It’s the new year and we know some of our readers might have received some new coffee gear over the holidays! It’s always exciting to get some new gear, but sometimes it can be a challenge to get the most out of it. Here are some quick tips for breaking in your new gear!
Read the Manual
This seems like such a boring suggestion, we know! But it’s really important to check out the manual and get an understanding of the ins and outs of the machine. Even a simple drip brewer or basic coffee grinder will still have important maintenance and usage information that might save your gear in the long run!
The manual might also help you to understand some programming tricks to get a more customized brew that you’ll enjoy even more.
Set Up the Water Filter
If you’ve got an espresso machine with a filter option, use it. It’ll extend the time between descalings, which you’ll be very pleased about down the road. If your gear doesn’t use a water filter you should still make sure you have a pitcher or faucet filtration option. Filtered water reduces limescale buildup and just improves taste over basic tap water.
You machine may have come with water testing strips, which you should use per the manual’s instructions alongside water filtration to ensure that you have a proper descaling and cleaning cycle established.
Complete Your Setup
Nobody likes to have to buy more stuff right after the holidays, but you’ll get a lot more out of your setup if you make sure you have everything you need. If you have an espresso machine or coffee maker but no grinder it’s worth investing over using pre ground beans. If you have an espresso machine you’ll want to make sure you have items like a knock box and tamping station to make workflow and cleanup easier.
And hey, if you got a grinder, maybe treat yourself to a new pour over dripper!
Don’t Forget the Beans!
Don’t forget the most important part - the beans! It’s not a bad idea to use some affordable practice coffee as you learn how to use your equipment. Once you know how to dial in your beans you can switch to some more exciting options. The kind of exciting options you can find in a coffee club subscription from Seattle Coffee Gear (not that we’re biased or anything)!
Most of all, we hope you really love your new coffee gear!
