Starting Your Coffee Journey: Equipment
When I got back into coffee after my discovery that coffee is everywhere in society, I dove into coffee even more.
The first thing I did was get better gear.
If you are just getting into coffee on a deeper level, this is the basics I recommend:
- a source for whole coffee beans
- an adjustable grinder
- your preferred brewing method
- accessories for your preferred brewing method
The best way to understand coffee is to have whole beans and that means having a source for it. Buying pre-ground coffee reduces quality dramatically. Having whole beans gives you a better chance of controlling for quality. There are lots of online vendors for whole coffee beans. I started with grocery store bought whole beans at the beginning - no shame!
Grinder
An adjustable grinder is essential now that you only have whole beans - you will need to grind those beans to your preferred brewing method.
A blade grinder is the entry level and will work in a pinch - it’s grind is not consistent.
An adjustable burr grinder is what will last you in your coffee journey. The burr grinder is what you want because it creates a consistent grind - which means coffee is about the same shape after grinding. Different shape or size affects flavor extraction - consistency is key here.
I started with a Bodum burr grinder for about $100 that lasted a long, long time.
Brew Method
There are different variations for brew methods, French press, drip, to espressos.
Your brew method will affect the grinder you need. Coffees such as espresso or Turkish coffee require a finer grind than French press or drip.
If you want the best espressos, you will need a fine consistent grind - which makes grinders more expensive.
Get the necessary equipment for your preferred brew method. I would recommend a brew method that you prefer to have when you wake up. If you like having drip coffees in the morning - get a drip coffee machine first before exploring others.
I started with a simple drip coffee system that’s less than $100 and still using it.
By having an adjustable grinder, you have access to different brewing methods - French press, drip, pour overs, espressos, or moka pots are available when your grinder can grind for them.
Brew Accessories
Depending on your brewer - you may need to get accessories. A drip or pour over have filters you must buy to make your coffee.
For my drip, I started with paper filters and eventually with a gold filter for “flavor” - honestly, I kinda miss the paper filter because it’s so easy to clean.
Overall
When you start your journey into coffee - having a basic set of equipment is essential.
- get brew equipment and accessories for your preferred morning coffee
- an adjustable grinder that supports your brew equipment
- a source of whole coffee beans
With this setup - there are other variables you can adjust to learn more about coffee, one step at a time.