Coffee gear in Canada

Brewing coffee is more than just a process, it’s a fine art. Like all art, to achieve the best results, you need to use the right gear. Whether you are a latte lover or a dedicated drip coffee connoisseur, we’ve got the coffee gear and the coffee accessories to help you make the perfect cup of coffee.  

Introduction to Coffee Gear

The world of home coffee making is both exciting and daunting. You can spend a lot of money before you even know what’s happening. Here’s a brief look at some of the most common coffee accessories around. 

Whether you’re making manual drip coffee or taking advantage of good ol’ technology with an automatic coffee brewer, your coffee is only going to be as good as the coffee beans you make it from. At Portfolio Coffee, we recommend starting from roasted whole beans as you’ll get maximum freshness and quality. To that end, the most well-used of your coffee tools (after your kettle!) is going to be a coffee grinder, like the Hario Skerton Plus Grinder. As the Hario Skerton Plus Grinder is adjustable, you’re in control of the size of your coffee grounds, plus it’s manual so none of that annoying machine noise in the morning! 

So you’ve got your beans, now what? Next, you’re going to need a good coffee brewer to filter water through your coffee grounds. The options here are numerous, from a manual pour-over coffee brewer to a full-on automatic coffee maker.

Of course, you can really take coffee making at home to the next level, with espresso machines and even home roasters! Whatever your budget and interest, delicious homemade coffee is within reach. 

What is the Equipment Used in Coffee Making?

The most common type of coffee equipment used for making coffee at home is the coffee brewer. There are lots of options to suit all budgets when it comes to coffee brewers. 

At the most basic (but oh so brilliant!) end, we’ve got the pour-over coffee brewer. Manual coffee brewers are great for making a small quantity of coffee. Hario Craft Coffee Maker (Pourover Kit) allows you to slowly drip water through the paper filter into a 600ml server, which is approximately 2 mugs of coffee. Using a pouring kettle with a low-mounted spout, like Hario’s Buono Kettle gives you maximum control over the water flow, helping you to maximize the flavour of your coffee beans. 

At the other end of the scale, automatic coffee brewers make a much larger volume of coffee and do all the work for you. Not only do coffee machines make great coffee with minimum effort, but many coffee machines are also programmable so you can set them up the night before and wake up to wafts of delicious, fresh coffee aroma. Some automatic coffee brewers even allow you to choose between making a whole pot of coffee, or just a mug, for minimum waste. 

Cold coffee brewers are growing in popularity, as steeping coffee beans in cold water can result in a smoother coffee with less acidity. The Hario Filter in Coffee Bottle has a handy filter inside the bottle to place your coffee grounds in. Just add cold water, give it a shake and pop it in the fridge for 8-24 hours for a refreshing cold coffee. 

Why Do We Need Coffee Filters?

The main purpose of filters in coffee is to filter out the little coffee grains that can sometimes escape into your mug of coffee. Many people prefer to drink their coffee without the extra coffee grit. However, be aware that using a filter may reduce the strength of your cup of Joe, although many people believe that the difference isn’t particularly noticeable. 

A study suggests that drinking coffee that has been filtered may be better for us than drinking unfiltered coffee. But the primary purpose of the coffee filter is to remove the excess grains of coffee that would otherwise escape into your coffee cup – and let’s face it, nobody particularly likes sediment in their mug! 

The Best Gear for Making Coffee

For the best-tasting coffee, you really do need the best coffee gear! From a high-quality coffee grinder to achieve perfectly ground coffee beans to the perfect coffee maker, at Portfolio Coffee, we’ve got you covered.

Japanese brand, Hario, has been dedicated to the design of heat-proof glassware since 1921 and simply exudes quality. The Hario Skerton Plus Grinder is a manual grinder, giving you total control over the size of your coffee grounds. Its compact size means you can have fresh coffee on-the-go, too! 

Once you’ve ground your coffee beans, you’ll need something to brew them in. Timemore French Press allows you to brew up to 600ml of coffee in one pot – that’s at least two whole cups of coffee to satisfy your morning coffee routine! It’s a stylish pot, with a dual filter system to make sure none of the sediment ends up in your cup. If pour-over coffee is more your style, then stick with Hario’s Craft Coffee Maker (Pourover Kit). This handy kit has everything to get you started to make fresh coffee – a beautiful pot, coffee dripper and some coffee filter paper. 

Of course, there’s no point in having the best coffee gear without the best coffee! Try our Coffee Tasting Sampling Gift Pack to find your perfect bean. Or better still, why not take out one of our extremely flexible Coffee Subscriptions and get your favourite bean delivered every month, straight to your door?  

The Must-Have Coffee Gear

Aside from a decent coffee brewer, the most essential piece of coffee gear is the coffee filter paper! We stock many different types of papers, which can be used to make coffee filter cones. The Hario V60-O2 Brown filter paper is unbleached and is the perfect fit for the Hario V60 Craft Coffee Maker (Pourover Kit). Some people believe that using an unbleached filter leaves your coffee with, well, a hint of paper taste. Rinsing the filter paper with boiling water before you use it takes care of that problem. Alternatively, you can use the Hario V60-O2 White coffee filter paper. 

If drip coffee is not quite your thing, then a French press may be for you. The Timemore French Press makes an awesome 600ml of coffee and uses a dual filter system to ensure you don’t get any coffee sediment in your coffee cup. 

And of course, you’re not going to make very much coffee without a good kettle! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Equipment do You Recommend for a Home Set-Up?

For a home set-up, we recommend keeping things simple until you decide to take your home coffee making to the next heady heights of a full-blown barista pro! A simple set-up includes a kettle for boiling water, a coffee grinder and either a manual or automatic coffee maker to brew consistent coffee from real coffee beans. And don’t think for a second that that’s a boring home set-up, either. There is such a huge variety of coffee grinders and coffee brewers, that even upgrading to a different brewer or grinder will make a world of difference to the flavour profile of your coffee. 

What Tools Do Baristas Use?

To make the perfect cup of coffee, there are a few essential tools that baristas use, besides the espresso machine. Some you will have heard of and others may be less well-known.

A high-quality tamper is important to pack the coffee grounds tightly, ensuring that you get an even shot of coffee. A knock box is a sturdy metal or plastic device that is used to slam out the used coffee grounds and store them until you’re ready to dispose of them. In addition, baristas use a steaming pitcher for the milk, a thermometer to check for the perfect temperature, scales, shot glasses and of course, something to clean it all up with. 

What’s the thing Holding the Coffee Filter?

If you’re making coffee in a manual or automatic coffee brewer, then chances are that you need to put your coffee grounds into the coffee dripper. That’s the cone-shaped piece at the top of the brewer that you put your coffee filter paper in, followed by your coffee grounds. After the coffee has been brewed, it’ll sit neatly in a coffee server, ready to be poured into your favourite mug. 

If you’re making coffee in an espresso machine, then you’ll start by packing your coffee grounds into a portafilter to make sure you have an even espresso shot. After you’ve made your coffee, the used grounds go into a knockbox, ready for disposal. 

What are Coffee Sleeves Called?

The coffee sleeve is a vital part of the takeout coffee experience. This little cardboard jacket has saved many fingers from being burnt! The original coffee sleeve was called the Java Jacket and was invented in the early 90s by Jay Sorenson, an American businessman. 

Over the years, other companies have sprung up with similar, but slightly tweaked designs. Alternative names for the, now common, coffee sleeve include the coffee clutch, coffee cozie and even, the zarf. A zarf is an ornamental holder used to hold a coffee cup without a holder, and with the rise of the cardboard sleeves, the disposable zarf has been born. 

What Tools Do I Need to Make Espresso?

To make genuine, good-quality espresso, you need to use high water pressure and finely ground coffee beans. To truly achieve the high water pressure, you need the right coffee gear, namely, an espresso machine. You’ll also need a coffee grinder to grind your beans to the right consistency since espresso tastes better with freshly ground beans. In addition, you’ll need a tamper to pack the coffee grounds tightly, a timer and some scales. For the perfect espresso, follow the instructions in our blog, “How to Make Espresso”. 

If you don’t have an espresso machine, all is not lost. You can make a similar coffee beverage using a French Press or even an Aeropress, which is growing in popularity.