Coffee making equipment

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to the equipment they use for making their own coffee because different methods bring about different tastes. As such, there is no right or wrong choice.

The other factor is that it doesn’t cost a great deal to invest in some equipment – a cafetiere is a great starting point – to brew fresh coffee and the results are beyond comparison to instant.

Cafetiere (French press, press pot)

This method is highly recommended for many Grumpy Mule coffees as it really suits single origin coffees.

Easy to use; great taste for single origin coffees; low cost
Coffee can sometimes taste a little bit chalky

Filter machines

Fairly easy to use; good for single origin coffees
Cheaper machines rather inconsistent; the dreaded “hot plate”

Cone and filter papers

Low cost; delivers a very clean tasting cup of coffee; good for 1 cup
Seen as a little old fashioned, but making a come back…

Espresso machines

A must for espresso coffee and making cappuccinos and lattes
Can be tricky to use; a more costly investment

Mokka stove top pot

Very Italian; fun to use; makes a fine, intense coffee
Not real espresso; coffee can end up over-heated and flavours scalded

Percolators

A solid, traditional brewing method
Coffee can end up over-heated and flavours scalded

Vacuum flask

Very clean tasting coffees; good for single origin
Fiddly to use; tricky to get the coffee right

Grinders

Grinders are the equipment of choice if you want to grind your own beans. If you have an espresso machine, a grinder is a particularly good addition as pre-ground espresso coffee will go stale much quicker due to the fineness of the grind.

It is highly recommended that you use a burr grinder, or better still, conical burr grinder, for the best results, as these grind the coffee consistently to ensure that the extraction of the coffee is even and the flavour of the brew as good as it can be. You can use blade and hand grinders if you have them, or use the beans directly in an automatic “bean to cup” espresso machine. The main problem with blade grinders is that they simply chop the coffee until the desired grind is reached, but this will lead to a wide variety of particle sizes (including powdery bits) and will also heat up the coffee which will affect the flavours.

When grinding your beans, simply adjust the grind to best suit your coffee making equipment and make adjustments according to the taste of your brew.