Gear
The gear on this page reflects my personal recommendations and includes everything I use at our Comparative Tastings. If you’ve been to one of our event’s and said “what IS that?!?” this page should assist. If you have questions about gear that might help you make better coffee, or there’s something you don’t see hit the Help! button below and I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction.
Hario V60
DrippersI enjoy using a number of different drippers—Gabi Master A, Kalita Wave, Origami—but I always come back to the V60 and it’s what we use at most of our Comparative Tastings because it’s reliable, presents a vibrant level of acidity and is cheap and accessible. I use the versatile 02 size which is good for doses from 15-28 grams of coffee.
Brewista Artisan Electric Kettle
KettlesThere are a ton of electric gooseneck kettles out there, the differences can be hard to parse. For me it comes down to two things, longevity and pour speed/spout design.
The Fellow Stagg EKG is a popular choice but the longevity is questionable, although the pour speed is about as slow as you can get. It’s also at the top of the price range.
I recommend and use the Brewista Artisan Electric Gooseneck Kettle. The pour speed is higher than the Fellow but the design of the spout allows for a variety of pouring speeds and it’s relatively easy to lock in your grams/second with some practice. It also has a 1L capacity which is worth noting as most of the other options come in at less than a Liter.
Cafec T-90 4 Cup Filters
FiltersThere are so many filter papers one can use for the V60 alone, your milage will vary and I suggest trying more than one but I use and recommend the Cafec T-90 4 Cup papers. The label says “Osmotic Flow Medium Dark Roast” but I use them on light and ultralight coffees almost exclusively. If you’ve only used the Hario branded papers before I highly suggest trying some from Cafec, they have a number of different options including some that are sustainable/eco friendly.
Third Wave Water Classic Light Roast Profile
WaterAm I going to suggest you need special water for your coffee? Really? Yes I am!
It may seem crazy but coffee is 90%-99% water, depending on your brew method and TDS, and the water you use to brew has more effect on the final cup than you might realize. I never took this seriously—until I did—and making the switch to custom water has made a big difference in my cups.
This rabbit hole is deep—see Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood and Christopher H. Hendon’s Water for Coffee, now in it’s second edition—and if you’re so motivated I encourage you to experiment and tinker and see what you come up with. If you want to try something premade, relatively cheap and easily accessible I suggest a company called Third Wave Water. Even better is the Lotus Water Coffee Brew Kit!
Bookoo Themis Ultra
Scales Do you need a scale for hand brewing coffee? Yes you do, weighing beans and water is necessary to get consistent results. Do you need to spend $100+ for something like the Bookoo Themis Ultra? Probably not. Any kitchen scale will do, if it goes to the tenth of a gram even better, and if it has a timer on it even better.
There are a lot of cheap options that are great and I use some of them as well, I purchased the Bookoo for its Bluetooth capabilities integrating with my Espresso machine and I was happy to discover that it’s an excellent, quick and feature packed piece of tech. The readout is nearly instant—no more guessing when to stop pouring to get your desired weight—it integrates with several Apps to log brews and has a couple different useful modes, including a flow rate with timer setting I use all the time. If you have the cash and plan on using it for years I suggest picking one up, it’s the best scale I’ve ever used and beats the Acaia by a mile.
Melodrip
AccessoriesThe Melodrip is in the category of accessories that seem a little silly until you use them and taste the results. It’s not something I use for every brew but for certain coffees or to get certain cups it’s a game changer.
The secret to the Melodrip is the extremely gentle agitation it provides, much less than a bare kettle pour of any kind. If you’re interested I highly suggest looking into the Melodrip creator Ray Murakawa and his thought process and products.
Kingrinder K6 Hand Grinder
GrindersThe hand grinder market is crazy, there are so many to choose from with prices ranging from $20 to well over $1,000. It can be overwhelming—especially with the idea that your grinder is arguably the most important piece of kit—even if you’re a savvy consumer. If your budget is in the $100 range I suggest the Kingrinder K6, it punches far above it’s weight. Frequently cited as comparable to grinders 2+ times the cost, it has a nicely unimodal grind size without being analytical and the workflow is great with the grind size dial on the outside.
If your budget is more like $200+ there are better choices but the K6 is an excellent grinder and we use it at our Comparative Tastings.
Oxo Brew Rapid Brewer / ORB
BrewersTaking the coffee memesphere by storm, the OXO Raid Brewer is legitimately excellent and a different cup/experience than the Areopress, even if they are similar looking.
The ORB is particularly adept at making S.O.U.P. or Spro Only Un Pressurized--a low pressure/high flow very tight ratio brew that results in a juicy, vibrant cup when you get it right, and it’s pretty easy to get right.
We use these at our Comparative Tastings, they are a great way to get a different presentation of a particular coffee.
Hario Technica Coffee Syphon 600ml
BrewersThe Syphon Brewer is a perennial favorite our events and it makes a good cup too. I do suggest getting a butane burner for the heat source, the burner that comes with it doesn’t quite cut it.
The thing I love most about the Syphon Brewer is the social aspect, I’m not making this just for myself it’s always with other people and it’s a nice conversation piece and thing to share with folks.
Orea Sense Glass knockoff / Uhiwalker 9.7oz
I like these glasses because they are the perfect size, easy to swirl the beverage in, and they emphasize aromas and flavors. It is single walled glass of a medium thickness and they can get hot where the beverage is in direct contact with the glass but I like how quickly coffee cools in them, and you can grip the glass around the lip where the glass doesn’t overheat.
As mentioned these are not the brand name Orea versions—I think the geometry of the glass is a little different—but they are much cheaper and more accessible.
Glassware