Oh, so you froth your milk and your coffee beans are sustainably sourced from a single hilltop in Sri Lanka by workers who practice at least four to five hours of yoga a day – good for you.

Grow up, because if you want to call yourself a coffee connoisseur you’re going to need to raise your game.

Paul Toscano is a coffee expert, as well as the chief marketing officer of a well-known American coffee company, and spoke to Business Insider about items he believes too many avid drinkers are missing from their cupboards.

It’s about to get very snobby up in here so hold on to your well-trimmed moustache, friends.

A Chemex

I think the best home setup is the pour-over. Unless you’re routinely hosting larger groups of people at your home, it’s really the best, most consistent and honestly most rewarding way to brew coffee.

Recommended – Chemex Coffee Maker Glass 6 Cup (Takealot for R837)

A gooseneck kettle

This is key for any pour-over or hand-crafted brew method. This allows for precise pour control, which is necessary when you’re following brewing instructions carefully. A normal pour spout on a regular tea kettle is far too wide and imprecise for delicate coffee brewing.

Recommended – V60 Range Buono Drip Kettle (Yuppiechef for R889)

An Aeropress

Aside from the Chemex, having a smaller format brew method, like the V60 or Aeropress, is great when you only want to make one cup of coffee at a time. For any of these brew methods, just be sure to pick up a box or two of filters and brush up on your brew methods!

Recommended – AeroPress Espresso and Coffee Maker (Takealot for R695)

A scale

For scales, I love the Acaia scale. Not only is it incredibly appealing to the eyes, but it is extremely precise and connects to your mobile device for additional functionality. It also has a built-in timer, which is super important for hand-brew methods. It is a bit pricey, however, so a simple gram scale and a phone timer will also do the trick.

Recommended – Joe Frex Barista Scale (Takealot for R395)

A grinder

Many store-bought coffees can come pre-ground or can be ground at the store; but if you are going through all of the trouble to buy great beans, pre-grinding will very quickly dull the coffee, as exposure to air will cause it to go stale much faster. For the best results, you want to grind your coffee immediately before brewing.

Recommended – Burr Coffee Grinder (Yuppiechef for R2 299)

A coffee table book on coffee

Lastly, anyone who wants a great introduction to coffee, direct trade practices, and the third-wave movement, check out “God in a Cup” by Michaele Weissman. It’s not only a fun read, but the detail that is taken in the coffee growing and roasting process will blow you away — just within the first 30 pages. I know it did for me, the first time I read it.

Recommended – God in a Cup (Takealot for R349)

Go forth and be the coffee snob you were born to be.

I suppose it’s money well spent if you think about all the Insta likes you could rack up when posting about your pour-over coffee made with a gooseneck kettle with self-ground beans measured on your barista scale.

#nofilter.

[source:businessinsider]