Gifts for coffee lovers in Canada

Find out how they brew

Coffee gifts go wrong when they do not fit the routine. Before you buy, find out three things: what they brew with, whether they grind their own beans, and how many cups they make each morning.

Someone happy with a drip machine gets the most from an AeroPress. Someone already brewing pour-over will notice a gooseneck kettle or a grinder in every cup. Someone who forgets their cup on the desk is the person a heated mug was made for. Someone who drinks coffee at the rink or on the ice-fishing hut wants a big vacuum bottle.

The grinder is the real upgrade

Most home coffee is held back by pre-ground beans, not the brewer. A burr grinder is the single change that improves the cup most for someone who already brews by hand.

The Timemore C5 Pro has steel burrs and suits one or two cups of filter coffee. The Hario Skerton is the cheaper ceramic option and holds more beans, but it is slower and less even for espresso. Both take a minute or two of cranking, which some people enjoy and others will not.

Beans and subscriptions

For someone with a full shelf of gear, send coffee. Check the roast style first: light, fruity roasts disappoint a dark-roast drinker. Then check whether they grind at home; whole beans are wasted without a grinder.

Canada is well served. Detour sends light, fruit-forward roasts from Ontario, prepaid for three months. Pilot's plan renews per shipment until cancelled, so set it up with care. The Roasters Pack sends bags from small roasters across the country. For a single bag, pick by region: Kicking Horse and Salt Spring from BC, Just Us from Nova Scotia, De Mello from Toronto.

Budgets and timing

Under $30 covers a bag of beans from almost any roaster here, or a gift card. From $30 to $100 buys a hand grinder, an engraved mug, a host bundle, a three-month subscription or a Calgary class. Above that sit the electric kettle, the advent calendar and the heated mug.

The coffee advent calendar ships early to mid-November, so order it in October. Engraved mugs are made to order and need a few extra days. The Calgary classes let the recipient pick a date, and the Rogue Wave card arrives by email, so both work at the last minute.

Questions people ask

What do you get a coffee lover who has everything?

Send coffee instead of more equipment. A prepaid subscription from a roaster in their country, like Trade Coffee in the US, Detour in Canada, Grind in the UK or Thieves in Australia, brings new beans for months. A roastery tour or brewing class is another option if they live near London or Calgary.

Is a coffee grinder a good gift?

For someone who brews by hand with pre-ground coffee, it is the most useful upgrade you can buy. A hand grinder like the Timemore C5 Pro or 1Zpresso Q2 S suits one or two cups. Check what they brew first: the Fellow Ode is for filter coffee only and will not grind fine enough for espresso.

What is a good coffee gift under $50?

The Hario V60 starter set, AeroPress, Chemex, Bruer cold brew pitcher and KeepCup Commuter all sit at or under about $50. A V60 or AeroPress suits someone new to brewing by hand. The KeepCup suits a person who buys takeaway coffee every day, and the Bruer suits an iced-coffee drinker.

Should I buy whole beans or ground coffee as a gift?

Whole beans if they own a grinder, ground if they do not. Coffee loses flavour faster once it is ground, so whole beans are better for someone who grinds at home. If you are not sure, a subscription like Thieves lets you choose either, or pair whole beans with a hand grinder.