Debra Macki, Celebrity Makeup Artist. Salem MA & Los Angeles CA.

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Gift Guide for the Coffee Aficionado

Coffee is a ritual in my house. From the smell of the beans to the first sip, it is something we love sharing together at the start of our day. I have tried so many coffee machines and have learned which ones are actually worth it.

I love different types of coffee on different days of the week. On the weekend, I will sometimes do a pour over. During the week, I am drinking an Americano or a black coffee. Once in a blue moon I’ll do a latte.

A pour over served black is something that true coffee lovers say is the only way to drink it. Cream and sugar is for amateurs. I can appreciate that to truly taste all the notes of the coffee, you don’t want to add anything to it. However, I love my coffee black with a little honey, Hunny 😉.

It starts with your water 💦

Before you even think about making coffee, water filtration is key. This can make or break the taste of your coffee. Not to mention it is just better overall for your health to not have nasty stuff in your drinking water. The Berkey is the best water filtration system you can get and looks nice aesthetically. We use it for everything, even watering the plants.

Here are my top picks for coffee machines

The Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Pour Over Kettle

This kettle not only looks beautiful on display in your kitchen but the quality can’t be beat. It comes in gorgeous color options (I have pink). We use it for coffee pour overs and tea. Everyone who comes to my house asks where I got it.

The Technivorm Moccamaster

We have had this coffee maker for over ten years and just upgraded only because I wanted a different color. The machine is very well made and makes an excellent cup of coffee! (40 oz./ 10 cups)

The De’Longhi Dinamica Espresso Machine

Fully Automatic luxury coffee and espresso machine with the ability to make ice coffee! This machine truly does it all. We use it mostly for espresso to make lattes and espresso martinis but all the features are fab.

Goatstory Smart GIna Coffee Maker

Gina can brew your coffee in three different ways: with pour-over, immersion, and cold drip. We love using this machine along with the Fellow Kettle to make a pour-over. It makes one cup at a time. If you love coffee as a ritual, this is perfect for you.

You can’t have a great machine, without great beans!

Subtle Earth Organic Coffee by Cafe Don Pablo

This medium-dark whole bean coffee has notes of honey, caramel, and cocoa. Ethically sourced from Honduras, vegan, low acid, USDA Organic, gluten & nut free. We have been drinking it for years and use it for events.

The quality of your grinder makes a big difference in the taste

The Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

The aesthetic of Fellow products is what drew me to them but the quality is what made me a fan. I used to have a cheap grinder because I didn’t think it mattered. There are some obvious upgrades in a nicer grinder like mess-free and quiet but the biggest difference is in the coffee flavor. This grinder is expensive but worth it.

My favorite honey

Desert Creek

Raw, unpasteurized, and unaltered. Responsibly harvested. Their bees are properly and humanely cared for which is important to me. Free of chemicals, additives, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, and pollutants. Certified Kosher.

Self-heating mug

OHOM

I drink my coffee slow but I prefer it very hot, hotter than most people do. I love this mug from OHOM because it keeps my coffee warm.