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Talking Shop with Chace Crawford
Learn what he considers the “greatest invention of all time,” and how he makes the perfect cappuccino every morning.
When cafes were closed during the pandemic, Crawford discovered this Breville espresso machine to make coffee at home, which he drinks first thing in the morning. “I learned how to use it on YouTube, and if you do it right, which isn’t hard, you have a perfect cappuccino,” he says. “It’s one of my favorite rituals after walking the dog and while I read some morning news.” Crawford brews his warm beverages into coffee and espresso mugs from Loveramics, which fit perfectly under the machine’s spout, he says.
“If I’m traveling for an extended period of time, and especially if I’m filming, I’ll bring this coffee pour-over cup and the filters that fit it,” says Crawford. “It’s relatively inexpensive, cuts down on time and makes really good fresh coffee if you can get decent beans and grind them.” The dishwasher-safe dripper comes in ceramic and aluminum, and it has a 4-inch base, so you can put it over any compatible cup or carafe.
Crawford often brews his pour-over coffee into this stainless steel, vacuum-insulated travel mug so he can bring it with him to set. “I swear it’ll keep liquid hot or cold for almost 24 hours, and it’s great to have on set,” he says. “It also locks well, so no spills.” The mug comes in 12-ounce and 16-ounce sizes, and you have to hand-wash it, according to the brand.
“I really like nice sunglasses — they make me feel better and look more stylish and ‘adult’ than I actually am,” says Crawford. “Even though you run the risk of losing sunglasses, I always go to Moscot. I have a few of their sunglasses, but the Lemtosh are my favorites. I take them everywhere, and since I live in California, I need them all the time.” The sunglasses come in narrow, average, wide and extra-wide sizes, as well as over 20 colors. You can also customize the lens type (prescription or non-prescription) and opt to get them polarized.
“Something I consider a luxury item but I use all the time are the AirPods Pro,” says Crawford. “I know that’s pretty generic, but I still think they’re one of the greatest inventions of all time. I’m not cool or hip enough to still use the wired Apple headphones like the cool kids. I always have my AirPods on me so I can cook, walk the dog or do whatever while having phone conversations or listening to music and podcasts at the gym.” These earbuds come with a USB-C charging case and have three listening modes: active noise cancellation, transparency and adaptive audio.
“On set in my trailer, the number one most used thing that I always bring with me — its key — is a Kindle e-reader,” says Crawford. “It’s great because it’s strictly for books, so it has no other distractions, and it’s light, it’s backlit, you can download as many books as you want and it looks like you’re reading an actual page from a book. I also always have my Kindle on flights and on my nightstand.” Crawford has a Kindle Oasis, which was discontinued in 2024 — “I don’t know why, the thing is incredible,” he says. But Amazon’s classic Kindle is comparable, offering a similar glare-free display, weeks-long battery life and large storage capacity.
“I love to cook, and a lot of my favorite things revolve around the kitchen or grill because it’s how I like to relax and it’s challenging,” says Crawford. “I absolutely love the Big Green Egg, which I have in medium. It’s charcoal, so it takes some getting used to and to get fired up, but I can make the best steaks and whole roasted chicken at home. I’ll buy good quality meat from a reputable place and can honestly make better steaks at home than going out. It’s definitely a hit with guests, too.” Another cooking tool he loves is Hestan’s nonstick frying pan, which he relies on in the kitchen rather than outside with the smoker.
“This is random, but so many people who notice my phone ask me about this, end up buying it and loving it,” says Crawford. “It’s a stick-on matte screen protector that removes the glare but it’s really the feel of it that I love.” The fingerprint-resistant screen protector has a smooth, silky texture, and it comes with camera lens protectors, too.
I’m a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao, Tiler Peck and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Chace Crawford about his all-time favorite products and what he relies on every day.
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