Jay Ducote’s Coffee Brewing Setup
I’m certainly a coffee drinker… so much so that at one point I launched my own coffee and I gave a TedXLSU talk about the project! Brewing coffee at home is a great way to save money compared to hitting all the coffee shops out there, and it’s not too hard to get a setup at home to give you a great cup for every occasion.
Admittedly, I’m usually drinking black coffee, and I grind my beans fresh before every cup. I currently use a blade grinder, but I put the burr grinder that’s on my wishlist below. I also recently added a milk frother to my lineup, so maybe I’ll work on some lattes too!
Disclaimer: links contain influencer marketing codes, none of which impacted their placement on this list as they are all products that I actually have. You can check out my Amazon Storefront for a more full list my kitchen accessories, cookbooks, and more, as well as coffee filters and other accessories that I use.
Gooseneck Kettle - Bonavita
This one-liter electric gooseneck kettle with precise temperature control and one-hour heat and hold capabilities is what I use in my kitchen for most hot water needs. The gooseneck makes it ideal for pour over coffee brewing in my V60 or Chemex (both listed below), and it also works perfectly for the French Press, AeroPress (both also listed below), or turning down the temperature some to brew a more delicate tea. I also use it to heat up water for cooking, and have even used it to water my succulents (just not with hot water!).
Pour Over V60 - Hario
The ceramic white V60 is my most frequently used coffee brewing apparatus. For brewing single cups of coffee, I haven’t found a better answer. I grind beans fresh each morning, add them to a #2 filter in my V60, place that atop my coffee mug, and pour hot water over the grinds from my gooseneck kettle. A fresh cup of coffee awaits me, and I’m happy. Plus, at under $25 and with no moving parts to break, this brewing system will last!
Pour Over Large Format - Chemex
When I’m not brewing just one cup of coffee for myself, I go with the large format Chemex. The 10-cup capacity glass pour over pitcher is glorious for coffee nerds and entertainers as well as families or roommates who want to have some coffee on hand. I love being able to watch the coffee brew through the glass as you drizzle the hot water from your kettle. Make sure with the Chemex you also get a supply of filters!
Portable Coffee Game Changer - AeroPress
The AeroPress is a really nice coffee gadget for camping, hunting, fishing, backpacking, or other on-the-go operations. It is lightweight, made of a durable plastic, and brews very quickly. You add your coffee grinds and water, stir, and press. It can do a single cup of coffee at a time or up to three shots of espresso. I also recommend one of these reusable metal filters, especially for backpacking and camping. It really is a whole new ballgame when you’re trying to pack a coffee system for travel.
The Coffee Pot - Bonavita
Sometimes you just need to make a pot of coffee. Fill it with water, add some coffee grinds in a filter, and then hit a button and walk away. This setup from Bonavita is one of my favorites out there right now. I like the insulated stainless carafe that keeps the coffee hot for hours, plus the 8-cup capacity means there’s plenty coffee to get you through your morning and the afternoon lull.
French Press - Bodum
No coffee collection is complete without the French Press. Mine is over a quart in size, so there’s plenty coffee to go around. There’s something magical about the wait while the hot water dances with the coffee grinds to great that caffeinated elixir. Plunging down and pouring your cup gives a sensation unlike any other in the coffee game. No disposable filters. No slow pour overs. Just a good, old fashioned French Press.
Milk Frothing Pitcher - Adorever
I drink my coffee black almost exclusively, but every now and then it’s nice to froth some milk for a little extra creaminess or to go with a latte-style espresso drink. I picked up this milk frothing pitcher so that I could have a little frothed milk whenever I feel like it.
Milk Frother - Zulay
The milk frother works wonders for lots of blending needs. It’s a small, handheld electric whisk that can make a meringue out of a couple eggs or it can whip cream for a nice dessert. It also does a great job foaming up milk for lattes and more, or blending chai, honey, sugars, or other ingredients in your teas or coffees. This is a handy tool to have around!
Grinder On My Wishlist - Fellow Ode
I have to admit, I don’t have this yet… some if anybody wants to buy it for me, please feel free! My coffee weakness right now is grinding. I’m operating off of an old blade grinder and would love to upgrade to this Fellow Ode Brew Grinder with the burr mechanics and different settings for coarseness depending on each style of brew.
