Coffee is a must for the traveler on your holiday list and it seems every year I am recommending a new coffee product for the holidays. I find myself always seeking a new coffee product, style, or beans. This holiday season is no different. I have two great options with a portable espresso maker and some steeped coffee.
Prior Coffee Product Recommendations
Before this year’s choices, let me remind you both my past year product reviews and recommendations are still applicable today.
Two years ago, I recommended the Fire Department Coffee Company, a quality cup of coffee made by firefighters and also supporting fellow firefighters (in need) through a charitable foundation. Both my parents volunteered as firefighters (well my Mom was fire police) not to mention September 11th remains a special day for me. I always will appreciate the bravery of such first responders and know from my own time inside Lakeville Fire Department that a good cup of coffee is important.
Last season I recommended Nguyen Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee, as a perfect stocking stuffer option with my nine stocking stuffers. The coffee is done with a precision and a dedicated brewing process using the Phin filter. Delicious and perfect for those for care about the art of making coffee as part of the process.
Now this year, I am again discussing coffee products, two products to put on your list or to purchase those fellow coffee lovers on your list.
Portable Espresso with OutIn
Cleary more of a luxury product suited for a stay luxurious post, the OutIn Nano Portable Espresso Machine give you the ability to make espresso remotely. I needed to put it to the test.
What I Like About OutIn
Portable. Yes, pack this item on a camping trip? Or even when traveling to friends or family for dinner. It is relatively a light weight product that uses cold water to craft a hot espresso. You can even be the hit of the party too.
What I Love about Outlin
It is quick. Of course it makes a single shot at a time, but it doesn’t take long to heat the water (200 seconds) and have it pass through to create a brewed espresso. It is not time consuming to assemble either. In just a few minutes you have an espresso to either drink directly from the cup on the machine or to pour into an espresso sized coffee cup for style and elegance points.
What Else Do I Love About OutIn
Of course it doesn’t grind your beans, but you can use either your own “grinded” espresso coffee beans or an espresso capsule to pop right in and brew your next espresso. The good news is the choice, it is not solely dependent on other coffee related products to produce the desired up of espresso.
What Else to Know About OutIn?
It uses European measurements, which of course typically means better espresso, right? The water measurement is in mls for the cup size (50-70ml). Also to note, there is also no wall plug is provided, just a USB cord for universal charging, but know it works with US outlets. I used my iPhone plug to charge it up. A full charge can deliver 4-5 cups of espresso from cold water, many more from if you decide to add hot water directly (an option).
Where can I find OutIn?
You will find everything on line at its website. The OutIn Nano Portable Espresso Machine retails at $149.
Steeped Coffee
Not many things start off a morning better than a quality cup of coffee. Many of us have a cup every day and although I may not be drinking coffee seven days a week, I certainly look for a quality cup when I am traveling, because I’d rather have no cup than a bad cop.
So why not sample Steeped Coffee (Coffee Tea Bags)?
What did I like Steeped Coffee
One must appreciate the effort and energy put into making an environmentally-friendly and quality solution. They use fully “compostable” materials and have a process to seal the bags without harmful products in a way to keep optimal freshness. You are getting a quality product. This shows me they care about their footprint and quality.
What I love About Steeped Coffee
The taste of the coffee was better than anticipated and with multiple blends and styles to choose from with both light to dark roasts. Steeped Coffee offers a style for everyone. I found my own favorite – the California Blend, medium roast with roasty, nutty, chocolate overtones.
What Else Did I Love About Steeped Coffee
I like the instant nature of it just heat up a water and steep. That’s it. No grind, no mess, it is a convenience and perfect for a quick cup of good coffee. Sometimes we do not make the time to savor the coffee experience (or pack the proper brewing equipment) and that’s ok. Problem solved with Steeped Coffee.
What Else Should I know?
The bags seem big, well bigger than a tea bag, but you need to follow the instructions as the amount of coffee grind in each bag is designed to make a single 12 ounce cup. I had a 16oz mug once, and I tried to fill it to the rim and let it steep longer. Not the same. The actual recommended water per teabag ratio is there for a reason.
Where can I find Steeped Coffee?
All products, starter kits, and coffee products are found on their website. A Steeped Coffee vareity pack retails $44.85.
Coffee Product Recommendations
Once again you have some new great ideas an options for coffee lovers on your list this year and also prior years. All items to put on your holiday list so others can spoil you too. Coffee remains a great holiday gift this year and every year.
Stay loving coffee, Craig
