Bring the Coffee Bar Home

Ready to up your caffeine ritual? Whether you prefer pressing a button or grinding your small-batch beans by hand, with the right equipment, you can make a pro cuppa right on your countertop. Here, the city’s premier beansmiths share their home-brewing wisdom—and divulge the gadgets they swear by to get the job done.

By Leah Mennies· 1/29/2015, 4:15 a.m.

Stay On Your Grind

“Blade grinders chop the beans unevenly, causing over- and under-extraction in every cup, whereas a burr grinder uses two disks to precisely grind every bean to the same specified size. High-quality coffee and bespoke brewing equipment won’t get you anywhere if you don’t start with an even grind.” —Chris Malarick, DwelltimeBaratza “Encore” electric burr coffee grinder, $129, Wayfair.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Baratza “Encore” electric burr coffee grinder, $129, Wayfair.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Watch Your Water

“Since coffee is primarily water, getting rid of any impurities will greatly enhance the purity and nuances of flavor.” —Daniel Davis, Thinking CupWater carafe, $49, Soma.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Water carafe, $49, Soma.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Pour With Precision

“A good gooseneck kettle is a must-have for quality home brewing—it allows you to control the speed of your pour more effectively.” —Harrison Seiler, Bloc 11 Café, Diesel Café, and Forge Baking Co.Bonavita gooseneck variable-temperature electric tea and coffee kettle, $95, Williams-Sonoma.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Bonavita gooseneck variable-temperature electric tea and coffee kettle, $95, Williams-Sonoma.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Stay Measured

“All is lost without a scale. You must measure everything!” —Judson MacRae, La BrasaHario coffee drip scale with timer, $60, Crate & Barrel.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Hario coffee drip scale with timer, $60, Crate & Barrel.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Go Analog

“I use a Hario ceramic coffee mill—it’s a hand grinder that screws onto a mason jar. It allows me to freshly grind my coffee every day, and I can also adjust the grind setting depending on my brewing method.” —Robert Deren, Barrington Coffee Roasting CompanyHario mini ceramic coffee mill, $42, Bed Bath & Beyond.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Hario mini ceramic coffee mill, $42, Bed Bath & Beyond.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Choose Wisely

“My go-to coffee to brew is from Barrington Coffee Roasting Company. I’ve found that all their beans are consistently amazing in their own unique way.” —Katie Kimble, Area FourBerkshire Blend, $16, Barrington Coffee Roasting Company.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Berkshire Blend, $16, Barrington Coffee Roasting Company.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Ditch the Mr. Coffee

“[The Bonavita] maintains the same brewing temperature throughout the entire cycle.” —David Simon, Black Magic Coffee CompanyBonavita eight-cup coffeemaker, $146, Wayfair.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Bonavita eight-cup coffeemaker, $146, Wayfair.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Respect the Environment

“I would recommend using a CoffeeSock reusable filter—to save money and trees.” —Katie Kimble, Area FourCoffeeSock, $13, BrewWright Supply & Demand.
Photo by Toan Trinh

CoffeeSock, $13, BrewWright Supply & Demand.
Photo by Toan Trinh

Bring the Coffee Bar Home

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Stay On Your Grind

Watch Your Water

Pour With Precision

Stay Measured

Go Analog

Choose Wisely

Ditch the Mr. Coffee

Respect the Environment

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