I love coffee, but every time I meet someone who self-identifies a “Coffee Geek,” they’re always like “check out my super expensive espresso machine!” Listen, I would love a super expensive espresso machine. But this lover of caffeine can’t afford a coffee spaceship! Thanks to ridiculous cafes in New York charging $7+ for a dang latte, coffee culture is being taken over by the elite. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Some of us are Coffee Geeks who also need caffeine to get through the long work day at our jobs that don’t pay us enough to justify dropping $1,000 on a fancy piece of hardware.
Here are some gifts for caffeine lovers that are all under $30.
Espresso Accessories That Won’t Break The Bank
[1] Bodum Schiuma Milk Frother ($6.99). [2] Primula Stovetop Espresso Maker ($16.79). [3] Delonghi Espresso Cups – set of 2 ($8.99). [4] WMF Manaos / Bistro Espresso Paddle – set of 4 ($7.99).Don’t let the coffee elitists try to tell you that you can’t enjoy good espresso without an expensive espresso machine! Of course those beauties make a damn good cappuccino, but you can make a decent one with a stovetop espresso maker and a hand-held milk frother. Even Martha Stewart has instructions for making a stovetop cappuccino, because she gets it! Oftentimes, taste and texture has a lot to do with the quality of beans you’re using rather than the actual machinery.
Fun Gadgets To Spice Up Your Average Cup Of Joe
[1] Primula Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker ($29.99). [2] Meerveil Manual Coffee Grinder ($12.99). [3] OXO Good Grips Pour Over Coffee Dripper with Auto-Drip Water Tank ($15.99). [4] AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker ($29.99)If you’re shopping for a true coffee lover, chances are they already have a lot of the basics, like a coffee maker/pourover cone/french press and a normal grinder. But do they have A MANUAL GRINDER? You might be thinking “why the heck would I grind my coffee manually?” But I am here to tell you that these aren’t just gimmicky hipster shit: Manual grinders are much quieter, so if you have a partner who sleeps later than you like me, you don’t have to wake them up every time you make yourself coffee. They also don’t require electricity!
[1] Powered By Coffee Shirt ($24-$28.50). [2] But First, Coffee Wood Sign ($7). [3] Latte Art Cufflinks ($25) [4] Caffeine Molecule Necklace ($8.99).Speaking as someone who is definitely guilty of this, people who really love caffeine often mistake loving caffeine for an entire personality. We love to wear it on our sleeves (and sometimes literally…all of my sweatshirts are covered in coffee stains). So here are some dumb but cute gifts for your cute coffee-loving friend/partner/family member/ex—hey, I don’t judge who you buy gifts for!
Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya is the managing editor of Autostraddle and a lesbian writer of essays, fiction, and pop culture criticism living in Orlando. She is the former managing editor of TriQuarterly, and her short stories appear in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Joyland, Catapult, The Offing, The Rumpus, Cake Zine, and more. Some of her pop culture writing can be found at The A.V. Club, Vulture, The Cut, and others. When she is not writing, editing, or reading, she is probably playing tennis. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram and learn more about her work on her website.
Autostraddle & ForThem valiantly aim to produce top-tier media and products for queer and trans people overlooked by the mainstream. Join today to support an inclusive, expansive future.
For Them & Autostraddle exist to fill the gap in a world that overlooks queer and trans needs, offering products and media that honor expansive identities and celebrate authentic self-expression.
Autostraddle & ForThem valiantly aim to produce top-tier media and products for queer and trans people overlooked by the mainstream. Join today to support an inclusive, expansive future.
For Them & Autostraddle exist to fill the gap in a world that overlooks queer and trans needs, offering products and media that honor expansive identities and celebrate authentic self-expression.
