16 Tools You Need For Making Cafe-Quality Coffee At Home

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If you're not exactly a "morning person," you need a bit of a jolt to get your day started. Caffeine then becomes key, and eventually becomes routine. While tea can offer a bit of a pick-me-up, coffee is the strong stuff your sleepy body will crave. Beyond the benefits of coffee, there are myriad ways to prepare and enjoy it. You might prefer a shot of espresso made with light roast beans, a dark roast cold brew, a frothy cappuccino, or a milky latte accentuated with a bit of mocha, vanilla, or caramel syrup.

The thing is, once coffee becomes a regular habit, it might be tempting to head to the nearest cafe for your favorite morning beverage. But, in the long run, you'll inevitably save a lot more time and cash by not waiting in long lines and buying pricey lattes on a daily basis.

There might be some sticker shock with certain products and gadgets that can assist in making a cup of joe at home. While there is some technique that goes into the process, the learning curve to making your favorite coffee order at home might not be as steep as you think. We have some products in mind that can make the process easier and we'll provide tips on how to use them for specific coffee preparations.

The Japanese brand Hario has been manufacturing liquid storage products for over 100 years. While the company all began with blown glass designs with the intent to service science laboratories, it evolved into designs that benefited coffee and tea aficionados.

We're particularly a fan of its stove top kettle that's made of stainless steel. The kettle has a nice aesthetic — you can leave it on your range and not feel like it's adding clutter to your kitchen. It's the right thickness to remain sturdy, but also thin enough so that your water boils quickly. While it also features a sturdy handle, another practical benefit to this item is its delicate gooseneck. This allows for a very considerate and precise pour. Compared to kettles with a larger spout, you're easily able to slowly control the amount that's coming out of a gooseneck design, and that's a major key towards making pour-over coffee and allowing the grounds to gently bloom.

Since the 1950s, Kalita has zeroed in on providing consumers with quality coffee products and utensils. The company, based in Japan, offers a full line of items that include filters, decanters, measuring cups, storage containers, as well as a few rather elaborate multi-tiered Dutch-style devices that appear better suited for a laboratory than a cafe.

We can attest to the high quality of the glass spun Wave design that they offer. It's sleek and doesn't take up much space in a kitchen drawer. And though it's made of thick glass, it's not fragile. Though it works well for pour-over coffee, we primarily use it to make batches of cold brew. We utilize a paper filter on top for extra filtration. This fits nicely on top of a 4-cup mason jar that can sit in the refrigerator overnight and be ready to go the next morning. This adds up to roughly four servings of liquid energy depending on how thirsty you are.

It would make sense that in hot and humid Florida, innovation would take hold for a smart design to make cold brew coffee. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Primula has done just that.

This is a great tool to have around if you always feel rushed in the morning and really need a cup of java. Primula's cold brew coffee maker is fully equipped for brewing your coffee ahead of time, so it's one less thing to stress about when you're trying to make breakfast, get ready for work, or take your kids to school. Just prep your coffee maker the night before and wake up to a refreshing brew!

It comes with a mesh cylindrical filter that screws into the lid and holds your grounds while the beverage slowly brews in the refrigerator overnight. This product also comes in various hues — black, white, aqua, and even a rainbow version — to suit whatever color scheme you have intended for your kitchen.

If your espresso machine doesn't come with a built-in grinder, and you really want to make the most out of its output, you'll need to invest in a quality standalone grinder. Sure, you could buy a package of ground coffee from the store, or utilize one of the machines that you can often find at your local grocer to grind whole beans. But we have found that espresso's roasted flavor notes come forth the strongest when the beans have been ground in the minutes leading up to you making the brew.

BLACK+DECKER offers a slender cylindrical electrical grinder that comes in under three and a half inches wide, making it both convenient to store or keep as a permanent fixture on your counter — and it can take on two-thirds of a cup of coffee beans. Once you've set the desired grind that you'd like — from coarse to fine — its stainless steel blades are well-equipped to get the job done with the press of a button.

People take their coffee all kinds of ways. Some prefer it to be black with no added ingredients. Others have an inclination towards adding a touch of cream to help balance out some of the acrid, bitter qualities that coffee can contain. Another option is to just go with milk, which you likely already have in your refrigerator.

A piping hot coffee drink that's incorporating dairy is even better when the milk is frothed — especially if you enjoy cappuccinos — and Italian brand Bialetti has a solution for you. This pot is safely heated on the stove — but keep the lid off — and, it has a thick handle that doesn't require a mitt once the liquid is heated up. Once the milk is warm enough, add the lid and hand pump. With minimal effort, you'll end up with a very delicate foam to top off your morning joe. For cleanup, you could hand wash it, but it's also dishwasher safe.

When you spend a pretty penny on a home espresso machine, you want to get the most bang for your buck. Cleaning it and maintaining its good working condition will give you many added years of usage. Because roasted coffee beans do contain oil, they'll leave behind residue within the machine that can affect its performance. Since you can't reach in and remove all that gunk with your hands, Cino Cleano offers cleaning tablets that can do the job for you, especially if you're working with a Breville espresso machine, which will set off a warning when it's time to be cleaned.

Simply add a silicone disc that comes with the machine to your portafilter and group head and top it off with one of these tablets. Then run the machine for several minutes, and be sure to have a large container below the group head to collect the water. The tablets dissolve and send cleansing steam throughout the machine.

If cold brew or iced coffee isn't really your personal preference, and especially if you plan to have multiple cups throughout the morning or if you're serving up hot java to a crowd, you should definitely think about investing in a quality carafe. Among a selection of carafes that the company offers, the Hastings Collective sells one they've dubbed "Lagom" and it's more of a mid-sized model. It holds 1 and a half liters, or 50 ounces. And even if you prefer your coffee to be cold, it's functional in that sense as well. It's designed with a top that makes it spill-free, and thus it's a great item to have when you're on the road.

It comes in a sleek design and you have your pick of three different neutral matte shades — white, gray, or black. You can also opt for a shiny silver exterior, and don't worry about scorching your hands because it's well insulated.

For fans of pour-over coffee, you might want to consider getting a metal filter for making it yourself at home. We like a well-reviewed model from LHS. Its fine mesh is designed to not require an extra layer of paper filters — even for finely ground coffee — which makes this a one-stop shop for your pour-over needs. 

As opposed to glass filters, the metal from this filter makes it pretty much unbreakable — and it has a leg up on paper filters as well because you don't need to keep replenishing your supply. It also comes with a brush to help keep the filter clean, but that brings us to the downside of this product. You should be sure to clean it after every use to ensure that the next brew tastes as good as the last. But, in better news, it's dishwasher safe, comes with a cleaning brush, has a non-slip base, and its stainless steel is available in either a shimmering silver or a shiny gold.