A coffee gift for a coworker works best as a safe, easy-to-like bag rather than the most adventurous one in the lineup: from our ten, No. 7 Praxis, a Guatemalan with dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch notes at a medium roast, is the sensible middle-ground pick. If you know they take it sweet, No. 5 Canela, a cinnamon roll flavored coffee, is the easier crowd-pleaser. Here is how to choose between the two and how to present either one for an office gift.
Why a coworker gift is different from a family one
You usually know less about how a coworker takes their coffee than you would about family, so the safer move is a coffee that is easy to like rather than one built for a specific, narrow taste. A very bright, acidic coffee like a washed Kenyan can be polarizing if the person does not already drink specialty coffee. A balanced, medium roast with familiar notes, or something sweet and flavored, is a much lower-risk gift.
Two safe picks
The reliable middle ground
No. 7 Praxis, fully washed, from Antigua, Guatemala, medium roast, with dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch. It works in any brewer, which matters if you do not know what equipment they have at their desk or at home, and it takes milk fine if they drink it that way.
The sweet, easy crowd-pleaser
No. 5 Canela, a medium roast coffee with cinnamon roll flavoring. It reads as a treat rather than a serious coffee choice, which makes it a good option if you are not sure how particular your coworker is about their coffee, or if the gift is more of a friendly gesture than a considered one.
If you know they like a lighter, brighter cup
No. 2 Good Sense, a natural Ethiopian from Sidama, medium-light roast, with milk chocolate, fruit and caramel. Only reach for this one if you already know they drink pour-over or black coffee by choice, since it is more distinct than the other two.
Our pick
No. 7 Praxis
Antigua, Guatemala · 1,200 to 1,616 m · Fully washed, sun dried · Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Typica · Medium roast
Dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch, balanced enough to work for almost anyone, which is what you want when you do not know someone's coffee habits well.
How to present it at work
- Ship it to the office or to their home with a short note in the order rather than wrapping it yourself, unless you want to hand it over in person.
- Keep the note simple. "Saw this and thought of your desk coffee situation" works better than anything that assumes how they take it.
- For a group or Secret Santa gift, Canela is the safer group pick, since a flavored coffee reads as a treat to almost anyone, while a single-origin like Praxis or Good Sense rewards someone who already cares about coffee.
- Order a few days ahead of when you need it. Each bag is roasted after the order comes in, then shipped, which takes a little longer than something already on a shelf.
Whole bean or ground
Ground is usually the safer choice for a coworker gift unless you know they own a grinder, since most office kitchens do not have one. Every coffee we sell comes both ways at the same price, so this does not change which bag to pick, only which version to order.
See the full label facts for these three on the coffee collection page. If you are also shopping for someone at home, we covered that separately for mom and dad. A subscription is a bigger gesture than a single bag, 11 percent off with skip or cancel in one click, worth it for a coworker you are close with.
When in doubt, pick balanced over bold. That is what makes a gift land instead of getting left in the break room.
Questions people ask
What coffee should I get a coworker as a gift?
A balanced, medium roast coffee is the safest choice when you do not know their habits well. No. 7 Praxis, a Guatemalan with dark chocolate and bright fruit notes, works in any brewer and is easy to like.
Is flavored coffee a good gift for the office?
Yes, especially for a group gift or Secret Santa. No. 5 Canela, a cinnamon roll flavored coffee, reads as a treat to almost anyone, which makes it lower risk than a single-origin coffee for people who do not already drink specialty coffee.
Should I get whole bean or ground coffee for a coworker?
Ground, unless you know they have a grinder at home or in the office kitchen, which is uncommon. Every coffee we sell comes both ways at the same price.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.