It's not too late to order some great gifts for yourself or that coffee nut at your house. We've included links to these tools in the Small Axe Amazon Store for your convenience.

We get lots of questions from people new to coffee about which tools you should get to outfit your kitchen lab for coffee enjoyment. The list of items below are the things we use on our own kitchens.

Grinder: Remember, your grinder is the item in your lab to which everything else is an accessory.

• The Bodum Antigua Electric Burr Grinder is great for all drip coffee methods, but it won't do espresso.
• If you want a grinder that runs the gamut, invest in the Rancilio Rocky Doserless Burr Grinder.

French Press: The cheapest way to make coffee you can taste at home is by using a coffee (or French press).

• I dig the Bodum Shin Bistro Coffee Press for its modern look, easy care and fewer parts.
• I know some like a more classic design, so I've included a link to the Bodum Chambord Coffee Press as well.

Kettle: Water is important and water temp is even more so.

• Of course, you can use a simple Copper Bottom Teakettle on the stove to boil water.
• We've just found that the Chef's Choice Cordless Electric Teakettle is faster, more consistent and doesn't tie up the stove.
  

Timer: The amount of time your coffee brews has to be measured in seconds. 

• Instead of the timer, you can use any watch or clock with a seconds hand to time your brew.
• The Taylor Digital Cooking Thermometer/Timer is a good tool to have because it has a thermal probe, too, which you can use to check water temp (or bean temp if you roast at home, too).

Don't forget the coffee! Get some good stuff from these roasters.

• Colombia Fonda Paez from Conscious Coffees: Recently rated 92 points from Coffee Review, this has been a staple breakfast brew in the Small Axe Kitchen. Low acidity, good body, and just a little bight.
   
• Rusty's Hawaiian Ka'u Micro-lot from PT's Coffee: One of the few Hawaiian coffees out there worth having. They're roasting one more time before Christmas, so get some fast.
   
• Finca Mauritinia El Salvador from Counter Culture: A most unique coffee with nice bright acidity, nutty and fruity notes. Strong contender for Small Axe Coffee's black coffee of the year.