Words by Katie Burnett
When it comes to brewing coffee at home - we all have to start somewhere, and for most of us, we’d like to start by setting a realistic budget. This article will have a couple of suggestions according to preferences and budgets.
Your first step to great, repeatable coffee at home is a scale. A scale allows you to follow the same recipe repeatedly and also allows you to follow recipes suggested with the coffee you buy. I wouldn’t skimp on buying a scale. They range in price from around R1k to over R5k, but this is an area where you don’t need to spend the entire budget, especially for brewing at home, the point is more to just have one.
Your next step: the grinder. Unlike with the scale, the quality of the grinder is integral to the quality of your cup. Grinders can be very expensive, and grind quality has a significant impact on extraction, and therefore flavour. I would suggest buying coffee that is ground fresh at your local roastery for a while to save up for a better, slightly more expensive grinder. Having said that, if you don’t have access to freshly ground coffee from a local roastery, there are many hand grinders around the R2k mark that will do the job.
Where to Buy From
In South Africa, we have a couple of coffee equipment retailers online and many small coffee businesses will stock these products in store too. Cape Coffee Beans, Takealot, Yuppiechef are great websites to start with. It’s also worth checking all 3 intermittently for sales and specials.
Focus on the Big Stuff
It’s no secret that there are endless accessories and add-ons for coffee nerds. In the beginning, when sticking to a tight budget, make sure that you spend it on the key aspects of your set-up. If you find yourself with a bit of room left in the budget once you’ve selected everything, consider marginally upgrading your existing cart before adding accessories. Ie if you have R500 left to spend, consider buying a slightly more expensive hand grinder or scale rather than a smaller accessory. The better your basic equipment, the easier it will be to brew great coffee consistently. Rather spend slightly more on less equipment so that you don’t have to buy the same equipment twice.
All of the products suggested are non-automatic, non-electric brewing methods and the prices are of course subject to change (most of these prices were source from CCB). Home espresso machines range from R2.5K to R9k up to R140k and automatic filter coffee machines (batch brewers) start at around R5k.
R2k Budget
ESPRESSO
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale - R980
Moka Express 2 cup R750
Total: R1730
If you’re after an espresso-style coffee on a budget, the Moka Express by Bialetti is your best friend. Price may vary depending on how many cups you want to make.
FILTER COFFEE
Cafec Flower dripper - R269 (Filter papers sold seperately)
Hario Drip Kettle Air - R629
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale - R980
Total: R1878
Swop out the Cafec Flower Dripper for the Hario V60, Timemore Crystal Eye Pour-Over.
The Hario Drip Kettle Air requires you to boil your water in your normal kitchen kettle and then use the Air to pour over the coffee. It is a great tool for brewing pour over coffee on a tight budget.
ESPRESSO + FILTER
AeroPress R999
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale - R980
Total: R1979
The AeroPress is versatile as, depending on your recipe, you can brew espresso and filter style drinks. The AeroPress also lends itself well to all different roast styles and is known to produce exceptionally high quality brews.
R3,5k BUDGET
ESPRESSO
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale - R980
Moka pot 2 cup - R750
1Zpresso Q-Air Manual Coffee Grinder - R1499
Total: R3229
FILTER COFFEE
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale - R980
Cafec Flower dripper - R269
Hario Drip Kettle Air - R629
Hario Mini-Slim Plus Manual Coffee Grinder - R949
Total: R2827
FILTER COFFEE & ESPRESSO
Wacaco Exagram Coffee Scale (R980)
AeroPress R999
1Zpresso Q-Air Manual Coffee Grinder (R1499)
Total: R3478
Adding a grinder is a great next step when your budget is slightly bigger. Having your own grinder allows you to buy whole bean coffee and grind it fresh as you need it, preserving flavour and aroma when brewing at home.It is also a great next step for learning about brewing dynamics. The 1Zpresso Q-Air, for example, is designed to be an approachable beginner grinder that is still capable of a quality grind.
R5k BUDGET
FILTER COFFEE
Timemore Fish Youth Pour Over Kettle (R950)
Cafec Flower dripper (R269)
1Zpresso Q-Air Manual Coffee Grinder (R1499)
Timemore Black Mirror Mini Coffee Scale (R1800)
Total: R4518
Swop the Cafec Flower Dripper for the Hario V60, Timemore Crystal Eye Pour-Over Dripper or April Brewer.
Espresso is difficult to replicate without an espresso machine. The Moka Express will give you the closest cousin of an espresso that has similar body and viscosity.
The next big investments that will make a big difference, a grinder that rivals professional electric grinders and a temperature controlled kettle!
Once you’ve purchased the backbone of your set-up, experimenting and finding what you enjoy is key to deciding your next steps and the direction you want to go with your brewing at home. Coffee equipment can be really expensive, but starting out doesn’t have to be. Start where you can and go from there!
On a budget, but make it beautiful!
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