14 Gifts $50 Or Less For Coffee Lovers
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There's so much to love about the holidays. Making sugar cookies, hanging beautiful lights and ornaments, gathering with loved ones ... Watching friends and family open their Christmas gifts is a blast, but stressing over finding the perfect gift — not so much. We've belly-ached over all the same questions you're probably spinning out over right now: How do I Christmas shop for adults? What are the perfect white elephant gifts? Why is Christmas shopping so hard? In the modern world of bottomless options — Amazon page after Amazon page of marginally different products — answering that last question isn't all that tough.
In this Christmas gift idea roundup, we are covering the folks in your life whose Christmas wishlists could pass for a Starbucks menu board. Shopping for this crew can be a challenge, especially when specific tastes and preferences vary widely, but don't worry. Even if you yourself don't know a coffee bean from a pebble on the ground, this thoughtfully curated batch of Christmas present ideas caters to the caffeine crusaders and java junkies that are still stumping you this far into the holiday shopping season. Note: All prices are only current as of the time of this list's publishing.
How we selected these gifts for coffee lovers
While the most obvious gift for a coffee drinker is, well, coffee, we didn't want to take the easy way out on this list. Nor did we want to bust up your bank account. There are plenty of bougie coffee present ideas out there — Swarovski espresso glasses, anyone? There are also some great grocery store holiday coffee blends in case you're in need of an especially bulky stocking stuffer.
To compile these gifts for coffee lovers under $50, we had a few priorities in mind: quality craftsmanship, universal enjoyment, and feasible practicality. No one wants to get a gift that'll sit on a shelf for years — and no one wants to be on the receiving end of a gift like that, either. Items that appear to be made well (through the judgment of reviews, popularity, and overall business reputation) were sought out within the price range. But we also wanted to find Christmas present ideas that eased the pressure of shopping in a niche circle like coffee — because we know it can be daunting finding a gift for coworkers, a white elephant exchange, or a new member of your family or friend group. These coffee-related gift ideas are universal enough to be applied when shopping for those more distal circles, but thoughtful enough to impress even your best friend or spouse.
Best coffee bar decoration gift
Every home coffee bar needs an accompanying array of themed wall art. There are wide selections at department stores, but if the java drinker in your life is just a bit more eccentric than the run-of-the-mill "it's coffee o'clock" art from the big box store brands, a 3D-printed molecular representation of gasoline for humans may suit their vibe better. And don't worry, we already cross-referenced this molecular drawing with information from the National Library of Medicine to make sure this is, in fact, caffeine. The art is a little over 9.6 inches wide and 7.6 inches tall.
The caffeine molecule wall art comes in 15 colors and looks super easy to hang. It's sure to spark up a conversation — and as an added bonus, this product ships anywhere in the United States free of charge!
As of the publishing of this list, this caffeine molecule wall art from Etsy is only $14.95.
Best gift under $10
If you've ever been part of a secret Santa exchange with a $10 limit on gifts, you know how dreaded both shopping for and receiving this kind of gift can be. Good gift ideas under $10 don't have to include lotion, candles, or junky things that'll get zero use. A great Christmas present under $10 for coffee lovers is this ceramic spoon rest.
When you think of cheap gifts for secret Santa exchanges, you may think of low-quality, flimsy plastic material — but with ceramic being so timeless and sturdy, your recipient is likely to get years of use out of this spoon rest. Plus, the off-white color is neutral enough to quietly fit in with any kitchen color scheme. The rest is just under four inches in diameter; review images pretty clearly show that this is meant for a coffee or tea spoon, but it could be used for larger cooking utensils if your gift receiver drinks black coffee.
This ceramic spoon rest is currently on Amazon for $7.99.
Best handmade gift
Does the coffee drinker in your life also happen to appreciate unique things, or things made carefully by hand? They may enjoy having a Nordic kuksa of their own. A kuksa is a small mug-like cup traditionally carved by hand from birch wood. Setting a kuksa apart from ordinary mugs are the finger holes used for gripping the mug, rather than a normal handle. Sami folklore says that a kuksa must only be carved by the owner, or gifted to someone — making it the perfect opportunity for the holiday season (via Kuksa Shop). Tradition also states that kuksa cups should never be washed, only rinsed in a lake or stream, or else you may scrub away the luck that it holds ... but we will let you decide if you want to uphold that ancient practice.
Dursten Trad Küska is a creator of traditional hand-carved kuksa cups. This shop offers mugs in 8- and 12-ounce sizes, and a kanu stirring spoon is also available (sold separately). However, the wood used here is only specified as "hardwood." The craftsman does recommend only hand-washing and seasoning with a food-grade oil. This shop has nearly 1,500 five-star reviews, and ships for free.
The 8-ounce mug is $24 and the 12-ounce is $32 from the Dursten Trad Küska shop on Etsy.
Best white elephant gift
In the most traditional sense, white elephant gift exchanges — or dirty Santa, or Yankee swap — are meant to be a passing-around of gag, cheeky, or impractical gifts. They're usually gifts that'll evoke some laughs, but that you will later conveniently forget at the host's house when you leave. However, if your family or friend circle has adopted the more practical approach to white elephant, the game has changed to everyone putting an ambiguous gift in the circle, then drawing numbers and picking gifts at random. There's still plenty of comedy in the game — each family sets their own rules in terms of stealing gifts from one another, so the most sought-after unwrapped presents will be warred over — but you usually end up scoring something you actually want to go home with at the end of the night.
This pour-over coffee brewer, made of ceramic, stone, and clay, is bound to be a ubiquitous crowd-pleaser. This gift idea is an eye-catching, hand-made alternative to mass-produced pour-over brewers, and follows a universally pleasing color scheme. Even if your gift recipient has never used a pour-over, it's an easy and new coffee brewing method to explore. It fits coffee filters that are available at grocery stores and is safe for the dishwasher.
An accompanying coffee mug is also available through the same Etsy creator — although it doesn't have a listed price and is currently sold out. You can get the pour-over for just $20 on Etsy.
Best gift for the iced coffee fiends
With this cold brew coffee maker and carafe, the cold brew-obsessed friend in your life can finally stop relying on drive-through runs and expensive grocery store jugs of pre-made cold brew to get their daily fix. The carafe, made of insulated steel, holds 32 ounces of coffee and keeps liquids cold for 24 hours. Your recipient can make their cold brew drink directly in the carafe by adding their preferred milk, syrups, and ice. Using the cold brew maker is simple, Uncommon Goods explains: simply pour cold water in slow circles over the coffee grounds — it's important to use coarse-ground coffee for cold brew, so if you have your beans ground at a shop, be sure to mention it's for cold brew — then leave the grounds to steep for 12 to 18 hours.
The reviews of this cold brew maker are overwhelmingly positive. There are gift wrapping options available directly through Uncommon Goods, and free shipping if you've never participated in the site's awards program before.
Keep in mind that while the price of this maker is exactly $50, gift wrapping, shipping, and taxes may change it. It is available through Uncommon Goods.
Best gift for aspiring baristas
Know someone who would love to sling lattes someday? You can help them get started with a set of latte art stencil guides — a set of 45 unique stencils, plus two shakers for cinnamon, sugar, or cocoa powder. The artistic options are just about endless — they range from messages like "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Birthday" to cheery smiling suns, kittens, snowflakes, music notes, butterflies, flowers ... there's a stencil for every occasion. Smaller sets are available for a few dollars less. There is plenty of use to get out of these plastic stencils if they are well taken care of.
These stencils can also be used for cookies, cakes, oatmeal, hot chocolate — anything you can think of to add a cute, photoshoot-worthy design to. Other sellers on Amazon offer custom latte stencils, which are perfect for initials or logos, but you're likely to get less stencils for the same price.
As of December 2022, this set of latte art stencils can be purchased $15.99 on Amazon.
Best gift for the commuter
If the coffee fanatic in your life is a commuter, they probably start out the morning with a big ole gallon of the good stuff. Or, at least they would, if they had the Stanley classic vacuum insulated wide mouth bottle. This thermos holds enough coffee to get anyone through the day — and keeps it piping hot all the while. Plus, the stainless steel is rugged enough to withstand rolling around in the passenger seat, being tossed in a backpack, or clunking along on a bicycle.
Amazon reviewers approve of this newer Stanley design's capability to keep hot coffee steaming even an entire workday later. One specific reviewer poured boiling water in both an older and newer version of this Stanley bottle, and found that the newer design kept the water hotter, only about 40 degrees short of boiling, almost nine hours later. Keep in mind that this bottle only comes in the green color.
This thermos is available in a 1.1-quart size for $24.97 or a 2-quart size for $42.15 on Amazon.
Best gift for the entertainer
Whether passing around an after-dinner boost or an afternoon pick-me-up, this set of four Mini Moka espresso cups will definitely catch guests' eyes, and will certainly be a conversation piece if the Mini Mokas are refilled from a full-size Moka. Each one of these ceramic miniatures holds a 2-ounce shot of espresso, according to the listing — although they could be used for a comically small amount of drip coffee or brewed tea if espresso isn't available.
Even if your coffee-guzzling friend often hosts a full house, a double set of eight would still be within your budget. Or, you can get the set of four plus an actual Moka stovetop espresso maker for just $20 on Amazon — that way your gift recipient can make their espresso and drink it too.
The set of four is only $25, and a set of eight would be $50, on Uncommon Goods.
Best gift for the work-from-homer
There is a vicious triangular cycle that coffee drinkers who work from home get stuck in: desk, kitchen for more coffee, bathroom. This gift takes one of those stops out of the equation. By now, we are all familiar with products like Ember, which uses electric or battery power to keep your coffee heated to a very precise temperature. It's certainly impressive to be able to bump your beverage up by three degrees, but these mugs are expensive, only hold a few ounces of coffee, and if they break — you're back to leaving your desk every hour for a refill, or sipping on cold coffee.
A much simpler and more affordable solution exists; it's just hiding in the tea world. A tea light warming trivet is affordable, and is compatible with any heat-tempered carafe, particularly glass or ceramic pot. Sure, you can't control the temperature with your phone, and it's made for teapots specifically — but show us the rule that says you can't put coffee in a teapot. What's the point of this when almost all drip coffee makers can keep coffee warm for at least a few hours? Well, the tea light warmer comes in handy for pour-over or French press users, for work-from-homers with mobility issues that have a harder time getting around their house, or for those of us remote employees that just like having their coffee hot and within arms' reach.
This trivet is available for $15.99 on Amazon.
Best gift for the coffee explorer
What Christmas gift should you get for the coffee drinker that already has every possible gizmo and gadget for brewing? They will certainly never turn down the opportunity to get more coffee. You can subscribe to the monthly delivery of just about anything these days, and freshly roasted coffee from all around the world is no exception. For gift coffee subscriptions, we recommend Atlas Coffee Club. The only catch to this gift is that you should know at least a little bit about the recipient's coffee preferences; you can set the beans to be whole bean or ground, and ask for only light roast, only dark roast, or any roast type to be included.
As long as you have that information, your gift can put coffee on the doorstep of your favorite caffeine addict for three months. The package includes a postcard from and information about the origin country, brewing method suggestions, and flavor notes — plus a brilliantly designed bag of coffee that'll look dazzling on your coffee-globetrotting friend's Instagram feed.
For a limited time, a three-month gift subscription is only $50, plus free shipping through Atlas Coffee Club.
Best gift for the coffee snob
Anyone who's been to a wine tasting (who is also not a sommelier) probably knows what it's like to nod blankly in agreement at someone who is swirling their glass around while muttering something about oakiness and rosy overtones. It surely comes as no surprise that many of us in the coffee community are guilty of doing the same.
For the snobbish coffee connoisseur in your life who groans at your Starbucks cups, there's the coffee reference card deck, a set of four reference cards to help get them one step closer to their Q grader dreams. These cards offer in-depth details on coffee grinding for brewing methods, a coffee flavor wheel to help identify tasting notes, and the progression of coffee roasting. Just bear in mind that if you gift these cards to the coffee know-it-all, there will absolutely be pop quizzes when you're having coffee and dessert at the Christmas gathering.
As of December 2022, this gift of coffee cards can be found for $10.99 on Etsy.
Best gift for the outdoorsy
Sometimes, you just want your coffee to be as easy as tea. With these steeped coffee single-serve packs, your friend that seems to be always camping, hiking, or even living out of a travel van can easily make a decent cup of coffee as long as they have access to hot water. We also see this as something that could take a lot of hassle out of a coffee lover who is disabled or has mobility issues that make traditional preparation methods a challenge.
These sachets are essentially a new form of instant coffee, but are made with a higher grade coffee than we are used to in other instant coffee types. According to the Amazon listing, this product is made with specialty-grade, ethically-sourced, nitrogen-preserved grounds — and single-serving coffee drinkers can take pride in knowing that they're leaving the plastic coffee pods behind and opting for compostable tea bags instead.
Ten coffee sachets are available through Amazon for $23.49, at the time of this review.
Best giving for making espresso
Most espresso machines are expensive to purchase and expensive to maintain. Nespresso emerged as a somewhat affordable alternative, but keeping up with receiving pods and shipping spent pods back is a hassle — not to mention the quality and freshness of pod-style coffee grounds is suspect. Some brewing methods make strong, intricately-flavored coffee that takes a close swipe at espresso mimicry. Moka pots make wonderful coffee that tastes very close to espresso, but it's not the real thing (via Java Presse). The situation is similar with the Aeropress portable coffee press.
By very traditional standards, Aeropress doesn't make bona fide espresso either, but the foundational concept — forcing hot water through coffee grounds very quickly — is the same. And with the Aeropress being less than $50, coming with no complex electrical maintenance, and being small enough to slip in a backpack, we think it's a fine alternative when purchasing a $700+ manual espresso machine isn't an option.
Despite having a professional-grade manual espresso machine at our disposal, we often find ourselves reaching for the Aeropress when we just want something simple and low-effort. We will advise, however, not to give the Aeropress to someone who wants to make cold brew at home, despite the product advertising that it is capable of doing so. Cold brew is meant to be steeped for many hours, not made in a matter of seconds. There's no way around that.
You can snag the Aeropress for $34.95 on Amazon.
Best unconventional gift
Have we ever possessed the urge to try spicy coffee? No. Do we know what "hot sauce for coffee" entails? Also no. But if you have a coffee-loving friend who likes to try things that are way out there, this is the perfect gift for them. This Hot Sauce for Coffee duo (which indicates that one is a hot sauce for dark roast and one is a hot sauce for light roast ... whatever that means) appears to be a pretty under-the-radar product, but we've never had any reason to distrust anything on Uncommon Goods after years of ordering from them.
It's hard to imagine that this product is literally like putting Tapatio in your Folgers, although we can't even make this claim confidently, since the brand's about section references everything from pumpkin spice to jalapeño margaritas to chai lattes as inspiration. The creator of this hot sauce confesses that it was originally a joke, borne on one lonesome day in the height of the pandemic (via Ujjo). But it seems enough people took to the product, unironically, since its founder is shipping it overseas (via Twitter). Whatever the experience of this hot sauce for coffee is, we think it's pretty safe to say that it's the perfect balance of intrigue and chaos for your ... most intriguingly chaotic friend.
The pair of sauces will cost you $28 — and hopefully, no regret — on Uncommon Goods.