Finding great gifts for coffee connoisseurs can be hard. We tend to be picky folks (sorry!). I’ve been on the receiving end of a variety of coffee gifts. Some were great. Others, not so much...
Grandma’s can of “fresh Folger’s”, sister’s handmade mug, parent’s Amazon.com ordered geisha coffee. I’ve seen it all. I know what works and what doesn’t.
Let's explore how you can pick between ten connoisseur-approved coffee gifts for the special coffee lover in your life. We'll discuss things like...
- 3 Brands you can trust for A+ fancy ceramic coffee cups
- Why it's really hard to buy coffee beans for connoisseurs (+ a helpful tip)
- 4 unique coffee accessories that'll put a huge smile on their face
The coffee connoisseur in your life is going to be seriously impressed at how savvy you are at coffee gifts after you read this.
Connoisseur Gift #1: Fancy Ceramic Coffee Mugs
All coffee connoisseurs have their favorite mugs, but very few have cafe-quality ceramic. A nice mug & saucer combo will boost every coffee experience by providing an elegant, quality vessel to enjoy coffee from.
Here are three brands we suggest looking at:
These are the same brands your coffee connoisseur's favorite companies use in their cafes. They're guaranteed to love them!
This caliber of drinkware tends to be a little on the pricey side since it’s made with durable ceramic, so don’t feel like you have to buy a 6-piece set. 1 or 2 pairs is enough to satisfy a connoisseur who’ll want to pull out the nice mugs and saucers every now and then for a particularly special coffee.
Read: Gifting Coffee Beans: 3 Things To Do (And 3 To Avoid)
Connoisseur Gift #2: Hyper-Fresh Coffee Subscription
Coffee bean gifts often fall short. Here's why.
Coffee beans are only at peak freshness for 2-3 weeks after being roasted. After this, the quality decline becomes rapid and noticeable. Most people who gift coffee beans buy the bag 2+ weeks before the gifting moment, which wastes that period of peak freshness. By the time the gift is open, the coffee is a shadow of its former glory.
This problem is even worse with pre-made gift baskets (we suggest making your own).
Here’s the simple solution.
Instead of buying a couple bags of beans, purchase a gift coffee subscription instead. That way, the coffee is always shipped to your connoisseur as soon as it’s roasted.
Connoisseur Gift #3: Fellow Prismo, An AeroPress Accessory
Most coffee enthusiasts own an Aeropress by the time they reach connoisseur status (if yours doesn’t, get one!). An excellent accessory for this world-beloved brewer is the Prismo AeroPress® Attachment, a special filter that creates an espresso-like brew.
They last a lifetime, are 100% eco-friendly by eliminating paper filter waste, make travel brewing a breeze, and give the Aeropress a wider range of brewing possibilities.
Connoisseur Gift #4: World Coffee Atlas Book
There are many coffee books out there, but few rival the thoroughness and beauty of the World Coffee Atlas. Created by James Hoffmann, 2007 World Barista Champion and owner of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, this one-of-a-kind atlas takes readers deep into coffee’s history, production, and culture.
Trust me, this book is one of the most informative gifts for coffee lovers you’ll find. The thousands of hours Hoffmann put into it paid off. I’ve spent hours deep in mine, and I’m sure it’ll capture the attention and imagination of your connoisseur as well.
Read: The Ultimate Coffee Gift Guide For Every Budget
Connoisseur Gift #5: Elixir
Get ready, this is an odd one.
Elixir is a brand new type of coffee product that every connoisseur who knows about it is itching to try (myself included). People who’ve tried it all say it breaks all expectations about what a coffee beverage should be.
This unique beverage is created somehow (they won’t tell anyone) using high-frequency sound waves to brew coffee over the course of several hours. Yeah, I told you it’s weird.
According to the website, Elixir "Looks like whiskey, feels like tea, made from coffee, and unlike anything you've ever tasted before!"
There’s nothing else out there like Elixir, it’s the first of its kind, and it’s a fairly new innovation. A few bottles of these would make for a killer, extremely unique gift.
Connoisseur Gift #6: Acaia Coffee Scale
There are hundreds of kitchen scales that are suitable for coffee brewing out there in the $20-50 range, but none of them can compete with the Acaia Coffee Scale.
Designed specifically for coffee connoisseurs, this sleek and modern scale is exploding in popularity.
Spill-resistant and fitted with a USB-recharging battery, the Acaia scales connect to Bluetooth phones to measure water pouring speed, give brewing recipe advice, and allow you to share recipes and data with other users around the world.
It’s a data-driven coffee connoisseur’s paradise in the form of a gram scale. If your coffee lover likes to tinker and enjoys refining his craft, this scale will make for a stellar gift.
Connoisseur Gift #7: Stagg Pour Over Kettle
The Stagg Pour Over Kettle from Fellow Products may be more expensive than your typical water kettle, but it’s far more clever.
It’s equipped with a counterbalanced handle for comfortable holding - even when the kettle is completely full. The kettle is compatible with any stove type and includes a built-in thermometer. But, above all else, it pours water with an astounding level of control and precision, which is very important to pour over coffee brewing.
If your coffee connoisseur loves a great mug of pour over coffee, this kettle will satisfy.
Connoisseur Gift #8: Specialty Tea
If your coffee lover seems to have it all, maybe you should introduce her to a new drink instead.
Specialty tea has a lot in common with specialty coffee. They’re both complex, diverse, and fascinating agricultural products. They’re both able to be brewed in multiple ways. They’re both able to pique the interest of a connoisseur’s sophisticated palette.
Even if you’re not sure they’ll even like tea, it’s worth the risk. Gifting high-quality loose leaf teas (whatever you do, don’t go to your nearest grocery store) will give your connoisseur the opportunity to explore a new rabbit hole and show that you put some thought into this gift.
(Fun idea: cascara tea is a tea made from the fruit of the coffee cherry!)
I suggest buying tea from one of these reputable specialty tea sellers: In Pursuit of Tea, Little Red Cup, Whispering Pines, or Spirit Tea.
Connoisseur Gift #9: A Coffee Siphon Brewer
Siphon coffee brewers are the nerdiest brewers of all. They look like they belong in a lab.
They’re not the easiest things to use, but they are the epitome of scientific coffee brewing, which connoisseurs can never get enough of. Not only are they fascinating to use, they brew some of the best coffee you’ll ever taste.
Read: How To Put Together The Perfect Coffee Gift Basket
To make coffee with a siphon, you create a vacuum by heating a water-filled lower bowl using a flame. This vacuum draws the water out of the lower bulb (looks like magic) into the upper chamber with the coffee grounds. When the coffee is fully brewed, you pull the heat source away from the brewer and watch as the brewed coffee drains through the filter back into the lower bulb.
Siphons, generally, are connoisseur-only brewers.
Connoisseur Gift #10: Wacaco Nanopresso
Espresso machines are expensive to buy and maintain. That's why this shockingly affordable travel espresso maker has become a world-favorite.
With the help of a manual pressure pump, the Nanopresso is the #1 best way to make espresso on the go.
While it won't compete with a fancy La Marzocco commercial machine, it's absolutely the category leader for espresso machines under $200!
Connoisseur Gift #11: Bellman Stovetop Milk Steamer
There's nothing like a warm latte or cappuccino that's made with a real milk steamer. Home-designed milk frothers get the job done at a baseline level, but when you're a true connoisseur, it's not something worth settling for.
A true coffee connoisseur wants a pro-style milk steamer, and without a $500+ espresso machine, nothing gets even close other than the Bellman Stovetop Milk Steamer.
This deceptively simple machine has a steam wand that lets the coffee lover in your life steam their milk like top-level baristas, latte art and all!
I've used this for years -- it's 100% the closest thing to a fancy espresso machine I've ever used, and it's possible to get exceptional latte art.
Connoisseur Gift #12: Travel-Ready Coffee Grinder
Your coffee lover undoubtedly has a coffee grinder already - but can it travel with them? Electric grinders are too large and clunky to hit the road, but manual burr coffee grinders enabled fresh coffee anywhere.
Friend trips. Grandma's house. International escapades. Campground hideaways.
A manual burr coffee grinder is the ultimate tool for coffee connoisseurs who never want to sacrifice coffee quality when they travel.
Happy gifting!
