A coffee expert shares the 6 things every coffee drinker should have

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Besides breathing and sleeping, there are few things I do with as much regularity as my morning cup of coffee. Before my first cup of Joe in the morning, I am walking through the day like a zombie, and I feel pretty confident in saying I’m not alone in this.

I do my best to make my morning mug at home when I can, but most days I’m scrambling for a train, and then scrambling through sidewalks with only time for a quick moment of reprieve at my morning food cart. It is not the ideal coffee scenario, but it gets the job done for me.

There are better ways to start your morning with a cup of coffee all your own, but since my daily routine is a bit chaotic, we decided to call in an expert. I recently spoke with Paul Toscano, connoisseur of all things coffee and chief marketing officer of Joyride Coffee, a company that specializes in cold brew kegs. I asked him to take me through some items he thinks avid coffee drinkers might be missing in their cupboards. 

Below you can find Toscano’s recommendations, along with his reasoning as to why any aspiring barista should consider adding a bit more to their collection of coffee tools. Take a look if you’re interested in learning to make your morning cup like the pros.

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A Chemex

I think the best home setup is the pour-over. Unless you're routinely hosting larger groups of people at your home, it's really the best, most consistent and honestly most rewarding way to brew coffee.

My personal favorite is the Chemex, which is a tried-and-true brew method going back to the 1940s when it was invented by a German chemist. It's not only an extremely functional brew method, it's also beautiful. And that's not just my opinion...the Chemex is part of the MOMA's permanent collection.

Toscano's pick: Chemex 8-Cup Classic Series Glass Coffee Maker, $43.20

A gooseneck kettle

This is key for any pour-over or hand-crafted brew method. This allows for precise pour control, which is necessary when you're following brewing instructions carefully. A normal pour spout on a regular tea kettle is far too wide and imprecise for delicate coffee brewing.

Toscano's picks:

Hario Buono Pouring Kettle, $34.38

Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle, Polished, $69

An Aeropress

Aside from the Chemex, having a smaller format brew method, like the V60 or Aeropress, is great when you only want to make one cup of coffee at a time. For any of these brew methods, just be sure to pick up a box or two of filters and brush up on your brew methods!

Toscano's picks:

AeroPress Coffee Maker, $29.95

Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper, $19.48