A popular Dictionary definition of barista is ‘a person who is specially trained in the making and serving of coffee drinks.’ The role includes a wide range of functions from milk frothing to equipment cleaning. Baristas are skilled service workers who are responsible for serving up our daily brew.
Without baristas, most of us would likely be lost trying to navigate our perfect, creamy lattes and piping-hot cups of espresso with dainty foam art. Whether you are a barista yourself or looking to buy the barista in your life a gift, these 22 must-haves for baristas will set any barista up for success.
1) Digital Kitchen Scale (Drip Coffee Scale)
The days of eyeballing and guessing are over with the KitchenTour Coffee Scale. With a built-in timer, this device allows the barista in your life to make consistently tasty and exceptional cups of coffee time after time. This scale can be used to measure ground coffee, coffee beans, liquid espresso, and brewed coffee.
If you are a barista yourself you will love the easy-to-use design and touch-sensitive buttons, as well as the built-in timer that ensures consistent quality for each and every customer – not to mention the low price tag. I like the non-slip surface.
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2) Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind – Electric Coffee Grinder for Beans
Every coffee lover needs an electric coffee bean grinder, especially baristas. This Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Electric Coffee Grinder is perfect for anyone who adores the flavor of coffee brewed from freshly ground whole beans. Its quiet design makes it easy to use in the home or the workplace, and the hideaway cord storage makes for easy storing when not in use.
The Hamilton Beach Coffee Grinder is made of attractive stainless steel, excellent for a busy barista who relies on durability and reliability in their equipment. This grinder can grind 12 brewed cups worth of beans every cycle, making it efficient and quick for any barista on the job or aspiring barista making coffee before heading out the door in the morning.
3) JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Settings
If electric coffee bean grinders are too noisy and bulky for you or your fellow barista, a manual coffee grinder may be a better fit. This manual coffee grinder by JavaPresse will meet all of your barista needs, with 18 different settings to create your perfect, customized cup of coffee.
Baristas are coffee artists, and this manual coffee grinder really allows you to put a personal spin on your brew, devising each aspect of the grind from the coarseness to the consistency of flavor. You have all the control with this grinder; plus you’re not using electricity or battery power.
4) 38 Piece Professional Art Stencils for Coffee Art (Milk Frother Heaven)
With 38 different designs, there is a design for every barista’s taste in the Magnoloran Coffee Decorating Stencil pack. Different coffee stencil options include snowflakes, smiley faces, animals, and unique word art. Regardless of the season, person, or beverage, every barista will find a design they love in this diverse stencil kit. Pour frothed milk over the stencil for professional results.
For the barista on the job, these stencils are speedy and effortless to use. The stencils come with a stainless steel latte art pen that has an ergonomic, anti-slip design that allows for perfect coffee art for each customer without the hassle or wrist pain.
5) Apexstone Coffee Tamper 51mm
Made for tamping fresh ground espresso before brewing, this tool is one that every barista should have! Perfecting a cup of espresso is no easy feat, but the Apexstone Coffee Tamper tool just made it that much easier.
Tamping your espresso before brewing increases the likelihood of your espresso being flavorful and strong, and who doesn’t want that? At just $14.99 this tool is a no-brainer for you or your barista pal.
6) APRON: Cooking Apron for Men & Women
Coffee making can get messy! With these attractive aprons, brewing just got a lot more fashionable.
Beyond being a good-looking addition to any barista’s uniform, these aprons are highly utilitarian, providing deep front pockets to hold any other tools or ingredients a barista needs to keep close to hand. These aprons are heat-resistant, making them a superb fit for a barista who spends hours in front of hot brewing surfaces.
For the at-home barista, these aprons can be multi-functional items excellent for any culinary craft, and all for just $18.99.
7) French Press
Every barista’s nightmare is a difficult-to-use French press that produces muddy, sour cups of coffee. With the Cafe Du Chateau French Press, the days of worrying about the quality of your French pressed coffee are over.
This press has a 4-level filtration system to keep grounds out of your coffee, as well as a stainless steel, thick glass frame to prevent any unwanted cracks, erosion, or spills. The 34 oz capacity makes this French press stand apart from its competitors as a great choice for baristas working in a fast-paced cafe or restaurant.
Have a big family? This French press also has the potential to be useful for the at-home barista looking to brew delicious French pressed coffee for their entire family.
8) Commercial Milk Frother
For a professional barista, having an efficient milk frothing system is salient when it comes to creating happy customers. This must-have is full of handy gadgets and abilities; from automatic 6-second cleaning to its 4-bar high-powered heating system that delivers uninterrupted steam to each beverage, providing milk froth by the gallon.
The adjustable steam nozzle is a convenient asset for any barista, producing meticulous and thoroughly steamed milk to every cup of coffee served and a great option for his or her cafe.
9) Espresso Machine with Steaming Wand
Espresso machines are crucial to the professional barista. This Breville espresso machine is one step up from your average machine, also coming with a steaming wand to steam your milk and coffee. This is great for a professional setting such as a cafe or restaurant given the large quantity of beans you can process in a single sitting.
If you are looking for an espresso machine/milk frother combo for your home, don’t shy away from this excellent choice. You can brew as much, or as little, as you need, making it ideal for the largest and smallest of families.
This espresso machine is home to several impressive features including micro foam milk texturing, a built-in grinder, precise espresso extraction, dose control grinding, and controlled water pressure.
10) Rechargeable Milk Frother Battery Operated
Upgrade your coffee game with this rechargeable handheld milk frother from Vomelon. Good for use with an array of different beverages such as lattes, cappuccinos, hot cocoa, or a traditional cup of hot coffee. This battery-operated frother is small enough to be portable for professional use OR home use, making it a fantastic option for a barista’s personal collection of tools.
Unlike most other frothing tools, this rechargeable frother is dishwasher safe and made of durable stainless steel for easy hand washing. It also comes with a metal cap, keeping the tool clean and sanitary during travel and between uses.
If you are a barista, know a barista, or simply like frothed beverages, the Vomelon rechargeable frother is an easy-to-use, portable option for you.
11) Milk Frother Electric Milk Foam Maker and Steamer
As technology develops rapidly around us, so do the “smart” coffee devices and tools. This smart display device is a frother, foam maker, and steamer all in one. Beyond its digital display, this item also offers extensive memory options, remembering your favorite temperature settings, foam thickness settings, and timers.
This is the perfect gift for the barista in your life, allowing them to have a single piece of technology that encompasses several of his/her needs all in one. For home or work the Hola Rico personifies good value.
12) Descaling Solution for Coffee Machine
The Tupkee Descaling Solution is compatible with all coffee brewing machines and espresso machines, making it an obvious must-have for the busy barista. Most cafes and coffee breweries utilize many different machines, which can potentially make it difficult to find a universal product compatible with all of them. By purchasing this descaling solution, every barista can ensure no machine will be plagued with mineral buildup or clogging.
Descaling solutions improve the quality of coffee and also increase the lifespan and longevity of coffee brewing machines. Every barista knows how expensive coffee machines are – save your time, money, and flavors with this solution for a snip.
13) Barista Micro Cloth 4 Pack
Keeping a neat workspace is one important habit of the professional barista. With these microfiber cloths, cleaning up pesky spills and leaks just got much easier. Not only can you use these cloths on countertops and tables, but also on coffee machines, steaming wands, handles, and refrigerators and coolers.
These cloths are made of microfiber, which is a material that does not sacrifice its softness, or durability for absorbency. This great cloth has all three! Whether you keep one tucked in your apron pocket or store it in a drawer close by, every barista should own a Crema Pro Barista cloth, made by baristas, for baristas.
14) Wooden Coffee Tamping Station
Made from high-quality oak, this wooden coffee tamping station is a portable, yet sturdy piece of equipment that can help any barista create a flavorful cup of espresso. This tamping station can take the place of plastic and disposable barista mats, not only improving the quality of your brewing station but also making it a smart choice for the environmentally conscious barista.
This two-part set has raving reviews on Amazon, customers praising the quality of the wood and beautiful display. If you are looking for an attractive, yet functional treat for yourself or your local barista, the wooden tamping station is a lovely addition to any coffee tool collection.
15) Coffee Maker Cleaner (12oz)
Regularly cleaning your coffee machine allows for coffee that will continue to smell and taste fresh batch after batch. Every barista wants to produce a quality cup of coffee, and the Bar Keepers Friend is a helpful tool to confirm that happens every single time. Available in a one-pack or two-pack, this product is cost-effective for the buzzing expert barista and beginner home barista.
To use, simply put one ounce of the solution and 8 ounces of water in your coffee machine, and initiate the brew cycle. Once the brew cycle is complete, pour out the solution and reinitiate the brew cycle with water only, clearing out any leftover Bar Keepers Friend Coffee Maker Cleaner. This quick process is good for a barista because it is not time-consuming, and can be left unattended whilst in process.
16) Organic Dark Roast Coffee Beans
The first and most important step to brewing a high-quality cup of coffee is to start with decadent, delicious beans. These organic coffee beans are from a Seattle-based company Real Good Coffee Co, which prides itself on bold flavors and sustainable sourcing.
These beans flawlessly marry the flavors of light lemony acidity and bell pepper with notes of cedar and work well in all types of coffee machines. Available in many different roasts and flavors, any barista would be glad to have these beans in their possession, creating happy, satisfied customers.
17) Lavazza Classico, Gran Aroma, Gran Selezione & Perfetto Ground Coffee
Options, options, options! When it comes to coffee, there are never too many options. From flavor and roast to aromatic qualities and price, every bag of coffee beans offers something different to the barista.
This pack of four includes four different complex flavors; the Classico, which is a full-bodied medium roast, the Gran Aroma, which describes itself as a smooth medium roast, the Perfetto, a dark and velvety espresso option, and lastly the Gran Selezione flavor, which is intense and dark with notes of chocolate.
Whether you are playing barista and hosting a brunch, or you are a professional barista looking to branch out your flavor options, you can’t go wrong giving this 4-pack a try for just $25.00.
18) Espresso Coffee Stirrer
This adorable mini-whisk is the perfect front-pocket tool for a busy barista managing multiple orders at once. With the light design and ergonomic handle, this whisk can be used anytime, anyplace.
This coffee stirrer ensures that no clumps or bumps make brewing espresso difficult, and also makes cleaning the device a breeze after a long day of barista work. The stainless steel design can be put in a dishwasher, hand-washed, or even sterilized. It is non-stick, resistant to rust, and will not bend or break.
Even if you are not a barista, this tool is handy for any espresso lover looking to increase the quality of their daily cup.
19) 6 Pack Large Coffee Mug Set
Half of the enjoyment of your daily coffee is the cute and aesthetic mugs and cups that go along with it. If you enjoy the minimalist look or are looking for a gift for a minimalist barista, these cups have got you covered. Their black exterior matches any cafe or kitchen decor, while the bright innards keep them exciting and vibrant.
Forget the small and wimpy cups – these cups hold a whopping 16 oz, but come with none of the difficult cleaning that most large mugs do. No labels, branding, or stickers plague these mugs, just simple and smooth edges, making them perfect for a busy barista or active and busy mom in the kitchen. They are dishwasher safe, and microwave safe!
20) Espresso Coffee Patent Print Poster Coffee Guide Infographic
Every barista has a different personality, and every barista wants to capture her unique personality in her workplace! This attractive piece is a sleek, yet welcoming canvas that would be a superb decoration in any professional kitchen or cafe.
The canvas displays different types of caffeinated beverages in educational, yet cartoon-like images, and not only does the artwork fit the rustic cafe theme, but also can act as a little cheat sheet for new baristas, or an educational piece for customers.
This piece comes with a convenient wooden pole and string hanging device, no difficult installation required for this adorable addition.
21) Coffee Scoop (Set of 2)
Built to be long-lasting, these coffee scoops are beautifully crafted and polished to perfection. No need to add guessing to your endless responsibilities as a barista – let these coffee scoops by Apace Living do the work for you.
The short handle design allows these 2TB scoops to fit into coffee canisters, tea boxes, glass jars, small sugar jars, and so much more.
There is no question why these scoops are referred to as the “Rolls Royce” of coffee wares!
22) Motta 75cl Stainless Steel Professional Milk Pitcher
We close out this list with the one and only steel, Motta milk pitcher. This milk pitcher is stainless steel and retains temperature like the champ that it is. Whether you want to keep your milk warm and frothy, hot and steamy, or cold and ready to be poured into a decadent iced coffee, the Motta pitcher brings practicality with a touch of style.
Produced in Italy, the quality of Metallurgica Motta products is among the highest in the coffee industry, used all over the world by professional coffee brewers and drinkers alike. I like the fact you can feel the milk froth heat by holding the base where the pitcher can hardly be touched – perfect heat for serving.
Any barista interested in offering beautifully steamed milk, icy cold milk, or drinks in between to their customers will be glad to own this pitcher.
- You may like: Best Electric Milk Frothers For the Home
- Read: BUNN VP17-3, 12-Cup Review
- Reference: Go to Lavazza official site here.
