Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers (7 Ideas, All Under €40)

Coffee lovers are easy to buy for, in theory: they always need something. In practice, the coffee gear market is full of gimmicks, and buying the wrong gift is worse than not buying one. A cheap hand grinder will frustrate them; a fancy espresso machine they don’t have room for will gather dust.

This is a curated list of seven gifts for coffee lovers, all under €40, that any coffee person will actually use.

1. A 250 g bag of good coffee (€10–€18)

The single best gift for a coffee lover. Most coffee drinkers buy whatever is at the supermarket, and the difference between that and a freshly roasted, single-origin bag is huge. The bag should have a roast date printed on it (within the last 4 weeks is ideal) and the name of the roaster.

Where to buy: a local roastery if there is one, or an online roaster like Square Mile, Hasbean, or a German roaster like The Barn or Bonanza. €12–€18 for a 250 g bag.

Who it’s for: any coffee drinker. Even the person who has every gadget will be happy with a bag from a new roaster.

2. A Hario V60 pour-over kit (€15–€22)

The classic pour-over kit: a plastic or ceramic V60 dripper, a pack of 100 paper filters, and you’re done. The V60 is the easiest way to make better coffee at home, and €15 is all it costs to start.

The kit: Hario V60 plastic 02 (€8) + 100 paper filters (€5) + a 500 g bag of good coffee (€12). Total: about €25. The recipient will thank you every morning.

Who it’s for: the coffee drinker who wants to make better coffee but hasn’t started. The V60 is the lowest-friction entry.

3. A 1Zpresso Q2 hand grinder (€35)

The single best sub-€50 hand grinder. The 1Zpresso Q2 is well-built, has 40 click settings, and grinds consistently enough for both pour-over and espresso. A hand grinder means no electricity, no noise, and no need for a grinder on the counter.

€35 is more than a starter gift, but it’s the upgrade that every coffee person eventually makes. If the recipient has a decent setup but no good grinder, this is the gift.

Who it’s for: the coffee lover who already has a V60 or AeroPress and is ready to upgrade. The grinder makes a bigger difference than the brewer.

4. A 1L Fellow Stagg EKG electric kettle (€40)

The variable-temperature electric kettle that brought “third-wave coffee” to the kitchen. The EKG is a 1L gooseneck kettle with precise temperature control. The gooseneck spout gives you pour control, which is what makes pour-over coffee work.

The kettle itself is the gift; the recipient will use it every morning for years. €40 is the upper end of “under €40” but the Stagg EKG is the right pick.

Who it’s for: the pour-over enthusiast who has the V60 and the grinder and needs the kettle. If they don’t have a gooseneck kettle, this is the missing piece.

5. A bag of specialty hot chocolate (€10–€15)

For the coffee lover who has a sweet tooth. A 250 g bag of good hot chocolate — single-origin, 70% cocoa, from a craft chocolate maker — is the most underrated gift in this list. Pair with a pack of marshmallows or a bottle of good vanilla extract.

Where to buy: a craft chocolate maker (Rausch, Zotter, or a local one). €10–€15 for a 250 g bag.

Who it’s for: the coffee lover who also loves chocolate. The fact that this is “not just coffee” is the point.

6. A bag of good decaf (€15–€22)

The most thoughtful gift on this list. Most coffee lovers drink regular coffee in the morning and want a good decaf in the afternoon or evening. Decaf is harder to make well, and a good decaf bean is harder to find.

Where to buy: the same roaster as the regular coffee. A bag of single-origin decaf from a craft roaster is the gift. €15–€22 for 250 g.

Who it’s for: the coffee lover who has been drinking supermarket decaf because they “couldn’t find a good one.” This is the gift that solves a problem.

7. A coffee subscription (€15–€25/month, 3-month minimum)

A 3-month subscription to a coffee delivery service. The roaster sends a new bag every month, with tasting notes and a story. The recipient gets to try 3 different origins in 3 months.

Where to buy: most specialty roasters offer subscriptions. The cost is usually €15–€25 per month. A 3-month gift is €45–€75, which is over the “under €40” budget — call it the slight exception.

Who it’s for: the coffee lover who’s been meaning to try more roasters but never gets around to it. A subscription forces them out of their comfort zone.

What NOT to buy

A cheap espresso machine

A €100 espresso machine makes bad espresso. The recipient will use it once, realise the espresso is worse than the local café, and put it in a cupboard. Either spend €400+ on a decent machine (Breville Bambino Plus, Gaggia Classic Pro) or don’t buy one.

A milk frother

The cheap battery-powered frothers break in a month. The good ones are €30+ (the Nespresso Aeroccino or the Subminimal NanoFoamer). If you want to buy a frother, spend on the good one.

A novelty mug

A mug with “World’s Best Boss” on it is not a gift. A €25 branded mug from a specialty brand (Hasami, Kinto) is a gift. There’s a difference.

A French press that’s too small

A 350 ml French press makes 2 cups. Most people drink 3–4 cups in the morning. Get a 1L press (€18) unless you know they only drink 1–2 cups.

How to present the gift

A coffee gift is best presented as a “tasting” rather than a wrapped present. Put the bag of coffee, the V60, the filters, and a handwritten card in a small basket or on a wooden board. The recipient gets to try everything at once.

If the gift is just one item (a bag of coffee, a kettle), wrap it in brown paper and add a small card: “I tried this and thought of you.”

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best single gift for a coffee lover?

A bag of good coffee. It’s the lowest-effort, highest-impact gift. The recipient will drink it every day for two weeks and think of you each time.

What if I don’t know what coffee they drink?

Get a balanced medium-roast single-origin. It’s hard to go wrong with a washed Colombian or Brazilian from a craft roaster.

Should I include a brewing guide?

Yes. A small card with the brew recipe (15 g coffee, 250 g water, 4 minutes) is the difference between the bag being “good coffee” and “good coffee that I made well.”

The bottom line

A coffee lover is easy to buy for if you know what they already have. If they have a setup (V60, AeroPress, or espresso machine), upgrade one component. If they don’t, give them a bag of good coffee and a V60. The difference between “a gift they’ll use” and “a gift they’ll forget” is the specificity of the gift to the recipient.