The Framework
Your setup has three components: a brewer, a grinder, and a kettle. Of these, the grinder matters most. A good grinder with a cheap brewer produces better coffee than a cheap grinder with an expensive brewer. Grind consistency controls extraction consistency, which controls whether your coffee tastes balanced or bitter and sour.
The Budget Breakdown
Grinder: $60-80. Brewer: $25-50. Kettle: $25-40. Total: $110-170 with room to spare.
The Grinder: Baratza Encore ESP ($170) or Timemore C3 ($60)
For an electric burr grinder at the entry price point, the Timemore C3 hand grinder at $60 is the best grinder in the sub-$100 range, period. Yes, it requires manual cranking. 20 grams of coffee takes about 45 seconds. For a single cup in the morning, this is not a hardship. The grind quality is better than most electric grinders under $150.
If the hand cranking is a dealbreaker, the Baratza Encore ESP is the correct electric option at $170. It is above budget but produces consistently better results than any electric grinder under $100. The Encore ESP replaced the original Encore and added stepless grind adjustment, which matters for dialing in espresso grind sizes precisely.
For strict budget compliance, the Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder at $100 is acceptable as an electric option, but the Timemore C3 outperforms it for pour over work.
The Brewer: Hario V60 ($25)
The Hario V60 plastic dripper is $25 and produces the same coffee quality as the $60 glass or ceramic versions. The plastic holds heat better, which is an advantage, not a compromise. Buy it with a box of V60 02 paper filters.
For a simpler process, the Kalita Wave 185 ($30-40) is more forgiving than the V60. The flat-bottom basket and 3-hole design produces more even extraction with less technique dependency. For beginners, this is the better recommendation.
If you want to make coffee for two to four people at once, the Chemex 6-cup ($50) handles volume more naturally than a V60 and produces a clean, bright cup with the proper bonded filters.
The Kettle: Amazon Basics Gooseneck or similar ($25-35)
A gooseneck kettle is not optional for pour over. A standard kettle pours too fast and with too little control to manage a pour over evenly. A gooseneck kettle lets you control the flow rate and hit specific spots on the coffee bed.
You do not need a temperature-control kettle at this budget tier. Heat water to a full boil, then wait 45 to 60 seconds. The water will drop from 212F to approximately 200-205F, which is the ideal brewing temperature. Do this consistently and you have achieved temperature control without a $70 Stagg kettle.
When to upgrade: after six months of daily brewing. By then you will know whether you want to explore espresso, different brewing methods, or better grind quality. Upgrade the grinder first if you go that route, then the brewer, then the kettle last.
What to Skip
Blade grinders: they chop coffee unevenly, producing a mix of powder and chunks that extracts inconsistently. A $60 hand grinder produces better coffee than a $200 blade grinder.
Automatic drip machines: possible to get good ones but the $40-80 drip machines most people buy do not heat water to 200F and do not distribute it evenly. The V60 or Kalita Wave produces better coffee for less money if you are willing to do the manual process.
Espresso machines under $200: none of them produce true espresso. They under-pressurize and produce a coffee concentrate that tastes nothing like a properly pulled shot. Save up to $400-600 for the Breville Bambino or Gaggia Classic if espresso is the goal.