Around CoffeeGeek we have a bit of a cup fetish, with over 600 espresso and cappuccino cups in the Lab; that said, these new cups from Intelligentsia for their Black Cat Project look pretty darned cool. Big handle, nicely finished porcelain and designed to handle pouring latte art with ease.

Intelligentsia says they've gone through 36 different porcelain cup designs to arrive at this one, with the goal to create "perfect vessels for all things espresso". Is it the perfect cappuccino cup? It looks pretty good!

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Simply brilliant design and great illustrations make this a "must have" calendar for any coffee or espresso enthusiast. We especially like the historical notes and the fact that it is written and designed by someone who really gets coffee and espresso in the 21rst century.

Our favourites are the simple beverages - espresso, cappuccino, americano, but every month has a nice design and some interesting information.

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Image Credit: Ldiggity on Flickr, used under CC License.

This device - the Scandinavians love it (they hold the Aeropress World Championships) - pros in the US seem to ignore it (they're all ga-gah over manual drip these days). We have our own love-hate relationship at CoffeeGeek with the Aeropress. We love using it. We love that you can "hack" it to brew different ways. We love how it can produce a beautiful cup of coffee in under a minute.

We don't like much the packaging and marketing behind it (it's not an espresso machine, nor does it make anything closely resembling espresso). We don't like the enclosed instructions, saying you have to use as much as 50 grams or more of ground coffee to make about 8 ounces of brew, and at 175F temperatures. So skip all that, find a bevy of websites talking about innovative ways of using the Aeropress (including our own forums) and get one today!

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The rage of 2009 amongst pro baristas is the return of drip coffee and the forerunner brewing device in this wave is the Hario V60 coffee dripper. Available in a variety of sizes, materials and colours, we prefer the 02 model for most brewing applications.

What sets the V60 apart from your typical Melitta pourover is the ribbed design of the cone shape, and the special cone - with point - paper filters. Entire websites are dedicated to this brewing method and how to best pour your water to ensure a great cup of coffee. Prices range from $5 to $23 for the various V60 models, and don't forget to pick up some of the paper filters as well.

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I love different styles of writing paper and this one has a great coffee theme and has a good cause attached as well.

These organic coffee papers are made from combining tree free agricultural bio-products coupled with 100% post consumer content to create a beautiful paper that is laser printer compatible. These are "tree free" papers! It's post consumer (PCW) - paper that has been used by consumers and collected through various recycling programs. It is also Process Chlorine Free (PCF) - paper has no bleached, chlorine or chlorine derivatives. A percentage of each sale goes towards an orphanage in San Jose Costa Rica.

Artsy paper with a worthy cause.

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I found this cute little tote bag with a great design of a happy coffee cup on it that for some reason, I found adorable.

A great stocking stuffer for any CoffeeGeek, especially the women out there - have a handy canvas bag in your purse anytime you go shopping. This tote has a customizable design.

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Bodum's Pavina espresso cup holds roughly 2 ounces to the rim (55ml), and has a near perfect internal shape for capturing espresso, holding maximum crema, and slowly releasing aromas. The insulating features of this cup are so good, you literally do not need to preheat them - in fact, preheating them may result in espresso that is TOO hot!

The Pavinas can be a tad fragile and need special care in handling, but are dishwasher safe and the smaller the cups are, the more durable they seem (we've broken plenty of the bigger Pavina cups in the CG Lab, but none of the espresso cups yet). To this day, other than the (now impossible to obtain) Illy Nude crystal cups, the Bodum Pavina espresso cups remain the most visual way to present a perfect shot.

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If you're not only a CoffeeGeek, but true geek, we probably don't even have to tell you about ThinkGeek and the Molecule shirt, but we're going to anyway. It's one of the very few products to make our list every single year, and this year's no exception.

In a super deep blue colour with neon green for the imprint, this shirt shows the actual caffeine molecule structure, right up high, loud and proud. The shirt is a regular feature in the CG Lab, and it's also been seen on Big Bang Theory, so it is definitely geek-approved from all circles!

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What's better than a Chemex coffee brewer? A Chemex for under $30!

The Chemex is a highly desired coffee brewer and the 1-3 cup model is ideal for doing those small cups of your extra-precious seasonal specialty coffees. The tall stack brewing area of the smaller Chemex models is prized by some as a better design for extraction than the wider versions. Buying this for a coffee enthusiast is a can't miss item. Don't forget to get the Chemex filter papers to go along with this brewer.

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These are considered indispensable in the Lab - so much so, we have two sets. These cleaning brushes are made from soft but high tensile foam and last seemingly forever. The foam itself is a special formulation that does not absorb water and does not become soggy. It also completely repels stains and microorganisms.

We use these all the time on sensitive items - illy crystal nude cups, glass and plastic press pots, expensive crystal cups, and the best use of all - a great set of cleaning tools for literally any siphon coffee brewer. They'll never scratch or harm any material we use them with.

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Out of all the press pots we have in the CoffeeGeek Lab, the 4 cup models from Bodum are our favourites, and the Shin design from Bodum is a fave amongst the favourites. We've done some pretty extensive testing of press pot brewing (including this Youtube Video featuring the Shin), and have found that the four cup wide models from Bodum allow for some great, even extraction and good saturation characteristics.

The Shin design particularly is nice, modern, angular and quite well made. The softgrip handle is easy to hold and the press just does a great job at brewing coffee.

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Do you or your gift recipient own a Baratza Maestro, Maestro Plus or Virtuoso grinder? This is the perfect add on gift for these grinder owners - the Baratza Portaholder insert!

Designed to accommodate a variety of portafilter designs from 49mm Elektra lever PFs all the way up to 58mm La Marzocco handles, this portaholder has adjustable bars for the rests. Once seated inside the grinder, you can insert a portafilter, hook it into place, and let go as the grinder does its job. The hook and mount are also designed to position the filter basket in an optimal way under the grind chute. We also like how the base is designed to catch some stray grounds.

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These are our favourite cups in the Lab, outside of the collection of Illy Art Collection cups we have. And in truth, the Cafelats may surpass the Illys when it comes to function, aesthetics and quality. Designed by Paul Pratt, a sometimes-author on CoffeeGeek, these are true Barista-calibre cups.

The porcelain is very high fired, meaning the cups are dense and weighted. The outside is angles but the inside is a bowl shape for beneficial effects in pouring 1oz beverages. The handles are big, big enough to get your finger through, but not so big as to be garish. The matching saucers are first rate. A serious espresso cup for the serious CoffeeGeek. Also available in cappuccino and latte size.

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This is one of those "so simple, yet so brilliant" ideas that I had to put it on the list. This is the Tota coffee carrier, designed to carry two cups of takeout coffee (any size from 8oz cups up) with stirrer sticks and sugar.

It's also designed to be used in multiple units - buy four and you can easily carry up to 8 cups of coffee, if you're the poor SOB in your office tasked with fetching the morning Starbucks. This one is made out of durable styrene, but if you want to upscale a bit, they also have one made out of felt for $32.

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Tampers are to baristas what precision chisels are to wood craftspeople - very personal, and usually very expensive. Many home coffee enthusiasts often balk at the idea of spending $50, $75 or even more on an espresso tamper. There are plenty out there under $10 or $15, but are usually pieces of ugly aluminum in weird sizes.

Not the Rattleware tampers. We've used these in the CoffeeGeek Lab and both the 58mm model (linked above) and the 53mm model (Product Link) are well made, precision sized, and feel quite comfortable in the hand. They are heavy weight and durable and at under $30, a much more reasonable priced option for those getting into espresso.

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Siphon coffee is a favourite here at CoffeeGeek but for many people, the prices of fancy standalone brewers from Hario and other companies are too cost prohibitive.

So how does a $30 siphon coffee maker grab you? We managed to find the very capable 22oz model of the Yama Stovetop line for five cents less than $30 - an ideal way to get into this great brewing method. It comes complete with cloth filter and assembly, a trivet for your electric stove (not needed for gas stoves), a scoop/stirrer, and a lid that doubles as a stand for your siphon.

If you want a standalone siphon brewer, we did find a yama model for under $50.

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The next series of entries are for a variety of very cool and unique gift ideas for coffee and espresso enthusiasts in the $31-$60 range.

Along with the Hario V60, the Hario Skerton and grinder(we call it the Skeletor Grinder) has been a darling of the specialty coffee world for the past year. Everyone from Tom Owen to Emily Oak praise this little grinder, and why not - the construction is solid, the ceramic burrs are well matched and mounted for even grinding, and it can produce a grind fine enough for a La Marzocco GS/3 espresso machine.

Some people (notably Tom Owen) have gone so far as to hack this grinder to fit onto an Aeropress brewer for an all-in-one portable coffee brewing solution. The grinder comes with a glass receptacle and a rubber / silicone style sleeve for the bottom to make it very non-stick, non-sliding on most surfaces, perfect for super-vigorous cranking of the grind arm.

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This is a brewing method that definitely doesn't get enough play amongst the most vocal pros and enthusiasts these days - myself included: the turkish method of brewing coffee using an ibrik.

And this has to be one of the most striking ibriks I've ever seen. Painted design, copper / tin construction, made in Turkey and with matching traditional cups. Brewing turkish coffee is an entirely ritualistic experience with coffee, and having the right tools makes it that much more special.

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While the Shin Bistro line from Bodum is our favourite in the Lab, this is the definitive shape and design for press pots dating back to the start of the 20th Century. Originally designed by Mellior, Bodum bought the iconic Chambord design from them in the 1960s and has been producing them ever since.

The most recent incarnations of the Chambord feature a new collar on the top lid for better securing in the press, and a slightly revised filter. This particular one is a very limited edition anodized red version (unfortunately, not a Product: (RED) item though), and I've seen it in person - it looks quite cool.

The Chambord is an iconic, classic design for the press pot. CoffeeGeek uses 1.5l versions of the Chambord in the Lab for their community coffee samplings.

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We seem to get a lot of frothing pitchers sent to us in the CoffeeGeek Lab - from the great Espro design (perfect for beginners), to the uber-expensive Illy "pro" pitchers and the Alessi designs; but there's only one set of pitchers we bought for our own use in both home and lab - the Europa pitchers. Modeled loosely on Alessi's design, these are excellent pouring pitchers with much heavier gauge steel than your typical $15 froth vessel.

What I like most about the Europa lineup is that they have a very rare 16oz size, which is perfect for steaming for two traditional capps or one large latte. They are beautiful, expensive, but very worth it. The pouring spouts make latte art a breeze.

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An absolute necessity in our Lab is these tamping stands from Cafelat. A big improvement over the company's previous design (which in itself was a great design for a tamping stand, so much so that its been copied by others), this new design is very solid metal completely wrapped by medium-heavy density rubber. The stand is set up so you can easily tamp on spouted or chopped portafilters.

This is not a bolt-down stand - the bottom is covered by the same grippy rubber that the top and all other exterior surfaces are covered with. It is heavy duty and built to last. Use this and keep your counters and workspaces dent and indent free!

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These amazing reproduction works are made entirely from espresso used as the "watercolouring" by Karen Eland, a former barista who was first intrigued by the red-golden brown hues of espresso as it brewed out of an espresso machine and thought that would translate really well to the page.

Karen does all sorts of work, hence "price varies". You can buy postcards of her reproductions for $5, 8x10s for $20, and sizes going all the way up to 3feet by 6feet for $500. She also does original art (not reproductions of famous art), and will do commissioned artwork as well. We're seriously thinking of getting something commissioned for the Lab next year.

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Weighing coffee and water (as opposed to visually measuring the millilitres or fluid ounces) is all the rage in specialty coffee and we're complete converts. After all, 1g of water equals 1ml of water - a nice and easy way to measure things out accurately and precisely. Preciseness means more consistent coffee results.

In our Lab, we have four of these awesome scales from Breville. Although not specifically designed with coffee brewing in mind, they might as well have been. The feature set is deep: 5kg max weight but accurate to 1g (most 5kg scales are only accurate to 2g); Built in dual mode thermometer - when the extended therm stick isn't plugged in, it reads ambient temperatures, otherwise, the therm stick reads direct temps. It also has two built in timer / alarms - a countdown timer (great for press pot timing and other timing needs) and a temperature alarm - you can set a high and low point for temperatures. Next time, try brewing your press until the temperature drops to 180F!

The body is durable with a brushed stainless steel main pad big enough to handle a 1.5l Bodum Press Pot. The controls and digital panel are offset to the lower right side, and are very readable and easy to control. This is the ultimate do-it-all brewing scale.

Update - apparently Breville has discontinued this scale, at least in North America! Such a shame, this thing was tailor made for coffee :(

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Because we have a cup fetish here at CoffeeGeek, you can expect more than a few espresso and cappuccino cups to show up. At the very least, the cups we pick are unique, and these amazingly thick and detailed cups are some of the most unique amongst the unique!

These Mou! espresso cups were commissioned by Francis Francis, and feature a handle-less design (they're so thick, you won't notice any heat problems) and some of the most interesting saucers I've ever seen for an espresso cup - the saucers are flat (which does limit retention of a spoon), with an indented cavity in the middle for holding the cup in a sublevel "alcove" if you will.

A set of four with a limited edition design on each, these would be a very welcome Christmas gift to anyone who appreciates espresso.

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Many people can't afford to drop $350 (non member price) on the SCAA's Nez du Cafe complete kit, so this is a very viable option - the Nez du Cafe "Temptation starter kit with six aroma vials.

The scents were specifically picked to help train your sense of smell to improve your enjoyment of coffee. Aromas include garden peas, blackcurrant-like, butter, caramel, roasted peanuts and roasted coffee. There's also an illustrated instruction / definition manual that helps you understand the flavours and aromas better.

Priced at $42, but if you're a SCAA Member, you pay just $32 (this includes Barista Guild members)

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Another brilliant yet simple idea, nicely executed. This is the Espresso Gear Attento clicking tamping mat, designed to give you an auditory indicator of when you've tamped your portafilter with what you consider your ideal tamping pressure.

Inside the mat is an adjustable screw controlling a clicker plate - you can dial it from 22 pounds resistance all the way up to 55lbs. Place your spouted or chopped portafilter on top, apply pressure with your tamper, and when you reach the pre-dialed in weight of downward force, the mat goes "click" in a clear, audible way.

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Something a bit different, and a fairly "budget priced" illy collection series to boot - these are the Illy Serse Freddo glasses, made from crystal and featuring Serse Roma's waves of pale gold, which flow ever so nicely over an iced coffee beverage contained inside (have a look at one of my other photos).

These are great serving vessels for iced coffees, but the crystal can handle hot beverages with no problems. They come in an Illy Art Collection box complete with a booklet about the artist and a can of illy coffee. There are two glasses included in the set.

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Last, but not least, here's our suggestions for some great books on coffee to pick up for your favourite CoffeeGeek this holiday season.

Espresso Coffee - Professional Techniques David Schomer's revised version of a book that many, many pros cut their teeth on for more than a decade. $45.95 Home Coffee Roasting Many point to this book as the bible for the revival of home roasting - everything from using popcorn poppers to more recent techniques is covered. $12.21 The Professional Barista's Handbook A very modern compendium of where the art of the Barista has gone in the past decade - full of tips, tricks and techniques. $45

Espresso Coffee - The Science of Quality For me, this is an absolute must have book if you are into espresso. More espresso science between two covers than any other resource. $84 Espresso Quest Instaurator's part biography, part exploration of espresso book that really delves into the art of espresso, worldwide. $59 Java Trekker - Dispaches from Fair Trade Dean Cycon's grand tale of coffee and the development of the Fair Trade program. Quite enjoyable read! $13.50