If you are like me then you absolutely detest having to put up with the huge crowds and endless searching from store to store for the perfect gift for the loved ones on your list. I know I really benefit from online gift shopping, especially since I don’t live anywhere near an urban center where I can even find what I’m looking for. If it’s not at WalMart, then I have to buy it online 😉 Also, if you’ve never purchased gifts online, then you are in for a treat. It is super easy and you always get what you want. In addition, it is very secure. Some folks are afraid to use their credit/debit cards online (and with good reason with all of the identity theft nowadays), but do you honestly feel better handing your card to a store clerk that makes $6/hour, or a waitress who makes $4/hour? I have been using the same credit card online for 10 years and haven’t once experienced any issues. So check out my recommended gift ideas for the coffee drinkers on your list. I have broken it down by price range, and there is something for everyone from the regular joe coffee drinker, or the snobbiest of coffee snobs!
GIFTS UNDER $30
Bodum Chambord 3-Cup French Press
The French Press is a must have for ANY coffee drinker. Even the most sophisticated coffee snobs hold the press pot in high regard! I personally love this method because it allows you to experience coffee in its barest form, ground beans + hot water…nothing else to get in the way of the rich flavor! The 3 cup size is perfect for a single cup, but larger sizes are available too.
AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker
The AeroPress looks like a giant coffee syringe, but it really is a coffee brewer. It is a unique design that uses a combination of pressure extraction, steeping, and paper filtration. It produces a very smooth and clean cup of coffee that is reported by some to be easier on the digestive system than other brewing methods. I have yet to meet someone who has tried the AeroPress that did not agree that it makes a super cup of coffee. The AeroPress is likely not in your local store, but you can purchase it online for less than $30.
Planetary Design Double-Shot Stainless Steel French Press Mug
A travel mug and a french press coffee brewer all in one! The lid has a plunger attached to it, you simply scoop some coffee right into the mug, add hot water, put the lid on, and push the plunger down 4 minutes later. Now you have a flavorful cup of coffee, and you don’t have to share 😉 This particular model has a compartment in the bottom with a little cup that you can store another cup’s worth of coffee grinds in. These mugs are available in many fun colors and will be sure to be a hit. This is an updated version with a much improved handle and storage compartment. The customer service at Planetary Design is super! The handle fell off of my original mug a year after I had purchased it and they replaced it with the updated version NO CHARGE! Now that is standing behind your product.
Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker
The Moka pot is yet another excellent, yet inexpensive, brewer. You’ll find my instructional video here. The moka pot, also known as the stovetop espresso maker, brews a concentrated cup of coffee…not espresso. I love the flavor filled cup that it makes and it is nearly dummy proof. I’ve seen these in stores for almost $100, but it is much cheaper here.
TightVac Coffee Storage Container
Coffee freshness is impacted negatively by heat, light, moisture, and oxygen. The TightVac coffee storage containers can help with all of the above (unless you store them in the oven). What I found really cool about the TightVac is the pressure release valve, quite similar to what you find on bags of coffee. This allows the CO2, produced by the roasted beans, to escape the container without allowing oxygen to enter. These containers start a just a few dollars and can keep up to 5 lbs of coffee fresh! See my post on this product.
