This article may be like preaching to the choir since most of the visitors to this site know what they like about coffee. But if you are looking to shop for a coffee fan, this is just the primer you need to read for the holiday season. And for those of you who can’t articulate to your loved ones what constitutes a bad coffee present, forward them this URL.
What To Buy?
Some coffee drinkers aren’t picky and will enjoy anything with a caffeine molecule. However, most of us know what we like and what we despise. Many coffee drinkers hate Starbucks with a passion, and then there are many who prefer a darker roasted coffee a la Charbucks. Buying coffee for a coffee drinker is like baking cookies for Emeril Lagasse. Without inside information, you’ll probably fail.
Things You Need to Know
- Regular or decaf?
- Flavored coffee or the real stuff?
- What styles of roasts? What types of beans?
- Do they grind their beans?
- If not, how do they want their beans ground? (drip, espresso, Turkish)
And countless other things. All this nonsense leads you to one conclusion: Buy gift certificates!
That’s No Fun
The problem with gift certificates is that no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to brew that piece of paper into a glorious pot of joe on the spot. But trust me, it is worth it. Try giving me flavored coffee from the mall and watch how hard I try to disguise a gag reflex. It’s not pretty. Those beans will be in the trash beside the fruit cake before your car leaves the driveway.
Coffee Gear
Now, we are getting somewhere. True coffee fans will usually aspire to some new coffee gadget. It could be a better grinder or a new brewing system. The article Coffee Gear That Won’t Break The Bank gives several ideas. At the $25 price range, an Aeropress makes for an excellent coffee gift. It serves as a great brewer and can also be taken into the office or even camping.
Summary
Unless you know EXACTLY what the coffee drinker on your Christmas list wants, don’t buy anything but a gift certificate or maybe coffee gear.