Choosing Your First Coffee Gear — What You Actually Need to Start Brewing

Getting into home coffee brewing? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the gear — grinders, drippers, scales, filters, and more. But you don’t need to buy everything at once. In this post, we’ll show you the essential gear to get started — perfect for beginners looking to brew better coffee at home.


☕ The Basics: What You Actually Need

1. A Coffee Grinder (Manual or Electric)

Freshly ground coffee makes a huge difference in flavor.
Look for a burr grinder — it crushes beans evenly, unlike blade grinders that chop them unevenly.

  • Manual grinders – Affordable and compact, great for beginners

  • Electric burr grinders – Faster, great for daily brewing


2. A Coffee Brewer (French Press or Pour-Over)

Start with just one method. Both are beginner-friendly:

  • French Press – Easy to use, makes bold, rich coffee

  • Pour-Over (like V60) – Cleaner taste, more control over brewing

Choose based on your taste preference and how hands-on you want to be.


3. A Digital Scale

Measuring your coffee and water helps you brew consistently great cups.
Look for a small digital scale that measures in grams. Not essential, but definitely helpful.


4. A Kettle (Standard or Gooseneck)

You need hot water — but how you pour matters too.

  • Standard kettle – Gets the job done

  • Gooseneck kettle – Gives you control over pouring, great for pour-over brewing


5. Quality Coffee Beans

None of the gear matters without good beans.
Start with freshly roasted whole beans, ideally from a local roaster or specialty store. Light to medium roast is a good starting point for flavor clarity.


✅ Beginner Coffee Kit Summary

Gear Why It Matters Budget Option
Grinder Fresh flavor Manual burr grinder
Brewer Core brew method French press
Scale Better consistency Small digital scale
Kettle Hot water Basic kettle
Beans Core ingredient Any fresh whole beans

Final Tip: Start Simple

You don’t need everything on day one. Pick a method (like French press), grab a grinder, and start with a single bag of beans. You’ll learn what you enjoy — and what to upgrade — as you go.