GoKawiilLucky for you, the Normcore V4.1 claims to do both of those things with scientific precision. Its exterior baffle fits snugly against the top of your portafilter, and its spring-loaded base presses your puck with 15 pounds of force to create a perfectly flat surface. A “click” lets you know you can stop pushing, then the interior tamping piston follows the handle back away from the puck. It looks and sounds cool in the process, and it serves as the perfect set of training wheels for a newbie if nothing else.
Break Up Clumps
Photograph: Pete Cottell
Photograph: Pete Cottell Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Lucca WDT Tool $45 Seattle Coffee Gear
Cheaper grinders with smaller burrs can deposit small clumps in your dose as they grind coffee beans. In 2004, a fellow named John Weiss created a tool that looks a bit like a tiny wire scalp massager, which you swirl around your portafilter before tamping to break up clumps. This can reduce “channeling,” i.e., the unwanted process of uneven extraction due to an inconsistent puck. Thus was born the “Weiss Distribution Technique, aka “WDT.” It’s surprising how much more consistent your shots will be after you give them a quick brushing with this sturdy little tool, especially if you use a funnel to keep your grounds safely fenced in before tamping.
Measure Your Shots Properly
Photograph: Pete Cottell Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Barista Basics Triple Spout Shot Glass $11 Espresso Parts
Typically, the phrase “buy nice or buy twice” is muttered before a fancy item with a shock price tag is suggested, but this is not the case with this pro-grade espresso pitcher that’s been perfected by the great folks at Olympia’s Espresso Parts. Their triple spout shot glass is all over coffee shops in the PNW, and for good reason: It’s incredibly durable and stupidly easy to use. The measurement lines are easy to read at most angles, and the tempered glass on this thing is damn near impossible to break unless you overtly throw it against a wall or concrete floor. Skip the flimsy junk and use what the pros use for a price that’s less than most fast-food orders these days.
Steam Better Milk
Photograph: Pete Cottell Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Brewista Precision Milk Frothing Pitcher $40 Amazon
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