Pat is an espresso machine enthusiast with a passion for perfecting every shot. With years of hands-on experience testing espresso machines, coffee makers and everything in between, Pat provides detailed, no-nonsense reviews to help coffee lovers find the right fit.
It’s easy to put all of the emphasis on your machine and grinder. Hey, we often do it too! But there’s no doubt that without great tools backing up your machinery you’ll have a harder time brewing the perfect cup. That’s why we’re here to help with our Top 3 Best Accessories of 2022! Like our other Top 3 lists we’ve broken this into 3 categories, plus an honorable mention. So let’s get started!
Crowd Pleaser
For our Crowd Pleaser entry we’re featuring the Saint Anthony Industries The Bloc Knockbox. What makes this knockbox the perfect crowd pleaser for us is the value. This is a hand carved accessory that looks gorgeous on the countertop. More than that, it’s also got tons of form for the function.
First, there’s the expected knockbox part of this… knockbox! It’s an easy to use ledge for ejecting your espresso pucks into the waste bin. That stainless steel bin can, of course, be removed as well for easy emptying. The cool part is this knockbox also has a spot for your tamper and a distribution tool, and can be used as a tamping station as well. Because it has such all-in-one functionality we really think it offers the value to take our Crowd Pleaser category.
Top Features
For our Top Features pick we’re selecting the Acaia Pearl Coffee Scale. The Pearl is the perfect component to finish up your perfect pour over setup. This scale is extremely accurate and full of features. You’ve got timers built in, multiple modes for proper pour over production, and even integration with Acaia’s Brew Bar app.
The Brew Bar app allows you to examine and save your flow profiles and pour over recipes so that you can recall them to make the perfect cup every time. Where most scales might, at best, offer a timer alongside their weight functions, the Pearl really is a true smart scale that will take your pour over brewing to the next level.
Ultimate Pick
For our ultimate pick we’re going with a tool no espresso enthusiast can do without: the St. Anthony Industries Model T Tamper.
This tamper really is the ultimate offer for lightweight tamping. There’s not a ton to say about this entry because it’s just perfect for any 58mm portafilter. Almost the entire tamper is made of gorgeous American hardwood, with only the precision milled base being made from stainless steel. This makes it easy to handle and easy on the eyes. It’s a simple piece of gear, but our absolute favorite newer option for this kind of tool.
Honorable Mention
For our honorable mention for the best coffee accessories of 2022 we have the Airscape 32oz Coffee Bean Canister. The Airscape is the perfect way to store your coffee beans. With a vacuum sealing plunger and easy to use design, this canister keeps coffee locked down and fresh for month after month.
On top of saving you from stale beans, the Airscape also looks great, with a variety of color options. We love these canisters as the very best storage option around for larger quantities of beans. We know you will to!
