We’ve now entered the traditional season for acts of consumerism in late capitalism, and what better way to spend your hard-earned cash than on coffee and coffee-related accessories? After all, nothing says “I love you” like a gift of the world’s most consumed stimulant. So whether you’re shopping for yourself or that special coffee nerd in your life, here is the 2023 edition of the Coffee Compass Holiday Gift Guide.
But First, Coffee
It may come as a shock to some of our readers, but thecoffeecompass.com is not the world’s foremost website about coffee. That honor belongs to sprudge.com. Sprudge cofounders Jordan Michaelman and Zachary Carlsen have written a follow up to their 2018 debut The New Rules of Coffee. But First, Coffee offers a caffeinated take on a cookbook with genre-bending recipes ranging from BBQ rubs to espresso martinis. Don’t worry, there are plenty of brewing tutorials too.
Etkin 2-cup Dripper
The Etkin 2-cup Dripper is the greatest pour-over dripper I’ve ever used. I say this in my completely biased opinion because I’m also the creator of the Etkin 2-cup Dripper. Simply put it’s the pour-over dripper I always wanted, but couldn’t find: flat-bottom, double-walled, fast flow, porcelain construction. But don’t take my word for it. Check out this article from Coffee Review for an impartial opinion.
Commandante C60 Baracuda
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the Commandante C60 Baracuda is a hand grinder that cost almost $700– if you can find one for sale. Yes, that is ridiculous. But it’s also ridiculous that Commandante spent years developing their own proprietary burr set, and our friends at Specialty Turkish Coffee (an authorized Commandante dealer) claim the burr set offers 2-3 times the grind-through rate of Commandante’s iconic C40 grinder.
I was lucky enough to use a prototype at World of Coffee Athens at the Etkin Design booth. Both the grind quality and ease of use left every other hand grinder we’ve tested in the dust.
Ratio 4
Your barista’s favorite coffee pot just got smaller. Portland-based Ratio is currently crowdfunding the new Ratio 4. You can think of it as an automated single-cup pour-over brewer. In addition to its stock basket, the brewer will be compatible with classic pour-over drippers like the Hario V60 or Kalita Wave.
Aeropress Clear
Yes, you already have an Aeropress, but that’s not going to stop you from buying the new Aeropress Clear. The TRITAN plastic construction offers improved temperature stability and durability compared to the classic Aeropress. It also looks super sharp.
The Postal Service x Camber Coffee Collab
If you’re still reading coffee blogs, chances are you’re an elder millennial who came to age listening to the Postal Service’s iconic album Give Up. Postal Service frontman Ben Gibbard has teamed up with fellow Bellingham, WA natives Camber Coffee to release a special roast in honor of the album’s 20th Annivesary. Who knew specialty coffee collabs could reach such great heights?