My flatmate, Kevin, introduced me to a term: GAS. It stands for “gear acquisition syndrome”. You know, the behavior of purchasing accessories when getting into a new hobby.
GAS can be quick and bursty, or it can happen over a lifetime. Most people who have the benefit of surplus spending power know exactly what I’m talking about.
Right now, I’m having serious coffee GAS. Kevin has stocked our home with a quality grinder, kettle, pour-over cone, and French press. The gear is not top-shelf expensive but it certainly has quality enough to make our coffee brewing rituals particularly enjoyable.
I want to contribute to our gear kit with a manual espresso maker!
Manual espresso, which relies on muscle power and the physics of leverage, is SO much cooler than the convenience-focused, pod-based machines which depend on single-use pods to make meh espresso. I’m looking forward to the craftsmanship of the very involved manual brewing workflow.
So yeah, GAS is a thing. Without judging whether it is good or bad, let’s look into it!
With intentions of having the best value, or quality, or comfort, or even self-love, we justify spending on specialized footwear, branded yoga pants, safety equipment, etc.
Ok, I’ll judge a little bit: I can’t help feeling guilty for contributing to global waste by accumulating gear. The short term attention span of a lifestyle that’s perceived as “jack of all trades” or "21st-century renaissance man” is inherently wasteful.
To compensate, I’ve been trying to buy used and refurbished instead of brand new. You can get great deals on things when looking into second-hand marketplaces. Meanwhile, refurbished prices may not be majorly discounted from MSRPs, especially for electronics; but by forfeiting the luxury of the unboxing experience, buying refurbished can mitigate the volume of excessive production by giving second chances to very repairable items.
If you’re into cutting edge or niche gear, reasonable second-hand options may be hard to come by. Nevertheless, I implore you to consider the impact your dollar can have on reducing waste whenever you make purchases.
I am a pensive shopper. I take my time to evaluate the longevity of my purchases relative to build quality, frequency of use, and long-term desirability as newer options become available. I often buy gear with the intention of it lasting me years, decades, or even a lifetime, if possible.
The extra time invested in product comparison is a channel I rely on to mitigate my waste. Or maybe it’s nothing more than biased pre-purchase rationalization.
I’ll also just mention that online shopping has the same neurochemical reward mechanisms as scrolling through social media. Maybe more on that in another article.
Let’s talk about coffee itself. I want to share more on my recent coffee revelations. Here’s the main point:
WOW!
Coffee can be so succulent, especially pour-over and cold brew. With some trial and error, some decent gear, and more trial and error, I’m now able to make coffee that I’ve enjoyed just as much as any barista-made coffee. It’s not that baristas are not talented, because they absolutely are. Rather, I’ve identified what I like and learned to reproduce it consistently.
I enjoy light, fruity, and herbaceous flavors without compromising on rich texture and body. These are two beans that have stood out:
Let me know what coffee you like, what your take on GAS is, and your thoughts on reusability in general.
This article’s title references two songs:
This track’s labeled artist is Machine Gun Kelly, but it’s actually a collaboration with Victoria Monét. You may recognize her as Arianna Grande’s primary songwriting companion. Here’s another song of hers:
