The holiday season is fast approaching and I think we’re all starting to wonder what to do about gifts! This is the first year that my extended family are getting together to celebrate the holidays since before COVID, and when we start drawing names for gift exchanges, I know I’m going to need a few extra ideas. I’m hoping that this list will be a good starting point for the coffee lover in your life. I have put together two categories, gifts under $100 for gift exchanges or stocking stuffers, and a list of items for main gift ideas.

Subminimal Nanofoamer

First off, stocking stuffers! The first item on this list is the Subminimal Nanofoamer, which provides cafe quality foaming for making drinks at home. The Nanofoamer spins milk bubbles through NanoScreens at an ultra-high speed instead of the traditional whisk shape you would find on other stick foaming units. The major change allows the Nanofoamer to break down the bubbles into a microscopic mist (i.e. microfoam) that can even be used for latte art!

The Nanofoamer comes with two screen sizes; it is also waterproof and comes with both a sheath and wall mounting piece for optimal storage options. The Nanofoamer is powered by two AA batteries. The Nanofoamer has become very popular lately as it helps users make great microfoam at home without spending thousands of dollars on an espresso machine. It’s small and sleek and would make the perfect stocking stuffer!

HuskeeCup

Next up we have our HuskeeCups! Getting a new reusable cup is one of my favourite things to receive as a gift around the holidays, so I wanted to add one of my personal favourite cups to this list. HuskeeCups are made from an eco-composite polymer featuring coffee husks. Huskee as a company started as a Kickstarter concept in June 2017. However, when you dig into the reason why Huskee was created, the origin is extremely poetic. Humanity found ways to process and remove the bean from the cherry and husk to stabilize for transport and roasting, only to make a cup that will hold that now brewed coffee bean one final time before consuming it.

My first personal purchase I ever made at Eight Ounce, four years before I worked with the company, was a HuskeeCup! I was visiting Calgary from Toronto and went straight to the Eight Ounce showroom to buy myself a HuskeeCup because I was so excited about the concept!

HuskeeCups come in 3oz, 6oz, 8oz, 12oz and 16oz and have a universal lid (minus the 3oz size) and there is a Huskee saucer available as well. A HuskeeCup would make a great stocking stuffer for the eco-conscious person in your life.

Tricolate

Last on our list for stocking stuffers is the Tricolate brewer! This brewer is a little bit different from the ones you’ve used before; the biggest difference is while most other slow brew methods incorporate some sort of bypass, the Tricolate does not. Brewing with other pour-over methods, the way the filter and device are designed, leaves opportunity for the water to “bypass” the coffee grinds, and end up in your cup without ever coming into contact with the coffee itself.

Another great feature about the Tricolate is it has an engineered shower head designed to disperse water evenly across the coffee at not only a consistent height but also at a specific flow rate, which also makes it a really great option for brewing at home if you don’t have a gooseneck kettle. And while there are other options for creating a shower head distribution of water, the way that this one is incorporated into the device means that there is minimal heat loss while brewing.

The Tricolate is a fun and unique brewer that leaves a lot of room for playing around, it would make a great gift for the person in your life who enjoys brewing coffee at home!

Varia

First on our list for main gift ideas is the Varia VS3. The Varia VS3 is our newest grinder in our lineup! Here at Eight Ounce, we’ve been testing out new grinders for months, and we’re really excited to bring this beautiful grinder to you just in time for the holidays! Varia created the VS3 Grinder for optimal grinding that meets even the highest demands and is suitable for many preparation methods, from espresso to pour-over to French press. The Varia VS3 Grinder is the best choice for every home barista.

This stunning minimalist-looking grinder comes in black and white, and takes up a small footprint on your counter. The Varia VS3 has integrated magnets in the hopper lid to securely connect it to the hopper, as well as connecting the dosing cup to the base. It also has non-slip silicone feet installed on the base of the VS3 to keep it secure on your counter.

We are really stoked about this grinder and we think you will be too! We can promise you that the coffee lover in your life doesn’t have this grinder yet, and it would make for a really special gift!

Timemore Set

We have a wide range of Timemore products that are available at your fingertips! One of my favourite gift ideas is our Timemore pour over sets, such as this Timemore Nano Carrying Kit or our Timemore C2 Pour-Over Kit. These kits have everything that the home brewer in your life needs, making this the perfect gift.

The Timemore Nano Carrying Kit is the perfect gift for the traveller in your life. This kit includes the Black Gunmetal Nano Coffee Grinder, 3 Metal Bean Jars with Lids, a 300ml Timemore Kettle, Small Plastic Crystal Eye Dripper, a Pack of Ten (10) Paper Filters, and a Grinder Brush all put together in a beautiful carrying case.

The Timemore C2 Pour-Over Kit comes with the C2 Coffee Grinder, 360ml Coffee Server, 600ml Timemore Kettle, Small (01) Glass Crystal Eye Dripper, Pack of Fifty (50) Paper Filters, a Grinder Brush, and a Thermometer all packaged in a carrying case.

We have a lot of other kits and bundles on our website that make for great and easy gifts!

Morning Machine

Last but not least we have the Morning Machine! The Morning Machine is a capsule machine, created by the company Morning, that is geared towards specialty coffee. There are so many great features to this machine, such as fully customizable recipes as well as an array of preset  recipes which can be customised  through the app (or on the machine itself). "Every bean and blend deserves to be enjoyed in the best way possible" is the motto that drives the Morning team and the roasters they partner with. To achieve that end, they've designed and engineered this new machine to elevate the home coffee experience to rival that found in the best espresso bars and cafes.

With precision-controls that draw out the nuances, aromas, and flavours of each brew, the Morning Machine crafts coffee that tastes exactly the way the roaster intended.

In addition to partner roaster recipes, available via the Morning Mobile App, the home barista may also create and save their own personalized brews or try out the 10 pre-programmed recipes created by the Morning team.

Here at Eight Ounce we carry a wide range of pods for the Morning Machine, which are also compatible with the Nespresso OriginalLine capsules. A lot of the Eight Ounce team actually own Morning Machines themselves and this is what they have to say about it:

“The morning machine is perfect for both me and my partner (who isn't as much of a coffee 'nerd'). They can quickly select an option to have an amazing cup, and I still adjust and explore all of the variables through the app!” -AJ Doell, Inventory Manager and Product Specialist

“If you want the convenience of using a Nespresso capsule combined with the joy of being able to customize your own preferences and recipes, then the Morning Machine is perfect for you!” -Kolter Gordon, Customer Experience Lead

“Love being able to make myself a quick cafe quality espresso tonic or a cappuccino (paired with my Nanofoamer) anytime I want!” -Lindsay Penner, Head of Everything Else

“Finally a coffee capsule machine designed to bring out all the flavours and nuances of specialty coffee capsules!” -Dianne Eclar, Community Strategist 

Now, if you’re still feeling overwhelmed about what to get your family and friends this holiday season, feel free to stop by our showroom if you’re local to Calgary or contact us via email or phone any time, and we would be happy to help you find the perfect gift!

We hope you all have the most joy-filled holidays from myself and the entire team at Eight Ounce!