Christmas gifts for coffee lovers: Presents to give them all the barista feels

by Tara Breathnach Dec 22, 2020 7 minutes

Whether you’re a die hard espresso fan or prefer a flat white, every coffee drinker has a favourite cup of Joe.

The good news is that there are now so many gadgets out there to help you make your own fancy brew at home, no real coffee aficionado need wait until they’re out and about to get a decent barista-style beverage.

If you’re buying for a coffee fan this Christmas, we’ve got some brilliant gift ideas, big and small, to get them making a cup of something delicious at home.

As well as some tried and tested coffee machines, we’ve found some great accessories to help them enjoy their lovingly made brew any time, anywhere, as hot as they minute they made it.

And don’t worry – we’ve got gifts to suit all budgets – so if you’re watching the pennies this festive season, we’ll hopefully have something to suit.

Take a look at our pick of favourites from grinders to espresso machines, cafetieres and reusable cups, for some caffeine-fuelled gift inspiration this Christmas.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Coffee grinders

Using whole beans can really give your cup of java some oomph, and there’s a whole range of coffee grinders out there which are suitable for home use. Not all are electric, either. This old-school grinder set (£31.99, John Lewis & Partners) is a great gift for someone who doesn't mind putting in a bit of welly for their brew. It comes with a 500ml jar so you can keep any ground beans you don’t use straight away.

<p>A traditional coffee grinder for someone who’s willing to put the work in </p>John Lewis & Partners

Landing a spot in our review of the best coffee grinders, our tester said: “It’s small, but has enough storage capacity to suit a few coffee drinkers, making enough coffee per grind for several large cafetières’ worth. Alternatively, grind away and store in the fridge where the freshly ground aromas will stay intact for a day or two thanks to the airtight design.”

The winner of our best buy award for grinders, though, is this coffee grinder with integrated scales (£124.99, Melita) which has integrated scales to weigh your coffee to the nearest gram.

<p>This one would look seriously good in any kitchen space</p>Melita

There are 39 settings too, depending on whether you want fine, medium or coarse-ground coffee. Another bonus is you can pop all the parts in the dishwasher. Our reviewer said “you can’t fail to love” this machine. We’re sold.

Bean-to-cup coffee machines

These machines do exactly as it says on the tin: you buy coffee beans that are then ground to create the perfect cup of coffee. They vary in terms of how milk is added: some have an integrated compartments, while others have a nozzle so you get steamy milk, and the simpler espresso ones just make coffee so you can add milk as you want.

Thinking of getting one as a gift? In that case, we’d recommend Krups arabica bean-to-cup coffee machine (£329, Currys PC World) which made it into our review of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines of 2020.

<p>This machine looks fancy but is easy to use </p>Currys

Our tester particularly liked how easy this one is to use (major bonus), saying: “This machine required almost no set-up and was ready to go immediately. It’s one of the simpler machines we tried and doesn’t have an in-built option for milk, but in many ways we preferred the fact it uses a nozzle for manual steaming and frothing milk; it made us feel like real baristas and allows you to control the temperature and frothing. Plus, there’s no fiddly extra cleaning of milky tubing or containers.”

If the sky’s the limit in terms of budget, though, this Siemens coffee machine (£1,399 John Lewis & Partners) won our best buy award. Granted, there’s a hefty price tag, but if you can stretch to it, it’s a great contender for real coffee lovers.

<p>This is pricey but could be worth it for any serious coffee auteurs</p>Siemens

Our reviewer said: “This machine is the business and if you’re serious about your coffee, or if you’ve tried other machines before and are now ready to take the next step up in terms of kit and budget, then this is what you should be looking at. It’s the largest and heaviest of all the machines we tested and looks imposing on the worktop but doesn’t actually require huge amounts of space; just check your dimensions.”

Espresso machines

Coffee generally starts with a shot of espresso, so these machines are a good port of call for homemade tastiness. A number of them allow you to use beans or paper pods, so you’ve a good variety of options. For great looks, we like this Smeg coffee machine (£319, John Lewis) which has a high pressure pump so you can have a single or double espresso.

<p>This one will most definitely be a head turner in your kitchen </p>Smeg

Landing a spot in our review of the best espresso machines, our reviewer said: “There’s also a milk wand or frother that will produce steam for milky drinks if you wish, or hot water for a longer coffee. A user-friendly experience, terrific coffee and a machine that looks the part on the worktop.”

For something less pricey, the Nespresso Vertuo Next (£98, Amazon) could be an option. Our tester describes it as “comprising all the benefits of the standard Nespresso machines – so no mess, no fiddly cleaning and no work on your part”.

Coffee pod machines

Going for a pod machine can make barista-style coffee at home oh-so-easy. The coffee is already ground and put into little pods which takes the guesswork out of knowing how much coffee to use.

Lots of the pods are now recyclable or made from sustainable material too which is good news for someone who loves their coffee and the environment.

You might also be surprised to know that you don’t actually have to pay hundreds for these machines, either. This neat number, called the “tiny” (£59, Lavazza) doesn’t cost over the odds and made it into our review of the best coffee pod machines of 2020.

<p>The “tiny” is a great starter coffee pod machine </p>Lavazza

Our tester reckons this is brilliant for any budding coffee fan who’s not totally devoted yet, saying: “If you’re considering a pod machine but you’re unsure on how much use you’ll get out of one, or how the coffee will compare to barista grade – this is a great place to start.”

If you know the person you’re buying for will get endless use out of a pod machine though, why not go all-out with this Illy X1 iperespresso anniversary 1935 machine (£555, Illy) which not only looks incredible, but produces a seriously good brew.

<p>We love the classic style of this coffee pod machine</p>Illy

It won our best buy award for pod machines, with our tester saying: “The X1 extracts the flavour of each coffee in the capsule range superbly and there’s a very efficient steam wand to froth milk for a latte, cappuccino or other milk-based drinks."

Cafetieres

While we love the look of a good coffee machine, not everyone has room for something quite that big in their kitchen, or maybe they’re simply after a gadget that’s a bit more low-fi for when they need a quicker, simpler cup.

Cafetieres are the perfect tool to make some great coffee without too much fuss, and you can pop them in a cupboard until you want to use it.

This space-age looking Stellar double-walled cafetiere (£68, Horwood) has taken the 2020 best buy award in our review of the best cafetieres for lots of good reasons.

<p>Make your coffee in the morning and keep it hot for hours afterwards with this double-walled option</p>Horwood

It makes around three mugs’ worth of coffee, but keeps the liquid hot for hours, so you can make yourself a pot in the morning to keep you going until lunch or after.

It looks good too. Our reviewer noted that “it has a classic yet modern cylindrical stainless steel design that will be at home in most kitchens, pours without dribbling and doesn’t leave too many grounds in your cup: what more could you ask for in a coffee pot?” What more, indeed.

If your recipient would rather have something that lets you make one cup at a time, take a look at this cafetiere with matching cup (£19.99, Lakeland) that would make the perfect gift.

<p>A nice buy if it’s coffee for one </p>Lakeland

It has some really practical features, as our tester points out: “The spout provides an easy no-spill pour, and the pot brews just enough for a cup and a bit. We like that it doesn’t take up much storage space and it feels very spoiling to be using matching drink ware just for one.” Do note that it is hand-wash only.

Coffee subscriptions

All the coffee gadgets are great, but you need a great-tasting roast too, and there are plenty of coffee subscription services out there to keep any Joe-lover happy, as our best coffee subscriptions round-up shows.

Pact Coffee (from £6.95 per month for a 250g bag, Pact) offers 13 varieties of arabica coffee, and you can pause, or increase/decrease your subscription as you need.

<p>Why not set your coffee drinker up with a monthly subscription?</p>Pact

Our tester also notes: “Pact offers fully recyclable Nespresso-compatible coffee pods if that’s your coffee bag.” It sells a Christmas blend, too, for added seasonal flavour.

Independent coffee brands

If you’re not sure about getting a subscription as a gift, you could always just go for a single packet of something a bit out of the ordinary instead.

In our review of the best independent coffee brands to try, our tester included this rather jolly-looking Quirky Coffee (£8.50, Quirky Coffee Co). Christmas is a great time to shop small, and these beans really hit the spot.

<p>This Costa Rican Tarrazu bowled our tester over </p>Quirky Coffee Co

Our tester really liked the blend, calling it their “favourite coffee of all the single varieties and blends we tried.”

“A 100 per cent arabica from an award-winning Costa Rican coffee cooperative, this has been washed (so the flavours are clean and clear) and then medium roasted – so you get a very upfront flavour profile. The bold citrus zestiness, rich dark chocolate, and a luxurious cream finish make this coffee a perfect all-rounder that tastes really special," they added.

Reusable cups

For anyone planning to take their lovingly made coffee out and about, a reusable cup is a must, and makes a great gift.

The KeepCup (£26, KeepCup) took the best buy award in our review of the best reusable coffee cups, and has vacuum-sealed thermal insulation to keep your drink hot for ages (our tester said their drink stayed piping hot after an hour-long commute).

<p>This stainless steel cup has become a well-known favourite portable drinks holder </p>KeepCup

It has a leak-proof lid too. Our tester added: “You can buy replacement parts for your KeepCup, which is much less wasteful than buying a whole new one. Throw in loads of choice across colour, finish and size, and you’re onto a winner.”

Coffee mugs

Coffee doesn’t always need to be on the go of course, sometimes a slowly-sipped mug in front of a Christmas special on TV is what’s required.

For that, we don’t think you can get much cuter than this flamingo mug (£7.50, Sass and Belle) which featured in our round-up of best tea and coffee mugs.