Reddit mentions: The best electric kettles

Sorry, generic tea copypasta coming though here.

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New to Tea? New to loose leaf? Let me help.

Hello, new friend. So you've stumbled your way into /r/tea, you probably though this was a subreddit for the Mr. T, but no worries you're here and you're in good hands. We're all tea fiends and we're all eager to share our fifteen minutes of meditation, our hobby and our little slice of heaven. So why should you consider switching from Lipton to something crazy like leaves some Chinese person picked off a tea bush?

• Loose Leaf tea is often higher quality than your traditional tea bags.
  
  
• Less preservatives or additives.
  
  
• A greater variety of teas that are too delicate for tea bags or can't be effectively brewed that way.
  
  
• Greater access to fine teas, you can't find good premium teas in tea bags.
  
  
• It's more cost effective. You can pick up Twinning's Irish Breakfast tea (20 tea bags) for $2.99 at your local supermarket and that'll make you 20 cups of tea. With loose leaf tea you can buy 125 grams of Irish Breakfast from Upton Tea for $5.60, which will make you 100-150 cups of tea. You can re-brew the same tea leaves two or three times when it comes to loose leaf, but with a tea bag all the water penetrates the "tea dust" the first go.
  
  
• It tastes better. That's 100-150 cups of far better tea than Twinnings. Not to say you can't get good tea out of a tea bag, but you'll get better tea with more control/flexibility when it come to loose leaf.
  
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  So, Where To Start??
  
  ^^buy ^^theses ^^teas ^^first!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  Where | Why?
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  GoodLife Tea's $7 for 7 Sampler | Free Shipping! Robb has a fantastic variety of tasty high quality tea important for building up your tea pallet.
  Verdant's Five Teas for $5 | Free Shipping! Again, Verdant sells some premium quality tea. Think of their sampler as a crash course into the rich people's side of tea. But the catch with tea is that it's a lot more affordable than wine could ever hope to be. The sampler is great for building up your tea preferences and giving you a kickstart in the right direction.
  Upton Tea | My personal favorite store, they send a nice little paperback catalog every quater. They sell a huge variety of teas, from traditional English Breakfast to Tie-Guan-Yin. Not only that but they sell their teas in different grades meaning you can dabble in what is traditionally an expensive tea by trying a lower quality (but still delicious and tasty) grade of tea. You can find the grade and variety of tea that matches your wallet and taste. They also sell cheap samplers, if you wish you can take $20 and order around 15 samples and see where your cuppa takes you.
  Adagio | A personal favorite of /r/tea if you can find a store nearby! But don't fret, most of us buy our tea online so no worries if you're in Kodiak, Alaska and can't get down to an Adagio. They sell nice quality tea, their stores people are incredibly informed and helpful (unlike a certain Starbucks owned tea store). They also have Adagio XL which sells tea in bulk.
  Harney & Sons | Amazon Prime Shipping. I love my Amazon account, that's usually by go to place online shopping and being able to two-day ship a simple tin of Harney & Sons tea without the shipping cost is fantastic. They sell lots of teas and they're all very good. Maybe not the premium tea you'll see Chinese diplomats drinking but they in my opinion sell tea that all tastes great.
  Coffee Bean Direct | Who knew a place called Coffee Bean Direct* sold tea too? Again, with Amazon Prime Shipping this seems to be the place to buy tea in bulk. They're well reviewed and their tea seems to be good. If you're like me and cold brew ice tea frequently then this might be the best place to pick up some bulkier tea to last you the season.
  Crimson Lotus | Owned by a frequenter of /r/tea, Puerh_Lover stocks a great store with lots of neat little stuff. Be warned, he caters to pu'er which is a type of fermented tea pressed into bricks or pellets. In other words this is a special variety of tea that needs special equipment and special knowledge to brew. Don't fret if you're not walking out of /r/tea after a day brewing in a gaiwan.
  White2Tea | More lovely pu'er.
  Yunnan Sourcing | Again, more pu'er, but also lots of green and white teas too. They sell teaware for good prices too so if you're looking to pick up a traditional china teacup or gaiwan this is a good place to get that.
  What-Cha | Another beloved store on /r/tea, but they're pretty pricey at times. But you can always expect good quality tea and a looser wallet from here.
  
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  Just How Do You Make Tea?
  
  Traditional Western | Gongfu | Cold Brew
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  The way you're probably familiar with when it comes to brewing tea, all it requires is a teapot like this one (I highly recommend this teapot). Western or Traditional works well with every kind of tea. It's the universal method of making tea and the best place to start. | This kind of brewing is very specific as it only works with Chinese type teas like pu'er. This method of making tea is hands down the best way to make a Chinese styled tea and does wonders to enhance and bring out the best in the leaves. But this method wont work for a cuppa English Breakfast or Japanese Sencha. To brew Gongfu style you use a gaiwan which is fancy talk for a tiny cup with a lid. The idea behind Gongfu is more leaves, less water and time. You use micro-infusions instead of waiting minutes like Western or hours like Cold Brewing. | Cold Brewing is for those of us who just love iced tea. It's simple to cold brew, a vessel like this will brew a mean pitcher of ice tea. All you have to do is leave the leaves in the filter and wait 5-12 hours for the tea to brew, perfect for leaving overnight. Fair Warning: tea can go bad, the kind of stuff you'd buy at the store has a massive amount of preservatives in it. Keep your cold brewing tea out of the sunlight and don't let it sit for more than 48 hours.
  
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  On Kettles
  
  So you're going to need a way to keep your water hot. A stovetop kettle is probably the most accessible and the biggest no brainer out of everything here. A microwave heats water inconsistently, can leave an odd taste if your microwave isn't properly clean, and you really don't have a good way of knowing how hot the water is. Temperature is important. Brewing a cuppa green tea in boiling water will result in a pretty shitty cup of tea, and brewing some black tea in the water appropriate for green tea will result in a disappointing cuppa.
  
  You also have electric kettles like the Cuisinart CPK-17 which is going to cost as much as a decent coffee machine but if tea is your caffeine fix then it might be worth it. The Cuisinart is a variable temperature kettle meaning you just have to press a button and it makes the water the appropriate temperature for whatever kind of tea you're drinking.
  
  
  Tea | Temperature
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  Black | 212
  Green | 175
  White | 190
  Oolong | 185
  Pu'er | 212
  Herbal | 212
  
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  Where To Buy Tea Equipment? What Equipment Might You Want To Buy?
  
  Umi Tea Sets sells lots of cute tea sets. They also sell pretty much any kind of vessel you can brew tea in, from Yixing to Japanese tea sets.
  
  Mr. Coffee Tea Kettle A simple, $10 stovetop kettle to boil some water. It seems to have a little hole in it for a thermometer to go in if you need to measure your water temperature.
  
  Glass Whistling Kettle I have one of these, you can tell water temperature from the bubbles if you learn to read them well. It’s pretty handy but if I could I would exchange it for the Mr. Coffee.
  
  CPK-17 Electronic Kettle probably the device that makes most of /r/tea’s mouths water (that might just be the tea). This is pretty much the best electronic kettle you can buy, cheaper than a K-Cup Coffee machine. It has temperatures for making all kinds of tea labeled nicely. I have one and I love it.
  
  OTHER
  
  Want to find the right kind of tea for you? Here’s a tea discovery wheel! Try it out here.

Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.

First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:

The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza

The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel

The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier


If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind


Next up: preparation methods

French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.

pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.

The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.



Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful

I got pretty used to having a drink in my hands living in NYC in my 20's. What I thought I would miss was trying new/different things which I felt added a lot to my life. Believe it or not homemade iced tea (it's summer) is actually a pretty good substitute. If it's during the day, I'll make a green tea. HUNDREDS of varieties, plus the calm energy provided by naturally occurring l-theanine and many other well-documented health benefits. In the evening I stick with herbals, usually a combination of mint and chamomile, but I've also become a fan of ashwagandha. Again, almost limitless herbals to choose from, all with different tastes/effects. I'm a self-admitted "stuff" guy so I've linked my favorite tools in the recipe. The items are things I've collected over time and are pricey, but alcohol (particularly craft beer or cocktails) wasn't cheaper.

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Here's my definitive single-serve iced tea process which is surprisingly quick:

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1. Combine 12oz boiling water with two tea bags in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Using 2 bags makes the tea stronger which is helpful because the ice in step 5 will dilute it, and the Pyrex is nice because it has measurement markers on the side and can easily handle hot liquids. Mix and match different teas for added fun.
   
2. Let steep for recommended time (typically listed on the tea box). I usually let it sit a little longer, to again offset the dilution.
   
3. While waiting, add three ice cubes to a thermal pint glass. Mimics the feel of a beer, and will keep your tea cold for HOURS.
   
4. Remove tea bags from pyrex and stir in sweetener if desired.* I experiment with honeys most of the time, but use plain sugar with black tea.
   
5. Pour the brewed/sweetened tea over the ice in the pint glass and stir until ice has melted (~20 seconds).
   
6. Add two more ice cubes and you're done!
   
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   Obviously, you can swap/add/remove things to your personal preference, that's half the fun! Part of why drinking is so addictive is the ritualization of the process or using it as a reward. Both of these things can be satiated with your own personal brew system. Self-medication is a darker but very real reason to drink as well. Depending on what you want/need (energy, relaxation, even pain relief) you can usually find a tea concoction that will help.
   
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   Isn't that just swapping one addiction for another? Yeah, maybe, but I've never met someone who's ruined their marriage or drove into a school bus because of tea. Congrats on cutting back on the alcohol, you'll never regret that.
   
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   * Part of the reason I enjoyed drinking was appreciating the booze itself (expensive whiskeys, interesting cocktails, etc.). What I do to replace that is experimenting not only with teas, but also with sweeteners. CBD extracts are a debatable (and pricey) trend, but personally I find hemp honey adds a nice calming effect to my teas, and subconsciously I think I value the drink more because I know I spent an extra $1-$2 making it. Spending money doesn't necessarily make you truly happy, but for better or for worse, it does often make me appreciate something more.

> I really want to learn to make good coffee at home so that my wife is happy to wake up in the morning. Plus, I'd like to save some money instead of going to Starbucks every morning. I don't personally like coffee (I wish I did. Closest I came to enjoying coffee was drinking a caramel brulée latte from Starbucks last Christmas) but I find the craft of it absolutely fascinating. And I'm really interested in learning to get my wife's perfect cup of coffee down to a science. (And if I learn to enjoy coffee, all the better)

So I started down this exact path about 8 or 9 years ago for my gal as well. I also had no interest in coffee but enjoyed the convergence of art & science.

Anyway the following is what I ended up with [and what I paid].

• [$100 refurbished from the Baratza Store] Baratza Encore - Most people argue this is the best grinder for the money when the budget is tight
  
• [$30] Aeropress - This is a great way to make a single cup of coffee
  
• [$40 on sale] Bonavita BV382510V 1.7L Digital Variable Temperature Gooseneck Kettle - Awesome way to manage the temperature of the water for brewing
  
• [$40 on sale] Hario V60 Drip Coffee Scale and Timer - very important to measure the weight of Water and Coffee PLUS extraction time
  
  
  You can be patient like I did and buy over time to get things on sale but after owning each item for multiple years now I can wholeheartedly recommend each component.
  
  All in a buddy was using a Keurig for the past few years and when it broke he reached out to me for the same thing. He bought everything but the scale (it was almost $70 when he was buying) and his wife is in LOVE with the setup. The neat thing is once you get the grinder and scale your options to multiple brewing methods opens up. Then with the water kettle you can then use it all for the Aeroporess, Kalita Wave, Chemex, V60, Clever Dripper (ETC) brewing methods.
  
  Anyway once you have good enough gear you can then start trying finding local roasters and different beans. We have tried a few local joints and just recently found a few beans roasted fresh that are substantially better than anything we were purchasing in grocery stores. Alternatively there are SO many online stores to try (and a biweekly friday thread on r/coffee for what beans people are currently trying).
  
  Compared to the $5+ a drink at starbucks we make great coffee at home for typically less than $1 a cup and it takes less than 5 minutes all in, including cleanup.

That grinder will possibly give you issues with pour over. V60 is really picky too, and you will probably want a gooseneck kettle to use with it to make it much easier to get a good cup. The potential issue with that grinder (or similarly priced ones, which are all knock-offs of another hand grinder) is that it might give you a really inconsistent grind with a lot of fines, which could cause your pour over brew times to vary wildly and take far too long (ruining your coffee).

How much coffee do you want to make at once? If only one cup, here's what I recommend:

• You can keep that grinder and instead of a pour over (which is pickier about grinder + kettle type), get something like an AeroPress ($30). Also, get a scale too, to weigh out your beans + water in order to get a consistently good cup, every time.
  
  If you want a larger amount of coffee (though you might find making your own coffee with fresh beans gives you more of a kick of caffeine than a cup from McD), then pour over is a good way to go, but will probably require more and better equipment in order for it to not suck. The V60 is the pickiest pour over about grind consistency. I don't make large batches, so maybe someone else can chime in with recommendations for devices that might handle a lower quality grind. But no matter what, a better grinder will improve both your ability to make pour over, and the taste of the coffee. If you want to stick with pour over, here's what I recommend for equipment in order for it to not be hard and get coffee that doesn't suck out of it:
  
  
• Get the same scale I linked above. This is important for consistency; without weighing your coffee and water amount you can easily vary between making strong or weak coffee from day to day. It'll suck and be confusing. Scales are awesome and make everything easy.
  
• Get a good-enough grinder, at the very least. When it comes to coffee, the best grinder you can afford is the way to go, it'll make your coffee taste better and with pour over you'll be able to be better at making your coffee. For me, bare minimum is the Baratza Encore. For the same price point but better grind, see if you can get a Feldgrind. Or pre-order the Aergrind for a great deal. A Lido or Helor are good options too.
  
• A gooseneck kettle will be important too. V60 is very difficult without one if you want good coffee. Other pour overs you may be able to handle without needing a gooseneck, but it makes anything easier if you have the free cash flow. A good inexpensive one is the Hario Buono.
  
  And I would recommend going with white/bleached filters instead of the natural/brown ones. The nat/brown ones always have a strong paper taste you can't really get rid of.
  
  

This really comes down to preference. The good thing is that a lot of these methods are inexpensive, although I don't know your financial situation.

First, you'll want a kettle with controllable temp. There are better, but this Bonavita is ~$50 and totally gets the job done. You'll be able to use this to boil water for cooking, control temps for different types of teas, as well as tweak your brew temp for coffee. I use mine a ton! This device is useful with pour-over, Aeropress, French Press, moka pot, and manual espresso methods. A digital scale is also useful for weighing your beans/grinds, and potentially weighing your cup when pouring.

You can get a ceramic (personally I would pass on plastic) dripper for $12-$20. There are two filter styles: V60 (cone) and Melitta (flat-bottom). Some people love the V60 - I haven't tried one though. I have a Melitta flat-bottom style. I get my filter paper from Trader Joe's; I think it's $1.99 for 100.

The Aeropress is ~$30 and an excellent brew system. It does seem to prefer finer grinds, which oxidize very quickly so fresh-ground is important. French Press is similar in cost, somewhere in the $20 - $40 range for a basic press. You may want to watch this video if you go with the press.

You can't go wrong with these three as starter methods - they all produce good, and slightly different, coffee. However, there's one thing that we need to address, as it's also important:

Grind and bean selection.

Using whole beans and grinding fresh can make a huge difference in your coffee. In addition, the consistency of the grind makes a difference as well, including the amount of fines that your grinder generates. (Fines are ultra-small particles, like dust.) If you are on a budget, you might want a good hand grinder like the Hario Skerton (~$45 - not so great for course grinds though). If you have a bit more money, you might want to look at the Capresso 560.01 (~80). Both of these selections have shortcomings, but they're pretty inexpensive too while still providing a decent quality result. These are just two quick picks - please take the time to dig some more and do your own research. People are highly opinionated about grinders. ;)

OK, last but not least, bean selection. There's a lot of different flavor profiles to be had out there. One problem with Keurig brewers is that the K-cups tend to have pretty cheap, low-quality coffee in them. There's an issue of both the beans that are being used, and your own preferences of different roast levels, and even what roast levels work the best with the given beans. There's no shortcut here other than your own personal experimentation. But I will advise, generally, that you should neither blow your budget on boutique coffee when starting, nor should you go as cheap as possible.

You could potentially stop by a local coffee shop and inquire about pour-overs and French Press. It'll cost a little more but they'll let you pick exactly which beans to try, and you can even contrast methods as well.

Good luck!

I own a virtuoso and I love it. Grind quality for anything that isn't espresso is going to be about as good as anything that isn't $2700. The Lido is of course a great grinder, but I really think the no-effort aspect of the Virtuoso is underrated. I just made three cups of the same coffee in different ways - a side by side test is so much better than comparing days apart. I don't think I would have done that if I had to manually grind it out each time.

Pourover, V60 or Kalita are your best bet. Kalita is more forgiving but I think the V60 is more flexible once you get used it it. You should also look at getting an Aeropress - it is what got me used to stronger coffee and ultimately espresso.

Other gear, if you're doing pourover you need a gooseneck kettle. This one is great if you can swing it, otherwise any gooseneck will do. A scale like this one will be your best friend too.

EDIT: Disclaimer: I would not plan on using either of those grinders on espresso. The Lido is certainly more capable for that specific task, but ultimately you will want a grinder for espresso use only for two reasons:

1). Grind quality is SUPER important for espresso, and the Lido might get you to mid-range in that capacity. Plus adjustabilty is an issue here, so while the Virtuoso can grind to espresso fineness, it can not take small enough steps to get a truly great cup.

2). Switching from brew to espresso is a pain, and it will decrease the quality of your espresso. You need to "dial in" espresso, which is finding a very specific grind setting and recipe for a specific bean. Switching back and forth will completely disrupt that process on top of just being a pain.

Now, both grinders will be fantastic for brew and I would highly recommend both of them for that purpose. The above just something to be aware of.

Don't listen to the Aeropress people (like me). They're a cult. ;-)

J/K (sorta) . . . but if his general aesthetic shies away from the modern, he may use it quite rarely. I love my Aeropress, but it still feels all "modern and plastic" to me, and there are times I just don't want my coffee to involve anything modern or plastic, so I leave it in the cabinet and reach for my Chemex or French press.

In general, for any hobby, I recommend the things that are both the most useful and the least specific.

I honestly wouldn't get him any brewing device, since he's still at the stage where he's learning what he likes. If he decides he doesn't like an Aeropress or a V60 or a Chemex or anything else we like, it'll never be used. However, a good kettle, a good scale, and a good grinder are all very versatile (he can use them immediately with his press) and very non-specific (he can use them with any brewing method he settles on).

My recommendations are:

1. Hario Slim or Hario Skerton hand grinder, depending on whether you think being small for travel or large for serving more than two people will be more important to him.
   
2. Bonavita electronic kettle to enable him to brew any temperature he wants, for any brewing method he wants. The gooseneck spout is really important if he ends up liking manual pourover methods, too, even though it's more expensive than the plain kettle. (Versatility, and all that.)
   
3. Any of the scales recommended in the brew guide: weighing both the coffee and the water become very important the more into coffee fanaticism you get. :-)
   
   You're right to leave the beans out of your calculations. Besides being entirely a matter of taste, it goes stale very quickly (a month old is pushing it). Though a gift certificate to a local coffee roaster wouldn't be amiss!
   
   I'm not sure what your price range is, but since you say that a nice mug was one option, I'm going to guess it's $30 or less. In that case, probably the hand grinder or the scale are your most likely options. Either of them will be something he'll use forever (regardless of what brewing methods he ends up liking), and will be a great contribution to his hobby.
   
   (Also, my gf just asked me, "So what are you telling her?" Maybe I can spin this for some good gear for me too! :-D )
   
   Edit: As far as the scale goes, a cheap electronic scale from Harbor Freight in the $15 range is perfectly serviceable (and in fact, I use one from there at work). You're looking for hundredths of an ounce or tenths of a gram precision.

Well my other post is getting downvoted to oblivion for some reason so here's the main post from that thread:

As I mentioned in my previous post (here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/214lbh/im_thinking_about_selling_my_extraunneeded_coffee/ ), I've recently upgraded both my kettle and my scale and since both are still in really good condition, I thought I'd offer them for sale at a decent price here on r/coffee.

I'd prefer they go to someone who wouldn't be able to afford purchasing these items new as a way to give back to the r/coffee community who have helped me so much on my coffee journey over the last few years. Obviously I have no way to verify so I'm going on the honor system here but if you're just looking for a good deal and trying to be frugal, please don't attempt to buy these from me. These are both great products and well worth their price new if you can afford them.

With that said, here's detail on the two items I'm selling:

Bonavita 1.0L Electric Kettle

• Just under 2 years old - Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005YR0GDA
  
• I paid $49.74 but it is currently listed at $59.99 - Asking $30
  
  
  American Weigh Scales AMW-SC-2KG Digital Pocket Scale
  
  
• Less than 3 months old - Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RF3XJ2
  
• I paid $27.67 but it's currently listed at $16.99 - Asking $10
  
  Shipping within the US = $5 per item
  
  
  Some additional information:
  
  Photos: http://imgur.com/a/2mIRB
  
  Videos of both items showing that they are both in working order:
  
  
• AWS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQvyJqH65d8
  
• Bonavita - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc-vKMv-ZrQ (please note the thermometer is not included)
  
  Notes:
  
  
• The AWS scale includes the original box and all the items originally shipped with it. Does not include batteries (I use rechargeables, sorry) but it does have the AC plug which can be used in place of batteries.
  
  
• The Bonavita scale does NOT include the original box or paperwork but does include an aftermarket silicone flow reducer (this can be easily removed if not wanted). It includes all the original hardware. There is some light scale in the bottom of the kettle (see photo above) but I've only ever used filtered water in the kettle so it shouldn't pose any issues.
  
  
• Both items are in excellent working order and I have had no problems with either. With that said, caveat emptor! The kettle is 2 years old and I have no idea what their life expectancy is. Only guarantee is that items are as described and will be in working order upon arrival.
  
  
• I replaced both items only because I found really good deals on upgrades to a Bonavita Variable Temp Kettle and a Bonavita Scale (both thanks to r/coffee!) otherwise I'd still happily be using these myself.
  
  Sale Info:
  
  Sale to be completed through Paypal and payment must be made before the items ship. As to picking the "winning" recipient(s); if you are interested in either/both of these items, please PM me which items you're interested in and what country you live in (commenting in this thread won't count). I'll use a RNG to pick both "winners" by the end of the week and update the post accordingly. If for any reason that person can't take possession of the item, I'll RNG another person. Hopefully that sounds fair to everyone. :)
  
  I've tried to answer all the questions I could think that you'd want to ask but if I missed anything please let me know and I'll answer as best I can. Thanks!

You need a couple of things but we can make it with the lower end of your budget.

A good burr grinder. Your biggest investment but also the most important one. For pretty much everyone here I would recommend the Berata Encore. A fantastic electric grinder that grinds really well for every brewing method out there except for real espresso.

If you think you might want to get a grinder that will be great for espresso as well, look into high end manual hand grinders like a Lido. They costs between $200 and $250. They require manual labor of course but it takes about 20 to 25 seconds to grind for a single cup. Not that big of a deal.

An Aeropress itself. Around $40 I think. Comes with paper filters that will last you a long time. They also sell reusable metal filters that give a distinct, more french-press like, tasting coffee. Worth a try but non essential.

A kettle/water cooker. Probably have those already. Don't need anything especial like a gooseneck for Aeropress. If you're looking to invest, buy a gooseneck kettle with build in thermometer like this one. They will be very helpful if you expand the hobby beyond aeropress.

A 0.1g scale. A scale that works with a precision of 0.1grams. Costs around $17 on Amazon. If you buy one, buy one with a build in timer. Very handy it doesn't cost more. If you have a regular kitchen scale, this one is a bit optional but if you want consistent results you need a precise scale.

About Aeropress. It's one of my favorite brewing methods. Very fun to use and can brew a wide range of coffee. However, it doesn't do espresso. It can make a very strong cup of coffee. It can even do crema if you use it right. Just not actual espresso. It just can't. Doesn't provide enough pressure.

> I'm sure you're tired of noobs asking for help here, so thanks again :)

Not at all. I'm happy to see noobs asking, it means the community is growing.

>I'm sure at some point some of you were preparing tea just like me,

Yup, you bet your bottom dollar I was.

>what did you change since then?

1. Get an electric kettle! This is absolute best possible thing you can do to improve your tea; it doesn't matter how good your tea is if you don't brew it right. I have this one and I love it, make sure whichever one you get is actually accurate: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YE3RNG
   
   
2. An infuser works but I would suggest switching to a teapot, preferably gaiwan. You don't need anything fancy. You can get gaiwans smaller than teacups or as big as a stockpot. Gaiwan brewing makes a huge difference in flavor, each cup tastes different.
   
   
3. Quality tea. Some places to start: https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/comments/48tr3d/if_you_could_go_back_in_time_when_starting_to/d0mx38l
   
   Order in small amounts, it will help keep both the tea and your palate 'fresh'. Plus vendor offerings change with the seasons.
   
   
4. Slow down and enjoy your tea, the process, the aesthetics, the aroma, the texture, etc. Go sit outside, drink your tea, and just listen to the sounds of the world, observe.
   
   >How do you weigh your tea? One way would be to prepare 1l cans instead of a cup, then I could use a regular kitchen scale and would not have to fiddle with the digital spoon.
   
   Personally? I don't, I eyeball it. In my itsy bitsy gaiwan I add enough dry tea leaves to cover the bottom.
   
   For your purposes though I would recommend getting some storage tins and some very small plastic baggies. You can sit down and weigh out a bunch of individual servings and bag them and store them in your tin; when you're craving tea all you have to do is grab one of the baggies, drop it in and you're good to go.
   
   >I could use a bigger tea infuser where the tea could unfold completely.
   
   You absolutely positively have to be doing this no matter what. Give the leaves space to breathe, no matter the brewing method.
   
   > I really want to step it up this year, and get something citrus-y and refreshing for the summer (any recommendations?) that's delicious cold.
   
   Send a private message to Liquid Proust Teas on Etsy (I linked to him in my other comment), super friendly guy, great prices, even better tea and he can do custom blends for you. He has some really interesting blends, like the Fake Mead which has powdered honey in it. (Paging /u/LiquidProustTeas).

To answer your question, the strength of your coffee is mostly influenced by how much coffee you're using versus how much water. For a strong cup with your Keurig, go with the setting with the smallest amount of water. The Keurig is by no means the "best" method to make coffee, but it will make coffee. If you decide to get a manual brewer (French press, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, etc.) the brew time has some leeway, but I'd recommend just using more coffee than trying to push the recommended brew time too far. Coffee can/should be strong without being bitter, and keeping the water and coffee together too long will create bitterness.


What follows is everything you need to know about making great coffee. Warning, this may be overwhelming:

1. Freshly ground coffee is going to taste better. Consider coffee like bread. A loaf left on the counter will get stale faster if you slice it up. Freshly roasted is better, but it might be more expensive/harder for you to find and you might not want to dive that deep yet.
   
2. Conical burr grinders are better than blade grinders. The problem is that a decent automatic burr grinder is going to be ~$100 and that's a steep price for someone just getting into coffee. Many people will recommend the mini mill, Skerton, or something along those lines that is hand-crank. (Good non-name brand options: 1 and 2) Those are your best bet. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, you can get an automatic blade grinder if you might have an issue with manual grinding/don't want to drop a lot of money. I will mention that darker roasts are easier to grind manually so there's less worry for your wrist. The problem with blade grinders is you get a bunch of differently sized bits, which makes it more difficult to get consistency and figure out a grind size/brew time you like.
   
3. Each method of brewing calls for a differently sized grind. This is pretty important. If it's too small, you'll get a bitter cup. If it's too big, you'll get a sour cup. The same goes for brew time. Too long will make a bitter cup, and too short will make a sour cup. However, there's some leeway on both of these to your taste.
   
4. There are a bunch of ways to make coffee that change how it tastes. Methods that involve filtering through paper make a cleaner cup, but you lose most of the oils in the coffee. Metal filters leave in these oils, but can also leave a lot of sediment/mud in the bottom of your cup. You might drink this if you drink that last sip, and it isn't really nice.
   
5. Weighing your coffee is much more accurate if you want to make a consistent cup. A tablespoon of a darker roast might be 5 grams while a tablespoon of a lighter roast might be 7 grams.
   
6. You'll need something to boil water in. If you have a kettle, great. If you don't, you can use a pan or you can buy a kettle. It doesn't need to be a fancy/expensive gooseneck-style one (1 and 2), but you might want one of those if you get into pourover methods.
   
   I would recommend a French press (1 2 3 4) or Aeropress for someone just getting into coffee. They're much more forgiving than pour-over methods, meaning you're less likely to make a bitter cup. They each have their own drawbacks, too. An Aeropress is easier to clean up, but can only make one cup at a time. A French press takes more time to clean, but can make about 3 cups at a time. (By cups I mean a standard 12-ounce mug.) Definitely get a grinder, too (see above). A scale (1 and 2) is optional but recommended. For beans, seek out a local roaster/coffee shop, but there are tons of online options available, too.
   
   Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes crazy) world of coffee!

Plants! They're great to have, I have some bamboo right now. I love it. Here's a really pretty bonsai tree!

And you definitely need a crock pot! They're super handy to have, just throw some food in in the morning and come home to a super easy meal, plus leftovers!

An electric kettle is another essential! Especially if you love tea.

Cheap, cute end tables! I turned the top of mine into a chessboard! Fancy-s up my room a lot.

Here and here are some really nice shelves!

You definitely need a set of knives too!

A really awesome bottle opener!

Here are some really cool glasses.

Aaand the cutest sake set ever.

Okay I'll stop linking now. I just really love household-y things! :D

Thank you for the contest and I hope this list helps!

I started getting into coffee nearly a year and a half ago, and here is what I did to start:

I bought

• A Hario V60 02 Pour-Over Dripper ~$20, with filters, ~$30
  
  
• A Hario Buono Gooseneck Kettle ~$50
  
  
• A Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder ~$150
  
  
• A scale ~$25
  
  
• Freshly, locally roasted whole beans ~$10/lb. Dark roasts tend to be less acidic, sweeter, and have less caffeine (when brewed correctly); light roasts are the opposite: acidic, fruity, and more caffeine.
  
  Now, bear in mind that I knew that I loved coffee before I invested all this money into it; you should obviously really consider your situation and really get into "good" coffee before splurging on all of this equipment. I now have a French press, a moka pot, and am going to invest in an Aeropress soon, but I still prefer the pour-over method to any other coffee that I've had, thus why I recommend you go that route. It can take some definite getting used to and has a bit of a learning curve, but it is easily worth the effort (tutorial videos will help immensely.
  
  Keep in mind, you needn't buy exactly what I did. Shop around, see what you like and what is in your price range. I will say this, however: if you do go the pour-over method, go for the V60 or the Chemex, they are both easily the best on the market, and the same goes for the Buono kettle, though if necessary you can purchase a different kettle, just so long as it is a gooseneck (which is required to finely control the flow of water).
  
  Many other people will tell you to go with a French press. This is good advice as it has a very slight learning curve in comparison to pretty much every other method (besides maybe the Aeropress, depending on who you talk to): it is literally grinding the coffee coarsely and letting it sit in water for X-amount of time. It also does not take filters, is easy to clean, and is a relatively cheap initial investment (~$20). I like the Brazil model that Bodum makes.
  
  No matter which method you choose to brew with, there are three things that you should not underestimate the importance of (and thus should not skimp on):
  
  
• Freshly ground and roasted beans are a must. The fresher, the better.
  
• A blade grinder will always do a worse job of grinding than a burr grinder. It is worth it to spend the extra cash for a burr grinder right off the bat, as, if you get at all serious about coffee, you will eventually purchase one anyway, rendering your blade grinder useless and a waste of money in hindsight. Blade grinders make it nigh impossible to control how fine or coarse the grind is, which is one of the biggest variables in coffee brewing. There are absolutely cheaper models out there than the one that I linked to, especially if you get a manual one rather than the electric one that I own.
  
  
• A scale is essential. Coffee brewing is very much an exact science. Making sure the ratio of water to coffee is exact and being able to fine tune down to the gram/milliliter can create some of the biggest deviances between batches next to grind size. This cannot be overstated.
  
  Best of luck. There's a lot of good knowledge on this sub, on this sub's How to Coffee: A Primer, and on the Internet in general. Check it all out, pick your path, and enjoy the ride!

I will have to agree with what u/Pumpkinsweater said. Last year my girlfriend and I were in the same boat, but we decided to get a french press and use a cheap $40 grinder with not-so-great results.

We then got the Hario Slim hand grinder, which made a huge difference, but was just a bit too much work for the mornings.

We now have a Baratza Encore grinder and an Aeropress; a $150 (USD) total investment. We still use cheaper beans because we are on a budget, but properly ground and pressed cheap coffee, to me, is still quite nice.

The cool thing about the Aeropress is it makes coffee at double strength, which you then dilute down to "regular" strength or whatever you want. If you want a latte-STYLE, just use the double strength and finish with an equal volume of milk/creamer/whatever. You get a ton of variety from one little Aeropress. It's quick too, I can have a cup made (after the water is already heated, of course) in just under 4 minutes.

The Baratza Encore grinder will work across whatever you want to try. They say it's not great for french press, but I find it perfectly fine. Aeropress, French Press, Pourovers, or grinding for a cheap-o drip coffeemaker, it works for them all.

Oh, that's one thing, you will need a hot water kettle. We've had the Hamilton Beach temp controlled w/ timer since last year and it is awesome. You can program a time for it to turn on, so your hot water is ready, and also set the temperature (I brew coffee at 195-200 degF, then I can vary it for teas). http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418247900&sr=8-3&keywords=hamilton+beach+hot+water+kettle

Anyway, good luck in your ventures!

Honestly, the easiest way to start is probably an Aeropress and a decent kettle. Get a gooseneck early, then you won't have to buy a second kettle later if you decide to start playing with pour-overs. If you want to make boiling water a little more passive, get an electric one. I have this one and it works like a charm.

Another cheap starter option for brewing is the V60 and its various clones. The original is plastic, but this one is ceramic and only $20. It takes some practice to get pour-overs just right, but it's worth it. And for $20, it's not a bad way to give it a shot or just to have in your collection.

Grinders are a whole discussion. I have a Baratza Encore that I really like. It's easy to maintain and Baratza's support was pretty good to me when I needed them. If you want to go a little cheaper, you might consider a Skerton or Mini Mill.

For beans, have fun. There are a ton of places to get decent beans, and part of the fun is finding new places. There are a number of redditors that roast and will probably sell beans to you if you like. (Including me!) I would suggest some, but I actually skipped this part and went straight to roasting.

EDIT: Oh, and good luck. You're opening a door to a rabbit hole, now.

Hey there! I am also from Ohio! I'll give you two answers.

Cheapest possible way to get into it is a whirly blade grinder and a french press. No filters needed, just fresh ground coffee made rather quickly and easily. This was my first ever coffee set up, and really got me into drinking better coffee. If you tell me what city in Ohio you are closest to I will give you a recommendation on a local roaster to get beans from. Buying locally from a reputable roaster will be the best option for quality beans for a good price.

​

The other answer, is to buy nice or buy twice. After using the above set up for a few months I was hooked and decided to upgrade everything. So I will send you some options for the cheapest way to make specialty level coffee. For this I would look at a nicer grinder and a pour over. While hand grinders are great, almost everyone upgrades to an electric one. The linked options there are my favorite for the money. The electric model from baratza can be found refurbished on their website from time to time for addtional savings.

The next thing you'll need is a pour over and a kettle to pour with. I recommend a Chemexhere as they are good for serving one to three cups comfortably. I recommended a glass handle chemex because they are beautiful, but wood necked models are a little cheaper. I would get the white square filters with it as they impart less papery flavor. As for a kettle you have a ton of options. I am going to link a budget electric kettle as I find the stovetop models to be more of a hassle.

​

As for healthy sweeteners, brewing it well I hope you won't need them as much, which would be the healthiest. But whole milk and stevia in the raw are your best healthy fixins.

​

Hope this is helpful! Happy brewing and welcome to the fam!

I would google this. I rarely touch my microwave, unless I want popcorn. My advice would give you bad chicken. I do, however, imagine any precooked meat would work pretty well for you. I was just adapting my time crunch cooking plans to your limited resources.

Also, if you can manage this, too, I used it in dorm cooking. You can wilt spinach, hardboil eggs, ghetto steam veggies, and do other stuff I know I have forgotten about. I know at one point I could produce scrambled eggs with stuff in it, but that was years ago. I also once produced tolerable, tiny pancakes. I really should have written it all down. Of course, it may count as a hot plate, but I had a brief stint as a rulebreaker as a freshman in college, so I never asked for permission.

Also, if you scrambled an egg super well in a mug, and microwave it, you can get a good size egg for a breakfast sandwich. Might be gross without toasted bread, though. You'll have to fuss with the timing, but it turns out decent if you season it. A very powerful microwave will be about one minute.

You should also consider things like canned beans tossed with tuna, fresh veggies, lettuce, or whatever. This is totally a time to learn to like canned beans. I make lots of cold, summer salads with them, and can give you ideas for my fridge/pantry staples I mix with beans if you are interested.

I have a food processor, and one of my favorite things is well drained chickpeas blended with canned tuna, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and pepper. I imagine you could make it with a very good blender, though. It is a great spread for crackers, good in salads, and a pretty filling, if a little bland, alone. You could toss the mixture with cooked, chilled veggies and eat it wrapped in lettuce or a tortilla, too.

Does a tiny crockpot count as a hotplate? This was another item I never asked about, and I produced some pretty good food with it.

You should consider getting an electric kettle. This is the one I use at home and the only one I can really recommend from experience. The temperature controls can be a bit fiddly at times, but once you get used to them its super easy to get the temperature you want. This is another popular programmable kettle which I've heard a lot of good things about. You can also surf around on Amazon and read some reviews, there's a large variety of electric kettles around. Another option is to keep boiling your water on the stove then letting it sit and cool and using a meat thermometer to gauge the temperature.

As for brewing, get a gaiwan! One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and there half a million more options out there. This is an awesome simple guide to using a gaiwan. Look up some tutorials on youtube or google for some more detailed info, or search around /r/tea a bit.

Next on the checklist, SAMPLES! Don't order 100 grams of a tea that you've never tried. Here's some basic sampler packs: One, Two, Three, Four. Plenty of other great sites offer samples too, check out /r/tea's List of Retailers on the sidebar.

Hope this helps, and sorry if this was too rambling and in-cohesive, I've had a lot of caffeine.

Also, I want to leave you with this guide. It's an incredibly well done piece. Good luck!

When buying new gear like this, I often find it worthwhile to buy the good stuff from the beginning. It'll cost more upfront, but in the long run you save money by not sinking it into gear that you're just going to upgrade away from. I know you're looking for a starter kit, so I'll outline some entry level stuff and then some recommended upgrades.

For a burr grinder, a decent entry level manual grinder is the Hario Skerton. One complaint with this is inconsistent coarse grind size, which is what you'll be using with a French Press. Orphan Espresso makes an upgrade kit that fixes this problem, but personally I feel that if you're going to spend $40 on the Skerton and $15 on the upgrade kit, you should just spend a few more bucks and get something like the Capresso Infinity. This grinder is going to be way more convenient, versatile, and consistent than the hand grinder. For one last option, there's the Baratza Encore. This is probably the best grinder you'd want for French Press, because anything better / more expensive would just be overkill as they're primarily aimed at espresso.

The Press itself isn't too important. Bodum is usually the recommended brand.

You'll also need a way to heat water. You could go with a stovetop kettle, but I think electric kettles are more convenient, and are roughly the same price anyway. You can get a pretty standard one for less than $25. But getting a gooseneck kettle is going to help control your pour better and ensure the coffee grounds are completely saturated. If you don't want to worry about getting the perfect temperature for brewing, a variable temperature kettle will take care of it for you.

Other than that, you might want a kitchen scale to get the right coffee-to-water ratio, and a thermometer to check your water temperature.

The answer to your question is really dependent on budget. A quick perusal through the sub will show you that the Aeropress is a popular option because it is one of the least expensive ways to get a solid cup of coffee.

If you have some cash to part with, it might be worth looking at setting yourself up with a pourover setup - I'd probably suggest the v60. You would need the v60, the hario buono, and you'd probably want a scale to weigh coffee (there are a LOT of options, many cheaper than what I've linked). You would also need to get a reasonably good grinder - check out the sidebar for a list of grinders. Yes, it's a lot of capital to get started, but the coffee is fantastic and the equipment is very durable. This equipment, properly cared for, could potentially outlast you in many cases.

There's also the standard drip coffee maker, but from my experience if you go that route you ought to just invest in the cheapest one. The quality coffee from most drip machines is pretty similar. A better question is what grinder to get - that will improve your brew quality across all methods. Again, sidebar has great advice, but a really popular grinder here is the[ Baratza Encore] (http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00LW8122Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459250167&sr=8-1&keywords=baratza+encore+coffee+grinder) which you can sometimes find on their refurb page for discounted prices.

No matter what you choose - good luck and happy caffienation

Gooseneck kettle is a must for pour overs if that's what you see in your future! I have the Bonavita 1L electric kettle. Looking back, I would have invested in the more expensive version that lets you vary temperature, but I've had great results with mine regardless.

I started out with a v60, then a Chemex, then the Aeropress. Of the 3, I use the Chemex the most often; it gives the best quality brew with the highest quantity (37g @ ~600mL of water). It took me quite a while master the pour, but it was definitely worth it!

Hope this helps and good luck on your coffee journey!

EDIT: For grinders, I have the Hario skerton. It takes a while to grind the beans, but was marvelous for my budget at the time. Once I have the money though, I'm going for the Baratza Encore. It's cheaper than the Virtuoso, but an old roommate had the Encore and I LOVED having all my beans ground in such a short amount of time.

Just some food for thought!

Your easiest, relatively cheap option would be something like the Bonavita Connoisseur. Just slap in water and ground coffee and it’ll do the rest. Your cheapest option would be a pour over device (Chemex, V60, Kalita, etc.) and a kettle with a thermometer. You could go stovetop (cheaper but less convenient) or electric (more expensive). I’d go with something with temp control like the Bonavita or Brewista for something inexpensive but functional.

Now you are probably gonna hear a lot of people recommend getting a dedicated grinder, and for good reason. If you get a pour over, I’d say a grinder is needed for most of them unless they have some flow control (Kalita, Blue Bottle, or immersion droppers) as you’d need to be able to adjust grind size for best flavor. The Baratza Encore is always a good pick. The Porlex Mini or Hario Skerton are inexpensive and perform adequately for pour over although hand grinding may not be your thing.

For under $100 you obviously won’t be getting the best coffee you can, but overall if you want quality and don’t mind spending 10-15 minutes making coffee then I’d go something like the Skerton grinder, Kalita pour over, and Bonavita kettle. It will be effort though. If you just want something adequate, a dripper (Bonavita above) with basic temperature regulation will be leagues better than keurig, even with preground coffee (grind in store if possible).

Mostly flavor, but also mouthfeel. It lacks punch, it tends to feel very thin, and it's just not a very high quality cup of coffee. The beans are old, weren't high quality to begin with, and they have to use workarounds to make the extraction that fast. The only method that will properly extract coffee that fast is espresso, but you're looking at close to a grand for an entry level setup if you go down that road.

But like I mentioned, I'm a coffee snob. Good coffee for me has to be made with freshly roasted beans (If it's much older than 2 weeks past roast, it's too old), ground fresh (Within 5 minutes of brewing), with a decent quality burr grinder, made with the proper ratio of water:coffee (Which requires weighing the beans you're going to use), and brewed using proper technique with the proper temperature water (a difference of 5-10 degrees can make or break a cup). That might sound time consuming, but it generally takes me about 5 minutes to make a cup in the morning.

I don't normally recommend coffee "machines", because they generally make sub-par coffee, and I don't know enough about them to recommend one. I've heard there are a couple on the market that are pretty good, but the overwhelming majority suffer from not getting the water to the proper temperature.

I'd say the easiest way to get into legit coffee for a beginner would be either a pour-over or a french press. You can get a Hario V60 pour over setup or a Bodum french press for pretty cheap. The Aeropress is another good option, but it's a little more tricky, and only brews a single cup at a time.

I would also highly recommend investing in an electric kettle like this one. The gooseneck design is almost mandatory for good pour-overs, and the ability to set it to the proper temperature is invaluable regardless of the process.

Another thing to consider is a grinder. The Baratza Encore is a really good entry level grinder. You might look at the ~$140 price tag and think I'm insane, but the grinder plays a massive role in good coffee. And if you think that's bad, there are $800+ grinders out there that are common choices for home espresso setups. Might take the sting out a bit ;)

Sorry for the overwhelming wall of text, but I like my coffee, lol. It's really not as complicated as it sounds, but there's more depth to the coffee world than most people realize if you're the sort of person that wants more.

I've been wanting a goose neck kettle for some time. I've used some cheap alternatives such as oil cans and some tea kettles, but I've wanted a much nicer goose neck kettle for some time. They can cost quite a bit and you have to account for some heat loss if you are pouring it into a gooseneck from whatever container you heated the water in. I've been using a cuisinart variable temperature kettle for a couple of years now. It works great, but it only has presets and I could only choose 200F for coffee. I wanted a kettle that I could choose the exact temperature. This can really help dial in different roasts and help me achieve some great coffee. This should help me dial in some of my teas as well. I believe the going rate for one of these kettles is $90, but I got mine for $80 as part of a preorder. I don't know of a variable temperature kettle that has this functionality that is even close to this price point. I've got high hopes for this kettle.

I've preordered this badboy in May. I was initially slated to drop in July, but got pushed back until early September. I got mine yesterday. It's aesthetically pleasing and has all the functions I want. I do wish it was a touch bigger, but it should do the trick. I'll be sure to do a review in a month or so; after I've had a fair amount of time using it. Cheers.

AeroPress, for sure. Here is probably the cheapest setup you can do, and still get the best flavour/experience.

Aerobie AeroPress + Able DISK Fine - $40 (I strongly suggest the DISK Fine over paper filters, but the AeroPress does come with a bunch of filters.)

Pocket Scale - $7

Carafe - $7 (so you press straight into this, and measure yield, as most mugs will not fit on the scale; also great for serving two)

Hario Slim burr grinder - $34 (if you'd rather go electric, the Bodum Bistro burr is a great buy and can be had for $120 new or under $100 used/refurbished)

Bonavita Gooseneck kettle - $50 (You do not need a gooseneck for the AeroPress, but you do for any type of pour over, so why not?)

Good luck, and have fun! Give my video a gander to see how to prepare with the AeroPress. It is fun! Almost as fun as an espresso machine. Ha! Yeah, right! But definitely worth the small coin.

How many people are we talking about? That will inform the decision. Also if more than maybe 2 or 3 you will really want to consider getting a commercial machine or at least a high-end consumer setup. An entry-level espresso machine designed for home use is not designed to be pumping out shot after shot all day.

I think ease of use and ease of cleanup is paramount. I honestly think a Nespresso may be a good bet. Yes they are expensive to operate and yes the pods are wasteful but they are super easy to clean up. If you get a regular espresso machine and somebody forgets to remove the portafilter or leaves scummy milk on the steam wand it will get gross really fast.

Here is what I would recommend:

• Nespresso and/or K-cups. The coffee is mediocre at best but it is truly idiot-proof and no mess.
  
• A nice grinder like a Baratza Vario and a nice, largish coffee maker like a Technivorm Grand (makes about 6 mugs of coffee). You can program the Vario to grind the right amount of coffee to brew a pot.
  
• Buy a grinder and an electronic kettle or two (I like this Bonavita kettle since you can program the temp), and then tell your employees to BYO brewing technique. And/or buy a bunch of ceramic pour-over cones that can just be put in a dishwasher.

First off, there are guides for this already which is why people are not responding. They are in the side bar and I linked them again here:

How To Coffee: A Primer

Coffee Gear Suggestions by Price

Now on to my own advice. I am also relatively new to coffee so my advice is based on researching how to get started over the last couple of months

Give us a budget, but under $100 puts you here:

1. Grinder: The Hario Mini Mill ($27) is fairly highly recommended here
   
2. Scale: American Weigh Scales SC-2KGA ($25). The AC-adapter version of a fairly popular scale here. It should work for a long time and work well for most types of brewing. The Jennings CJ4000 ($27) is also very popular and is worth a look. The difference is the Jennings responds way faster - which is useful for pour over - but is less precise (increments of .5 grams instead of .1 grams, though this is not as big of a deal)
   
3. Brew device: Aeropress ($22), French Press ($25), or Pour Over (Melitta Cone or Beehouse) There is only one Aeropress version but there are lots of French Presses, I linked to a Bodum Chambord which is the favorite here. You can decide which one of these will work better for you based on the other responses on this thread or by searching in /r/Coffee.
   
4. Cheap water thermometer or an electric kettle that can set temperatures. If you go with a Pour Over method you need a gooseneck kettle which sets you back another $35-65 depending on how nice. A lot of people go with the Bonavita Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle ($63).
   
5. The coffee! Try to get freshly roasted (look for a "Roasted On" date instead of an expiry or packaged/binned on date) coffee. Try and buy stuff that is roasted less than 5 days ago and use it before 3 weeks from the roasted on date (some people say 2). You can try to find local roasters and coffee houses that sell fresh whole bean coffee using the /r/Coffee search or Yelp. Be careful with darkly roasted (ie French roast) coffee because a lot of the dark roasts at Grocery Stores and even shops (Starbucks) is considered over roasted and basically burnt. If you want suggestions for brands search /r/Coffee, though really popular and expensive stuff would be Intelligentsia and Stumptown.

Alright, I'll lay out two set ups for two different price points.


Cheap Set Up

Hario Skerton This is the most basic entry level grinder possible, grinds enough for one person pretty easily, and gets "good enough results for a poor college student

Aeropress You can make full cups of coffee or pseudo-espresso that you can mix with milk for a pseudo, its easy to clean, and probably the most forgiving coffee making tool.

And then any kettle and any scale. Look for cheap on both, were going for cheap here, and were not doing rocket science, should be another 25-30 total for both of these, which lands you just under $100 total for this set up. You don't need to bother roasting beans yourselves, and if you're in a college town theres probably a local roaster around that you can get good quality roasted beans from and be happy with. For cold brew just throw grounds and water in jar in you fridge for a day in a 8:1 ratio, then strain the goop the next day for a solid cold brew concentrate



The pricier beginner college set up


Baratza Encore. If you can afford this, then get it. The things great, does everything but espresso grind really well, and because its not manual its doesn't take that long and it doesn't require any real effort on your part. I love mine, but the $140 price tag could be steep (I wouldn't have bought it when I was in college, I was poor as shit).


Brew Methods: I still recommend at least an Aeropress, but pair it with a 1LFrench press too for when you want to make a lot of coffee at once, or coffee for friends. you can also make cold brew in a French press instead of a jar, and you can use it to strain it out. Also, if you really want to make the closest thing to espresso that you can without blowing $300 dollars, get a 3-cup moka pot. You can find a cheap one at your Ross or Home Goods equivalent.



For kettle, you can get a variable temp one if you want to spend the money, people recommend the Bonavita Variable Temp Gooseneck but I still just use my cheap 15 dollar kettle and am doing fine.


As far as scales go, I still just say find a cheap scale that works well enough.



Bits and Bobs


Hand held Milk Frother for frother hot milk for lattes. Sounds like something you would like.

So I was in a similar position to you at one point.

I found someone on a reddit community I frequented who sold me his Baratza Preciso for $100. It’s basically a retired version of the Virtuoso with micro adjustments on top of the regular macro. It’s served me very well. I had a friend who I got into coffee who just picked up an Encore and he’s delighted with it. For the bang for the buck it’s hard to go wrong with Baratza really in the sub $200 range. Especially considering you can find their refurbs which are updated (on Thursdays I think?) regularly and can get an encore for sub $100.

I find the Chemex to be far more forgiving than a V60. Some people say it’s expensive ($35ish) but considering you can get away with not using a gooseneck it’s cheaper in the long run in my opinion. If you don’t use a gooseneck with a V60, you’re going to have a bad time. V60s are finicky until you get a good feel for them. Don’t get me wrong, they can make a fantastic cup, but you have to put in the work. You can also look at the Kalita Wave which I think you can find the 185 on amazon for like $25 instead of $45 which is typical. It also takes funky filters that are hard to find (similar to v60).

As others have said the body is going to naturally be a little softer and more nuanced with a chemex. If you like big juicy Kenyans like me that may not be your preference, whereas if you like more floral, delicate Ethiopians then you’re golden. As time has gone on I’ve learned to appreciate my chemex more. It’s easy to dial in and brew correctly. Very forgiving of pour and what not and the body issue (less oils from the thicker filter) is more or less non-existent now that I have a little more developed palate (although I’m far from a connoisseur or q-grade taster).

Also a scale is super important if you aren’t using one. It’s ridiculous how easy it is to think you’re measuring correctly and you are totally off without a scale.

TL;DR Buy an encore or virtuoso and a chemex if you don’t have a gooseneck. Maybe a Kalita Wave if body is a huge deal for you. Get the V60 if you’re obsessive compulsive and want to really nerd out and probably brew shittily extracted coffee until you get it down. Any extra money invest in a good kettle and SCALE.

Cheap ass Shopping List:

• refurb encore $99
  
• chemex 6 cup $35
  
• chemex filters $8 amazon lists them for twice the normal price everywhere else FYI
  
• super reliable, cheap ass, beater scale $26
  Total: $168
  
  For shits and giggles: plain bonavita gooseneck $29 and variable temp version $69 (you want this one if you go this route)

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hamilton Beach 1.7 L. I've had it for a just about a year and a half, it has a standard 1 year warranty if any malfunction happens (no questions asked), its a bigger kettle (1.7 L is on the larger but not crazy huge end of electric kettles). I did quite a but of research and because I like mine programmable and also not crazy expensive (I didn't exactly think controlled temperature water was worth 200$ on some I saw while researching mine). I bought mine for either 40$ or 45$ with Amazon Prime (so free two day shipping, and it stays at this price, not from a third party), and it does have a really nice, although h not necessary for myself, guide on the side of the kettle telling you in small subtle print what temperature for what tea (or coffee) drink is needed. It only does preprogrammed temperatures (the temperatures for white, black, green, Oolong and coffee) and it does tell you the exact temperature at every moment, as it's boiling or sitting at room temperature. So there is a bit of control manually if absolutely necessary. But I find complete temperature control is unnecessary when it comes to tea brewing. The preprogrammed temperatures do tea well.


Edit: here's a link to Amazon where it's sold by Hamilton Beach at a 10$ discount for 3
$39. (Just a note, I never got a feeling that it was cheap even though it's definitely in the lower end. Hamilton Beach makes great small kitchen appliances and this steel kettle has been amazing. Plus their customer service has always been really easy going). http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0083I7THI/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1459456433&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hamilton+beach+electric+kettle&dpPl=1&dpID=4186x8-tdwL&ref=plSrch

It looks like you are set on a grinder. Virtuoso and Encore are both great. It's up to you if the Virtuoso is worth the additional expense.

The Fellow Stagg Kettle looks sexy, but honestly the basic Bonavita gooseneck kettle is a workhorse and a great value. If you want a little more temperature control then you can go with the variable temp Bonavita gooseneck kettle. I have the basic Bonavita gooseneck kettle and honestly it does exactly what I need it to and I haven't missed having a temp control.

I recommend a stainless steel insulated french press, like this one from VonShef. It keeps the water temp from dropping during the brew process and it won't break like the glass body french press.

Good luck!!

We had a flash heater in my dorm freshmen year. It was pretty neat but there isn't much more you can use it for if you don't eat lots of ramen. I don't know much more about them but I'm pretty sure they should mostly have a temp regulator.

However I think an electric kettle may be a better move, especially if you're on 220 volts. It looks like that isn't the case for you though. This electric kettle that I have is great. It only takes a couple minutes to heat up a full liter to 190 degrees and if you use a hand grinder the timing works out pretty well. I think this would be a better purchase.

I think its largely going to depend on what you want out of the kettle.

Any kettle with temp control would be ideal. You want to look at your price vs. use and see if one with a digital exact temp will be preferable to one with predetermined settings.

Gooseneck kettles are lovely and provide a very steady and controlled pour so finding one that allows this is beneficial but often costs a lot more.

I am currently using this one: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B019J0A092/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lgo7BbGV0DHER

It has a hold feature so my water stays at temp for 2 hours which is great as I tend to start water, get distracted, and then remember I wanted to make tea! Plus it's good for longer sessions with tea that needs steeped many times and I can have water at the perfect temperature instead of steadily cooling.

However this is the kettle I actually wanted: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B005YR0F40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xoo7BbFWKM023

I think there might be a better version of this now or an alternative that is better since I have been happy with my less fancy version and cant afford the nicer one I haven't looked into it!

Good luck!

Kind of a tie for me between two items:

First is a Raspberry Pi kit. I have been looking at getting more into this, but hadn't found a project that I thought would be worth spending the money on. Although it can be used for myriad things, this particular kit is meant for retro gaming. It can play anything from Commodore64 and Atari to Super Nintendo, Genesis, PS1, and possibly PS2 (haven't looked into it yet). It is basically my entire childhood smished onto a microSD and a small circuit board, and it will allow me to pass my love for those games onto my kids. My younger son, especially, loves trying out new games, and even is into some that I was never into, like sports games. He's tried a few of my old SNES games on an emulator and loved them, but didn't like the keyboard controls. Not only that, but it will give me a project to do.

The other one is a variable temperature electric kettle. I don't know how much of a tea drinker you are, but using the proper temp for the type of tea really makes a world of difference. For comparison, it's like going from nasty, generic dining hall cheap-o brand coffee to high-falutin' gourmet stuff from a civet's ass. Brewing the perfect cuppa can be difficult, if you have no way to measure temps, going more on instinct and hope. This kettle saves you that trouble and brings it up to the proper temp, and keeps it there for you.

Awesome contest. Thanks for the opportunity!

Since it doesn't sound like you're poised to dive into the insanity that is espresso, here's what I'd recommend for a top notch drip setup:

• Clever coffee dripper $13.50
  
• Baratza Maestro grinder $99.00
  
• A good scale $30-$50
  
• A good, quick thermometer $15-25
  
• A kettle where you can easily control the flow rate $40-70
  
• Beans from a quality, specialty roaster
  
  On that list... the grinder is really not optional. You should get one that good or better; it makes or breaks the setup. For the brewer, you could go with any other pour cone or a french press instead of the dripper and get great results. The scale probably isn't optional. The thermometer probably is. The kettle is definitely optional but makes things easier to manage if you're going with pour-drip. (It doesn't matter for press.) The one I linked is the best of its kind.
  
  With that setup and coffee from one of the roasters on that list, I'd say you'll have a hard time finding better coffee anywhere outside your home. As far as how it appeals to someone who likes "caramel macchiato" drinks from *$, I'd add some quality syrups and some good milk to match her taste.
  
  Off the list of roasters I linked, I order most frequently from Klatch, Gimme and Counter Culture, and have loved every single roaster I've tried from that list.

Gas burners can have different levels of heat output. Get the model number of your stove and lookup the burner output in the specifications section of the owners manual.

The design of the pot base and how it's positioned over the gas burner can have a big impact on its efficiency and effectiveness to absorb and transfer the heat. A burner that's too small may not output enough heat to boil water quickly when the pot is also too big and ends up distributing the heat too well, causing a lot of the heat to be released invisibly through evaporation and air cooling of the side of the pot.

Imagine how a single candle flame might be enough heat to easily and quickly boil water in a small glass test tube, but it might only slightly warm up a large cast iron pan. The heat output is the same, but the heating effect on the liquid depends on how concentrated that heat can become.

The concentration and amount of heat are related but different things. If you want to quickly boil several gallons of water, you'll need a lot of heat and an efficient way of transferring it. You might find it worthwhile to buy an electric water kettle that's specifically designed to boil water quickly (and with auto shutoff). However, you should learn about the capacity of the electric circuits in your kitchen, as well as how those circuits are wired to the outlets. Most circuits in the USA are 120 volts with a 15 or 20 amp breaker. Most kitchen appliances are designed to stay within the current limits without tripping the breaker. They do this by limiting their power use to share the power in a circuit better, but at the sacrifice of not being faster or better by using the max amount of power they can.

Therefore, a lot of electric kettles use from 800 to 1,500 watts. If you look for a "quick boil" feature, these kettles use 1,750-1,800 watts. Some also have double-wall insulation, stainless-steel or glass, and other features that affect the speed of boiling, keeping it hot, and cleaning it.

I have a couple of these TFal electric kettles. They're close to the max power, the temp is adjustable, the kettle is cordless to the base (which has the cord), it has auto shutoff, and it's easy to clean with a bit of vinegar and a sponge, since the top opens up enough to reach inside to access the stainless steel heating element.

You can also get a good stovetop kettle, but you should match it to the burner sizes you have.

Hi there! First off, congratulations on your first contest! That's awesome! =D

The cheapest item on my wishlist are these mini cupcake liners. Something else that I really, really want is this AMAZING tea kettle!. I LOVE tea (and coffee too!), and currently, i still use a traditional stove kettle. But this electric one would be so much more efficient and convenient- it even keeps your water warm for your second cup! I would be over the moon to receive this! =D

Again, congratulations, and thank you! You're awesome, and your username is adorable!

For a total beginner, I'd suggest the French Press. Everyone seems to start on the French Press, since it's good place to start learning and gain experience, per se. It's forgiving, teaches you the basics of grind settings, dialing in a coffee, brewing techniques, etc.

However, I much prefer my Aeropress over my French Press. It's a trickier to use, has a lot more variables involved in the process, will take longer to master. So, if you're willing to skip level 1 and warp to level 3, go for the Aeropress. However, I'd still suggest the French Press to start. Whatever you do, you'll get your money's worth.

I have an 8-cup Chemex, and it's great, but it's unruly when I want to brew a single mug for myself. Great for sharing with 1-2 others, but just doesn't work right brewing anything but a full batch. When I just want a single cup, I use a Tiamo 01. This is definitely not where you want to start, however. Before you begin with pour-over brewing (which is awesome and difficult), you'll need a burr grinder and a kettle.

So, since I have a French Press, Aeropress, 8-cup Chemex, and a Tiamo, feel free to message me anytime for brewing instructions, recipes, or ratios.

Oh, and be sure to bookmark http://brewmethods.com/.

I bought the standard Hamilton Beach kettle with no gauge or anything about a year and a half ago,and that has been working without issue since then. I later bought the same brand but with temperature control and it has worked well for the about 6 months I've had it, but I find that it will generally overheat the water by about 5-10 degrees F (when set to below boiling obviously).

Right now I'm eyeing the Bonavita gooseneck kettle with temperature control as an upgrade, but if you want something cheap I would definitely say the basic Hamilton Beach is a good choice. Costco generally has it for I think cheaper than Amazon, so if you have access there I would take a look.

On a sidenote, I've been told it's better to start using a plain straight to boil kettle so you can get a better intuition for how you actually brew your tea, but I honestly just forget about my water too easily when I'm doing other things and making tea so the temperature control is good for me! Remember, you can always get a thermometer inexpensively, which is good to have around the kitchen anyway :D

K-Cup: bad quality coffee/tea that creates unnecessary waste by pushing HOT water through flimsy Plastic. I understand using them at a doctors office or your mechanics ... but I'll never understand people who have them as their everyday home/office coffee/tea maker. okay /rant - thanks for humoring me.

I think you are on the right track with samples. Since she is already into tea - rather than scatter shot sampling, maybe focus on a type of tea. Oolongs have some nice variety. You could do flavored black or flavored green teas. A few different flushes of Darjeeling. Harney has a number of sampler packs you could do. I have the oolong sampler and am really happy with it. Adagio also has sampler gift packs.

for tea making - you could get her a simple strainer and a nice mug. You could go fancier and get a gugfu set, which is always nice for sharing.

I'm not sure how much you're planning on spending - but you could get a variable temperature electric kettle. My favorite is $150, but you can get kettles for much cheaper (~$30)

I have an Aeropress with a Hairo Skerton Slim grinder and can vouch that it's amazing. The Skerton was supposed to be skeleton but I think it's an Engrish typo thing. Also using 175 degree water helps with flavour. I use this kettle and am very happy with it. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CPK-17-PerfecTemp-1-7-Liter-Stainless/dp/B003KYSLNQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346697392&sr=8-1&keywords=cuisnart+kettle

Find a local coffee roaster/shop and ask them to show you the size of the grind to use for inverted Aeropressing. I do it for 2 minutes and the grind is more similar to a french press grind, maybe a tad smaller. I'm drinking it right now and it's delicious.

Also I remember seeing two sizes of the Hairo Skerton, I have the smaller size, the slim, and it's diameter is just a bit smaller than the Aeropress so it's easy to transfer the grounds into the chamber. I think the larger size would require the use of the Aeropress funnel but I could be wrong. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=Hairo+Skerton

Also, Make a small digital kitchen scale is useful to get the same amount of beans everytime. I personally use between 12-20g depending on what I'm in the mood for. The grounds usually go to the level 2 on the Skerton if that helps.

happy brewing!

edit: fresh beans from a roaster taste better to me. The stuff on the shelves at grocery stores are all stale. Starbucks beans are too burnt for my taste too.

If I had to make that small an area work, I would rely heavily on countertop appliances.

Forget a built in burner, takes up too much room.
Get a gas or induction hot plate for use in the summer, and use the black oven in the winter.

Make outlets readily available on the counter. Best place would be the underside of any cabinets, or just the wall.

You can do a lot with one of those combo griddles. Cuisinart makes a cheap one, but you can get nicer ones from others. Breville is one, but I am sure there are others.

Build your knife storage into the counter, a la Alton Brown. Saves space, and makes them always available.

Don't skip the dishwasher. It'll take up valuable storage space, but working in a small kitchen like that will be much more bearable if you don't have to wash dishes by hand.

Make sure you get plenty of prep bowls, and have storage space for them. Mise en place will be very important with a small space, and they will help a lot.

A Magic Bullet type blender is really handy for cooking for 2, and for a lot of tasks that would otherwise take up more counterspace (chopping onions, beating eggs, chopping herbs, etc).

Make the whole countertop out of end grain butcher block (or side grain if you don't want to/can't spring for end grain) so that you don't have to deal with cutting boards at all.

If you don't already, try cooking sous vide. Takes little space, and good for summer cooking as it won't let too much heat into the space.

Have a hood vent for your black stove, and in the summer, put your hot plate there. The vent needs to be the type that goes outside, not the filtering one.
You don't want a small space like that filling with smoke from cooking.
Actually, depending on how you build the kitchen, you might be able to just put the vent in the middle of the room. Have the ceiling slope towards the center a bit.

Don't skip the garbage disposal in the sink - you'll regret it. Also, stick with a single sink instead of the traditional double. You're better off with one normal sized sink than two half sized sinks.

Skip the microwave, and just get a large toaster oven instead, one of the deep ones that can fit a 12" pizza. You can do most everything you can do in a microwave in the toaster over, it just takes a bit longer.

Skip the coffee maker, and get a hot water ketttle with a gooseneck spout like this. Learn to do pourover, get an Aeropress, or a Chemex. Saves you counterspace, and you can use the electric kettle for other cooking things too.

>I thought about a pour over, but I don't really know what I'm getting myself into

Honestly, not that much. It's pretty straight forward. A Chemex produces a fantastic cup, and would only really require you get a gooseneck kettle. Ditto if you go the v60 route. Bonavita has a couple, either temperature controlled or not. Other wise Hario kettle would also work.

Regardless, take a look here at Brew Methods. It has summaries on a variety of brew methods, from chemex to other. May give you some ideas.

>I don't want to spend a ton of money,

Depends on what "a ton of money" is to you, but:

• you may want to consider a new grinder, it will allow for expanding what you can do with the coffee. Potentially too much money, but a refurb Baratza might be worth saving for. Especially the Maestro/Virtuoso if you aren't doing espresso.
  
• a scale to weight coffee and water to nail down variables
  
• a gooseneck kettle for pourovers
  
  > would a chemex be a better investment?
  
  Yes, imho. Buy a cheap gram scale, a gooseneck kettle, and a chemex/v60. You'll be very pleased with the results.

I've got a pretty high quality dorm setup that is approved. Here are your options:

Option 1:

Hario ETL Certified Kettle

Hario V60

Filters

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $119

Option 2:

Aeropress

Proctor-Silex Water Kettle

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $66


Currently, I'm using the first setup. The v60 is a great pourover method. You'll be having the best coffee on campus. However, since it requires the gooseneck kettle it runs a greater price. Last year, I had option. The aeropress is a kick-ass coffee maker, and you can get by with the way cheaper water heater since pour method has no factor on the brew. Either way, you'd have the small hand grinder which is cheap, easy to clean, and does a fantastic job.

Either of these will make a solid cup, better than anything you'll find in a keurig.

I can give suggestions for a kitchen since I remember what it was like shopping for a limited kitchen.

1. [Electric Water Kettle]( Proctor Silex K2070YA Electric Kettle, 1-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IWOJS9A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1oDtub1AP48CP) - nothing is more satisfying than having hot water for cup of noodles and tea on a cold day. It may seem simple, but you'll definitely get a huge use out of it. This one is a cheaper model, but if you want a sleek looking one I'd recommend the Hamilton Beach one.
   
   
2. Crock Pot - it is a bit home body but the standard sleek silver or black finish is still very modern and beautiful in my opinion. You can find one of these ANYWHERE and will depend on how big you would like one. The size will determine the cost, but also how much food you can make in one sitting.
   
   
3. Digital Kitchen Scale - unless you plan on doing a lot of cooking where the recipes are in grams, this is definitely a futuristic tool. It makes me feel like I'm back in my chemistry class each time I use one of these.
   
   Hope some of these help make your new flat into a home!

French Press is how I started down the rabbit hole. But coffee is ritual with that I take great pride and joy in making an excellent cup of coffee. I purchase coffee from Counter Culture Coffee and they ship me 2 x 12oz bags every month. I freeze one while working my way through the first bag, I defrost the second bag from the freezer in the refrigerator 48 hours ahead of time then move to storage.

Now I own:

Baratza Encore Grinder which I purchased refurbished from Baratza Link

Chemex link A really beautiful pour over, looks great in your kitchen.

Kalita Wave Link IMHO the best pour over money can buy.

Aeropress link My ride along for any trip and work.

Hario Gooseneck Kettle for Precision Pouring link

Storage; I own two different types This and This

A cheap electric kettle, A kitchen scale, and all my mugs.
I have a Bakers Rack in my kitchen that most of these are displayed. When I make a cold brew after the brew process I store it in a glass milk carton from a Straus Family Milk purchase. (I think the deposit is $3?)

Not all of this is necessary but I love my coffee and I am not afraid to show it. I say for every beginner you owe it to yourself to at least purchase an aeropress, it makes fantastic coffee thats almost foolproof.

My best tips:

Fresh beans + fresh grind + good water = great coffee pretty much regardless of your brewing method.

The 4 ways you can increase the quality of your coffee is to focus on improving these things: beans, grind, water, brewing method.

This is my set-up:

Beans: I get whole beans sent to me in the mail every two weeks from Moustache Coffee Club. This ensures I always have fresh beans on hand.

Grind: I use this Porlex hand grinder and really like it. I used to use this Hario hand grinder, which was cheaper. I haven't yet splurged for an electric grinder. Maybe some day.

Water: I use a kitchen thermometer to make sure my water is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the optimal range for brewing. I also use this Bonavita kettle for heating the water.

Brewing method: I started off using a Melitta pour-over cone. I've since moved to the AeroPress. I also have a French press. The AeroPress is what I use almost exclusively. I also have a kitchen scale to measure out the water and beans. I use a 16:1 ratio of water to beans. For the AeroPress, 16g of beans and 256g of water fits perfectly. When I measure the water, I aim for between 256 and 260g. I'm not so obsessive that I make sure it's exactly 256 every time.

This sounds like a lot (and there's more, but this is a good start), but I built up to this over a period of a few years. Take your time. Keep learning and exploring and have fun.

I'll drop some stuff anyways:

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SJ-SHE10-Stainless-Sports-32-Ounce/dp/B004YB3J4K/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467067756&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=zoristi+thermos because it keeps my water hot for a solid 12 hours and it holds enough that I can travel multiple places and still have liquid to make a cup in https://www.amazon.com/PRESS-ART-TP-160-500ML-CAPACITY/dp/B00AIVMID8/ref=sr_1_2?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1467067811&sr=8-2&keywords=kamjove&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

You're on a budget, so why not just look at what works: I figure you want to save money and heating water is a simple thing, there's all kinds of things out there... but I was in college just last year so I know how convenient it is to have everything come in a box from Amazon: I've never used one of these before, but 25 perfect reviews should say something... maybe? It's only $40 right now which is pretty low: https://www.amazon.com/Epica-6-Temperature-Variable-Stainless-Cordless/dp/B01G7OL9ZW/ref=sr_1_18?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1467067863&sr=8-18&keywords=electric+kettle&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Over time you'll realize how many different things can be introduced into the art of making one awesome cup after another, but for now it is best to focus on what you like and dislike and then go from there :)

Here is what I use, and I love it. This strainer actually lets the loose leaf tea expand, unlike little tea balls. It's also easy to clean. I get a pot because I like to brew 2-3 cups at once. I pour one in an insulated mug so it's drinkable by the time I finish the first. This set also comes as a brew-in-cup system for singles.

Infusing
1:Water temp. Either get an electric kettle like this that you can set to heat to a certain temperature, or bring to a boil and let cool to the right temperature. For greens that is always BELOW boiling. 170-190 degrees F, and it can vary by the type of tea.
2: Preheat your brewing vessel, be it cup or pot, by swirling some of the water inside and dumping that out. Starting with a preheated pot keeps the water temp. stable during brewing. You want a lid for the same reason.
3: Add loose tea leaves to the infuser.
4: Pour in your water.
5: Let steep. For green tea that is going to usually be 2-3 minutes, but it can vary by strain. Overbrewing green tea makes it bitter.
6: Remove the infuser. A good quality loose leaf tea can be brewed 2, and sometimes three, times! Let it cool between brewings, and you want to use it the same day.

7: Pour and enjoy! I like to brew in one cup/pot and drink from another. Pouring into a cold cup drops the temp of a green tea to almost drinkable right away.

Brands
I tend to order online and in bulk. I like to buy 8-16 oz of loose leaf at a time. I've enjoyed Republic of Tea, though they can be expensive and some of the flavors are a big miss. Their Vanilla Almond is to DIE for! Right now Rishi Tea is my favorite. They do greens very, very well. I recommend the Green Flight sampler pack to get started. The name is a play on taking a vacation across regions of the world by sampling greens from each.

I just ordered some Numi jasmine green tea, but I haven't gotten it yet. I'll update you when I do.

His french press, grinder, and kettle are certainly sufficient for what he's doing. There are certainly upgrades for the grinder (such as this) and the kettle (such as this), but for what he's doing, it's not likely to make much difference.

Others have suggested different brewing methods, which would be nice, but this depends on preference, of course. The Aeropress is probably the best option for someone looking to expand their horizons from the french press.

Given his equipment, the biggest difference is going to come from the beans. I personally have not tried coffee subscription services (such as Tonx), but it sounds like a really neat idea and I've heard generally positive things. Periodically, you get shipments of different kinds of coffee, so you can try new beans.

Oh, a dedicated pouring kettle is crucial for any pourover brewing methods. The gooseneck design allows for far more granularity and precision in the flow rate and position of water flow. The faster the extraction rate, like a V60 pourover, the more important the control over those variables becomes.

I have this Bonavita. It's probably the single best purchase I've made for my coffee brewing adventures for a few reasons. First, it's got that gooseneck spout I mentioned. Second, it has a variable temperature sensor and control, which removes the guesswork from water temperature. The hold function is great, too, since I can put water in and set it to 200, hop in the shower, and it will hold the temperature at 200 until I pour it. Super useful. Lastly, it heats water faster than any other method I have. Faster than stovetop, faster than microwaving. It's great. Massdrop has been doing runs on them occasionally for ~$78, so you could keep your eye on that.

These are not stupid questions! I grew up with poor quality tea bags, when we had them at all, and now I drink almost exclusively loose-leaf tea. We didn't have a kettle or teapot in the house and now I can't live without them. So I had to learn this stuff, too.


> Can anyone recommend what type/brand of equipment to get and where to get it or is it all just based on personal style and preference?

It is based on personal style and preference as far as teapots and kettles go. Basically you have two types of kettles: one that is stovetop, that you place directly on the burner, and an electric kettle, which is very convenient and fast. Something like This would be just fine. As for teapots, have fun shopping around. I found mine at a thrift store for $2.50. You don't have to have the fanciest of teapots; if you like it and it's functional, buy it!


Never use a teapot as a kettle, even if it is cast iron. There is too much risk of breaking the teapot and hurting yourself. A teapot should only be used to steep tea and serve tea. Kettles should only be used to boil water, and use new water every time.

> Strainer question

You can buy strainers that fit one cup or a pot. Sometimes one strainer can work for both. You may also be able to find disposable tea bags to put your loose leaf in; I am guilty of using these sometimes, though it is bad for the environment and I've also heard there's some risk of chemicals you don't really want to ingest seeping into the tea. Not sure how true that is. Another person linked examples so I'll let you read that one.

> How do you determine how much tea do you put in the pot? Is there a specific amount or is this just something that just my a preference based on tea strength?

Another person here made a pretty good table of amounts/steep times, but when I started making loose leaf tea, I didn't know anything about how much to use. I just experimented, and now I just eyeball it. It does depend on personal preferences; I like very strong teas, so I might use more than some people here, or steep for longer.



I hope that helps. What kind of tea do you like so far? I could give you some recommendations and tell you my favorite places to buy. I always recommend trying a tea without sugar and milk first, too. Some people might hate me for this but I think most people put too much sugar in their tea and it ruins the flavor (I don't take any sugar at all, myself).

I don't recommend buying tea from Teavana, if you have them in the area. While the tea itself isn't bad (in fact, one of the best black teas I ever tried came from them on their 75% off sale), their sales tactics and prices ARE bad. You can get tea just as good or better for a lot less. I can't help but want some of their teapots, though.

My top 5 likes are makeup (nail polish included), games (mainly board games), warm beverages (tea, coffee, cocoa), reading, and my favorite color is teal!

I'd love this

I want to win because I love surprises!!

Moon Knight. :)

I have the Bonavita variable temp kettle and I love it, but not for the temperature control (which I keep at near boiling). I love being able to wake up, click it on, and then hop in the shower without worrying about it boiling over or having the stove on. Holding water hot for an hour or so is, to me, the biggest "win" for the electric kettle.

A simple stovetop will do, of course. I used that for years and my brews were awesome. But I love my electric kettle.

Edit: Looks like the Bonavita variable temp is on sale now for around $50 on Amazon(as of 7am Pacific time, 11/21/19).

We registered at Amazon for the selection and convenience. We could find just about anything on amazon, and could add anything else through the universal registry feature. Guests shipped most gifts to our home, which was great since we live across the country from where we were married. I'd heard the return policy was rough, but luckily we didn't have any duplicate purchases. Amazon's registry was perfect for our needs.

Some of the most-used items we received:

• VonShef mixing bowls.
  
  
• Narrow measuring spoons. These fit inside containers and are so much less messy.
  
  
• Glass tupperware set.
  
  
• Adjustable temperature water kettle. Our household is really into coffee and tea, and this has made all the difference.
  
  
• Coffee grinder. Our total splurge of a grinder that was generously gifted by another coffee nerd.
  
  
• Griddle pan. Perfect for grilled cheese, pancakes, etc.
  
  
• The Harry Potter box set. We put this on there to break up the typical household list and were so excited for a nice hardcover set!
  
  
• Cast iron dutch oven/skillet combo.

Thanks for reporting back. Love the zen comment. How coarse is your grind? Also, what are you using for your very accurate pouring? Though I'd love one of those Hario kettles, I'd really love to get one of these kettles as I love the idea of the preset temps. I'd like to think I could fashion something to stick in the spout to promote a more even pour.

I'm not in the UK, but these are kettles that I've used and have been awesome without having any problems. Both of these kettles are great for any types of tea you might want to brew. I really like the precision pour that you get with the gooseneck kettle, and also it is a favorite kettle if you like to brew coffee too.

BonaVita Variable Temperature Gooseneck

And

Breville Variable Temperature Kettle

Second the Baratza Encore -- I have been very satisfied with mine and the ease of it being automatic is nice, especially if brewing for multiple people although there are some great hand grinders out there. There is also the option to upgrade to the Preciso burr kit which I think I plan to do at some point in the future so I can't speak on it from personal experience. Something else to consider is a good gooseneck kettle. I have this one which is pretty popular (https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Digital-Variable-Temperature-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40). It lets you set a specific temperature and also hold that temperature (for a believe an hour) which is nice for heating in the morning while you shower, etc.

This adds another device, but you might be interested in getting an electric kettle such as this 1L Bonavita Variable Temp. Add your cold water, set your desired temperature and go do something for a few minutes, come back and your water is ready. You can go cheaper and get something like this which is not gooseneck since you're not doing a pourover. Either way, a fast and easy way to heat your water and easily pour into a FP, all while cheaper than a Keurig.

I've found the electric kettle to be a great thing to have around. I use it for coffee, tea, and my daily instant oatmeal.

You are definitely using too little coffee. Normal ratio is usually around 2 tbs per 8 oz of brewed coffee, or 6 oz if you like it on the stronger side. Coffee Ratio Chart

You generally want to shoot for a 3-4 minute extraction. If your filter cone is draining in less than two minutes, it's going to be under extracted. Adding more coffee will increase the water transit time, as will grinding finer. Start by increasing the coffee amount, and then time your brew and adjust the grind accordingly.

Here are a few other suggestions that will help you get the most out of your dripper:

Add a small amount of the water at the beginning of the brew, and let the coffee "bloom". Then give it a good stir to make a slurry, and then add the rest of your water. This will ensure the CO2 from the coffee doesn't prevent the water from reaching it, leaving much of the coffee under extracted.

If you are using a paper filter, always rinse it out with hot water before brewing. This will open up the paper a little, and wash out some of the "paper-filter" taste.

If you're having trouble getting into the 3-4 minute mark, try pouring the water over the filter slowly, and in small batches. Having a kettle with a goose-neck really helps with this.

Hope you can find some useful info in all of that. Happy brewing :)

Adagio has a pretty good teapot/tea sampler to start out with. This:

http://www.adagio.com/gifts/holiday_ingenuiTEA.html

is what I use. I also recommend buying a programmable electric kettle since different varieties of tea require different water temperatures. I have this:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_52?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1395218831&sr=1-52&keywords=electric+kettle

and it's been amazing. I drink mostly Oolong and green teas, so I wanted something that had temperature control.

The best way to find what your preferences are, and to understand your palate is to try what sounds appealing to you. Adagio is a pretty good place to start. :)

Chemex, Bonavita kettle, skerton grinder, knock off scale

So you def pay a little bit for the Chemex aesthetic, but I think it makes a pretty smooth cup and is somewhat forgiving to beginners.

The skerton pro is an excellent hand grinder, when my electric broke I used the hand grinder every day for a semester and had absolutely no problem (I honestly enjoyed the process for a while).

The scale will feel like a knockoff because it is, I got a very similar one (but payed extra for a reseller to put a fancy label on it because I’m not the brightest) and while it works, you’ll def want to invest in something more if you catch the coffee bug

https://www.amazon.com/-/es/gp/aw/d/B074TB9L2D/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Chemex-Classic-Pour-over-Glass-Coffeemaker/dp/B0000YWF5E?th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Manual-Grinder-Ceramic/dp/B01MXJI90S

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV382510V-Variable-Temperature-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40

Both AP and chemex are great methods for great coffee. I have both plus a french press. I use the AP daily because it's the quickest and hard to screw up. I suggest the inverted AP method (google around for videos). The only downside is that you can only brew one cup at a time, and it's not a huge cup at that. Which is part of the reason i bought a chemex, so i could make larger batches for groups of people. I usually reserve the weekends for chemex since it's more involved. It took me several tries before i learned what techniques work well. In terms of which is better, the chemex makes the smoothest cup. I also find the ritual of brewing with the chemex soothing and challenging at the same time.

Equipment-wise you'll need a good scale for both. I use a Jennings CJ 4000 (http://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ4000-4000g-Digital-Scale/dp/B004C3CAB8) and am happy with it. Only downside is the 0.5g resolution but I've never noticed it to be a noticeable problem in terms of brew taste/strength. If you go the chemex route you'll also need a gooseneck kettle to ensure precision when pouring. I use the bonavita electric with variable temp (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40) and I love it, especially for the convenience and price.

So, my recommendation would be to try/get both as they are each suited best for different situations. I'm a fan of having options and am always evaluating other gadgets to add to the collection as i consider it to be a hobby of sorts.

Do you have your heart set on a Stagg? I recently was in a similar boat but landed on Oxo’s offering. Used with a 20% off coupon to Bed Bath and Beyond and you can get them for around $80.

Heats really fast, great accuracy, excellent pour, and doesn’t have the metal ring that burns the heck out of your hand like the top of the Stagg handle =).

OXO On Adjustable Temperature Electric Pour-Over Kettle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KHPS7F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Rm-WBbJ6EGF0R

They are a bit of a money sink but I would recommend looking at cast-iron teapots and Tetsubins for college. This one looks pretty cost efficent even though the cups will probably kill your hands. They cost more than porcelain but it is a nice relief to know that they won't break. I don't know much about other kettles but I love Adagio's UtiliTEA. I have had it for a good year and it is still running strong.

I might recommend this kettle, mostly just cause it's cheaper than the one you chose. The one you linked to will work well, I'm sure. If you're looking to splurge, this is the kettle I'd like the most, but I'm gonna get this kettle soon.

The pour is actually very important in making good tea, and most people don't realize that. Gooseneck kettles have a great, easily controllable pour. You might not notice it for a while, so that's why the first kettle is good for beginners.

I know it's a bit expensive, but I have and love this OXO gooseneck kettle

It'll let you set it to any temp between 104F and boiling. It has a keep warm feature which is amazing for multiple brews; if you put the kettle back on the base within 30 seconds it'll keep the water at the temp you specified.

The gooseneck is designed for pour over coffee but it works great for small brewing g vessels like a gaiwan or wehn you need to add just a tiny bit more water.

Here's the thing..

Gooseneck kettle will last you forever and it is an absolute staple if you're going to invest in this hobby/truly enjoy this ritual.

I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSVV60-Buono-Pouring-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501770513&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+gooseneck+kettle

I also would recommend a scale that can weigh out by the .1 gram (or even more fine). Also a timer is important.

I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Drip-Scale-Timer/dp/B009GPJMOU/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501770540&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+food+scale

Kalita wave is very forgiving, great to learn on, and makes a wonderful cup of coffee. I use Kalita Wave each morning and Chemex on weekends.

Kalita Wave: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-05033-Wave-185-Drippers/dp/B000X1AM0Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501770620&sr=1-1&keywords=kalita+wave

Kalita Wave Filters: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-22199-Filters-White-Japan/dp/B00BJBOITS/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501770637&sr=1-1&keywords=kalita+wave+filters

Good luck buddy!

I use a BonaVita 1L variable temp. gooseneck but that's a bit out of your price range. If you're only brewing tea then this one will work just fine. If you do pour over coffee then you may want to save up a bit more and get the gooseneck.

I absolutely love mine. Well built, easy to use, and very well reviewed.

If you're looking for loose leaf, this is a pretty good little sample pack to try a couple different kinds. If you're really new though, (coming from Keurigs and Starbucks and such) I'd probably recommend starting off with some less expensive/complex bagged tea first.

Assuming you're in the U.S., Twinings is likely to be the best you'll find in an average grocery store. P.G. Tips are pretty good as well, though as far as bagged tea goes I prefer the selection of Twinings. You can try all the different basic kinds this way and refine your tastes from there. Get a kettle, electric for convenience or stove-top if you like the whistle. Then just put a tea bag in your favorite mug and add hot water. There are also individual tea steepers so that when you have loose tea you don't have to make a whole pot at once.

If you go electric and have spare cash, you can spring for one that measures water temperature. That will make it much easier to make sure that you brew each kind of tea at the optimal temperature. Here is a quick guide on what temperature is best for each basic kind of tea. If you get into more complex teas from there, the supplier will usually have more specific directions.

Lastly, make your tea the way you like it. Don't be discouraged by people who say black is the only way to appreciate tea, if you like it better when it's half cream then more power to you. Milk, cream, sugar, honey, and lemon are all popular additions, feel free to mix and match and add and subtract until you find what's right for you, and then let your tastes evolve from there. (Many darker teas may taste a little bitter at first, but with milk and sugar become quite a treat).

Disclaimer: I literally just switched from bags to loose leaf tea drinking today after hours and hours of research.

I bought a Bonavita Electric Kettle (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40/) and chose it for it's precise tempature control and the ability to dual-purpose it for coffee pour-overs as well.

For infusion, I purchased an in-cup stainless steel one (http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8) mostly because it has good reviews and Amazon Now had it in stock for 2-hour delivery. There is some well-reviewed plastic infusers as well, but I like the visual of stainless steel in my new ritual.

The process is super easy. I fill up the kettle with water and punch in the temp (160 degrees in my case for Harney Japanese Sencha). Once it's hot I put the infuser in my mug and add a heaping spoonful of loose leaf. Then I pour-over the leaves and set my phone timer for a couple minutes. In no time, the tea is ready and I remove the infuser and dump the contents into composting.

The resulting tea is perfect. Easily twice as good as the experience as using the tea bags (I've been drinking Harney Japanese Sencha in bags for 2 years).

Grinder

>Capresso Infinity - $89
>
>or
>
>Hario Mini Mill Slim - $30 - If you don't mind hand-grinding your beans


Coffee Maker

>Aeropress - $23 - Balanced flavour, easy cleanup
>
>or
>
>Hario v60 - $19 - If you enjoy the process of preparing your coffee, and enjoy a brighter (more acidity) cup of coffee.
>
>or
>
>A french press - $20 and up - If you want to make more coffee at a time than the Aeropress, don't mind a "thicker" (more coffee particulate and oils in the cup) coffee, and are not opposed to having a little bit more clean-up.

You'll need a kettle for any of these brew methods; a programmable/temperature controlled kettle like this one ($95) is ideal for manual brew methods, but any kettle (and a thermometer if you'd like to get fussy) will do just fine.

Personally I would get the Capresso and the Aeropress if I were you. It's a very balanced and forgiving brew method that can make coffee a few different ways (eg. paper filter for a "brighter" cup, metal for a thicker one). Set aside the rest of your budget and find a good coffee roaster near you!

$40.00 - 8 cup chemex

$11.00 - pack of filters

$42.00 - hario drip coffee scale

$70.00 - bona vita electric kettle with thermometer

$15.00 - ground specialty coffee

TOTAL $178.00 (minus any applicable tax and shipping)

note: i used a mix of sources. the scale and kettle come from amazon but everything else was overpriced there. hell, those items are probably overpriced there too. the chemex is listed in google express and the filters are from william-sonoma. you can usually find good deals from these places on coffee equipment being liquidated. you could potentially even pick up everything you'd need directly from a specialty cafe that has equipment for sale in your area. if you're interested in continuing your coffee brewing, you'd definitely use the kettle and scale for any other drip methods, like v60 or kalita wave.

cheers and i hope you and your family have a great thanksgiving.

for the instant noodle bowls there is a bit of prep work. but you could do it over the weekend and keep them in jars in the fridge to take to work with you.

and you would need something like this. if you have a plug in and counter at your disposal these could work well for you.
http://www.amazon.com/Ovente-KP72W-Cordless-Electric-Kettle/dp/B00DEQDEZA?ie=UTF8&keywords=electric%20tea%20kettle&qid=1465483760&ref_=sr_1_6&s=kitchen&sr=1-6


http://www.copymethat.com/r/zZ0UoSn/chicken-instant-noodle-bowl/

you could do the same thing with beef in place of the chicken by just changing out a couple of ingredients.
such as. beef in place of chicken, beef base or bouillon, peas would still work great here. and I would use the tarragon, or thyme, here basil might work. (just another option)

http://www.copymethat.com/r/XmUkTmQ/diy-instant-noodles-with-vegetables-miso/

they look a little daunting but they are mostly measuring and chopping or slicing. a mandolin will help you slice them faster, thinner and more precise.

this one would be great it would chop, slice, shred etc...

http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Mandoline-Slicer-Vegetable-Julienne/dp/B00TZ9MFYQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=mandolin%20slicer&qid=1465483981&ref_=sr_1_4&s=kitchen&sr=1-4

You could have refrained from buying the cast iron pot. You can make stellar tea with a way cheaper pot. I don't know their return policy, but if you can return it, I would highly recommend that. Look into Gaiwans; Shoot, I use a pyrex measuring cup sometimes to brew tea and just strain through a dollar store tea strainer. I would save the money that you spent on a cast iron pot and put it towards a water boiler that can heat to different temperatures. My favorite it the Bonavita variable temperature kettle.

If you are new to tea, I would recommend getting the smallest weight available of all the teas you buy. I think in Teavana, that is 2oz. This helps you by allowing you to buy more teas to sample different varieties, you can always go back for more if you really love it. Lastly, buying the smallest amount of tea ensures you will finish it faster, which means your tea doesn't have a chance to go stale.

This is the one that I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1502487352&sr=8-5&keywords=variable+temperature+kettle

It's pretty cheap ($35.00USD) and definitely not the best on the market, but it's reasonably accurate and heats up pretty quick. What I love the most is that the temperature is customizable at 5 degree increments. I brew most of my tea gongfu style so I really like that feature, and also the "keep warm" function is automatic--it'll keep the water within ~5 degrees of your desired temperature for an hour.

Hope this helps!

About a year and half ago I went from 0-60 with this setup:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Dripper-V60-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=pd_sim_k_6

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-White-Filters-Brewer/dp/B001U7EOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906139&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+v60+filters

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906080&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+hand+grinder

http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906101&sr=1-5&keywords=kitchen+scale

Here is a video I found about how it all works:
http://vimeo.com/34182806

The big thing is to use FRESH roasted beans (we're talking ~3 weeks old or less). If you are buying beans that don't have a date on em, try again. Hopefully there is a coffee shop around you that will sell their own roast (usually comes in a 12oz package). If not you can try the grocery store or order online (http://ceremonycoffee.com/ is a good start), it really depends on the city you live in.

I had always liked the aroma and taste of coffee in other things (ice cream specifically) but it wasn't until I got into beer that I really started to appreciate it. Hopefully this finds you well, feel free to send a message my way if you have any specific questions!

I have this kettle: Cuisinart PerfecTemp Kettle. It's great. I use it for coffee and tea. It doesn't have a temperature display exactly, but you press a button to select your desired temperature. But my favorite feature is probably to "keep warm" feature. Great kettle, well worth the money.

Oh, I can answer this one beautifully!

We used to use pour over coffee, one cup at a time. It took forever and was awful.

Do they have an inverter capable of up to 2000 watts? If so, read on!! If not, ignore my idea.....


So if they have an inverter, get them two things. First, this guy:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KYSLNQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This thing is beautiful. Gets water to the perfect temp in just a few minutes, and saves tons of propane vs conventional heating. If they cruise in the tropics they will appreciate the savings on heating the cabin.


Second, get em this dude:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005YY9X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=305DG4O1W7U4L&coliid=IYQ052FWO4QF9&psc=1


It is insulated, keeps coffee hot for a crazy long time, and its rugged stainless construction keeps them from having to have filters on hand!!!

All this results in coffee made effectively and efficiently at the cheap price of like 15 aH. give or take, depending on their battery bank.

I have the Bonavita 1.7 Liter that is mentioned below, and I wholeheartedly support it. I understand that the gooseneck design is pretty, but it is just not worth the price jump in my opinion. I've never had a problem controlling my pour and it has done everything I wanted when I was searching for an electric kettle. It's a wonderful bargain in my opinion! If you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help you!
Edit: It's also worth mentioning that the gooseneck is 1000 watts, while this one is 1500 watts. Not sure if that matters to you or not!

I have a FORLIFE Crurve teapot, makes three cups of tea and is great.

An electric kettle would be a fantastic part of a gift set. This one appears to be one of the best. Good luck.

Baratza grinders are hard to beat. If you can manage to wait a little while, they offer refurbished models for sale too (I think they update on Thursday mornings US Eastern time) - https://www.baratza.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=RFRB

For a scale, I use and love the the American Weigh 2Kg scale. It has 0.1g resolution to measure your beans and because it can measure up to 2Kg you can put the Chemex right on it and measure your water while you brew! Plus, it's under $20USD. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-SC-2KG-Digital-Pocket/dp/B001RF3XJ2

If you have an iPhone, Intelligentsia has a great app that has guides for all sorts of different brew methods. It includes timers and calculators to let you know how much water to use for a given amount of coffee. (Sorry, I can't help with android apps). http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/content/iphone-app

I haven't gotten a gooseneck kettle yet and have been using a 2L electric kettle without any temp control. I use a thermometer every year or so to measure how long it takes for the amount of water I put into it to cool off from a boil to ~200F (which is around 2 minutes) and then just set a timer when I use it. That said, this kettle is on my wish list: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40

I make a pot of coffee with the Chemex almost every morning before going to work. I use a Klean Kanteen insulated bottle (http://www.kleankanteen.com/products/wide-mouth-insulated-20oz?variant=1605388483) and some generic travel mug. Before brewing I pour boiling water through the filter of the Chemex and also into the bottle. Then when it's time to brew I pour the water from the Chemex into the travel mug and brew the Chemex as normal. Post brew - empty the warming water from mug and bottle, and pour in the coffee. The mug doesn't keep things warm for very long, but the bottle works pretty well for several hours.

Happy brewing!

I got the Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle. True, it is the single most expensive single purchase so far for my coffee but it has made coffee making a ton easier. Getting water to 205 degrees (or whatever you prefer) without any hiccups and being able to pour it without worrying about splashes, over-pouring or anything else has made it one of my favorite purchases so far. It just adds a ton of control to your coffee-making, which is super beneficial when there are so many variables in it already.

1. I use a standard Brits filter, however the water in my area is actually very good water.
   
   
2. If you are going to use TWW then you buy distilled water from tre grocery store. Sometimes you can get it from a water store in bulk. Some people just use bottled water instead.
   
   
3. No, just use the water from your tap. If you filter filtered water from the store, your just wasting the filter you bought.
   
   
4. Depends on the size of your mug and how much you plan to brew. I personally brew into a mason jar then pour in my mug because the filter will touch my coffee on top of my mug.
   
   
5. It’s not really “coarse” or “ready” it’s more of a “fine” to “coarse”. There’s not really any way to do this other than trial and error. If you get the mini mill, start at about 6-8 clicks and then see what your brew time is. If it’s really short, like 1-1:45, it’s likely too coarse, but if it’s 5 mins plus, it’s likely too fine. You’re shooting for a brew time between 2:30-3:30 mins, but sometimes you’ll like it a bit longer or shorter. Don’t worry about the time too much, since you should base your coffee on how it tastes, not the variables you put in.
   
   
6. The filters on your amazon list are sufficient. I would recommend if you start with the tabbed ones, that you stick with them. Always buy bleached as well. The “natural” ones will need a lot of washing before they stop tasting like cardboard. Not worth it.
   
   
7. I would recommend the plastic v60 as it’s better at heat insulation, which gives a more consistent brew temp, and is also more durable, so if you drop it it won’t break. I would also say to either get a cheaper kettle, or spend a little more and get the highly discounted and highly recommended bonavita variable temp kettle for $44
   You could also save on your scale and get something like a Jennings CJ4000 (I have it, and you can plug it in so you don’t have tho use batteries) the hario scale is more accurate to .1 as opposed to the Jennings .5 but that’s not super import in pourover. Especially as a beginner, you won’t be able to detect the taste difference of a few 10ths of a gram of water or ground coffee. The hario also lags, and your mostly paying extra for the aesthetic. But if the aesthetic is worth it, go for it.

This electric kettle was $22 when i got it, but it's served me very well for over 2 years now. And it even survived my coworkers using it as a fucking teapot

=^ ]

multiple times.

https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Balanced-1750-Watt-Electric-Temperature/dp/B0086UJQN8/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1467010643&sr=1-7&keywords=electric+kettle+adjustable

$27


And this is my suggestion for a teapot for 2 reasons

https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Ceramic-Teapot-Infuser-16-Ounce/dp/B00HFGSPWM/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1467010804&sr=8-18&keywords=forlife+teapot

It's cheap and safe. For borosilicate glass i dont have time to temper shit .-.

And the second being you can Take out the strainer to use in cups and it is very good quality. Or you can do that WITH the black part and lid to keep the cup sealed and warm while you steep it in a cup. I like to have the option to do both and honestly, yea all teapots are pricy. But you'll pay $13 for a single cup brewer set anyway and this is one of the cheaper teapots available that isn't going to break.

Same thing, 2 years, still perfect.

I have the Bonavita variable temp gooseneck kettle and I absolutely love it. The gooseneck is much better than the stubby spouts for gongfu. Easier to control the pour. Plus 1L is the perfect size, so that I'm not continuously boiling the same water.

By the way, there have been quite a few threads in the past with the same discussion, you could probably find some good info by searching for "electric kettle" or something like that ;)

Grinder is the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. Seriously do not skimp here. I'd almost maximize your $125 budget and get baratza encore. It doesn't seem like grind quality can make a difference but after experience better grind consistency I will ALWAYS recommend that.

Get the barazta encore for $100 (refurbished) - $130 shipped prime

THen save up for a bonavita kettle - http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420866671&sr=8-2&keywords=bonavita+kettle

That one has been GREAT for me.


Any scale will work.

1. This is something I have not known I wanted before now. I was doing some research on something I could do to make my macro photography better and this is the most amazing product I have ever seen. If I don't win, I am going to buy this. It will really change how my images turn out! Plus, I want to start selling fine art images, and it would be easier to get really good images if I had this, rather then them being great macro images, but poorly lit. :)
   
   
   
2. If I got this amazing electric kettle I know I would use it several times a day. I have been wanting this for almost a year now. C'mon...gimme.
   
   Lookin mighty splendiferous today, if I do say so mahself!

While on tour last summer, I had this little kit to keep my coffee habit happy in middle of nowhere America:

Hario Mini Mill

[Bonavita Bona Voyage 0.5-Liter Electric Travel Kettle] (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Voyage-0-5-Liter-Electric-Travel/dp/B008YQLZOW/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1404394599&sr=1-10&keywords=bonavita)

Clever Dripper

I went with this set up so I didn't have to worry about bringing a goose neck kettle with me and could just pour straight from the kettle to the clever. I weighed out the typical amount of beans I use for a full Clever and marked it on the mini mill so I wouldn't have to keep a scale with me. Worked great and saved me from buying daily coffees at Starbucks. I've seen others post more elaborate travel set ups around here, so hopefully they'll respond.

An electric kettle designed for pouring over coffee will make you life with the Aeropress much easier with less spillage. For example I am currently using this Electric Coffee Kettle.

I would also recommend getting a reusable metal filter instead of using the paper filters. I think it really helps the taste - it makes the AeroPress more of a French press. I use this Filter.

I also would say grind the beans yourself right before you brew if you want the best and freshest coffee. I used to pre-grind at the store and it makes a HUGE difference. I have an electric grinder, however I want to try hand grinding in the future.

I am an unashamed Sleepytime tea addict...it's a must every night before bed. Yes, it's a mix, but chamomile is the main note. I got one of these and one of these for his recent Happ-Tea Birthday with a bunch of quality loose leaf black teas. He decided he just likes his Red Rose English Breakfast tea bags, so I get to play around with the tea steeper. I quit caffeine, so I haven't tried those, but I've tried Tranquil Dreams so far which I really liked. I think I might get a just straight up chamomile and lavender blend next go around.

Long live tea!! :-D

I get Jimmy joy its cheaper but it's less smooth. Soylent use to be a good option but they jacked their prices up year after year. It definitely saves a ton of cash if you get jimmy joy. It's like $2 a meal.

Just a warning mixing soy-lent or any of these products in liquid above room temperature destroys many of the vitamins. If you want proof mix it in high temp inside an airtight bottle, it will create a ton of gas.

As far as no kitchen. Get a mini-fridge ($70) and a hot plate ($15). Perfect size pot for hot plate. An electric kettle is pretty useful too. I have all this crap in my room because I have 4 roomates and trying to get in the kitchen is fucking annoying.

Other option for cheap food is rice / beans / eggs / veggies ect. All can be cooked with a hot plate. Dehydrated veggies are a god send

Is your goal French press specifically (as in, the coarse grind and long brew time that results in that characteristic slightly-grainy taste) - or is it more generally non-shitty coffee from an automatic machine?

The mechanics of French press make it hard to automate, so I'm not terribly surprised there's not a lot of robotic presses out there. If your goal is just good coffee without a long manual process, the best option I'm aware of are the automatic "pour-over" machines:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KCM0802OB-Coffee-Brewer-Black/dp/B00OQJ7X8S/

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1902DW-Coffee-Brewer-Silver/dp/B0752CKQHW/

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Barista-Brain-Coffee-Maker/dp/B00YEYKK8U/

There's also "fully automated" espresso machines. A lot of them even include a grinder, so in theory you can press 1 button and get a latte or americano or whatever a few minutes later. They tend to be $$$ and use up a lot of counter space, though.

My personal setup is fairly manual - an electric kettle and an Aeropress. The electric kettle is way easier than a kettle on the stove - the one I linked has variable temp controls, so you can set it to heat up to 80 C and hold there. Doesn't need constant monitoring the way a teakettle on a burner does, and you'll get much better results with not-quite-boiling water. And the Aeropress makes fucking great coffee, without the PITA of cleaning a French press.

What do you dislike about the design - The plastic handle? The base? The shape of the kettle?

If you can narrow that down, it will help with suggestions.

The Cosori isn't stainless, but it's still pretty attractive if the matte black works with your kitchen. OXO makes a stainless one that is pretty popular around here.

I highly recommend the Hario Drip Scale. It's made for coffee, super easy to use, accurate, dependable, and good aesthetic design. Been using it for 2 years.

Edit: And while we're on the subject, you don't only want to measure your coffee beans. You want to measure your water temperature and get a consistent grind as well. This Bonavita electric kettle has always been good to me, as well as the Baratza Burr Grinder.

I have a Contigo Autoseal Tumbler and absolutely love it. It's super easy to clean and keeps my tea hot for a few hours (yes, hot).


As for a kettle, get him a variable temperature kettle so that he can adjust the temperature based on his tea preference. I have this Cuisinart kettle. I've had it for 4 years and still works great.

First, your college sounds way nicer than my college so yeah for you. :-)


A hot pot is basically an electric pot that looks like something you'd put on a stove but instead plug into a while. They are pretty safe so generally allowed by most dorms. They are super cheap too and available at target or walmart... here's a link to one.


Also, white boards are an essential part of the college experience. You have to have one. You just have to. Tell your mom I said so. :-)

Full disclosure: I work for this company, but your question perfectly describes the Discovery Collection at Red Blossom Tea. It's a box including 1 oz each of 4 teas in a variety of styles. Perfect for tasting a little bit of everything to explore.

As for the kettle, my fave is this Hario one, from Amazon. The gooseneck spout makes it easy to pour without spilling, and there's no plastic on the inside. It doesn't have temperature control, though, so it might not be best if you're trying to be precise with your water temperatures.

Not sure, never tried. But I highly recommend giving Adagio a try -- they've got their main loose leaf teas, and then they have community-curated blends you can order, which there are a lot of and there are sure to be some that interest you. The blends are loose leaf as well, and can include extras like berries or little chocolate nibs for additional flavors.

Plus, when placing your order, they give you an option to share on Facebook (I think, been a while since I've had to reorder. I always share privately to "No One" too because your friends really don't care what you order, ha), and they'll then let you toss a free sample bag or two into your cart, which is good for quite a good amount of cups of tea. And of course they have a reward points system.

If you don't have anything for brewing loose-leaf, they've even got you covered there: this personal teapot works extremely well. You just put your loose leaf in, dump the water in (which should of course be already heated, I have this little guy for that but you can just heat it however you normally do), let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then set the teapot on top of your mug and the liquid comes out of the bottom through a fine mesh filter. Been using mine for 3 years so far.

I swear I do not work for Adagio -- just a loyal customer!

Moka pots are fun, but I can't make it a daily thing.

I say shore up your pour over gear. A gooseneck kettle ($38) and a scale ($17) are musts.

You could replace the plastic cone with something prettier like a v60 ($11), but you can use the scale and kettle with the plastic pour over cone just fine.

[edit] the pour over cone I linked isn't a v60, but I'm sure you can find it :)

If I was in your situation, I'd purchase:

• Aerobie Aeropress - $25
  
• Prolex Grinder - $50
  
• Hario Buono - $50
  
• Thermometer - $10
  
• Kitchen scale - $15
  
  Remember, good beans are vital to a good cup, so make sure to stop by your local artisan roaster for a pound of fresh coffee beans. Once you become more invested in coffee, you'll probably want to try more brew methods like Chemex, V60 (pourover), french press, and maybe even espresso. Best of luck!

>The same goddamn drip brew I do at home?

​

just like craft beers, and microbreweries, there are equally enthusiastic coffee drinkers.

"drip brew" does not exist in that world. (yes, sounds assholish, but the coffee is really fucking good)

its like top shelf vs bottom shelf. drink to get drunk, drink to enjoy the flavor.

​

I won't drink it any other way now. I used to use a french press.

​

how to pour-over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aWH9UgmuCM

​

when you go to starbucks/Peets, they fill your cup from a tank.

​

when you go to a pourover coffee place, they make it one cup at a time. every cup is hand poured, beans are ground immediately before use. and they use beam heaters because, believe it or not.. temperature really matters. coffee made from 200 degree water tastes different than coffee made from 212 water.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Beam-Heater-Coffee-Syphon/dp/B00R6YPTYA

​

​

for home..

optional - but helps make hot water, but not too hot - note the narrow spout to control where the water goes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YR0F40/

​

one of these and the filters to go with.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Plastic-Coffee-Dripper-Size/dp/B006IKMUIG/

​

​

​

Not sure about availability and pricing in Germany so everything here is in US dollars. If pricing over there is a straight conversion from dollars to euros ( $100 = 105€) you'll be pretty close to 100€.

In terms of grinders, you'll be in the manual grinding arena with Hario Skerton, Hario Mini or the Porlex JP-3 if you want to spend a bit more. Just be aware these are good enough for a single person but if you're doing more, be prepared to grind in batches.

Since you're doing a pour over, you're going to need a gooseneck kettle to help control your pour. You're out of the range for electric kettles with temperature control, however you may be able to find electric goosenecks without temperature controls. Again, Hario is a popular option but I've heard mixed reviews about them, namely poor heat retention and debate over whether to use it directly on a stove top. The Stagg Kettle is well regarded and can fit into your budget if you choose a less expensive grinder.

I usually look for Bonavita for my kettles. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s a guarantee of good quality.

Also, you can get an electric gooseneck with built in temperature control for around $40.

Bonavita BV382510V 1.0L Digital Variable Temperature Gooseneck Kettle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YR0F40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_T.goDbFT58JXW

Mine looks a little different, but I’ve had it for about 1.5 years and it’s been a trusty companion to making great coffee at home.

I have the grinder one step up, the Virtuoso, and I still agree that the Encore is a better "bang for your buck." I absolutely love mine and don't regret it at all though. When I do eventually get into home espresso (in a few years) there's a good chance I'll go with Baratza again since they're releasing a dedicated home espresso grinder this year.

A gooseneck is super useful for pourovers but honestly kind of a pain for anything else because of what makes it so useful, the slow pour rate. It's absolutely necessary for a v60, for example.

I have the variable temp bonavita gooseneck that's useful for tea, but I'm definitely eyeing a Stagg kettle, and I'm probably going to buy my sister a non-variable temp model soon now that I've gotten her and her husband into pour-overs.

I have this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0083I7THI/

I actually bought one of the Amazon warehouse ones for like $28 or so. They come and go.

So far, it heats the water quickly and works pretty easily. I haven't verified the temperature independently, but I'm honestly not that exacting (/r/coffee blasphemy, I know).

The LCD interface to set the temp and other things is pretty confusing. I pretty much just fought through it, set the temp to 195 (what I like my aeropress at) and then have left it alone. Now I just hit the on button, it heats up and holds for an hour.

Possibly my only complaint is a gooseneck would be nice, but I mostly do aeropress, not pour over, so I just am careful with the pour and don't have any issues.

As /u/Lion_Thompson mentioned, you can consider getting a BonaVita that allows you to control the water temperature, that is, if it's within your budget. I usually brew mine at 205F but there're a lot of Aeropress recipes out there. Heard someone used 140F in a competition so you can definitely experiment with it!

Otherwise, I'd recommend just getting a decent gram scale so that you can start playing with the coffee:ground ratio, and the brew time if you'd like :)

I can attest that the Cuisinart is an excellent unit and lasts a long time:

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CPK-17-PerfecTemp-1-7-Liter-Stainless/dp/B003KYSLNQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510530254&sr=8-2&keywords=cuisinart+electric+kettle

I also have experience with the Breville and greatly enjoy it.

I don't think you can go wrong with a traditional Chinese-styled teapot and strainer over a sharing cup. It's simple, cheap to get into, and can well handle many different tea types.

I hope you enjoy exploring tea, it's a wonderful world,

• Tealos

Hario Skerton - $32
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B2O5VOM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LxDHzbJQNV9DR

Skerton ring upgrade - $11
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012HDKKQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IyDHzbJWM7A4G

Gooseneck kettle - $35
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kADHzb5K0P63V

The kettle isn't nearly as necessary as the grinder upgrade but it would help with pourover. I would definitely recommend getting a burr grinder though, I had a similar setup to yours for a long time and the skerton totally blew my mind. I also haven't tried the ring upgrade personally but I have had issues with the skerton in coarser settings and that's exactly what it's for so I thought I'd mention it.

Edit: I just noticed you didn't have a scale there. I would definitely get a scale instead of the kettle, [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FSHPNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oDDHzb5FS147N) is $20 and works really well.

A little more than $20 but nice is this Hamilton Beach programable one I just got on sale on Amazon for $33. Has different temp settings which is SUPER nice
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0083I7THI/ref=sxts1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481582302&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65

Electric kettles are awesome -- they are much faster than stovetop.

I have this one it has very little plastic exposed to the water, and the buttons are great.

There are 5 buttons for different types of tea, but you could just use the "boil" one for coffee.

The pre-sets are super easy, and you can also choose to have the kettle keep re-heating your water for you if you want.

Electric kettles are safer than stovetop kettles -- they turn off automatically when the water is boiling, and they have boil-dry protection as well. I have ruined a few stove-top kettles this way.

I know people who have this style of temperature-controlled kettle (controls on handle, a water level window, etc) and recommend it, but a few have complained about the taste of the water in a kettle that boils the water where it is in contact with plastic like this. I don't own or use any of these, so I can't give a personal recommendation one way or another.

I have both the Bonavita and the Hamilton Beach temperature controlled kettles, and both give great results without the plastic window. The Bonivita is more expensive but the gooseneck spout is great for slow controlled pours into small gongfu teaware. The Hamilton Beach is more standard with a quickflow stubby spout, but it controls the temperature well at half the price or less of the Bonivita.

This is the one I have but it appears to be discontinued, though is still available from third party sellers:
https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_29?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1544024690&sr=8-29&keywords=electric+kettle

Here's one in the same price range ($24) that gets good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Gourmia-GDK260-Electric-Rotates-Cordless/dp/B01MD0D5IH/ref=sr_1_4?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1551041059&sr=8-4&keywords=variable+temperature+electric+kettle&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

It looks like Hamilton Beach has two new models of variable temperature kettles, both of which are really pretty, one is copper and one is glass, but they're both around $50.

If anyone wants a digitally-programmable kettle for cheaper than this, this is the one I have. I love it. I got it at the recommendation of someone else here on /r/tea and it's fantastic.

It's pretty accurate (not as accurate as some $100ish programmable kettles I've seen, but hey, it's a $40 digital kettle), and the time-programming feature might be very confusing, but it's overall a great buy. I love this thing. Very small parts of the inside (such as the silicone gasket for the temp sensor and for the fill bar) are plastic, but overall the inside is almost all metal and doesn't impart a taste to the water. And besides that, silicone is food-safe even at high temperatures.

I treated myself to this after a year or two of wanting a convenient kettle, it's held up perfectly for 5 years of constant use now. I'm a barista by day, tea lover at home, so it was sure worth it. Coffee, just like tea, often benefits from more control of temperature than the standard "off-boiling".

It doesn't really come as a "kit," what he's recommending (and something I would suggest myself) is getting a good grinder a kitchen scale (doesn't matter what kind as long as it measures in grams), a kettle (if you really like tea, go ahead and splurge on one with temperature control if not, any old electric kettle will do), and lastly, /r/coffee's hands-down favorite noobie coffee brewer, the aeropress.

The aeropress is, in essence, a big ass syringe with a filter where the needle would go. I won't get into the specifics of any of the umpteen fuckzillion ways to brew with it, but the instructions that come with the aeropress will make something really tasty and a lot like espresso, and there's tons of methods on how to make good, strong black coffee with it.

I'll be honest, it won't be as rock simple as insert pod->push button-> receive coffee-like liquid, and it'll take a little trial and error but the aeropress is much less of a pain in the ass than other brewers (cleanup takes literally two seconds) and once you put a little love into it and learn how to use it properly it'll never seem like a chore. IMO a low-effort method like a french press or aeropress requires no more effort than making a pot of coffee in a regular all-american drip brewer.

Anyhow, if you decide to go with the aeropress or another manual method, I'd suggest also reading this quick and dirty introduction to coffee that I wrote up just to get a basic idea of the methods behind the madness as to why everyone's steering you away from pods and how to get a great cup of coffee.

Hope this all helps!

WOW, you guys rock with this mass of suggestions and tips!

I think I've come to a conclusion on my Kuerig-crushing morning joe solution.

Aeropress, Hario Skim grinder, and a T-Fal kettle.

Went with the T-Fal because it just looks to be a better made device than the other one for minimal cost increase, not as a matter of difference in my coffee product.
http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Balanced-1750-Watt-Electric-Temperature/dp/B0086UJQN8/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1415310283&sr=1-2&keywords=Electric+kettle

Thanks again folks, keep calm and coffee on.

My vote would be to get an Aeropress and an electric kettle. Sheesh, I saw that they have the Aeropress at Target now (at a good price, too). He can make a coffee by the mug (forget a coffeemaker that makes a pot if he's only going to drink "a coffee" every few days). You can use regular ground coffee with the Aeropress, and the only thing he will need to figure out is how much coffee he wants to put in it (which determines how strong the resulting coffee it). The benefit of this system is that the electric kettle will be useful for other things (like tea, if you are a tea drinker, for instance... or cups of noodles, stuff like that). Here is a video on the Aeropress, so you can see how easy/simple it is to use. There are LOTS of videos on the Aeropress on YouTube. It makes good coffee.

Something that made a huge difference for us was investing in an awesome burr grinder, and then spending $40 or so on a Chemex brew pot. The filter in the Chemex is a lot thicker than most, so I find if I rinse it properly beforehand, I wind up with rich, delicious coffee that has not even a hint of bitterness (in fact, sometimes a little too smooth for my taste--I like a little bite!). You might try a Chemex and see if it makes a difference for you, since they're not expensive.

We also splurged on an electric kettle: this one, in fact, which would also help with tea-making since it has selectable temperatures for various tea varieties.

Brewing really isn't complicated at all if you invest in the right equipment. You can get a functional variable temperature kettle for ~$40 on amazon and an easy to use tea pot for ~20.

Honestly I would recommend decent equipment first over a wide variety of teas to begin with.

I would also point you to upton tea which has really cheap samples and offers pretty much the best price for any tea I have found on multiple vendors.

If I were you I would spend it on a nice kettle like this or some teaware, or just save it for something else

You're not going to find great quality tea on Amazon

If you want a quality tea sampler I would highly recommend What-Cha's Intro to Tea Collection

Honestly I'm truly grateful for the presences of my friends in my life. This summer I have been having a lot of financial issues which resulting in my depression worsening to the point I was suicidal..if it wasnt for my best friend Logan I wouldn't be typing this. If you ever read this dude thank you for all the 4am calls to comfort me, and never quitting on me. Your the bestest friend in the world.

This kettle would be cool dorms suck!
or well anything!

I have one and it's been pretty great so far. I did have to watch some YouTube videos to get it right though. I had some instances where the water would bubble up and spill everywhere when lifting the arms. The flair seems to be a lot more straightforward. With either the flair or rok I would recommend an immersion heater like this https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Instant-Electric-Immersion-Heater/dp/B01M0Q84BR so you can ensure temps are where you want them to be. I did stop using it in favor of a portapresso Rossa pg air though.

Hey there. If you haven’t already you should browse /r/tea. I know it’s a bit overwhelming, but their tea FAQ breaks down a lot to of good info for beginners.

I currently use a fancy multi temperature electric kettle that my husband bought me (this one by Cuisinart ), but in the past I brewed tea by using a stove top kettle or even just a pan on the stove. How you heat the water is up to your preference. Just make sure you’re heating the water the right temperature and the correct steeping time for the type of tea you’re brewing (covered in the tea FAQ).

If I want more than one cup of tea, my electric kettle actually keeps the water at the correct temperature for 30 mins so I can easily go back and pour another cup. I also have a 6 cup ceramic tea pot that I use and I find it reasonably keeps the tea warm enough, though I usually only use it if I’m drinking tea with someone else. If a tea pot doesn’t seem to keep it warm enough you can knit or crochet or buy a tea cozy to insulate the pot.

I only use loose leaf teas now since the price is better and it’s much fresher than bagged teas. I shop with Asiago since I can order online or go to their shop downtown, but there’s tons of tea shops to choose from.

Easy Ramen!

First, you'll need one of these.

Next, you need a brick of Ramen noodles. Fill the water to the top line, then place the brick in –it fits very nicely. Turn it on and wait for it to click off. Perfect Ramen!

While not the healthiest food, Ramen is extremely customizable with tons of different spices and ingredients that either don't need refrigeration, or come de-hydrated.

I soup my Ramen by adding soy sauce, sesame seed oil, broccoli, and sriracha on top. The broccoli can be added to the water while the Ramen is cooking in the kettle, and it will come out nicely.

/u/phawtnawsty:

To me, the important parts of pourover with manual grinding is more in the experience for the user compared to the exactness of everything.

Get whatever products you feel good about getting, and be sure they fit budget--ya gotta be able to buy coffee to make coffee.

I saw that the hario VKB 1.2 liter was on sale through amazon link

A higher end model is the Bonavita, but that is really just because it comes with an electric, less than exact, heating base. link to amazon

In reality, you can find fanboys of both, and there are benefits to "dialing in" your temperature; however, using a manual grinder, and doing stove top until the water boils is all that is really necessary, and electric heating pads are almost never very accurate.

Eventually, ie 2 years, you'll need to replace the 6 USD v60. I recommend using the 20 USD ceramic amazon.

Similarly, I have heard very few complaints about the Hario Skerton Mills amazon and you can get an official upgrade kit that stabilizes lower burr to produce a more consistent coarse grind amazon link.

A price breakdown would lend itself to the following for this setup:

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
Grinder | Hario Skerton | $39.37 @ Amazon
Kettle | Hario VKB-120HSVV60 Buono Pouring Kettle, 1.2 litre | $33.89 @Amazon Saving 49%
Coffee Dripper | Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper (size 02, white) | $19.46 @ Amazon
Grinder Upgrade | Blue Horse Products Hario Skerton Upgrade Kit | $10.99 @ Amazon
| Total | $103.71


You'd have about a hundred dollars left in budget, so you could buy an encore refurb from Baratza.


I hope my table worked :D
edit: fixed my table

Yeah, this is what I've got now- SO much easier to control, and way easier to work with. Less clean up, too. Love it!

These are less baby related and more you related:

Go buy big maxi pads now- you bleed after delivery, regardless of whether it is vaginal or a c-section and the big pads are not something you want to send hubby out to get, mainly because you may have something specific in mind...

Also, the anesthesia/pain killers can really bind you up so you may consider buying an enema kit (sorry for the TMI) but you don't want to be in a bad way stuck at home with the babies.

For breastfeeding, I always recommend getting and filling a prescription for Newman's Nipple Ointment now and taking it to the hospital with you. Way better than lanolin, IMO. Link here: http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&id=76:all-purpose-nipple-ointment-apno&Itemid=17

And check out the videos on the Stanford Newborn Nursery for establishing milk supply.

Again, if nursing, a chair/sofa corner that allows you to sit all the way up with your back supported with a small table very close by to hold the remote, a glass of water, wiping cloth.

Prep and freeze meals. And get some stuff that requires little/quick prep -you need to eat to make milk but you have no time.

One of these for your babies heads - http://www.amazon.com/Bean-Clean-Scalp-Massaging-Cradle/dp/B002PYZCWU

For bottle warming we would just stick the bottles in a bowl, cup of warm/hot water and this was THE BEST for heating/boiling water fast:
http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-259-Kettle-Polished-Chrome/dp/B000BY4ZHO When a baby is screaming 2 minutes is an eternity.

We also bought a front loading washer with a Sanitize cycle - between poop, spit up and thrush, it was just really nice to have around.

We received so many adorable outfits but once the girls arrived I was SO into simple - the sleep and plays - footed zip ups were my favorite.

YAY! :D let me think.... I'll add things to this post as I think of them.

Bed Caddy

Bed Risers

Hamper

This Book (my cousin got it for me when I started college way back when, and it really has a lot of good advice)

Storage

Dry Erase Calendar

Small Room Safe

Dorm Security

Command Strips

This amazing food/beverage station

A freaking PURPLE fridge

Brita

Make pooping in a shared bathroom less embarrassing

This photo display

An electric kettle

Also a planner! I like to make my own and use different colored pens to differentiate between my classes! If you want the template I use for my planner, I can send you a link to it! :D

Really I'd recommend getting a filter like this one and an electric kettle. They have some cheap ones (like ~$15) that you should be able to use in your dorm room. Just put water in and hit the button, it shuts off when it's done. There are more expensive ones that allow you to set the temperature which is nice for some of the more delicate green and white teas but in a dorm setting, I'd just go for something like this.

As for tea, I highly recommend anything from adagio. They also have some kettles but they are Stainless Steel and more expensive. They are also the makers of the IngenuiTea which you can get from them or elsewhere. My coworker has one and it's nice. I prefer the strainer I originally linked to because I can just store it in my mug and it doesn't take up that much space.

Had a pretty weakly drip-brewed cup and a half of Dunkin Donuts, but I drank it lounging in a hammock in a gazebo staring out at the ocean with a nice, cool, salty breeze blowing in my face.

Not too worried about the quality either because I have a bonavita gooseneck kettle coming in tomorrow that was on sale for $60. That along with some Counter Culture Ethiopian that should arrive around the same time makes the rest of this week look quite heavenly.

For those of you interested in an electric kettle, consider this Bonavita kettle. It has restaurant/barista precision when it comes to accurate temperature. Kettles like the one posted here can have a variance of 5% of the set temperature which can mean almost 10 degrees difference if you're aiming for 180, and even more when you're heading to black teas. This kettle here is accurate within 2% of the exact temperature you set it for. Check around at good tea and coffee shops (you'll see baristas shooting for 205F when doing coffee) and using similar devices. Don't risk scolding your precious leaves! Simple brewed beverage enthusiast here.
http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40

An electric kettle that tells you the temperature. Even better if it keeps it at your desired temperature for you. If you plan on getting into tea, it's really nice to have.

I first started out with using a normal stove kettle with a thermometer. It was a pain in the ass. A few months later as I got more into tea I got a cheap electric kettle off Amazon and used the thermometer with that. Still a pain in the ass. Used that set up for about a year until I finally upgraded to a kettle that tells me the temp, let's me set the temp I want, and keeps it at that temp for an hour. I can also set the clock on it and have it heat up the water before I wake up so it's ready to go when I want tea in the morning.

My advice: Skip the fiddling around with a thermometer and just get a decent electric kettle right from the get-go. Even if you decide you don't like tea anymore the kettle is still great for anytime you need warm/hot/boiling water for something.

Here is the one I have When I bought mine it was like $40 or $50 I think, it's only like $23 right now. That's a steal. It's a pretty solid electric kettle, especially at that price. I'm sure there's much nicer ones that are even better, but that one has been great for me personally. Haven't had a single problem with it. My only complaint is that I wish the cord was a bit longer.

• If you're an engineer and have a little disposable income, one very popular choice is the Bonavita 1l variable temp kettle. Sometimes the lids on these do rust for no apparent reason. Cheap thermometers are cheap, and you might want to have one.
  
  
• A 10-12oz ceramic mug is good for starting out with. There is a Chinese style with a lid that has a lot to recommend it.
  
  
• Tea from good vendors comes in packaging that will keep it adequately fresh for months. You should just drink it up soon enough that you don't need storage.
  
  
• You are missing a basket-style infuser.
  
  
• Not absolutely necessary, if you are sticking with small broken-leaf tea that can easily be measured with a spoon, a small digital scale is inexpensive and useful for measuring tea with large, fancy leaf or tea that has been compressed.
  
  This is basic gear for so-called "Western-style" brewing for one person. If you decide you want to scale up with this method, there are pots that work with the same principle.
  

What equipment do you currently have and how much are you willing to spend?

I decent entry level setup for pour overs would be:

• Fresh beans (local or online)
  
• V60 Starter Kit
  
• Baratza Encore Grinder
  
• Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle
  
  This is in the order I'd suggest purchasing them as well. You'll get the best initial quality increase from fresh beans, the grinder will ensure you're getting well ground (i.e. more consistent sized granules) coffee, and the kettle is more of a nice-to-have but it's a great piece of kit.

The T-Fal kettles are great. I have the larger one, but I'll recommend the smaller one to you. You won't find a 1750 W heating element in many kettles, it's pretty powerful!

If she drinks tea-bagged tea then she probably doesn’t really need or care about precise temperature control. But if you are settled on giving her a nice kettle Bonavita or CuisineArt should do. The are good looking, working well, reliable kettles. And if your mom will, one day, decide to turn to loose leaf teas, she’ll do well with these same kettles.

Also, there is Fellow Stagg EKG. I haven’t tried it, so can’t vouch for it, but it’s definitely good looking! (and expensive:)

IMO I think you can get better bang for your bucks, all possible with a cheaper price tag -- I've assembled a list assuming a pour over kit. Obviously you would want to get a dripper. Now, there are a lot of different kinds out there (even within the same product line e.g. plastic vs ceramic construction), amongst which the popular ones would be the Hario V60 and the Melitta, the Beehouse included. For the kettle, you can get the Bonavita Variable GooseNeck for $60 now at Amazon (it's a steal!), or the Stovetop version for $20 less. The Bonavita allows the user to manipulate the temperature much more precisely, and thus ensures more consistent consecutive cups of coffee. To be even more precise, get a scale. I have owned the Hario Slim Mill for some time now, and with some simple modification, it can grind some pretty darn consistent grinds! I think altogether this will sum total to at most the same price. And above all, make sure you buy him freshly roasted beans!

I'd look into the Baratza Encore. You can frequently find refurbed ones for ~$100, but still worth it IMO new. As for a kettle, I've been using an electric Bonavita for about 3 years now -- can't recommend it enough. You can find stovetop goosnecks for about half the price on Amazon. Also if your friend doesn't have one already, I'd also suggest getting a scale. I've been using this HuiSmart one which is super convenient since it has the built-in timer and measures to .1g.

All this would run you just under $200. Of the suggestions, I think I would prioritize more of your budget to the grinder then kettle then scale.

Since I'm a coffee nerd as well, if you're looking to get into coffee for god sakes save for a good grinder. Visit /r/coffee and browse around.

Minimum setup for decent coffee IMHO for a beginner

Grinder: https://www.amazon.com/Porlex-JP-30-Stainless-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0002JZCF2/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788564&sr=8-12&keywords=hand+coffee+grinder

Kalita Wave for Pour-over: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-05033-Wave-185-Drippers/dp/B000X1AM0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788582&sr=8-1&keywords=kalita+wave

Goose neck kettle: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSVV60-Buono-Pouring-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788593&sr=8-7&keywords=gooseneck+kettle

Alternatively to the wave,

Aeropress - https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1499788632&sr=1-3&keywords=aeropress

Clever - https://www.amazon.com/Clever-Coffee-Dripper-Large-Ounces/dp/B00EOM5RN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788656&sr=8-3&keywords=clever+coffee+dripper

Personal notes:
I've used all 3 types of coffee makers above and I still prefer my Kalita wave/v60. If I'm pressed for time and don't really want to think, the Clever.

Adagio kettles are pretty nice actually:

https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-utiliTEA-Variable-Temperature/dp/B001A5NFQA

They have the functions you'd want (except for holding it at a given temp for long periods of time, like a Zojirushi).

They're also pretty durable, which is the biggest problem I've run into with electric kettles--they tend to not last that long (which is the reason why I just use a microwave and stove kettle at home--the electric kettles I maintain at another house, where I've settled on Adagio after trying different brands over the years).

Zojirushi makes the best ones really, but those tend to heat slowly and hold water at a temp for a long period of time, rather than heat quickly. They're also more expensive. But if you would like to have water at a given temp all day, they might be the better bet.

​

After doing a bunch of research we ended up getting a Cuisinart CPK-17. If you're in the US you can get it for about $80 at Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon (usually available on demand by e-mail).

It's been really excellent so far and I can't recommend it enough. It's extremely well insulated and the "Keep warm" feature actually does a very good job of holding the temperature for short time periods. Cuisinarts are slowly taking over our kitchen because their build quality is just really great right now.

there are some cookbooks on amazon for frugal student cooking
used copies plus shipping is about $5. and some have great reviews.

Obviously there some awesome websites for recipes http://studentrecipes.com/ http://www.budgetbytes.com/


What i found useful were recipes you could make from raw ingredients you could get easily cheaply and store well. this is why pasta, rice and noodles are popular. the base is always handy and all you have to do is add dressings. Cans of beans and nuts are also great ways to add a protein to your meal without having to worry about it going bad before you eat it.

Find about 12 recipes you like and can make easily and then just rotate them. That's enough to keep you from being bored, save MEAT centered recipes for once a week, such as in a crockpot and the rest of the week eat meat free. Because meat is the most expensive ingredient and the easiest to screw up and let it go bad before you remember to cook it. Essentially you buy the meat on the same day you cook it and the leftovers go in the fridge and have to be eaten before the next time you cook meat, so the leftover won't go blue and fuzzy.



Indeed a crockpot is essentia Proctor 1.5 slow cooker $13 but i'd get the biggest one you can afford. ...actually when i moved in this apartment i had no serious money and no stove. I started off with all the inexpensive items from Proctor Silex - usually sold in walgreens, cvs, and other cheap appliance stores... Proctor 1 liter electric kettle $14 Proctor Toaster Oven $22 Proctor Hot Plate $14 which does have a draw back for boiling large pots of anyting, it's really a more egg frying/ grilled cheesy thing. Black and Decker has a 3 cup rice cooker for $12

It is easy for your dorm room to get unkempt if you start cooking in it for real, so a dedicated foot locker perhaps upright with shelves banged in. Put everything away clean when you don't use it. Put a dishpan in the locker, 1st thing you take out put your dirty items in it as you cook and eat, then take it to the bathroom and wash everything and then bring it all back and put it in the footlocker and then put everything in on top.

One of my favorite books was Cooking in a Bedsitter by Whitehorn..an English cookery book, but the ideas worked. A bedsitter is a dorm room with no running water, no fridge and nothing but a gas ring/hot plate to cook on. So basically you have to really think out what you are going to make and plan ahead. My solution was to cook small amounts very often so i didn't have to store a lot of food or leftovers.

It's not really a question of "better". It's just different, and it's up to you which you prefer (or maybe you'll prefer one or the other depending on the coffee beans). In my opinion, French press coffee tends to be somewhat muddled. It's hard for me to distinguish different flavor notes. Pour over produces a cleaner cup that's also less oily, and none of the fine coffee grounds end up in the cup. I usually use the French press for blends, but stick to the pour over for single origin coffees.

For making pour over coffee, it's pretty important to have a kettle that gives you good control over the pour, which is why a gooseneck spout is preferred. I would recommend the Bonavita 1L variable temperature kettle.

I have a zojirushi boiler/warmer, and I don't think it'll do what you're asking for. What it does is that it boils water, lets it cool to a user set temperature, and then keeps it at that temperature. So if you want hot water on demand, and you tend to need to heat water several times a day or convenience is really important to you, it's a great device. Mine is over ten years old and still working great. But it doesn't make the coffee for you.

The closest device I would suggest is an old fashioned one cup coffee maker. I got a $5 one from target nearly a decade ago, and it's pretty fast in terms of making one cup of hot coffee/water. It's got a reusable filter too, so no waste. This device is small, smaller than the water boiler, but it's still stashed away in the cabinet. Our household doesn't drink that much coffee, so most of the time, we just use the zojirushi and a vietnamese coffee filter. We used to have a pourover filter, but I don't know where that's gone, I think I lent it to someone and never got it back. My parents use a zojirushi and a pourover filter, or powdered coffee, or cold brew, they're coffee people.

Reminder: if you're only going to need a cup of hot water, you don't have to fill the whole electric kettle and boil the whole thing. You can boil just the one cup, or whatever the minimum water level is. It takes a lot less time to heat up one cup of water vs 2L of water.

Or boil however much water and keep it in a thermos to gongfu with during the day, pre heating the thermos will help significantly with heat retention. I use a 40oz stanley that I take to work.

I also have one of those small travel electric water heaters, and it works fine. I just have alot of kitchen gadgets, it's a weakness.

I don't have one of those instant immersion heaters ( https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Immersion-Electric-Portable-Reheater/dp/B01M0Q84BR/ ), which is basically a metal coil you can put in your cup of water to heat it, but if counter space is an issue, it looks pretty small and you could stick it in a drawer.

If you want pourover (though you specified you're not crazy about it), go with the Hario V-60 ceramic. Pick up one of these for expert level pouring. I also agree that the aeropress is another great (and easy-to-clean) option for a one-cup operation. For improved flavor, there is a reusable stainless filter that allows more oils through (versus paper filters). You can also pour instant coffee directly into your mouth. You're welcome.

It seems you will not be making tea for people other than yourself on a regular basis so you don't need a tea set.

I personally have never needed variable temperature kettles. Others love them. I personally don't own but have used this Bonavita. It's a tad pricey but I love the goose neck. One friend runs a teashop and uses those there. Cheaper electric kettles exist.

I would get a cheap porcelain pot, with a shallow brew basket. What happens is the tea brews and as soon as you pour out the first cup, the water level goes below the brew basket and can sit without overbrewing. The shallow brew baskets are 5 bucks and can be found at most large Chinese grocery stores.

I'm guessing you're talking about the kettle and not the grinder here. As far as kettles with all the bells and whistles, she was probably talking about a gooseneck that you can set temperature for each type of coffee, and make it hold the temperature. Something like this:

Bonavita BV382510V 1-Liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle, Metallic https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005YR0F40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BLGzCbH4YQAHA

I would say that (even if you dont get one with all the gadgets) the gooseneck is really important.

I still use a normal food scale and it's not really that big a deal.

As for the grinder, like everyone said, dont get a blade grinder. Definitely get a burr grinder. The issue is that if you're looking for a cheap burr grinder it's going to have to be a manual one which can really get exhausting especially if you're just waking up lol.

My suggestion in general is not to invest TOO much at first. Start off with a cheap gooseneck, whatever food scale you have, or some cheap one, and just getting whatever coffee shop you buy your coffee from to grind it for you. You can ask for a specific type of grind like "pourover" or "french press" and they'll find it to their ideal setting. When you really get into it, you'll realize what you need to upgrade etc.

I have an electric Hario kettle and it does what you want in one step. I love mine. If it's too expensive consider the regular model but this one works great and is extremely attractive to boot.

I think the two most important questions are: what are some coffees that you've had and like? What sort of work are you willing to put into it?

My personal recommendation would be to get a Baratza Encore grinder, a digital scale, a gooseneck kettle of some sort, a Chemex, and a French Press. All that should easily fit within your budget. And of all the accessories I have, on 90% of the days I don't use anything other than those. Well, and some coffee beans.

But that will take some work -- measuring, grinding, pouring, waiting, more pouring. It will make much better coffee than any automated machine, but maybe you don't care that much and it sounds like too much work. In that case, the Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonvavita 1900 TS are good options for automatic drip machines.

EDTIT: Sorry, I missed "automatic" in the text. I still don't think that will give you the best coffee, but if you're set on it, ignore everything I said except the Technivorm and Bonavita.

I've had this Hamilton Beach kettle for a few months now and I love it. It has pre-programmed temperatures, the ability to program your own temperatures, and will hold your temperature for up to an hour (I don't remember if you can set it for longer or not). It has a clock and it has a neat feature where you can set a time that it will turn on and heat your water- so you can have your water ready when you wake up in the morning or ready for you when you get home from work.

I've been using a cheap Proctor Silex kettle very similar to this one for a few years now at work, also with an AeroPress, and it's been working perfectly. I use it at least once and usually two or three times a day and it's still good as new. After a while you can recognize the sound it makes as the water heats up so if you want water cooler than boiling you can stop it early with pretty consistent results (though I also have a cheap thermometer just in case I get distracted, which happens a lot at work).

Good luck!

My first setup was with a French Press and that exact grinder. It was cool at first but the novelty of grinding beans by hand gets old when you just want to make a coffee. I ended up getting the Baratza Encore and it was well worth it.

Here's my set up minus the Chemex in case you decide to jump down the rabbit hole of coffee...

• French Press
  
• Electric Kettle
  
• Scale
  
• Grinder
  
  I've also noticed that Amazon.ca, they sometimes try to screw us Canadians on pricing, so check out www.eightouncecoffee.ca as well.
  
  
  

This has some good ideas of how to "Adulting So Hard"...

So here's my suggestions:

• This
  
• This
  
• And this
  
  
  ...and here are my actual suggestions:
  
  
• Toilet Brush
  
• Bin
  
• Chopping board
  
• Kettle
  
• Can Opener
  
• Measuring Jug
  
• Oven gloves
  
• Bottle opener (Very important for drinks and wine ;] )
  
• Smoke Alarm, Fire Extinguisher & Fire Blanket So you don't die.
  
• Torch When the lights go out.
  
• Clothesline
  
  Good luck with the house! :D
  

I got the Bonavita Bona Voyage as a gift recently and I think it may be what you are looking for. I like its small size and that the interior of the kettle is completely stainless steel (if you forgo the cap, the water will never touch plastic). There are a lot of reviews that should help you determine if this will suit your needs. Good luck with your search and your new job! https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Voyage-0-5-Liter-Electric-Travel/dp/B008YQLZOW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468042826&sr=8-2&keywords=travel+electric+kettle

That was the lowest price ever and a third party seller. Check out the price history here: Link. Average price is $82.41, so $65 is a good deal compared to that. You got lucky and bought at the right time though. I had a price alert set on this item for like 2 months waiting for it to get to $75 and it never did, finally bought a used on on eBay. Before my eBay was delivered it dropped to $70 on Amazon. So I was unlucky and purchased at a bad time :(

Still $65 is pretty good. Not the best but pretty good.

Great find! Bought one of these for $85.70 (before tax) on Tuesday and I love it.

Wish there was some way I could've saved the extra $20. Why is the price so low right now?

EDIT: Amazon customer service refunded the price difference. Apparently they do this if the price changes within 7 days and you request it.

Maruchan Instant Lunch isn't a bad meal either, you can get them for 49 cents from Wal-Mart and other discount stores, they are super easy to make with an electric kettle and if you like hot tea you have a quick and easy meal right there.

We just got a Bonavita and we LOVE it. However it's electric vs kettle, so probably not what you're looking for, but ours is stainless steel and heats up fantastically. Lots of preset temps, holds the warmth for up to an hour, it's fantastic.

1. Electric Kettle - recommend Hamilton Beach Var. Temp Kettle
   
   
2. Infuser/Teapot, your choice
   

• Basket infuser, fits in any mug or cup - recommend Finium Brewing Basket
  
• Standard teapot with infuser - recommend Adagio PersonaliTea
  
• Gravity steeper - recommend Adagio IngenuiTea
  
• Gaiwan with decanter and tasting cups
  

1. Tea. Spend most of your budget on good tea and research on ideal steep and temperature times, and read up on different types of tea

I don't know your budget, but I use the Bonavita variable temp gooseneck for teas and coffee. It pretty much covers all tea and coffee needs without a need to upgrade in the future (covers pour over should you get the itch). I frequently do green tea, hibiscus tea, and coffee, which cover a wide range of temps. The only annoying part is having to adjust in 1 degree increments when switching from one end to the other, but that is what gives it very precise control.

The Cuisinart is good in that it lets you press a single button for temp adjustments if you switch very frequently, but it doesn't have a goose neck or perfectly precise temp controls (neither may be absolutely necessary for your needs currently). There aren't too many options, but they are atleast varied to give you some different choices.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV382510V-Electric-Gooseneck-Temperature/dp/B005YR0F40/

I use the Cuisinart CPK 17 and I love it. If you're a big coffee drinker with french presses and expensive drip stuff get the Bonavita Gooseneck, but I love my Cuisinart. Would recommend