The Barista’s Guide to Home Brewing Equipment

There’s no shortage of choice in the market for home brewing equipment—so how do you know which is right for you? Maybe you’re looking to build up a collection, experimenting with different brewing styles. Perhaps you watched a barista craft a perfect pour-over and want to recreate the experience at home and further your coffee knowledge.

From a timeless French Press to an innovative pour-over dripper, choosing the right brewing equipment is all about suiting your needs, whether you desire convenience, flavour exploration or seek an elevated morning ritual. Here’s some of our go-to brewers for a brilliant home coffee experience.

The AeroPress has something of a cult following – a firm favourite among many baristas and other coffee professionals. Compact, lightweight, and extremely smart for such a simple-looking brewer, the AeroPress is a great choice for brewing excellence on the go and at home.

As well as providing a quick brewing time, the AeroPress offers the opportunity to explore different variables, such as brew time and grind size, with extraction being straight forward, making this a brilliant choice for the adventurous and curious brewer, and those with limited space: the perfect addition for backpacks, campervans, or kitchen cupboards.

Visit a speciality coffee shop, and you’ll often see a V60 on their retail shelves and in use behind the counter. There are numerous styles, colours, and even materials to choose from, but the principles remain the same: ground coffee is placed in the filter paper, which fits neatly within the shape of the V60: as the hot water is poured over the coffee grounds, your brewing begins, filtering through into your vessel of choice, which the V60 has been placed on top of.

We’re big fans of the classic Hario ceramic V60 dripper. With a conical shape, and a central, single hole for the coffee to filter through, this timeless design allows for complete exploration, putting you at the helm of your coffee brewing. Grind size, water temperature, ratio—it’s all up for experimentation. So long as you’ve got some filter papers on hand, you can enjoy a premium speciality coffee experience, while taking up minimal space in your kitchen.

Available in glass and stainless steel, the Kalita Wave dripper is our go-to pour-over method of choice—simple, effective, and reliable. Available in two brewing sizes (155 for one cup, and 185 for 2-3 cups), the Kalita Wave presents a consistent brewing technique thanks to a smart design. The flat bed and three precise dripper holes enable even extraction and a controlled flow rate. Its price-point won’t break the bank (and neither will the filter papers you’ll want to have in your kitchen cupboard, ready for brewing), and it’s a trusted piece of equipment that everyone can enjoy—from those new to coffee, to seasoned brewing experts.

The French Press is often overlooked – mistakenly snubbed by some – when it comes to coffee brewing equipment, but this immersion method brewer is a household staple for many, for good reason. Accessible, simple to use, and in a choice of sizes that means sharing coffee with family and friends is easy, the French Press deserves to be in every kitchen cupboard. While the French Press (also called a cafetiere) is a great piece of equipment for those new to speciality coffee brewing, with a simple brewing method (with coffee steeping in hot water to extract), it shouldn’t be ruled out for coffee enthusiasts with a little knowledge: sometimes, simplicity is needed, and the French Press is an ideal choice for slow weekends as much impromptu social visits.

Inexpensive, robust and timeless. If you enjoy a simple, yet delicious, morning coffee routine—whether from your kitchen, or a campervan stovetop—then, chances are, you’ll appreciate the process of brewing with a Moka pot. A staple in Italian culture, the Moka pot creates a rich, authentic espresso experience with minimal effort—plus it’s a budget friendly option, and considerate for small spaces. Hardwearing, the Moka pot is a great choice that, with a little care, will last you for years to come.

The Wilfa Classic Tall Coffee Maker is the perfect choice for busy mornings, shared office spaces, and social gatherings, with a sleek design, smart technology, and easy brewing all on offer. While this brewer is a more considered purchase, it offers pleasing aesthetics and smart brewing capabilities – including a generously sized carafe (up to 10 cups), a manual drip-stop for flow control, auto-off function after 40 minutes, and a cleaning reminder. The result is a brewing experience that perfectly balances intuitive, effortless usage with an attention to detail that coffee professionals will appreciate.

Designed for the enthusiast as much as the newcomer to coffee, the Fellow
Stagg XF Pour Over Dripper is a compact yet impressive-looking piece of kit. Practical, smart, and easy to use, it creates a remarkably clean cup. Equipped with a built-in ratio aid, this brewer provides an effortless experience, helping you perfect the coffee to water ratio every time. Whether you’re looking for a new brewing method or a unique gift, this pour over method combines science, style and substance.

Choosing between the AeroPress and the AeroPress Go comes down to lifestyle, with very little in the price to sway a decision. The AeroPress Go has simply been optimised to include a handy carry case that doubles as a drinking vessel, levelling up the ease and practicality of the design that’s famously a traveller’s companion. Whether you opt for the classic or the travel version of this much-loved brewer, you can expect the same quality of brewing and ritual.

There are merits to both brewers, but while they both use a full immersion method with a push mechanism, this is the only feature they share. Both the AeroPress and the French Press can provide a brilliant cup of coffee—but each suits different needs, with some limitations to consider. For speed, versatility, and portability, the AeroPress is the clear winner: experimentation is possible with grind size, time, and the option to brew an espresso or filter coffee. When it comes to a classic, simple cup of coffee at home or to share, then a French Press provides failsafe simplicity—but for the option of more creativity, the AeroPress stands out.

If you’re looking for a classic espresso experience, but an espresso machine doesn’t fit your counter space or your budget, then small brewing equipment like the Moka pot and the AeroPress are ideal alternatives. If you’re after a consistent, familiar cup of your favourite coffee every morning, then the Moka pot is an easy choice. But for a similar price point, the AeroPress allows you to explore a range of grind sizes and recipes, giving you the versatility to try an espresso style in the morning, and a filter style in the afternoon.

There are a few key differences in the designs of these two exceptionally popular pour-over brewers. The shape of the V60 dripper is conical, while the Kalita Wave has a flat-bed dripper. Alongside this, the V60 has once hole for the coffee to pour through; the Kalita wave has three. It’s these seemingly differences that, some argue, influence the evenness of extraction. There’s a slight difference in price here, along with aesthetics.

The V60 is sleek and pleasing in any kitchen, with inexpensive filter papers, and, overall, a good brewing method that with a little patience and skill, creates a beautiful pour. The Kalita Wave also benefits from budget-friendly filter papers (which feature a wave design), and a slightly more user-friendly design (aiding better water regulation) that means you can still pour a great filter coffee without a specialist kettle. If you’re looking for a smart pour-over with less need to perfect your technique, then the Kalita Wave is worth the slightly bigger spend.

Both the Chemex and the V60 are highly by professionals and home coffee enthusiasts alike. Unlike the non-porous glass Chemex, the V60 is available in a range of materials, but ceramic is their most popular. The Chemex provides multiple cups, and the smart design not only looks great but provides an exceptionally clean cup. The V60 wins in terms of price-point, but this isn’t made for social settings—much more of a personal, 1-cup ritual rather than for sharing. Both methods require some patience and practice but are both mess-free and incredibly good options for filter brewing.

While some brewing accessories are excellent for elevating your home brewing set up, like electric grinders and beautiful ceramic vessels, there are some that we believe are key pieces of kit for every set up.

Every brewing technique requires a measured amount of coffee. Just as it’s key to measure ingredients when baking, how much coffee you brew with greatly influences the profile of the final cup. While there’s nothing wrong with making use of the kitchen scales you likely already own, you might look to invest in some coffee scales, designed for accuracy and coffee-specific brewing methods. With a range of styles and prices to suit budget and preferences, expanding your home brew set up with a set of coffee scales is smart investment.

Chemex, AeroPress, V60 and Kalita brewing methods require specific filters papers to use for the extraction process. The good news is that they’re inexpensive, and usually come in generous packs ranging from 50 to 100. There are different filters to fit each brewer, designed for optimal draw-down time and smooth water flow on your brew, bringing out maximum clarity and complexity within the final cup.

While there’s nothing wrong with using the kitchen kettle, if you’re looking for precision in temperature and pour, then a specialist coffee kettle is a worthy investment. There are a number of features to look out for, whether you choose an electric or hob version (be sure to check that your hob type will suit your kettle); a lightweight yet sturdy body, thoughtful spout design – essential for ensuring a gradual flow-rate (key to pour-over brewing) – and a way to gauge or even set your temperature will elevate your brewing experience and aid a rewarding coffee ritual from start to finish.