The Very Best Coffee, Tea, and Beverage Gear for 2020
A few weeks ago, we launched a big feature called Kitchn Essentials. It’s a super pretty list of the tools and gadgets that we think will make people better home cooks in 2020 (you can browse the whole thing here). But it’s not just cooking stuff: It’s also the gear that will help you stay caffeinated, hydrated, and happy. Because a good mug of coffee is equally as important as, say, a well-balanced chef’s knife.
So we included a category called “Coffee & Drink” and in the spirit of all things weekend, decided to pull out those picks into their own post (this one!) for you to read this Saturday morning.
If you’re stocking up, these are our favorite coffee makers, travel mugs, corkscrews, etc — for today and for the rest of the year to come.
The Best Travel Mug: Zojirushi Stainless Mug
There’s a travel mug for every taste and budget, but if quality and craftsmanship are what you’re after, then there’s only one: the Zojirushi. This reasonably-priced and stylishly-colored container is absolutely spill-proof, keeps drinks *piping* hot for hours on end, is easy to clean, and comes with a five-year warranty.
Buy: Zojirushi Stainless Mug, $30
The Best Water Bottle: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle with Straw Lid
One big, beautiful water bottle is truly an essential in our kitchens, as we try to avoid single-use plastic (and drink more water). Our staff has fallen hard for Hydro Flask. While the brand makes lots of sizes and top options, get the wide mouth option (for easy filling and cleaning!) with the straw lid (we find we’re all more likely to actually drink water if we have a straw).
Buy: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle with Straw Lid, $50 at Hydro Flask
The Best Drip Coffee Maker: Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Programmable Thermal Coffee Maker
The best coffee makers are the ones that can practically work themselves when you’re bleary-eyed and tired. This one from Hamilton Beach can be programmed to run while you’re still in bed, and it has an insulated carafe to keep your brew warm until you get to the kitchen. If you’re willing to put in a little more effort, we also love the Technivorm Moccamaster.
Buy: Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Programmable Thermal Coffee Maker, $68
The Best Gooseneck Kettle: Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle
Looking for a stovetop kettle? If you’re the kind of coffee person who is very serious about pour over, this is the only kettle you should be using. It’s got a counterbalanced handle, a super-clear thermometer that shows when the water reaches ideal temps, and has a precise pour spout. Also, it’s what a lot of baristas use.
Buy: Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle, $79
The Best Coffee Grinder: OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
For most people, this coffee grinder is all you’ll need. It’s not unnecessarily fancy, but it’s got stainless steel conical burr grinders, 15 coarse settings (plus micro settings between those), and a generously sized hopper and grounds container (the latter holds enough to brew up to 12 cups).
Buy: OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder, $100
The Best Pour Over: Chemex Classic Series
The Chemex is a classic design and a classic way to make good coffee. While lots of pour-over coffee makers make a cup for one (they sit right on top of your mug), this one is good for serving a crowd. It comes in a few different sizes, is incredibly durable, and is a total looker. It’s not insulated, but it can be kept warm on the stovetop.
Buy: Chemex Classic Series, $42
The Best French Press: Bodum Chambord Coffee Maker
“I already owned one of these when I got another as a gift and I just had to keep it, too,” says Ariel Knutson, Kitchn’s Features Director. “I use one for tea and one for coffee, although it doesn’t matter if you mix them up. I think they’re super stylish — I’m obsessed with my copper one — but also functional and relatively easy to use.”
Buy: Bodum Chambord Coffee Maker, $50
The Best Water Filter Pitcher: PUR Classic 11-Cup Pitcher
The filters that work with this pitcher have extensive certifications from the American National Standards Institute and NSF International, which makes us feel good about recommending it. Just get in the habit of refilling the pitcher every time after you pour from it and you’ll always have filtered water ready to go.
Buy: PUR Classic 11-Cup Pitcher, $30 at Target
The Best Soda Maker: SodaStream Fizzi One Touch
We love our La Croix but there’s no doubt that it’s cheaper to make your own seltzer. This SodaStream plugs into an outlet and fizzes water with just one touch of a button (it’s not just a clever name!). You can even pick from three levels of bubbles.
Buy: SodaStream Fizzi One Touch, $110
The Best Teapot: Stelton Tea Infuser and Carafe
A good teapot should be insulated and have a built-in infuser with plenty of space for tea leaves to move around. This beauty checks both of those boxes — and it has a stopper that twists to keep the tea leaves from over-steeping. We love that you can make a LOT of tea in this and sit around the table with it for hours and hours.
Buy: Stelton Tea Infuser and Carafe, $140 at Lumens
The Best Corkscrew: Pulltap’s Double-Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew
Ask any bartender or waiter to recommend a corkscrew and they’ll almost always suggest this one. With a built-in foil cutter and a two-step lever, it’s not complicated at all to use — promise.
Buy: Pulltap’s Double-Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew, $12
