One thing that the pandemic has made me extra-grateful for is my at-home coffee routine. When I was working in the office, I was going to Starbucks multiple times a day during the work week, and because I’m being extra cautious, I only had my first drive-through Starbucks cappuccino last week! I’ve been relying on coffee I make at home to get me through the day.

It’s taken me a while, but I feel like I’m almost at the point where I like the coffee I make at home as much as I like the coffee I buy at coffee shops. This doesn’t mean that I don’t miss going out for a cappuccino (believe me, I really do!), but I have been enjoying my daily coffees at home. I thought I’d share my favorites with you today.

While my favorite coffee drink is a cappuccino, I start the day with just a regular cup of coffee – it’s much quicker, and I am basically the living embodiment of every cliche about not starting the day before I’ve had my first cup of coffee. During the pandemic, I switched from using big-brand coffee beans to getting ground coffee delivered from a local coffee shop, and now I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to go back. My current go-to is the Morning Blend from Commonplace Coffee, but I highly recommend finding a local shop near you that will deliver/you can (safely) pick up from. It makes a world of difference in taste, and you get to support a local business, too.

For the rest of my daily caffeine fix, I rely on my Nespresso. I’m interested in getting a more traditional espresso machine (so if you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments!), but for now, I can’t beat the convenience of the Nespresso. When the pandemic really began to take shape here in March, while people were hoarding toilet paper, I was worried about getting enough Nespresso pods. Clearly, I knew my priorities! 

My current machine is the Creatista Plus, and I love how easy it is to use. This isn’t my first Nespresso machine – I had an older one, and upgraded a few years ago. It’s part of the Original Line (not Virtuo line), so it only brews espresso-based drinks, not regular coffee. It also has a milk frother built in, which is also automatic – you just fill the milk jug and it foams it perfectly! I also love how cutomizeable it is – you can adjust the temperature of the espresso and the amount of foam that you want. 

Like all Nespresso machines, it uses pods that are incredibly easy to buy directly from them. My biggest pet peeve used to be that you had to pay for shipping, but now it’s free if you spend $35, so I always just plan to order enough to stock up for a while. They do have seasonal ones, but I tend to stick to the more traditional flavors – even then, there are so many to choose from! Every few months I change it up and try a few different flavors to see what my favorites are.

If you’re looking for an easy way to upgrade your at-home coffee routine without needing expert barista skills, I cannot recommend my Nespresso more! I joke that it’s the only thing getting me through the pandemic, but it really has made my days more enjoyable.

And of course – these are my go-to cappuccino mugs. They’re chic, they’re double-walled so they keep my drink warm, and they’re SO lightweight. The perfect way to enjoy my cappuccino!