Foundation

Hario V60

Pour over  ·  ~$10  ·  Ideal for black coffee

The Hario V60 has been the standard cone dripper in the coffee industry more than a decade. It has been used by five out of the eight Brewers Cup champions since 2011.

You can get it in various materials, but the plastic version offers good temperature stability and the best price. I also like the metal version.

All-round grinder

1Zpresso K-Ultra

Manual grinder  ·  Pour over + espresso  ·  Best all-rounder

A capable grinder is essential if you want to make tasty coffee at home. The K-Ultra is my personal favorite model and in my eyes, the ideal all-rounder. This model grinds exceptionally fast for both pour over and espresso.

This luxury model can easily rival electric grinders that are 2-3 times more expensive.

Best value

Mavo Phantox Pro

Manual grinder  ·  Light roast specialist  ·  45mm conical burrs

The Phantox Pro is one of my favorite manual grinders I have tested over the last year. It excels with light roast pour over and modern espresso. The 45mm in-house conical burrs create a unique flavor profile that’s hard to find in this price range.

Build quality is excellent, and the external adjustment is intuitive. If you can’t afford the K Ultra, but want something that’s very close in terms of performance, this is a fantastic choice.

Espresso pick

DF54

Electric grinder  ·  54mm flat burr  ·  Single dose

The DF54 is a bit of a unicorn in the world of coffee. It’s a flat burr ultra-low retention single dose grinder that rivals grinders double the price. 5-10 years ago this would be unheard of.

I see this as the most affordable “pro-sumer” level espresso grinder. The only downside is that 54 mm is a more limited eco-system compared to the much more common 64 mm size.

Foundation

Timemore Black Mirror Pro

Coffee scale  ·  Flow rate timer

This coffee scale from Timemore is a pleasure to use for pour over. It’s precise, responsive, looks great, and the price is just right.

If you want to take your brew to the next step, you need a coffee scale. And this one gets the job done.

Travel pick

Travel/Espresso Scale

Travel / espresso  ·  USB-C  ·  Carry case included

If you need a tiny scale for travel or espresso that won’t take up much space in your suitcase or drip tray of your espresso machine, then this model from MHW-3Bomber is a no-brainer.

It comes with a small protective carry-case, and has all the features I personally care about, including USB C and a physical on/off button. And it’s tiny!

Foundation

Gooseneck Kettle

Electric kettle  ·  Temperature control  ·  Pour over essential

When making pour over coffee it’s worth getting a gooseneck kettle. To be honest, most brands will produce decent results, even though they might have varying flow rates.

You can either get an electrical one, like this excellent model from Timemore that I personally use on a daily basis, or just get a basic one and add hot water yourself from your regular kettle.

Water geek

TDS-meter

Water testing  ·  40–80 ppm = ideal

This little pen can test whether your local water is suitable for coffee. Just dip it under the surface, and right away it will give you a score of ‘total dissolved solids’ indicating how suitable the water is. (A reading between 40-80 is usually very good).

If you want to experiment with water, this is an invaluable tool that will remove a lot of guesswork. This one from HM Digital is somewhat “premium” – there are many cheaper models that will also work quite well.

Cafec Abaca

V60 filters  ·  Abaca fiber

I highly recommend these filters for the Hario V60.

The paper filters actually have a significant impact on flavor and mouthfeel, and since Hario changed their factory a few years back the quality has dipped. Luckily, Cafec still makes great paper filters from the special Abaca plant.

Hario Drip Assist

Pour over accessory  ·  Agitation control

This handy device is used for controlling agitation when making pour-overs. You place it on top of the cone and pour in one of the two concentric circles. It creates a cup with an intensely smooth aftertaste. It’s not entirely a replacement for a gooseneck kettle, however. I prefer to use both.

By me

Coffee Water Course

28 lessons  ·  Pour over + espresso

I’m a bit biased because this is my own course. But this can really help you skip a lot of wasted time and frustration when it comes to choosing the right water profile for your coffee.

There are 28 no-fluff lessons that cover both the science and practical aspects of pour over and espresso. You’ll learn how minerals shape flavor, how to build your own water recipes, and how to skip overpriced mineral packs by using simple, cheap ingredients.

Kaffebox.no

Subscription  ·  Nordic roasters  ·  Light roast

If you like ultra-light roasted beans from some of the most innovative coffee brands in the world, you should try Kaffebox.no. The concept is simple; sign up and get 2 or 4 packages of coffee sent to your home every month. What’s unique about this coffee box is that all the roasters are from Norway, Sweden, and my home country, Denmark.

Pro Tip: This subscription is only for serious manual brewing geeks since the coffee tends to be super-light roast.