When I first saw the... Hario Switch I thought it was just a more expensive version of the Clever Dripper, but after getting one I realized it's a bit of a different beast. Unlike the Clever you can easily manipulate the brew from percolation to immersion, and back again with the flip of a switch, hence...
As if there weren't... enough tools and accessories out there for pulling shots, it's time to look at yet another advertised as your fast pass to better extractions; the Bplus espresso puck screens. Of course, many of us espresso nerds have heard all of this before, many times over. So I'm sure you could understand my...
I'm a man of my word... and a couple month's ago while reviewing the Robot I said I would soon be releasing a head-to-head battle with the Cafelat Robot and the Flair, but what I didn't tell you was I was waiting for the new 58 to drop. In the world of hand pressed, fully manual...
Brewing coffee quickly... hasn't always been looked at as a good thing, but as we've developed a better understanding of extraction it's become more widely accepted. First science told us to run faster shots of espresso, and now the Espro Bloom has entered the fray claiming tasty brews in record time. They do this by utilizing...
The hand grinder market... has really blown up over the past few years, with new options hitting shelves and websites at a pretty solid rate. There are names that most coffee enthusiasts kick around on the regular like the Comandante and the Kinu M47, but there's a newcomer to this market, and its boasting some pretty...
The unsung hero of the coffee bar... is the humble grinder. The espresso machines, coffee drippers, and latte art pours tend to often be the stars of the show, but today I'm revisiting my experience with a Niche Zero year one review. If you've been around for a minute you may recall the original review I...
Four years ago this week... I became the proud owner of a brand new, crispy white, La Marzocco Linea Mini. In that time it has given me endless hours of entertainment, content for videos, increased my barista skills, and also helped motivate me to create not one, but two businesses. So I do generally look at the...
When I think about making espresso... I generally picture myself at home, or in a cafe working behind a classic countertop machine, but I also have to remind myself that other people actually leave their house sometimes. So something like the Wacaco Nanopresso may actually be a the perfect option for those adventurous, espresso-loving spirits who...
I promise you... this will be the last distribution tool review I'll do for awhile. It just seems like when it rains it pours, and recently a Duomo The Eight poured into my possession thanks to a lovely local espresso lover named Josh who was willing to part with it while I made a review. At...
In a world... and industry that is increasingly becoming more and more automated, the market for hand-pressed espresso machines is still only growing in popularity. In that market the Cafelat Robot is one of the premium players, and having paid nearly $500 for it also costs a premium. It's unique vintage 1950's sci-fi movie robot styling...
There comes a point where one may ask... how many coffee drippers is too many? Well, I'm not sure yet, and I know I haven't reached that point just yet. So I felt like the Origami Dripper is a welcome addition to my already somewhat crowded home barista coffee cart. For what seems like quite a...
La Marzocco has a habit... of making Mini versions of their commercial machines. I'm sure you've heard of the Linea Mini, but in case you haven't, its pretty epic. Their newest addition to the Mini line up for home baristas is the La Marzocco Swift Mini. The full-size Swift is a cafe workhorse that you'll find...
Being the coffee nerd... that I'm sure you are (otherwise you may of made a wrong click somewhere) you've likely heard of or own something made by Fellow Products. They make all kinds of useful and extremely aesthetically pleasing specialty coffee gear. I mean, you'd be hard pressed to find another company that makes a better...
The Leverpresso is... the smallest lever espresso machine on the market, at least that I'm aware of. It begs the age old question, does size matter? Get your mind out the gutter. I'm talking about if it can it live up to its larger and more expensive cousins like the Flair or the RoK? Well, today...
It may be hard to imagine... the Linea Mini needing some changes. It's true that it's a dream machine. Waking up and making my morning cappuccino on it is part of my daily routine that never gets old. But no matter how perfect it may seem, using it day in and day out for years you'll...
It's time for a tamper comparison... and the two puck pressers I'll be looking at this week are the ever popular Barista Hustle and the Pullman Big Step. These two tend to be a couple of the most popular options in the specialty coffee industry. You'd be hard pressed to find at least one cafe out...
The Fellow Monty... not to be confused with the "full Monty", is a newcomer to the milk cup market. At least they seem new to me, I didn't see them popping up until the last couple months. They looked intriguing to me, as I do love all things without handles (note my favorite handleless milk pitcher)....
I'm late to the Niche Zero... party, but if there's one thing I've learned as a somewhat sociable adult, its never show up to a party on time. So here I am. Thankfully a local coffee lover reached out and allowed me to borrow their beloved Niche Zero in exchange for my beloved Lux-D. Seemed like...
Linea Mini reviews are so... hot right now. In fact, they have been for years. Ever since I published my year one ownership review roughly three years ago, it has been my one of my most popular posts ever on the blog year to year. Recently I saw Chris Baca threw his 5-panel hat into the...
The PuqPress Q2... is by far the most expensive tamper I've ever used. It's $1,080 price tag sets it apart from my trusty Pullman Big Step at a measly $165. Which is already pretty expensive for a tool used for such a simple task. But I never really sat down and thought that the tamper needs...
It's time the Flair faces the Rok... in a head to head battle to see which hand pressed espresso machine will come out on top. To keep things fair I was able to get a standard group head for my Flair to make it more of an even competition with the Rok. I also crowed sourced...
Cafe Concetto's metal filters... for the Aeropress has entered a ring that isn't extremely full of challengers. I've seen them bounce around online a few times in the past, but it seems that no one has fully perfected it...yet. At least to have it stand up to the tried-and-true paper filters. For those who have followed...
ONA Coffee has dropped the OCD V3... and it's time to find out if its a step forward, or just more of the same. For those who have been following along with my personal love-hate relationship with the OCD (ONA Coffee Distributor) tool you know that I've been both a huge proponent of the tool, and...
The Cortado is one of my... go to espresso drinks. Theres nothing better than a little espresso beverage and not spending a fortune. Especially when you're like me and usually hit at least three coffee shops when I go out. It's easy to get over-caffeinated and up feeling a little wonky. So keeping things small and...
Now that the Flair... has been on my counter for a month or so, and I've pulled quite a few shots with it I think it's time to do a review for it. The model that I have is the Signature Pro, which comes with a pressure gauge, updated stainless steel pieces, an additional portafilter, a...
https://youtu.be/8wiPsXWs7QA Having the right tools... is key for any job, even making great espresso. Of course you need an espresso machine, but along with that there are espresso tools that make the job easier and more consistent. As I'm sure you know consistency is the key to success in coffee making. If you aren't consistent extractions...
The pitcher does not make the pourer... but it can help you progress. As we all learn and advance in our abilities we also develop our style. The type of latte art pours we prefer can definitely be assisted by the pitcher. Over the years my style has changed, and my preference in pitcher has changed...
I love my Linea Mini... it's one of my most prized possessions, which I'm sure was obvious in my year one review. So when I sat down to write this two year update on my ownership experience, I really dug deep. Thinking about the times I was frustrated, or annoyed with the machine trying to leave...
If you're anything like me... you have a hard time not only buying gifts, but also knowing what to ask for when holidays or birthdays come around. I feel like as I've gotten older my hobbies and interests have become exponentially more expensive. Coffee thankfully is a little different. You can spend as much as you'd...
The IKAWA has become... an invaluable tool for coffee roasters around the world. Its small footprint, customizability, and ease-of-use makes it something extremely important to the business of roasting and developing coffees. The fact that I can take it home in the trunk of my Mazda MX5 and roast in my kitchen without setting off a...
I'm a sucker for cool gear... but who isn't? Every industry I've ever worked in comes with its gear, and specialty coffee has a plethora new gadgets and gear that I always love to get my hands on. Steaming pitchers are of course one of those pieces of kit. In my fridge at home I've got...
On espresso bars around the world... there are a variety of steaming pitchers. They are all intended for the same basic purpose, to pour steamed milk into coffee. Yet there are many differences ranging from the subtle, to the blatantly obvious. Some even have no handles if you can believe that. Having used quite a few...
The Leva truly is a piece of art... the hundreds of photos I've seen since its announcement really don't do it justice. My initial thoughts when I first saw it in person where that of intrigue and an excitement. The Leva marries together a very raw, visceral look, with also a very classic beautiful simplicity that...
The Aeropress has always been in this middle ground... between espresso and a French Press. On one hand its brewed under pressure, and on the other immersion is also part of the program. It's never been a favorite of mine, the cup just doesn't have the clarity I look for in black coffee, or the complexity...
Love em' or hate em', distribution tools are here to stay… It’s rare to walk into any specialty coffee shop these days and not see a distribution tool of some kind sitting on the bar. Nearly every company that produces coffee tools has come out with their own version. They vary in shape, size, and material,...
It’s been a year since the Linea Mini graced my kitchen... I threw out an entire kitchen table and chairs to make space. No regrets. Having the ability to make café quality espresso in your kitchen is every coffee enthusiasts dream. Once that dream becomes a reality, the possibilities are endless. For example, I drink a...
A cup is just a vessel... that holds a liquid, and you drink out if it. Some are short, some are tall, some are glass, and some are ceramic. Its not until you think about it as another tool of the craft of making, and enjoying coffee, that you start seeing them in more specific terms....
