10 best Christmas gifts for coffee connoisseurs: From pod machines to espresso liquer’s
Just like that, Christmas is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about what you’ll be hiding (or hoping to find) under the tree.
And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the coffee-lover in your life, you’ve come to the right place…
We’ve got every kind of caffeine craving covered this year; whether you’re looking to ease into the darker December mornings with a speciality coffee advent calendar or to treat your office Secret Santa to the very best bottled espresso martini on the market right now. Seriously, all you need to do is shake over ice and top with a couple of beans for a bar-worthy serve.
Hoping Father Christmas upgrades your coffee-making arsenal? We’ve got recommendations for the best coffee grinders, pour-over kettles, and smart mugs that promise to keep your morning coffee at perfect drinking temperature for hours (yes, even if you’re still refusing the crank the heating up).
There’s something for everybody on your wishlist, from suitably festive Christmas coffee starting at £10 to blow-the-budget (and replace the barista) bean-to-cup machines.
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How we tested
When selecting the gifts worthy of the top spot on any coffee connoisseurs Christmas wish-list, we were looking for premium products that promised a quality cup – whether that was freshly-roasted festive beans or sustainably-focussed coffee subscriptions.
Tech-wise, we scored on value, ease of use, aesthetics (after all, these gadgets are going to take prime real estate on your kitchen counter), and longevity, because excellent coffee is for life, not just for Christmas.
The best gifts for coffee connoisseurs this Christmas:
Best overall – Yawn 2021 coffee advent calendar: £35, Yawnbrew.com
Best coffee machine – Sage the oracle espresso machine: £1,799.95, Johnlewis.com
Best Christmas coffee – Perky Blinders winter blend: £10, Perkyblenders.com
Best coffee mug – Ember temperature controlled mug: £99.95, Apple.com
Best coffee grinder – Sage the smart grinder pro coffee bean grinder: £209.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Best coffee kettle – Stagg pouring kettle: £79.95, Origincoffee.co.uk
Best coffee storage – Airscape coffee storage: £27.95, Origincoffee.co.uk
Best coffee subscription – Easy Jose coffee subscription : From £18, Easyjosecoffee.co.uk
Best bottled espresso martini – Black Lines espresso martini : £24, Origincoffee.co.uk
Best coffee liqueur – Mr Black cold brew coffee Liqueur: £29.95, Masterofmalt.com
Yawn coffee advent calendar
Best: Overall
Rating: 10/10
If ever there was an advent calendar to lure us away from our daily chocolate fix, this is it. Mark the build-up to the big day with 24 freshly roasted coffees, which, after your third consecutive Christmas party, you’re going to need. Choose between whole beans, espresso, filter grind of French press depending on your preferred at-home method. There’s a good mixture throughout December (four light roasts, 14 medium roasts and four darker roasts) and you can learn more about each blend via Yawn’s Instagram each morning.
Buy now £35.00, Yawnbrew.com
Sage the oracle espresso machine
Best: Coffee machine
Rating: 9/10
Make no mistake, this is an all-singing, all-dancing bean-to-cup coffee machine, with the price tag to prove it. But if you’re looking to replace your barista this Christmas, this is the way to do it. Sage has just about every at-home coffee function covered, from automatic grinding and tamping (yep, no more errant coffee grinds scattered along your countertop) to a genius milk texturing system, which makes it all the easier to do fancy latté art… even if we’ve not quite nailed it yet.
Best of all, the convenient touch screen enables you to select your chosen coffee (and save your preferred brew if you want to deviate from the standard flat white), making bleary-eyed mornings a breeze. We can’t fault it, though you’d best be prepared to have the neighbours come knocking for a coffee come Christmas morning… and perhaps Boxing Day, too.
Buy now £1799.95, Johnlewis.com
Perky Blinders winter blend
Best: Christmas coffee
Rating: 9/10
OK, we’ll admit it: we were initially drawn to the festive wreath design on the bag (courtesy of the London-based illustrator, Karen Brotherton). But this isn’t a case of style over substance, as the coffee inside is of superior quality – which is to be expected of one of IndyBest’s favourite coffee subscriptions. A fuller-bodied roast full of fermented fruit, chocolate and brandy aromas – this would make a delicious end to the festive meal (and, hopefully, prevent any sofa snoozing through the post-lunch charades).
Buy now £10.00, Perkyblenders.com
Ember temperature controlled mug
Best: Coffee mug
Rating: 9/10
Ever gone through the process of painstakingly making the perfect brew, before returning to your desk to be waylaid with emails and find your coffee has gone cold? Of course you have. Never let your hard work go to waste again with Ember’s self-heating mug. The smart temperature sets at 57 degrees (which you can customise to your temperature preference via the app), with an LED light when it reaches optimal drinking temperature. Sure, it’s a little over-indulgent, but isn’t that what Christmas is for?
Buy now £99.95, Apple.com
Sage the smart grinder pro coffee bean grinder
Best: Coffee grinder
Rating: 9/10
There’s no point investing in quality beans if you’re not going to treat them with the grind they deserve. As a rule, it’s always best to grind your beans just before brewing, to ensure they retain maximum freshness and flavour. With 60 unique settings, this is a great buy for households of coffee drinkers using different coffee-making methods. The intelligent, one-touch design makes it straightforward to dispense the perfect dosage for your morning cup, and you can grind directly into the portafilter, an airtight container, or paper filter meaning minimal fuss first thing.
Buy now £198.95, lakeland.co.uk
Stagg pouring kettle
Best: Coffee kettle
Rating: 9/10
If a Chemex or V60 is your chosen at-home brewing method, then you need a precise kettle to perfect your pour-over. Stagg’s slender spout ensures you can steadily bloom and brew your coffee, which is crucial to avoid a bitter cup, plus the built-in thermometer will ensure you don’t scald your beans. The best bit? It’s compatible with gas, electric and induction ranges, meaning it doesn’t take up prime real estate on your kitchen countertop.
Buy now £79.95, Origincoffee.co.uk
Airscape coffee storage
Best: Coffee storage
Rating: 7/10
We know what you’re thinking… this isn’t exactly going to set the recipient’s world alight. It’s just a tin… right? Wrong. This genius contraption is an absolute must for coffee aficionados that have every other gadget covered. As the name suggests, the Airscape works by expelling air from the beans meaning they will retain their freshness and flavour for longer. Plus, the sleek black stainless steel canister looks way chicer than your battered old coffee tin.
Buy now £27.95, Origincoffee.co.uk
Easy Jose coffee subscription
Best: Coffee subscription
Rating: 9/10
If there’s one thing that’s going to ease the stresses and strains of the festive season, it’s knowing your caffeine fix is covered. We’ve tried plenty of coffee subscriptions, but we find ourselves coming back to Easy Jose – yes, because the coffee is undeniably delicious, but also because of their eco-credentials and praiseworthy work with the Mayni Indigenous Community to help tackle deforestation in the Amazon.
Subscriptions start at £18 for two plastic-free, sustainably-sourced 250g bags, which you can ramp up to 500g depending on your coffee consumption. Drink good, do good? Sounds like a win, win to us.
Buy now £18.00, Easyjosecoffee.co.uk
Black Lines espresso martini
Best: Bottled espresso martini
Rating: 9/10
It’s no secret that December is busy and the annual festive drinks creep up on the calendar before you’ve had time to panic buy some canapés and stick a bottle of champers in the fridge – that’s why we always like to have a bottle of Black Lines on our bar trolley. We’re big fans of their bottled cocktail range (which, FYI, now includes a suitably festive rum-laced Oatnog), but their espresso martini might just be our favourite.
Combining speciality Origin coffee and Chase vodka, simply add to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and strain into chilled coupe glasses. Garnish with a few coffee beans and you’ve got an espresso martini to rival most bar serves. Trust us, we’ve tried our fair share.
Buy now £24.00, Origincoffee.co.uk
Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur
Best: Coffee liqueur
Rating: 9/10
If you’re in need of something a little stronger than your double shot this festive season, then Mr Black is the answer. This cold-pressed, unfiltered liqueur combines Australian grain spirit and coffee for an intensely flavoured liqueur. We like ours served straight up over ice, but it’s equally delicious when added to an adults-only hot chocolate after a bracing winter walk.
Buy now £29.95, Masterofmalt.com
The verdict: Christmas gifts for coffee lovers
We loved discovering new daily brews with Yawn’s coffee advent calendar, plus the ability to learn more about the blend via their Instagram added a welcome social aspect – we’ve even met a few fellow coffee connoisseurs in the process.
Gadget-wise, it’s hard to look past the smart grinder by Sage; with its intelligent, one-touch design, you get a perfect grind every time, whether you’re a pour-over, French press, or espresso devotée.
As it’s the season to eat, drink and be merry, it would be remiss not to stock up on Black Lines bottled espresso martini which, unlike other imitations, offers a reassuring coffee kick and takes all the hassle out of hosting. Judging by the Christmas calendar, you’re going to need it.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on gifts, try the links below:
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