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Coffee is a big part of our lives, so to celebrate UK Coffee Week, we thought we’d do you a solid and tell you all the products you need to upgrade your brews.
Whether it’s a steaming hot cappuccino or an ice cold latte, many of us can’t even think about starting our day without a good ‘ol cup of joe. It gives us a much-needed boost of energy that we benefit from until, well, probably the next cup of coffee.
Between working from home more regularly and trying to save a few pennies,home brewing has become increasingly popular, with espresso machines, cold brew makers and milk frothers now considered to be essential in kitchens nationwide.
With this in mind, and in honour of UK Coffee Week (running from October 17-23), we thought it fitting to compile a list of everything you need to make the perfect cup of coffee, from the comfort and convenience of your own home. Whether you prefer the strong flavour of an americano or a sweet blended coffee, we’ve got some tips for you below.
Read more: Top 7 cold brew coffees to try at home today
From coffee machines, to milk frothers, to those sweet syrups we all know and love, there will definitely be something in this list for you.
If you’re looking for a barista experience from home, then this machine from Breville is the perfect choice for you. And best of all — you don’t have to be an experienced coffee maker to be able to use it.. Capable of making single and double shot espressos, and steaming up to 1.4 litres of milk at a time, you can make a satisfyingly steamy hot coffee for multiple people at a time. The machine is compatible with ESE pods, however we recommend choosing your favourite ground coffee for an even better experience. One of our favourites is the Costa Coffee Amazonian blend with deep and rich notes of chocolate and caramel, guaranteed to satisfy every coffee lover.
We absolutely love this cold brew maker. Cold brew is one of the lowest-effort (but delicious) ways to make iced coffee at home. It just involves a little pre-planning… Simply pour the ground coffee into the filter, fill it with water and wait for 12-18 hours while it brews. Once ready, press the button, and voila, the cold brew drains into the handy carafe, ready for consumption.
We love this maker because it can keep your coffee cold for up to 24 hours, however, the carafe is quite bulky, so you’ll need a considerable amount of space in your fridge to store it. It’s also super easy to clean, which is always a feature worthy of mention.
Due to the brewing process, cold brew has quite an intense taste so we love using a lighter roast, such as the Leon blonde roast ground coffee which has notes of caramel and citrus.
Do you want ease and a wide variety of choices? If so, the Dolce Gusto machine would be an excellent choice. The only thing you’re responsible for with this machine is keeping the water tank at the back topped up, which literally couldn’t be any easier. The only drawback is that the water tank is a little small, so you'll have to top it up frequently.
Compatible with over 50 kinds of pods, you’ll have plenty of hot and cold drinks to choose from, including the Starbucks caramel macchiato pods (which we’re obsessed with) and this hot chocolate multipack. Needless to say this machine is perfect for anyone craving a hot sweet drink in the coming months.
A french press is a classic way to make your morning coffee: it’s consistently good and there’s no relying on technology that can fail at any time. With a reusable stainless steel filter, this is undoubtedly one of the most eco-friendly ways to make coffee. We love that this one from Bodum comes in a range of cool colours, such as lime green and red, meaning it will fit into the aesthetic of any kitchen.
We think this coarse fruit and nut blend from Pact Coffee is the perfect addition to any french press. With Pact Coffee, you can choose the grind size too, so their blends can be used for a wide variety of coffees, depending on your preference.
This milk frother from Nespresso is everything you could want for your at-home setup. It has four different settings — two types of hot foam, a cold foam and a hot milk — making it suitable for any type of the drinks you’d like to make at home.
The sleek, modern design will look great in every kitchen, and the sturdy base has light up buttons, so you know exactly what option you’re pressing each time you use it.
While we love this product, it can only froth enough milk for one drink at a time, and is easy to spill if too much is in the jug — so it could make for a messy cleanup. This aside, we still love and recommend this, and our at-home coffees are far better after purchasing… even if it is a bit pricey.
After the full coffee experience, from bean right the way through to a steaming cup of joe? Well that’s all possible by investing in a quality coffee grinder. This Blitz grinder has one-touch control, making it super easy to operate. And once your blend is ready, simply transfer to your preferred brewing tool et voila!
We love using whole coffee beans and grinding as we go, and this Hot Lava blend from Taylors of Harrogate with notes of smoke and black pepper is definitely one you’ll want to go the extra effort for.
Handy tip: this grinder can also be used for other kitchen purposes too, such as grinding up herbs and spices to give your meals an extra kick.
If you’re looking for a sweet coffee as a bit of a dessert-y treat, then you can’t go wrong with this Hazelnut ground coffee from Whittard. This tastes great hot or cold, but we personally recommend using it in a cappuccino or a mocha if you’re after something extra indulgent.
With an average of 5 stars on Whittard, reviewers are extremely complimentary of this nutty brew, stating that the flavour is not too intense and would appeal to even those reluctant coffee drinkers. If you’re less excited about nutty flavours, you can’t go wrong with their ore nutty flavour, then their chocolate truffle option or, better yet — treat yourself to a delectable gift set.
One pro about getting your morning coffee at a cafe is that they usually have an array of syrups to flavour your drink. While purchasing these bottles for home is doable — it’s often an expensive way to go and means committing to one flavour for months on end. But that’s where the Monin coffee syrup gift set comes in.
This set comes with five different syrup flavours including caramel, vanilla, gingerbread, hazelnut and amaretto. These 5cl bottles may be small, but they allow you to experiment and discover what flavours truly tickle your fancy.
Monthly coffee subscriptions are a great option if you want a reliable, quality coffee experience that you don’t have to worry about. Specialising in organic coffee and compostable packaging, the Grind subscription is great if you’re environmentally conscious.
They offer three kinds of subscription:you can choose either ground coffee, Nespresso-compatible pods, or whole bean. Then within these options you pick between their house blend, light blend, decaf blend and more. We love that Grind offer a flexible subscription plan, ensuring you only get deliveries when you actually need them, with no long-term
With the Beans Coffee Club subscription, you are truly spoilt for choice. You start off taking a quiz, with questions regarding brewing method, flavour preferences if you use milk — and they choose what coffee to send you based on your answers. This air of mystery surrounding the box makes it an exciting experience, and means you’ll likely end up trying flavours you may otherwise have overlooked.
You also have the option of choosing how often you receive a box, whether it be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, meaning you won’t have to experience the disappointment of running out of coffee in the morning and having to face the day without it. Super handy for all true coffee addicts out there!
The morning commute can be made a lot more pleasant with a nice, energising coffee. However, there is no need to go to a coffee shop for your perfect takeaway — at least not with this versatile tumbler from Amazon. It’s insulated so your drinks will stay hot (or cold) for hours after making your drink, and we love the easy to clean, splash-proof lid. The only downside of this tumbler is that there is no handle, which means holding it for long periods of time can be a tad uncomfortable.
We absolutely love that it comes in 19 colours, such as green, pink, a funky rainbow hue and in three handy sizes, so there really is something for everyone.
We love this dainty insulated coffee cup from Chilly’s. The non-slip silicone base and rotating lock mechanism means that it’s perfect for commuters and those who want to sip in style. It can keep drinks hot for up to four hours, and cold for up to six, you know you can rely on it to keep your drinks fresh and flavourful. If the cute daisies on this cup aren’t really your thing, then they offer a variety of colours such as this cool lichen.
Swapping to reusable coffee cups is a great way to contribute to less waste, and many coffee shops now even offer discounts on drinks for bringing in a cup for them to use — which is a great way to help save the environment and some pennies!
While there are many opinions on this, the general consensus seems to be that a moderate amount of coffee each day can have a range of health benefits. Regular consumption has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, depression and Parkinson’s. However, as with everything else, moderation is key. Adults should generally not consume more than 400mg of caffeine daily (which roughly equates to around four cups of coffee), and teenagers around 100mg.
It can be daunting deciding which coffee is your favourite. We think the best way to find out what works for you is to simply try them all. If you like something strong, then we recommend an espresso, americano, or cold brew. When you’re in the mood for something milky, a latte or cappuccino is your safest bet, and all of these are easily jazzed up by using either flavoured coffee or a sweet syrup.
What better way to celebrate UK Coffee Week than to enjoy an impeccable cup of coffee? And with these products, you’re definitely one step closer to finding the perfect brew for you. From the Breville One-Touch to the Asobu cold brew maker that will help you brew the perfect espresso every time, we think everyone needs a coffee maker in their home.
When looking for the full coffee shop experience from home, we think the Aeroccino 4 and the MONIN coffee syrup set are the best choices to help you customise your cup. If you’re too busy to even think about deciding which blend of coffee to buy, then the Grind and Beans Coffee Club subscriptions are a great way to save time and have it delivered to your door.
Prices updated on 14/09/2022. We are not responsible for any changes made to the prices listed.
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