hand-painted and heat-cured onto the side of the mug: "unable to communicate in full sentences" under first line "slightly more coherent but still unable to…
JM&Sons Pour-Over Coffee Stand
If your main method of making coffee is with a pour-over brewer like the Hario V60, it should have a special home of its own on your countertop. The Pour-Over Stand by JM&Sons fits the bill. It's a simple-but-stylish metal stand with a base made from salvaged barn wood, and fits any pour-over dripper up to 2.5" in diameter. The stand by…
Espresso Socks
Maybe you like to wear your love of coffee on your sleeve, but have you ever thought about wearing it on your feet? These espresso socks—which the company Espresso Parts is trying to have crowdfunded, Kickstarter-style—will let you do just that. If the campaign is funded by mid-May 2014, these socks will be made available in 3-packs at Betabrand's online store. They…
KeepCup Brew
(Photo credit: Alex Bernson, Sprudge.com) While we're on the subject of coffee, we should talk about an awesome vessel for consuming the stuff. The KeepCup Brew—a brand-new glass version of the plastic KeepCup Original—is a reusable coffee cup that aims to do away with wasteful, disposable paper cups and look great doing it. If you frequently stop in for a quick cup…
Perfect Coffee at Home
Perfect Coffee at Home, written by former U.S. Marines Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez and available only on the iBookstore for iPad, is all about the joys and methods of brewing an awesome cup—you guessed it—at home. They explain all the factors that go into every cup, and how you can tweak them step-by-step to get the best results. Haft and Suarez…
Rancilio Silvia V3 Espresso Machine
For serious coffee fanatics, having an espresso machine at home can certainly be an expensive affair. Most of us aren't world champion baristas though, and prefer not to break the bank to get our fix. The Rancilio Silvia V3 is a commerical-grade machine that, in the right hands, will brew espresso on par with what you'd get at your favorite local coffee…