Complete coffee noob

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What would you advise a complete coffee noob to buy first?

Someone who likes barista coffee when out, but only drinks instant at home.

I had this put to me this morning, and my advice was a French Press or an Aeropress as a small initial outlay and use grounds.

I also advised to look for an electric grinder with blades, as a burr grinder can get pricey fast - and anyway, there's no point in having a grinder, burr or otherwise, if you've nowhere to brew the coffee anyway.

What route would you tell someone who was starting out?

Alanstrainor

Yes and Aeropress or French press are good starting points. If you like espresso/americano style coffee a moka pot could be a good option too.

I think you have the grinder opinion backwards tbh. Everyone strongly encourages people to get burr grinders, as blades are not good at all for producing a good grind for coffee. You can get cheap electric burr grinders in shops for in and around 50quid. But as with most hobbies, the prices can sky rocket.

I'd also suggest a V60. It's a very cheap gadget (under 10 quid), and produces a great cup of coffee with very little effort.

J_E

Get a Hario Mini Mill and Aeropress, or try to get coffee freshly ground in-store if you don't have a grinder.

Most decent cafes will be able to help you with this as well as advise you on what kind of coffee would suit your tastes.