My favorites for your home coffee bar!
If you’re tired of stopping by the big-name coffee shops for your daily dose of caffeine, stay with me here as we get your dream home coffee bar outfitted with the latest coffee bar tools! Here are some of my favorite products that I’ve dubbed Home Coffee Bar Essentials! Don’t forget to sign up to get your Coffee Roast & Brew Guide! That’s the first step to being your own home barista!
Coffee
You can’t have a home coffee bar without coffee, right? Find my favorites here!
Door County Coffee – I have been ordering my flavored coffee from Door County in Wisconsin for the past several years and it never disappoints. Their flavors are on point and are great to start transitioning away from store-bought flavored creamers. They have seasonal flavors that are amazing like Jingle Bell Java, White Christmas, Christmas, and a new Grogg flavor. Their fall, spring, and summer collection is pretty tasty too! Here’s $15 off your order which ends up being almost 2 10 oz. bags for free!
Stone Street Coffee – I discovered Stone Street on my quest to find more variety of flavored coffees and frankly a company that carried favorite seasonal flavors all the time. Their flavor options are amazing, flavorful, affordable, and roasted to perfection. They brew up nicely in a pour-over and French press. Use this link to save $5 off your order!
Fervent Coffee Roasters – I met Keith Beake, the owner, ironically through my blog, and started drinking Fervent when I couldn’t find a local roaster through the pandemic. Keith is a small-batch roaster who is passionate about his coffee and his brew methods. You can find him at several local (Las Vegas/Henderson) farmer’s markets or you can purchase online. His coffee is top notch and you can read more about him as well as my review of his coffee here.
Essentials for Brewing Coffee
A home coffee bar wouldn’t be complete with the best tools to make great coffee at home!
Krups Burr Grinder – Burr grinders are my favorite! They grind evenly and don’t head up the coffee beans, prematurely extracting the valuable oils and flavors. If there is tool you need for your home coffee bar, it’s this! Grinders will make or break the flavor of your coffee. A good grinder should be one of the first coffee bar tools you purchase.
Ninja Hot Cold Brew System – If you’re going to brew with an auto drip, this one is my favorite. It’s easy to clean and produces a stellar cup of coffee. With the different brew methods like cold brew, iced, specialty, and different sizes, this truly is a great all-around coffee maker. I LOVED it when I was going to the office for work. I could easily brew just enough coffee for the morning in my travel cup. They also have some pretty fun Facebook groups too for recipes and support! Read my full review of the Ninja Coffee Bar here.
Chemex Pour Over – I have been brewing manually for over a year and it’s actually my preferred way to drink my coffee. The Chemex is a stellar brewing method and this one, in particular, will brew up to 6 cups, making it the perfect way to brew for guests.
French Press – This manual brewing method seems a bit more challenging than it really is. Perhaps it’s the brew time that trips people up. French Press coffee is some of the smoothest and richest, but it does take some patience. This is a great manual brewing method if you like rich coffee and are willing to wait for it. It’s also my preferred method for cold brew! Highly recommend.
Ceramic Pour-Over Coffee Dripper – Pour-over drippers are a great alternative to Keurig machines. They make one cup of coffee, making it easy to use for home or office use. They also are fairly economical and easy to clean, unlike electric auto drip brewers. My pour-over has been on my home coffee bar longer than any auto drip maker.
Electric Gooseneck Tea Kettle – When you decide to make the dive into manual brewing, you have to have the right tool to brew with. The gooseneck tea kettle allows a controlled water pour so you don’t over-saturate your coffee grounds too fast. It’s also very handy to have on your bar so you don’t have to run back and forth to the stove!
Brown Cone Coffee Filters – Cone coffee filters work best in modern auto-drip coffee makers. The brown ones are unbleached, which won’t affect the taste of your coffee, unlike white coffee filters which can affect the flavor of your coffee.
Cups and Travel Mugs
Every home coffee bar needs a convenient way to take coffee on the go!
Stanley – Stanley is my newest obsession and it’s definitely not my grandpa’s coffee thermos! With stylish colors, several size options, and the ability to suck down a gulp full of water in one swig, it’s my new favorite water cup. I have the 40oz one and I LOVE IT. I’m excited to try the pour-over! Oh, and these fit very nicely in your cars cup holder. I find Stanley keeps water colder for longer than the competition.
BrüMate – Easily my favorite travel mug for several reasons. It keeps coffee hot/warm for at least 3 hours (great for early morning road trips), has magnetic top closure, and a screw-on cap that’s fully adjustable if you’re right or left-handed. Grab a 15% off link here for your own hot toddy cup, cocktail cup, can cooler, wine cup, and more!
Simple Modern – One of my favorite water bottles. The straw reaches the bottom and it’s all easy to wash. These are durable and keep liquid cold for HOURS. Warning, the 32 ounces doesn’t fit in a cup holder but they are great for backpacks!
Syrups & Spices
Every home barista needs fancy syrups and milk!
Hollander Syrups – These are some of the best syrups for cold and hot coffee drinks. The caramel is much like the popular coffee joint from Seattle and the chocolate is decadent and rich. They melt beautifully and also drizzle nicely.
1883 Maison Routin Syrups – This brand is one of my favorites for its light sweetness and incredible flavor. It doesn’t take much to add just a touch of flavor to your coffee. 1883 also makes a great syrup to use to make your own flavored creamer instead of the manufactured ones at the store.
Prymal Coffee Creamer – A great alternative to store-bought creamers. Prymal exists to help those watching their sugar intake, enjoy coffee without sacrificing taste. Use this link to save $5 off your next order.
Super Coffee – I’m not one to buy pre-made coffee, but for road trips and vacations, I avoid Starbucks as much as I can. Super Coffee is THE best pre-made coffee drink I’ve ever had that is slightly sweet, very creamy, and doesn’t have all of the gross stuff that bottled coffee drinks have. I was giddy to find out Amazon carried it and you can get a whole case of it to throw in your bag for the day or store in the office fridge!
Measuring Essentials
Coffee Scoop (2 Tablespoon) – Measuring your coffee is critical for any home barista. I use a 2-tablespoon measure for beans and grounds. It’s much more precise than using a simple spoon, plus it’s always accessible on my coffee bar, making it a coffee bar essential!
Kitchen Scale – Scales aren’t just for measuring food! If you want to start refining your coffee-tasting palate, a scale is a must. To get a precise ratio of grounds to water and taste the unique flavors of coffee, a scale is incredibly helpful. For those that are looking to up their coffee game, this is definitely one of the top home barista essentials.
Cupping Teacups – Cupping teacups are helpful to ensure you get the right measurement of grounds and water while trying new coffees. These double as cappuccino cups so if you love cappuccinos, then this cup is perfect for enjoying it from!
Loose Leaf Tea Scoop – If you love tea, try loose leaf! This loose-leaf tea scoop helps you get the right measurement every time! Oh! And you can brew loose-leaf tea multiple times without sacrificing flavor!
Coffee Bar Decor
Versatile Kitchen Wall Shelf with Hooks – Spare some space by using shelves and hooks to store your coffee add-ins and mugs. This one has hooks which make it super easy to store your mugs!
Kitchen Island Bar – If you don’t have a dedicated place for your coffee bar, starting out with something like a baker’s rack is a perfect setup. It’s inexpensive and has multiple shelves and baskets to help stay organized.
Gifts for the Coffee Lover
Uncommon Goods – A multi-vendor marketplace with a LOT of handmade items and small batch coffee, Uncommon Goods is a great place to shop for uncommon and unique gifts to surprise and delight. They give a LOT to charity and help to fund some pretty cool non-profits while giving creators a place to sell their handmade creations and small-batch products.
Always Fits – A GREAT selection of unique gift items inspired by pop culture. There are some pretty fun Schitt’s Creek, Golden Girls, and other sassy items. They have a HUGE selection of eclectic one of kind mugs too!
As I discover new and innovative ways to brew your morning cup of magic, I’ll be sure to update them here. If you’re not signed up for the monthly Coffee Chronicles, click here and I’ll send you the exclusive Coffee Roast and Brew Guide! The Coffee Chronicles subscribers get the first look at my review of new products, local coffee shops, and eateries!
