What You Need To Make Amazing Coffee

A Great Coffee Machine

Not all coffee machines are created equal!

Obviously there are several factors to consider when picking the perfect espresso machine for you: your budget, how many coffees a day or week you’re planning to make, the amount of space you have for a machine, how many coffee lovers are in your house or building, etc. While there's no one-size-fits-all coffee machine that we can recommend, it's a great idea to do some research before you buy, and get the absolute best you can afford - you want one that can be serviced, maintained and fixed in the long run, rather than a cheaper machine that isn't made to last.

(Side note: Our team are always happy to go through options if you need a hand deciding.)

A Good Tamper

Any barista will tell you (including Craig's wife who spent 7 years as a life-giver sorry, barista in a busy cafe), having a good tamper makes a huge difference. Look for one that fits well in your hand, and sits snugly in your portafilter (as these can vary in size from machine to machine).

If you struggle to keep your tamping pressure the same each time, we'd recommend you invest our very own calibrated tamper to ensure perfect espresso extraction (our calibrated tampers are the best, btw... just saying).

A Tamp Mat

It may seem like an optional extra, but tamp mats are actually incredibly important for protecting both your bench AND the base & basket of your portafilter. Friends don't let friends ruin their bench tops!

A Dump Box

A Milk Jug

This is less of a "need" if you only drink black coffee, but it's good to have on hand anyway for guests (and can also be handy to use when soaking portafilters or steam wands).

Cleaning Equipment

A clean machine is a happy machine, and a happy machine is a good coffee making machine. As well as good quality cleaning brushes and cleaning cloths, it’s also worth making sure you always have cleaning salts and descaler on hand. We offer these on subscription if you find yourself forgetting to order them!

Great Coffee Beans

So some might say we saved the best for last, but it almost goes without saying that a cup of coffee is only going to be as good as the quality of the beans used.  Good quality beans = good quality coffee (when extracted correctly, of course!).

The "Nice To Haves"

As well as the above, there are a few things that aren't absolutely essential, but are still really handy to have (especially when you're just starting out):

- Scales
- Shot glass with measurements on the side
- Thermometer

And there you have it! If you have any questions, or need a hand grabbing any of these essentials, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch here.