Finally we continue with Part 3 of our online barista course! After having clarified in the last two articles the scope of our online barista course and what exactly a barista is and what tasks a barista has to perform on a daily basis, today we will go into a little more detail. In order to be able to do a perfect job, every barista logically needs the right Barista Equipment & Accessories . The Barista Equipment starts with the machine , or the general setup and leads on to barista accessories, such as the tamper or the matching cloths . We will go into this in detail and comprehensively in this article. Elias Fischbacher from the Wildkaffee Rösterei wishes you lots of fun discovering. Here we go.
Barista Equipment - The heart of the workplace - The machine
Like every workplace, a barista’s job also has a heart. This core, i.e. The center of the brew bar is usually a portafilter machine. With the portafilter machine, numerous coffee specialties and recipes can be prepared. Espresso, Americano, Cortado or Flat White are not possible without this basic barista equipment. Therefore, it is important not to skimp on this barista equipment. Cheaper portafilter machines often contain parts that are not as durable as those in high-tech models. It is particularly important to note that the higher-class models are significantly more durable. With regular and loving care of the barista equipment, i.e. the portafilter machine, it is quite possible that it will last for several decades.
The portafilter machines are in fact real, complex machines, which are made up of many high-quality individual parts. Cheaper machines are not necessarily bad, but often savings are made on the individual parts mentioned, so that the longevity and quality of the coffee decreases. Why is coffee quality declining? Let’s take the brewing groups as an example. Brewing groups with cheaper barista equipment are usually made of cheaper materials, which is why the desired temperature cannot be completely stored. Often, in an unobvious way, savings are made on the milk nozzle. Under what appears to be a metal nozzle, which in high-quality machines is also made of metal, there is often a plastic part hidden in cheap barista equipment. As a result, more water ends up in the milk foam and a cappuccino simply tastes different than we would like it to. So if you are still considering whether to buy a portafilter machine, be sure to get competent advice and make a well-considered decision about which barista equipment you want to buy. It's a bit like getting a new car. Therefore, contact a dealer who specializes in coffee machines.
Barista Equipment - An equally important aspect - The grinder
In the last part of our online barista course, we already looked a little at the grinder and how to set it up properly before a day of working as a barista. In this section, however, we will look at the topic of coffee grinders in detail. Usually a barista workplace has several grinders. Usually one grinder is used purely for espressos or espresso-based drinks and another, smaller grinder, such as the Fellow Ode , for filter coffee , Aeropress coffee or French Press Coffee to prepare. As mentioned in the last post, espresso grinders can be perfectly adjusted for the workday. The espresso grinder ensures evenly perfect ground coffee and a delicious espresso. The small Fellow mill ensures a perfect grinding result thanks to its stainless steel disc grinder and 31 grinding settings. Whether Chemex , filter coffee , French Press and also espresso . The Fellow Ode is an ideal barista equipment that should definitely not be missing from your brew bar or coffee corner. A cheaper alternative would be a hand grinder, such as the Commandante C40 Black . This also ensures a perfect grind. The only disadvantage is that it has to be operated by hand... Could be a bit tiring with several pots of filter coffee. Nevertheless, the Commandante top barista equipment.
Essential barista accessories for preparation with the portafilter
Of course, you need to prepare tasty coffee drinks Not only a grinder and the portafilter machine , but also other barista accessories . Let's start with a barista accessories set. Basically 5 things that shouldn't be missing from your brew bar or coffee corner right from the start. Let's start with the tamper . The tamper is the stamp that ensures that the finely ground coffee is evenly compressed in the portafilter. This ensures even extraction and the typical taste of the espresso.
In addition, the so-called Leveler a useful barista accessory. Gaps and hollow spaces in the ground coffee could lead to over-extraction. In barista jargon, this is called the channeling effect. The coffee then tastes very bitter and contains almost no aromas. If you combine this barista accessory with a suitable mat, e.g. the Tapping Cork Mat , then you can actually start preparing it straight away!
Surely you don’t just want espresso and American in your portafilter machine. We probably don't need to tell you again that coffee recipes with milk are particularly popular. But what we do have to tell you is: which barista accessories do you need to prepare a delicious flat white or cortado ? Very simple: the milk jug . The ideal tool for the latte art technique, which we will be discussing in more detail shortly. The jugs are made of thick-walled stainless steel and are ideal for frothing. A barista accessory that should also be part of your basic equipment, especially at the beginning!
An extremely important barista accessory is a suitable scale! With the scale, you can not only weigh the coffee, but also record the brewing time. A high-quality scale from Acaia is not only suitable for portafilter preparation, but also for all other brewing methods.
Other practical barista accessories
In addition to the 4 basic barista accessories, there are also other practical barista accessories that make everyday life and cleaning your brew bar much easier . Let's start with a very simple but absolutely helpful barista accessory - the coffee brush ! The brush helps you keep your work area perfectly clean. Annoying residues of ground coffee often collect in the area around your grinder. If you were to wipe up the fine ground coffee with a cloth, you would have these little grains everywhere. With the brush, cleaning is much easier.
Another useful barista accessory is barista microfiber cloths ! The set of 4 different cloths offers you the perfect cleaning for every component of your portafilter machine. Included is a cloth with a carabiner for optimal wiping of your portafilter. So that your steam nozzle is always optimally cleaned and ready for frothing milk, Hauck provides you with 2 ideal microfiber cloths. The quartet is completed by a large all-purpose cloth.
Barista accessories for filter coffee
You need the right barista equipment not only for portafilter preparation. We should definitely also prepare ourselves for fans of filter coffee. Especially high-quality specialty coffees are becoming increasingly popular and These are usually used in hand filters But also Aeropress and Chemex are barista accessories you should have with you. But you will undoubtedly not need all 3 different brewing methods right away. Start with the portafilter preparation and work your way into the filter coffee preparation step by step. Maybe you already have experience with barista accessories for filter coffee. If so, you already have a decisive advantage.
Conclusion!
As a barista, you naturally need the right barista equipment. To start, you will definitely need a tamper, equalizer, a milk jug and of course a scale! Combined with a suitable tamper pad, you can start with your first attempts. If you want to simplify cleaning and thus your everyday barista life, then a coffee brush and suitable microfiber cloths are a useful add-on! Now we already know the scope of our online barista course, the daily tasks of a barista and the necessary barista equipment! This lays the foundation for our online barista course! In the next parts we will focus on homemade. Be sure to follow us on YouTube , Facebook , Instagram and TikTok to get even closer to our Online Barista Course to stay tuned. We will always keep you informed about the latest news! You can also find the entire course in moving images on YouTube! Have fun participating and #staywild!
