When it came time to build my own baby registry, I was lucky to have how-to guides at my fingertips, but I still reached out to all my mom friends about their baby registry must-haves. Of course, everyone had strong opinions. People told me about the stroller they loved, the high chair they hated, and the cute magnetic onesies that made late-night changes so much easier. All genius suggestions that made their way onto my list. One friend had some unexpected advice. She didn’t have strong feelings about all the usual bottles and diapers. “You’ll figure those items out,” she assured me. Instead, her registry must-have was a Nespresso machine. “You’ll have enough onesies, and you’ll need to be able to make coffee one-handed,” she said. To buy: Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine, $203 (normally $270); amazon.com I was intrigued, but ultimately decided against adding it to my registry. I liked my Chemex, and it felt weird to register for an item that didn’t directly benefit my baby, or indeed anyone in my household other than me (I’m the only coffee-drinker). And then… my baby arrived! We broke in all the registry stuff (broke some of it, even), and developed our own new rituals and habits with this wonderful new person in the house. One ritual that suffered, however, was my coffee-making routine. Before I had a baby, I was (still am, really) a coffee snob. I was devoted to my pour-over. I would source beans from local coffee shops, grind them fresh, and take my time brewing my morning cup. Now, I had to boil the kettle over and over before I remembered to actually make a cup of coffee. I would hold my baby with one hand and pour boiling water over coffee grounds with the other, shielding his little fingers from the flow of hot water. My artisanal cup was becoming less appealing by the day. That’s when I remembered my friend’s advice, probably a year after she gave it. After I spotted a sale on a Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine (which is 25% off right now!), I gave it to myself, and ever since, I’ve rediscovered the joy of drinking hot coffee. It makes a fresh cup so quickly that the distance between the desire for some coffee and actually sipping it is minimal. My morning cup tastes as good as my pour-over, and I’m enjoying switching between espresso, double shots, and coffee. On days when I feel extra-fancy, I even make myself some steamed milk in the included milk frother for a proper latte. I like how foolproof the Nespresso is: You don’t need to remember to toss the coffee filter, and the spent capsules end up in a little side container that is easy to empty. And, because I want to leave my baby a healthy planet, I’m so relieved that you can recycle those pods, too! I’ve realized how silly my initial hesitance was. Registries should be as much for the parents and caregivers as it is for the baby. After all, you have to take care of this wonderful little person! So do yourself a favor, sort out your coffee-making situation beforehand, and save a little money while you’re doing it.
