We absolutely love the entire product range from Cafelat, but will only be featuring two products in this Holiday Gift Guide (we recommend you do check out the entire lineup!).

First up is this fantastic little design for a tamping mat - something to protect your counters when you're doing a headstand-tamp of several thousand pounds down into your portafilter with your tamper: it's the Splat Mat from Cafelat. It's a great design; meant to mimic a spill of inky black liquid on your counter. Whimsical, functional, and very well made: the rubber is quite thick and stands up to a lot of use.

We have two of these in our main espresso machine testing area, and after a full year of use, they don't look any worse for wear. These should last you several years of heavy abuse!

There are some poor copies of these great designs elsewhere online, but you can't go wrong buying the original, and the price is fantastic.

Product Link (Orphan Espresso)

A lot has been said about the precision filter baskets for espresso developed by VST under an agreement with La Marzocco. CoffeeGeek even covered these baskets extensively with an exclusive article just prior to 2011's SCAA show. Suffice to say, these baskets developed by Vince Fedele are some of the hotest things to hit the espresso scene in 2011.

At just under $30, they aren't cheap by any stretch, but they will fit pretty much any espresso machine with a standard 58mm portafilter, and in most cases, will improve the espresso you produce. How can they do this? The primary feature of the baskets are a uniform hole shape and pattern. Most of the holes in the basket are within a few microns of each other in their shape and size. The holes also extend almost to the edge of the flat bottom filter basket. And the filters are made with a thicker, more resilient steel than almost every other basket available today.

Product Link (direct from VST in USA)
Product Link (purchases in Canada)

This device - the Scandinavians love it (they hold the Aeropress World Championships) - and the pros in the US and Canada seem to be really getting into it too. There's even coffee bars that use Aeropresses almost exclusively for non-espresso coffee. 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 necessarily agree with the packaging, marketing and instructions for this product: it doesn't make anything closely resembling true espresso, and you should not brew your coffee with water heated to only 175F. Also, using different ratios of ground coffee to water would probably be to your benefit. There's plenty of sites out there showing how to get the most out of the Aeropress (Brewmethods lists a dozen choices). Regardless of how the product is pushed, we can say this: it makes damned fine coffee and it's cheap!

Product Link (Amazon)

The Hario pourover steamroller shows no sign of stopping! A range of ribbed, V60 class brewers are available, but we really like the ceramic models, which range from $18 to $30 in price, depending on the style and size. Our link below is to the $18 small size model, which is fine for brewing up to 250ml of coffee.

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.

Product Link (Amazon)

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.

Product Link (direct)

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.

Product Link (direct)

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.

Product Link (Amazon)

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. And we can add that this shirt has been featured on the TV Show Big Bang Theory more than a few times!

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!

Product Link

Believe it or not, there are a LOT of applications in the iTunes store for coffee and espresso related things. One we use quite often is the Mojo to Go app, but you need a super expensive refractometer to use with that geeky piece of tech.

The other app we rely on quite a bit is the Brew Control app. It's quite fantastic; it comes set with a wide variety of pre-programmed brewing parameters for almost every type of coffee and espresso brewing you can think of. But what makes it really good is that all these parameters are customizable and configurable to your own likes.

It features timers galore, an easy to use interface, and even a mini encyclopedia built in to help you discover many different ways of brewing coffee. This is iOS (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) only (wish he did an Android version!)

Product Link (iTunes App Store)

There's something about drinking espresso from a beautiful glass demi cup; you get to see the texture of the beverage, the beautiful crema, everything. Normally we like using Bodum's Pavina cups because they are insulated and relatively inexpensive; but this year we spotted these beautiful Bormioli cups, and ordered some.

The cups are well made but light glass. They definitely stand up to the heat of espresso, and look good doing so. the stainless steel saucers are a fantastic completion to the cup's look. Serve up espresso elegantly, and see everything the drink has to offer!

Product Link (Amazon)

To this day, this style of pitcher, from Rattleware, remains the best pitcher for steaming milk and pouring latte art.

The shape is what makes it so good to work with. Specifically the spout. The double lip shape helps control your pour, and also makes the pour smooth; a slight tip of the pouring hand and the foam will start to flow, allowing you to make detailed shapes and patterns.

It is also one of the least expensive steaming pitchers available today. This one listed is the 12oz model which is perfect for most home espresso machine setups, and will allow you to steam (just barely) enough milk for 2 traditional cappuccinos or up to 4 macchiatos or cortados. Get the 16oz or 20oz models if you are into lattes at home.

Product Link (Whole Latte Love)

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.

Product Link (Whole Latte Love)

It's no secret that we love the iconic shape of the Bodum Chambord line of press pots. Recently, Bodum has expanded its lineup of Chambord-designed coffee devices and one of our new favourites is the Bodum Chambord stovetop moka pot. It's available in two sizes, and two colours (black and aluminum).

This moka pot is aluminum in design, and as such should work on most stovetops except for induction stoves. The construction is very solid, and compared to other moka pots, is easy to use and maintain. The three cup model brews roughly 3 cups of steam espresso, or about 100ml. There's also a five cup model available for $10 more.

Product Link (1st in Coffee)

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 $24.

Product Link

This is the scale to get for almost all of your coffee and brewing needs. Here's why:

The price is cheap! At $18 (and sometimes much less), this is almost throwaway pricing; you can stock up should you ever damage the scale with liquid (and you probably will).

The scale is small! It fits on almost all espresso machine drip trays, not to mention most other surfaces where you might brew coffee. The weighing pad is small, but big enough for you to delicately balance a portafilter on to zero-out the weight before dosing coffee into the filter basket and re-weighing. The weighing pad can hold up to two espresso cups at once.

The scale is accurate to .1g with a 2kg maximum weight! There's almost no other scale on the market (at least near this price) with those two features - big capacity, small .1 accuracy. This is very important for weighing anything espresso related.

We use this scale almost exclusively in all our product testing and coffee evaluations. Highly recommended. Just put some no-skid rubber feet on the bottom of it.

Product Link (Amazon)

Another Cafelat product we really like is their line of knockboxes. They are designed for absolute abuse but also super easy cleanup. We use the full size plastic and rubber knockbox while testing machines, but also have a few of the smaller Tubbi models around for a small footprint, heavy duty knockbox that can handle any size portafilter.

These knockboxes feature a very durable, textured (and thick) plastic shell that also has some flex to it. The bar itself is a thick piece of rubber wrapped around a plastic core, and it will take everything you throw at it. Our main Lab knockbox as probably been 'hit' over 5,000 times or more, and with a quick rinse under the tap, looks nearly new!

The Tubbi models come in a variety of colours to choose from, and have a solid rubber pad on the bottom to help prevent it from sliding around the countertop.

Product Link (Chris' Coffee)

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 every Holiday Gift List, we try to find you a siphon that is budget friendly.

This year, we noticed that our friends at Orphan Espresso have a Yama stovetop siphon for under $30; this is quite amazing!

It's a 5 cup (about 500ml) modle that comes complete with everything you need except for the coffee and grinder. It includes a cloth filter, stirring spoon, and filter assembly. This is your entry point into great coffee!

If you want a standalone siphon brewer that includes a cloth-wick burner, Orphan also has you covered, with a 2-cup tabletop model for just $42.50.

Product Link (5 Cup Stovetop)
Product Link (2 cup standalone)

The iconic shape of what a press pot is supposed to look like is realised in the Bodum Chambord press pot. The design, originally created by a company called Mellior back in the 1920s, was bought by the Bodum Company in the 1960s. Bodum has been producing (and subtly improving) the Chambord press pot design 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. It still retains it's classic, legendary look. 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.

The best part? For the first time in years, we've been able to find one for under $30 (the 3 cup model) The product link is below, as well as another link to an 8 cup model.

Product Link (3 Cup model, Amazon)
Product Link (8 Cup Model $40)

A quality espresso tamper for under $30? You betcha. This EspressoGear tamper is available in two sizes (53mm or 58mm) and in two colours - black or red.

It features a textured handle and its shape is suited for a wide variety of hand shapes. Much, much better choice than the cheap plastic tampers that come with most espresso machines. A great stocking stuffer for the starting espresso geek at home.

Product Link (Seattle Coffee Gear)

A great idea that I kinda wished Bodum would have done years ago. Borrowing from the Eva Solo Cafe concept of a neoprene jacket around glass to help retain heat, Bodum has designed a variety of wrappable neoprene jackets for their range of press pots.

This particular model fits most of Bodum's 8 cup presses, and works particularly well with the Chambord line of press pots, including our Lab models. Heat retention is quite good and well suited to press pot coffee - it will keep the brew warmer, but not sizzling hot for hours; instead, it just draws out the cool down by about 50% more time. You should never leave a press pot steeping on its spent grinds for too long; that said, sometimes presses just cool down too quickly. This one strikes a nice balance.

We like the gray one the most, though there's a colour to suit almost anyone.

Product Link (Amazon)

The next series of entries are for a variety of very cool and unique gift ideas for coffee and espresso enthusiasts in the $31-$75 range, covering everything from pourover to espresso.

At CoffeeGeek, we love to explore all aspects of coffee and espresso, including the history of both beverages and the methods used to produce it. It's also fortunate that we still can own and enjoy centuries-old brewers (or at least their modern day equivalents). One such brewer is the Neapolitan Flip brewer, which was one of the most popular brewing methods of the 19th century.

The way these work is pretty straightforward. Ground coffee is put into a filter assembly on one side of the pot. Water is added to the other side. You assemble, then put the device on a heat source (stovetop, etc). Wait for the water to boil. Once it does, you remove from heat, and flip the entire brewer, so the heated water starts to seep through the enclosed bed of coffee. A few minutes later, and the entire thing is ready to start pouring out coffee.

There aren't that many Neapolitan brewers out there these days - this 3 cup model makes a unique gift, and can brew a nice cup of coffee.

Product Link (Amazon)

One of the big things in drip coffee in 2010 was the original Kone coffee filter designed for Chemex and other manual pourover devices.

In 2011, Coava completely redesigned the Kone based on feedback from professionals and coffee consumers, and rolled out the Kone V2 model. Almost everything about the Kone has been improved: a tighter hole pattern, smaller holes, better metal used, better welds, even a better fit in various manual pourover devices.

It is designed to fit standard 6, 8 and 10 cup Chemex coffee makers but also works well with #2 size Hario V60 pourovers. This is pretty much the ultimate in manual pourover coffee.

Product Link (Direct, includes other sources)

For our Canadian CGers, we have a subscription program from Transcend Coffee out of Edmonton. For those in the know, Transcend is also home to the current Canadian Barista Champion, and its owners and employees are involved in many aspects of quality coffee, from the Cup of Excellence to Tasters Championships and much more.

I subscribe to this subscription program myself, and every month, a new jewel of a coffee arrives; sometimes they are Cup of Excellence auction lots, sometimes they are uber-rare sourced Direct Trade gems. Each coffee comes with a detailed information sheet about the coffee, how it was sourced and how it was roasted. The quality is always high - they never let me down - it's fantastic coffee.

The basic program is three 12oz bags, one per month, shipping included for $65. The better deal is the 12 month program - a year's worth of coffee exploration for $240, taxes, shipping (in Canada) - everything included.

Product Link (Transcend Coffee)

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 a few years now. 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. It is also $5 cheaper than it was 2 years ago!

Product Link

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. But, I wrote a How To on Turkish Coffee a few years ago (full of crazy mistakes too!), and it remains a popular article on CG to this day, so it's obvious that consumers take an interest in a centuries' old method of making coffee.

This is a very traditional ibrik, copper plating tin, made in Turkey. It comes with beautiful painted ceramic turkish coffee cups and saucers. Brewing turkish coffee is an entirely ritualistic experience with coffee, and having the right tools makes it that much more special.

Product Link (Amazon)

For our (lucky) UK readers only - Square Mile Coffees, arguably the best roaster in all of the UK, has a fantastic deal offering 1 350g bag of coffee delivered each month for six months, for only 55 british pounds! (I know, a tad more than $75).

Run by a former World Tasting Champion and a former World Barista Champion, Square Mile has established itself as a top UK roaster and each month, you get to taste the coffees they consider the cream of the crop.

A very worthy subscription program, and you can add to it or increase the amounts if you like. Also for North Americans, you can email and inquire about an overseas subscription pricing plan.

Product Link (Square Mile)

This fantastic, innovative press pot first came out last year. It is a one of a kind, dual filtration press pot method that leads to better tasting, less sediment coffee.

Developed in Vancouver by Espro, this press has so many innovations. It is fully vacuum insulated (most presses, including the Freiling models, are not vacuum insulated), meaning it retains heat better and it is much lighter. This also leads to a slower, better controlled cool down during the brewing process.

But the real magic is inside with the two stage filtration system. The first filter to hit the coffee and brewing water is basket shaped; the coffee slurry will form around this and be pushed down by it. As the brew passes through this filter, it comes against a flat disc filter that has a finer mesh and further filters the coffee, delivering a cleaner cup.

This press is small - it will brew about 240ml of coffee (8oz). Espro is currently planning a much larger Espro Press, and is running a Kickstarter Campaign to get it going. In the meantime, this makes a perfect solo coffee brewer for the home or office.

Product Link (Amazon)

Manual pourovers like the V60, Kalitta and the Kone filters for Chemex brewers might be all the rage today, but my own personal all time favourite slow drip coffee brewing comes from one of these - the cloth-filter Hario Drip Pot Brewer.

They come in two sizes, and in some ways, mimic the look of the Chemex, including a formed wood collar around the middle of a glass beaker, and a leather cord keeping the two halves of the collar in place. But what makes this different is the filter itself: the Hario Drip Pot uses a cloth filter to do its brewing.

For me, the taste from using a cloth filter (as long as it is absolutely clean) is many times better than paper. And unlike permanent filters like the Kone, there's absolutely no sediment or grit - you just get pure liquid coffee with all the flavour because essential oils from the beans make it through the cloth. Just keep it clean between uses!

Product Link (Seattle Coffee Gear)

One of illy's most famous, most sought after (of all time) espresso cups was the original Art Collection crystal espresso cup. The collectors' version of that cup, sold in sets of four, now routinely sell for hundreds of dollars (though we found out recently illy has re-issued those cups - see further on in this gift list!)

Well, illy revisited the crystal espresso cup with a new design, new model, and new materials that ups the game a bit: the new crystal espresso cup. This one differs in several ways over the original collection cup: the material is a bit thinner but much more durable; it features a frosted coating with a vertical clear stripe of crystal on each side of the cup to really highlight the espresso, and the saucer has a beautiful frosted image of a coffee flower in the centre.

You can get these cups direct from illy for $40 for a set of two (with saucers), or $140 for a set of six.

Product Link (Illy USA)

If you already have the Kone filter, or if you don't already have a manual drip coffee setup (or your special other doesn't have one), this in some ways is the holy grail for many. Paired up with the Kone, it is one of the most ideal manual pour coffee setups favoured by coffee professionals.

Chemex is an iconic symbol in the world of coffee. The shape of the brewers is timeless and is featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The handle Chemex is well made, and can stand up to a lot of abuse. It also showcases coffee beautifully.

if you don't have the Kone filter, you can also choose to use Chemex' own square paper filters which need to be folded in a very specific way to be used in these brewers.

Product Link - Prima Coffee

One of the best roasters in the US is Counter Culture Coffee and they have an nice subscription program that can deliver you coffee for as little as $11.75 per bag, offering a very choice savings over their single orders.

They offer a basic subscription for 3 months that ships you two 12oz bags of single origin, roaster's choice coffees each month. The monthly fee is $21.95 plus shipping (flat rate shipping may be available); you sign on for a minimum of 3 months or $64.85 plus shipping charges. If you extend it to six months, you save an additional $6 on the cost of the coffee.

We get to try Counter Culture Coffee's offerings every few months and they never, ever disappoint. They source some amazing coffees and know how to tweak the roasts to bring out the absolute best. A very worthy gift that keeps on giving for several months!

Product Link (Counter Culture Coffee)

I own a lot of espresso and cappuccino cups - over 1,400 at last count.

But there is one set that I've been using, almost consistently, for over 10 years now (in fact, this photo I'm using is one I took in 2001). It is my set of Saeco Aroma Romeo and Julliet Cappuccino Cups. I've long lost the saucers, but the cups have been on top of literally dozens of espresso machines I've tested, and they're sitting on top of my Speedster Espresso machine. Why?

Because these are fantastically designed espresso and cappuccino cups, and I've never come across another set that is designed quite like these ones. What makes them special? It's the handle - especially the one on the espresso cups. You can actually fit your finger through it! Not only that, but these are comfortable, solid cups. You never feel like you're going to drop them. But if you did, they'd probably stand the abuse: they are very high fired, thick porcelain. I've actually (accidentally) bounced one of them off a tile floor once with a 3 foot drop (don't try this at home).

I've probably had over 1,000 cappuccinos and maybe even twice more that americanos through these cups. They last forever. And they're beautiful (neither my photo nor 1st Line's photos do them justice). Saeco long since stopped making them, but 1st Line still has some in stock.

Product Link - espresso cups $35/2 (1st Line)
Product Link - cappuccino cups $45/2 (1st Line)

If you want great press pot coffee, and want to make an artistic statement with how you brew and serve it, your quest stops here. The Bodum Presso is definitely a unique beast of a press pot with design lines we don't see very often.

It features Bodum's top of the line materials - super light weight borosilicate glass, a well designed mesh filter, and an artistic outer mesh body that alltogether was a Housewares International Design Finalist in 2009.

This is the 8 cup (34oz) size and is a very limited item, since Bodum discontinued it this year.

Product Link (1st in Coffee)

One of several coffee subscription offers you can take advantage of. This one is from a small quality driven roaster called Fresh Ground and they are based in Geneva, Illinois.

Each month, around the middle of the month, they'll ship you one pound of their choice single origin coffee for that month. The program starts at $54 for 3 months delivery (3lbs of coffee); you can extend it or double it up for more money - the 2lb per month (for 3 months, or 6lbs of coffee) starts at $95.

Coffee Subscriptions are a fantastic way of trying new coffees from roasters you might not otherwise try.

Product Link (Fresh Ground)

From a concept invented by two baristas at Zoka Cafe in Seattle in 2004, we have one of the most revolutionary things to happen to espresso and the evaluation of the beverage: the chopped portafilter (or naked, or crotchless, but our Senior Editor prefers "chopped" :)).

There's plenty of vendors out there selling chopped and hacked portafilters. Sometimes they are machined by the vendor, sometimes they're factory direct (and have a super premium price to show for it, like the $150 La Marzocco factory choppers). One of the least expensive chopped portafilters we've found out there is from idrinkcoffee; at $74.95, they offer a variety of models; we've focused on the E61 version here since many serious home machines use the E61 grouphead.

A fantastic way to evaluate your espresso, and many believe the taste is better when you go chopped. A must have for any super serious espresso geek.

Product Link (idrinkcoffee.com)

Another rare find of a discontinued product - Hario's CafePresso insulated glass press pot. I don't expect this one to last out the season or the run of this gift list.

I was very fortunate to get this in two sizes; I even bought two of each because I knew Hario was going to be discontinuing them. They are slightly on the fragile side, but they brew a fantastic press pot of coffee, and much like the Espro Press, do a great job in slowing down the temperature cooldown while the brew takes place: more stable water temperatures during brewing equal a better tasting cup.

Hario's filter is much better than Bodum's standard models: the Hario press pot filter is made up of a finer mesh and does a better job of keeping the sediment out of your cup (though there still will be sediment).

If you're into press pot coffee, this is a unique, and soon-to-be-gone item.

Product Link (Amazon)

This is not a frothing pitcher for the "pros". This is a frothing pitcher for the rest of us! I asked Mark to include this on the Holiday Gift List because this pitcher made a hopeless milk steaming person (me) into a milk steaming pro. I'm able to do some amazing textured microfoam milk steaming, and it is all because of this pitcher: the Espro Toroid Milk Steaming Pitcher.

It works for me because of the shape and design. It has a pronounced bell curve inner shape, and the middle of the pitcher is dimpled upwards. As long as you point your steam wand directly into the centre of this pitcher, you will get amazing milk froth - the kind latte art dreams are made of!

I liked it so much, I bought one for my mum, who also had bad problems steaming milk - this made her a microfoam wizard too!

Product Link (Amazon)

We thought these cups were gone forever! Over six years ago, Illy came out with a Collection Cup series showcasing a set of four pure crystal espresso cups; it was only sold for a year, and has become one of the most sought after illy collection sets.

Well surprise - illy has brought back these cups for a holiday package that includes two other exclusives - along with a set of four oldschool illy crystal espresso cups and saucers, the set also includes four of illy's iconic flat demitasse spoons and a specially designed sugar and sweetener holder.

These cups help make a beautiful beverage even more stunning - I'll take these cups as presentation of the art of espresso anyday over latte art - and at this new price is almost half the price people paid for the Collections Crystal Espresso Cup set almost 7 years ago! This item won't be around long!

Product Link (Illy USA)

We've listed this as a favourite pick in past CoffeeGeek Holiday Gift Lists for several reasons: The Capresso H20 Kettle is awesome looking and very fast.  And it makes the listing again this year for the same reasons!

We've had used the H20 extensively in our old Lab as cupping kettles - two of them in fact.  This is one of the most beautiful and functional kettles we've ever seen or used. It's made of Schott glass which makes it very durable, and it's small size and unique design make it stand out.

Capresso redesigned the kettle slightly to address a problem with steam hitting your hand as you pour the hot liquid, and this updated design just adds to the overall package. It's a fast kettle, but small (48oz capacity).

Product Link