Coffee, communications, and freelancing all go hand in hand. Not just as a metaphor (What Your Coffee Can Teach You About Communications) but also to fuel our creative...
Coffee fuels my freelance life, strategy sessions, deep work, and many zoom calls. So when Amazon’s Black Friday Deals hit, I always take a moment to share my setup as there really is no better time to change things up.
After 16 years in Australia (a third wave coffee mecca), I came back to the States with snobby taste buds and a mission: make great coffee at home. This blog breaks down the exact gear I use, beans, brewer, and beyond, so you can skip the bad brews and grab what’s actually worth it, especially while it’s on sale.
The Machine - Technivorm Moccamaster KBGT
As I'm making coffee for two every morning I have never been quite patient enough to do a manual pour over, or even to run my Aeropress twice. So that was challenge number one. Recently I had been seeing these Moccamaster's start to pop up in Cafe's around Australia and New Zealand marketed as Batch Brew. Two keys that set these machines apart are water temperature and timing. How it manages those things is how it produces a great consistent cup each day. It's basically the drip coffee machine for the coffee snob, or reluctant one like me. They are hand made in the Netherlands so are really good quality too. The KBGT model above is one of a mind numbing amount of different variations. Though we chose it in particular because it was able to make a lot of cups while also keeping the coffee warmer in the thermal carafe. This is important to us because we often make an extra cup or two in the morning so we can top off. We have two kids under 5 so enough said there.
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The Grind -
FELLOW Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2
For the last six years, this blog post has featured the Baratza Encore as my go-to coffee grinder—and for good reason. It’s been a solid, reliable choice for home brewing. But after upgrading to the Fellow Ode Brew Grinder this past Christmas, I’ve realized just how much better my morning coffee routine could be. It’s quieter, faster, and more precise, all while looking great on the counter.
After years of recommending the Encore, why did I finally switch? Read the blog here
TIP: When using this with the Moccamaster I usually have the Fellow Ode's settings set somewhere between 4-6. This grind setting changes slightly based on your beans and preferred flavor. The key being to experiment.
The Source - Trade Coffee Subscription
Ok I will start off by saying that if you do happen to live near a quality roaster then by all means go and support your local spot. Though the big factor here is all about being "freshly roasted". If you picked up your coffee from a grocery store, and if it happens to have an expiry date on the package you have already made the investment above pretty much useless. You may as well just get a $15 blade grinder and throw it in a French Press. Which is fine if that's what you like. But if you are after quality then it starts with the beans. A basic rule of thumb is that you should wait at least 5 days after coffee is roasted to drink it. Then make sure to finish it in the first 2 weeks because it starts to go stale really quick. This is why any quality roaster will only sell you 12oz bags or smaller, sorry you won't find those massive Costco bags that will last a few months. Ok so now to where I am currently getting our coffee. I tried a few different coffee subscriptions but have really liked Trade Coffee. I am a digital marketer so am always a sucker for a good ad showing up in my social feeds. That is how I first heard of Trade. It is a pretty simple concept, you just answer a few questions about your coffee drinking habits and they recommend a subscription. Though really you are choosing between Blends or Single Origins. The thing I really like is how they rotate sending you coffee from a bunch of different roasters around the country. The first coffee i got was actually a Rwandan Single Origin freshly roasted in Massachusetts. It was shipped for free all the way to Hawaii and arrived only a few days after it's roasted on date!
The Storage - Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister
Investing in good beans only goes as far as the storage. So while you might have the best machine and source of beans it won't matter if stored incorrectly. Oxygen and sunlight are the two big killers so I went with the matte black Fellow Atmos Vacuum container. Seeing our subscription is two 12oz bags each time I went with the 1.2 Litre (not as big as they seem) which roughly holds a bag and a half. So I unload the first bag into the container and tuck the second unopened bag into a kitchen cabinet, no not the refrigerator or freezer. After a few days I can unload the second bag into the container. I love the look of these containers and not only does it provide a good seal but it allows you to literally suck the oxygen out, keeping your beans fresher longer.
THE CUP - MIIR TRAVEL TUMBLER
My wife and I have always loved collecting unique coffee mugs. It all started with those Starbucks city collectables and went more unique as our coffee appreciation grew. Though as parents and as freelancers with internet jobs our coffee just kept going cold. This meant that a lot of it ended up down the drain. Unless we tried resurrecting it as an iced coffee later that morning. Though this past Christmas I finally got my hands on one of these MIIR Travel Tumblers. Like this web site hopefully communicates I am passionate about helping both for profit and nonprofits who's main mission is to give back. They are not driven simply by the product and the customer. MIIR is a great cause based company and their tumbler quality has outperformed anything I have ever had before. My coffee has sat on my desk for hours before I pick it up and it is still nice and hot and ready to enjoy!
Final Thoughts
If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me. Whether you’re a fellow reluctant coffee snob or just trying to cut back on overpriced lattes, building a solid at-home setup is totally worth it. Yeah, the upfront cost can sting, but between grocery store beans and drive-thru stops, you’re probably spending more than you realize.
I’ve saved hundreds by timing purchases with Black Friday deals or digging through Amazon Warehouse listings. And selling a few unused gadgets on Facebook Marketplace helped cover the rest. A better cup doesn’t have to break the bank, you just need to know what gear’s actually worth it.
Appreciate you reading. If you’re ready to upgrade your morning brew, maybe start with the beans I mentioned above. You’ll taste the difference.
