At-Home Coffee Bars Are Trending, And These Essentials Are Key to a Barista-Caliber Setup

If you’re serious about making the brown butter and banana bread lattes blowing up your Instagram feed, you’ll need a pro-level machine. The Barista Touch Impress delivers on that front, following Breville’s 4 Keys formula for producing third-wave espresso at home (an 18- to 22-gram Precision Puck, nine-bar extraction pressure, a 200-degree extraction temperature and 1 million microfoam bubbles per millimeter). But you don’t need to know all that. The appliance has a touchscreen that guides you through whatever drink you want to make, radically simplifying the process while delivering top-tier results. It can even extract at lower temperatures, producing cold brew in under three minutes, so you can skip the 24-hour steeping process of the traditional pitcher method. (It also includes a burr grinder and milk frother, so you won’t need to buy those separately.)

Creating the coffee shop experience at home means having a dedicated space for your setup, and this fluted cabinet is just the right size—and look—to create an inviting, elevated nook. It features a built-in charging station, so you can plug things in easily, and fits most mini fridges, so you can slide one in to store milk, extra cold brew and other essentials. 

This totally comes down to personal preference, and I tend to cycle through beans from Blue Bottle, Partners, Stumptown and smaller roasters. Lately, though, I’ve been on a Counter Culture kick, preferring the robust yet balanced flavor of Forty-Six, and opting for Slow Motion when I’m sticking to decaf (which is so rich you’d never guess it doesn’t contain caffeine). 

Earthy neutrals are a huge home color trend this year, and these stoneware espresso mugs nail it. They’re simple, elegant and, best of all, dishwasher-safe. 

Lattes just taste better coming from this porcelain mug. Okay, I can’t prove that, but it strikes that Goldilocks tone of having delicate lines without being so wafer-thin that you’re terrified it’ll break. Plus, it will look great on your coffee cart.

You put enough effort into that marshmallow cold foam-topped, iced salted tahini honey latte. You might as well show it off (or enjoy it when you’re out and about). This tempered glass tumbler works with hot and cold drinks—up to 175 degrees, according to the brand—and comes with a straw brush to make cleanup a breeze.

Confession: I’m not big on syrups, but if you’re going store-bought, you won’t be disappointed with Blue Bottle’s creations. Its latest, Miso Caramel Syrup, was crafted by Pink House Alchemy, a female-founded flavor house, and is like a riff on salted caramel with a hint of umami.

There are a lot of really aesthetically pleasing clear jars for storing coffee beans, but if you really want to preserve your beans’ freshness, opt for an opaque canister. Fellow’s Atmos container vacuum-seals with a simple twist of its lid and features a silicone ring to keep moisture and excess air out (two other enemies in the fight to preserve your beans’ freshness). 

For the full at-home café effect, you’ll need a pastry case, right? The ruffle on this cake plate is just the whimsical element to liven up this practical food preserver, instantly elevating whatever you stow inside it. (You’re already whipping up lattes from scratch; in the words of Ina Garten, “store-bought is fine,” especially when it comes to croissants.)