Alright, so you’re in the midst of whatever stage your kid is in, and you’ve done everything you can to help him/her/them get to sleep. The thing is, you’re still exhausted. Hey, it happens. When my oldest hit the scene, I went back to work (that’s when I still had a full time job outside of the home) after two weeks. The combination of the seemingly constant nighttime wakings, and my sleeping on the couch (we were in a one bedroom at the time) left me sore and fatigued come morning. I needed a way to plow ahead with my day. So, I turned to coffee, and I’ve never looked back.
Hard as it is to believe in this day and age, I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker for a long time. How…how can that be? I don’t know. I mean, every once in a while, I’d give it a try, but nothing tasted quite right. Then, I went to Europe, and started getting hooked. The coffee in Italy, Spain, and France was nothing like the stuff I had tried in the United States (my tastings were admittedly pretty limited). It was so much richer, stronger, and smoother than anything I had tasted before. Why? Well, because much of their coffee is espresso based. After the trip, I began experimenting with different brews, and beverages. My coffee consumption went from nearly non-existent to semi-regular.
Then, my son hit the scene. I was wiped out, but still needed to be somewhat functional at work. This is the moment when I went from semi-regular to daily coffee consumer. It perked me up, and gave me added focus. The exhaustion impacted my health (I began getting migraines after about 15 years), and my productivity. Luckily, coffee helped on both fronts. Now, it’s a part of my routine.
At first, I was a regular at Starbucks. But you know what I noticed about Starbucks? It’s pricey! Have you noticed that very same thing? Of course you have, ‘cause you’re not oblivious to the world. My drink of choice was (and still is) cold brew. Depending on what size I got, and where I got it (city taxes are outrageous), I could be spending four to five bucks a cup. Now, multiply the low end of that by 365 days. What do you get? Eew. That’s an absurdly high number for a drink. Realizing this, I decided to look into making my own at home for a fraction of the cost.
I know what you’re thinking: Doesn’t it cost money to buy equipment, and grounds, and pods, and stuff? Yes, it does. But you know something else? The gear, grounds, and pods pay for themselves in savings in a couple short months. Then, everything after that is net savings. Invest it, start a college savings plan, stockpile it away in your rainy day fund, or buy even more coffee. It’s your money to do whatever you’d like. Oh, and an added benefit is that you don’t have to make an extra stop in the morning. Unless, you, like, have a ton of free time and don’t know what to do with yourself. Does that sound like you? Of course it doesn’t. You’re busy! So, if you’re tired of suckling at the teat of corporate coffee, and want to save a little coin, here’s some gear to help you make great coffee at home, and assist you in regaining a touch of your pre-exhaustion self.
Note: The products featured here were selected by me. If you click on a link and buy something, I may receive a commission. I call that a win-win.
I asked my buddy, who lived in Italy for a year, and majored in Italian, about making great Italian-style coffee at home. He told me to get a Bialetti stovetop moka pot. According to him, nearly every Italian kitchen has one. So, I did. It makes a hefty serving (especially the 9-cup version) of really strong espresso roast coffee. To get it closer to the American coffee, think of the yield as a concentrate and add hot water to it. Moka pots are great if you need to brew up more than a single shot, but it can take about 20 minutes for your coffee to be ready. It’s also a pretty inexpensive purchase, all things considered. Buy one here.
If you go the authentic/old school route with a moka pot, you’ll need grounds. For moka pots, you want a fine ground. This stuff, from Illy, is specifically ground to be used with Moka machines. It also comes in a pressurized tin, so it looks cool too. Buy some here.
If you’re the type of coffee drinker who likes the idea of the Bialetti, but also likes their coffee a little bit closer to the American stuff, you’re going to need to add some hot water. This kettle from Cuisinart has 6 temps, heats up fast, and stays warm for 30 minutes stretches at a time. Just be careful. I’ve noticed that when it heat up, everything but the handle itself gets pretty hot. I mean, it does hold boiling water, so I guess that makes sense. Just be careful. Deal? Buy one here.
Nespresso Inissia Nespresso Machine with Milk Frother
Looking for something quicker than the moka? Or, perhaps you just want a single-serve machine? I like our Nespresso Inissia. It’s compact, brews nice espresso, and won’t break the bank. It’s perfect for shots, cappuccinos, mochas, or lattes, especially since this model comes with a milk frother. This is my wife’s go-to coffee device for her morning staple–a double shot. Buy it here.
Nespresso Capsules, Variety Pack
If you go the Nespresso route above, you’ll need some coffee to brew. If you’re not sure what you’ll like, I suggest going with a variety pack. Once you work your way through one of these 50 capsule packs, you’ll have a good idea of what to order next. Buy one here.
Are you all set when it comes to coffee or Nespresso, but are looking for a frother so you can enjoy more lattes or mochas? This little device can help you get the job done. I like it because it doesn’t take up a lot of counter space. I know, it doesn’t produce a steam froth, but it also costs less than $20. That’s a trade I’m willing to make. Plus, the look on people’s faces when you ask them if they’d like a latte is pretty great. Buy one here.
I’ve tried coffee, iced coffee, lattes, mochas, and espressos. The problem I always seem to encounter with these is reflux. Enter cold brew. This stuff is strong (when you brew it, you yield a concentrate), caffeine rich, smooth, and much easier to digest. Apparently, when you remove the heat from the brewing process, what you get is a product that’s far less acidic. Since discovering this, cold brew is my preferred drink. If you’re looking for a sleek, space-saving device that brews, stores, and dispenses this sweet elixir, I highly recommend this one. It looks pretty boss when you open the fridge. Buy it here.
Tiny Footprint Cold Brew Coffee Grounds
Admittedly, I’ll switch up my coffee grounds for my cold brew, but I’ve probably purchased this stuff the most. The flavor is nice, the cost seems right, and you can subscribe for a discount. Try it out, see what you think! Buy some here.
What about a plain, old cup of joe? Well, we don’t drink much of it anymore at my house. We like the strong stuff. But, if you enjoy it, you can always go with a Keurig. We recently waved bye-bye to our device, and I almost replaced it with one of these. Then, my wife said, “But we don’t drink regular coffee. Do we really need one?” No. No, we don’t. Nevermind. But, if we were to get one, this is the one, baby. This is the one. Buy it here!
Back when my wife did drink coffee, this was her prefered pod. To quote Forrest Gump: “And that’s all I have to say about that.” Buy them here.
No matter what you decide to make, whether it’s hot or cold, you’ll need a trusty conveyance to keep it in. We are slowly turning into a Yeti family. My 10-week old even has one! While I don’t have this particular model, I would not hesitate to acquire it. Why do I list it here if I don’t have one? Well, because it’s the most coffee-ish model they got, and this is about coffee. This will make sure your latte stays hot, or your cold brew stays cold for a long, long time. No more lukewarm beverages! Buy one here.
I like a little bit of simple syrup in my cold brew. Did you know you can buy that online? Sure you can. I’ve tried Starbucks Classic Syrup, but the premium you pay online is a little much. Instead, I’ve been going with the cane sugar from Torani. Buy some here.
Speaking of flavors, if you like to get fancy with your coffee by adding chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel, you’re going to need sauces. Drizzle some of this in, or on top of your preferred drink, and you’ll feel like a real-deal barista. Buy some here.
Well, that about does it for me. I wish you an energized rest of the day. In order to accomplish that, myself, I’ll probably need some coffee. If that sounds good, do your wallet a favor and make it at home, yourself. Stay awake out there. That is, until it’s time to sleep!
Worth noting again: The products featured here were selected by me. If you click on a link and buy something, I may receive a commission. I call that a win-win.
And another thing: Header picture courtesy of Pixabay.
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