JBM Coffee Co Manual Coffee Grinder Chestnut C2 Model Capacity 25g
It's the smallest burr grinder I could find (it does come one size larger), and it’s so simple: the handle/lever is the lid, which pops off to be stored separately.
The perfect grinder for small kitchens, camping, travel, or the satisfaction of sturdy objects that do their job without fuss.
Put the beans in the top, put the crank on, grind the beans, and then unscrew the bottom to pour the grounds out (the perfect amount for a strong single-serving in my aeropress).
I have had some issues with static in the bottom when trying to get the grounds out, but I think it might be bean-dependent; I have no trouble with the decaf fair trade french roast beans I usually get from Trader Joe's.
(As far as I can tell, this is just a white-label version of the TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 manual coffee bean grinder that was at some point (and may still be) the top Wirecutter pick that happens to cost 25% less.)
One word of warning: it might be a little too fun to use. One of my besties came to visit and the amount of coffee that was consumed after the discovery of this object probably went up 5x 😅.
On the topic of coffee (and partially inspired by this early pandemic video of the Bon Appétit staff making coffee in their preferred ways during lockdown — this guy is also great):
I've been thrilled with using this grinder with my aeropress (I do it inverted), a little half & half, and then topping it off with a blanket of foam which is crazy-easy thanks to my adoption of ultra-filtered milk (read more at Dairy sensitivity?) + a little baby electric whisk that lives on its stand in the hot-beverage corner.
Update: I bought myself a fancy but simple milk foamer for Christmas that heats whatever you put in there to whatever temperature you choose. It has a latte mixer head and a cappuccino mixer head—I’ve been on a milky tea kick this winter so I’ve just been basically letting it serve as kettle and frother in one and have just stuck with the latte attachment. Looking forward to hot cocoa.
I tend to nurse my hot beverages, so I use one of my Thermal mugs but I don't like dealing with the lids, so along with preheating the mug with hot water from the Electric kettle, the extra insulation from the foam has been a pretty solid improvement in keeping my coffee warm.
Update: I finally pulled the trigger on the 14oz Ember 2 and I’m in love. I’ll add some notes in the Thermal mugs page.
I've also started using the baby whisk for "golden milk" because it was recommended that I try to get more turmeric into my diet. I've been using this mix, which is great, but even with my magical whisk, the last few gulps require a little more aggressive swishing in my mug to get the last bit of grit out of there.
(It is now a delight to heat/mix/froth this directly in my Breville frother.)
(I’ve also discovered that my whisk will give me basically instant whipped cream if I want some with a few strawberries or even on my hot cocoa—especially useful if you have someone with a Dairy sensitivity? who doesn’t have as many processed A2 options — just pour a splash in a mug and whip it for less than a minute. I used to add vanilla and a little sugar, but I think it’s perfect plain when paired with something sweet.)
I don't currently have a way to make coffee for a crowd, but for hot beverages like cider, I recommend the Thermal dispenser "Airpot" with the Instant Pot as a backup.
Oh, and I keep my coffee beans in an “airscape canister” from Planetary Designs — I like the tall size best (64fl oz) for the user experience (good leverage for pushing and pulling the vacuum seal + easily fits a regular pound of coffee), but I also have the small size for convenience and travel.
(they have particularly good pre-Christmas sales if you buy direct, and they offer Amazon Prime shipping on most products, which makes returns easy. I have the brushed copper because it’s a lovely warm color and it doesn’t attract fingerprints like the stainless steel. The glass ones are beautiful, but the vacuum seal doesn’t glide on the surface as smoothly, so it’s a bit of a wobbly experience. It’s also the case that if you’re trying to protect your item from oxygen, you should also protect it from light. I haven’t tried the matte colored ones.)