A rubber tamper pad is handy for loading the portafilter and as a general working surface that protects the counter top.
A knock box for emptying the grinds from the portafilter after pulling the espresso. My favourite is the Grindenstein.
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| Grindenstein knock box |
A spring loaded pressure tamper like this Neouza that I use provides a consistent and level tamper. It is one of the few that is available in the smaller 49mm that my machine requires.
A frothing pitcher like this one from Rattleware is perfect for making the frothy milk for your cappuccino or latté.
A thermometer for monitoring the milk frothing temperature for cappuccino. 150°F to 160°F (66°C to 71°C) is the ideal temperature.
And, of course, you need espresso and cappuccino cups to round out your accessories. I have white Sweejar cappucino cups, and have generic plain white espresso cups that I bought at a coffee supply shop. But there is a wide selection of cups available, especially those with coffee brand logos like Julius Meinl, Lavazza, etc. Espresso International in the UK has 89 varieties.
Here are a few of the espresso cups available:
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| Golden Brasil | Lavazza | Julius Meinl | Nannini |
CLEANING TOOLS
The Pallo cleaning brush is very handy for cleaning the head group and other parts of the machine.
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| Pallo coffee brush |
A 6mm brush is handy for cleaning inside the frothing wand.
