Coffee at home, done properly, in four purchases
Good coffee at home is mostly the grinder. Everything after that is preference. I'll give you the grinder, then the kettle for people who pour over, then the espresso machine that fits a real kitchen, then the honest pod answer for people who want a button.
The prices on this equipment are unusually stable at the makers' own stores and unusually volatile everywhere else, which makes this a good category for a price site.
The grinder
Baratza Encore ESP Grinder
3 stores · read Sep 12The Baratza Encore ESP is the grinder I'd tell anyone to buy first. It grinds fine enough for espresso and coarse enough for a French press, it is quiet for a burr grinder, and Baratza sells every part and will talk you through repairs on the phone. It is the last grinder most people buy.
The kettle
Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
13 stores · read Sep 12If you make pour-over, the Stagg EKG is worth the money. It holds a temperature, the spout pours exactly where you point it, and it looks good on a counter. If you make French press or a drip machine does your brewing, skip this and buy a plain kettle.
The espresso machine that fits
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
3 stores · read Sep 12The Bambino Plus is the espresso machine for people who want real espresso and a small footprint. It heats in a few seconds, the steam wand auto-textures milk, and it costs a third of the machines it competes with in the cup. You need the grinder above; do not pair it with pre-ground.
The button
Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi
3 stores · read Sep 12If you know you'll never weigh beans, the Vertuo Pop+ is the right pod machine. The coffee is better than it has any right to be, the machine is tiny, and the pods are the ongoing cost you should price in. Watch the rows: the machine is often a loss leader at one store and full price at the next.
What I'd skip
Blade grinders, which are not grinders; espresso machines under $150, which are steam toys; and anything marketed as a "barista" bundle.
When to buy
Coffee gear discounts hardest in November and again around the January resolutions. Breville and Fellow rarely discount at their own stores, so the between-store rows above are where the savings are the rest of the year.