The 5 Best Ways to Brew Coffee at Home
Stopping by a favorite local café for a well-made cup of coffee is a ritual most people can't live without. But with an influx of accessible, reliable, creative and some downright beautiful ways to brew coffee, more and more coffee lovers are skipping the morning coffee shop queue in favor of a more intimate setting - their home. While your home-brewing options now include everything from standard drip coffee machines to the latest innovations like the mad-scientist looking Syphon or the pump-action Aeropress, I've pared down the field to highlight my favorite home brewing techniques, that are not only fun, but make top-notch coffee, and look great doing it.
The old-school Italian espresso method gets an update from Kaufmann Mercantile. Robust and savory, I tasted my first Moka blend in a bed and breakfast on the Amalfi Coast and never looked back. It's as close to the consistency of real espresso as you'll get without having an actual espresso machine in your apartment, and this stainless steel model from Kaufmann is a whole lot less intrusive.
The Moka
Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker | Kaufmann Mercantile | $69
This wildly popular, gorgeously designed decanter - its on exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art in New York - is fun to use and, depending on which size you get, can brew up to 8 cups of coffee at once. Its signature filters make for a super smooth brew, and while the pour takes some time to master, you'll look like a real coffee pro once you get it down.
The Chemex
8-Cup Coffee Maker | Chemex | $44
Arguably my favorite brewing method, a simple, efficient process and robust renderings make the French Press a go-to option whether I'm in my weekday morning ritual, or operating at a slightly slower speed on the weekend. Typically constructed in glass and metal, Hario designed an exquisite olive wood version, available at Kaufmann Mercantile, that gives even the much-lauded Chemex design a run for its money.
The French Press
Olive Wood French Press | Hario | $109
Slow is in, and nothing has accentuated the movement toward a more thoughtful, intricate lifestyle, at least as far as coffee is concerned, than the V60 pour over. Cut from the same cloth as the Chemex, the V60 is smaller, typically only brewing a single cup at a time, and uses a removable filter head to help control the pour and style of your coffee - the slower the pour the stronger the brew. With a variety of different colors and materials available you'll have plenty of room to customize your look. I'm partial to Hario's Copper Dripper, but their simple all-white ceramic model will crown your coffee cup just as elegantly.
The V60 Pour Over
Ceramic Coffee Dripper | Hario | $25
Lets face it, there's nothing quite like real espresso, and the only device that can build up enough pressure to squeeze the pulp from your grind and extract that signature thick, creamy goodness is a real espresso machine - and some folks just can't be denied. Easy to use, you'll be whipping up cappuccinos, cortados and flat whites before you can say pass the almond milk. But be careful, your friends might start thinking your private coffee sanctuary is open to the public.
The Espresso Machine
BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine | Breville | $580