Gear

If you're just getting into coffee, here are some recommendations for equipment like grinders, scales and brewing tools that I've used over the years.

You don't need a lot of gear to make really good coffee; a flat-bladed spice grinder and your trusty percolator will still make a better cup than pre-ground bags or pods of coffee. (Coffee goes stale when exposed to air. Who knows how long it sat on store shelves?)

To take coffee from good to great, read on.

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The essentials

Consistency is key. A burr grinder prepares coffee for the highest extraction possible by turning coffee beans into uniformly sized coffee grounds. This exposes more of the coffee to the hot water throughout the brew process.

	Bodum Burr Grinder
	Hario Mini Hand Grinder

After you've ground the coffee, heat water using any old hot water kettle, then try a French Press or Moka Pot. (You might even have one or the other already, tucked high and deep in a cupboard somewhere!)

	Bodum French Press
	Bialetti Stovetop Moka Pot

So you want to be a home barista

For more precise preparation, you can start measuring the weight of coffee (in exact grams) instead of measuring by the scoop or tablespoon. (which is by volume and varies depending on the size of beans.)

Hario Scale

You can upgrade your grinder to allow a wider range of grind settings between coarse and fine ends.

Baratza Encore Grinder

With an electric, variable temperature kettle, you can dial in specific temperatures. ("Just off boil" is a good guideline, but here you can keep it at a stable degree.)

Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle

Pourover brewing combines all these preparation methods, and gives you the most control over brew times & flow rates. It also looks great! The Chemex in particular makes a very clean cup.

Chemex glass pourover (and don't forget the filters)

Espresso state of mind

This is a whole other deep topic! I love to talk shop, email me with any questions!