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Barista accessories are the cheapest part of a coffee bar and the part you taste in the cup: a machine and grinder set up well can still be let down by a tamper that does not match the basket, a frothing jug with the wrong spout, or a knock box that is too small for a Saturday. That is everything behind the coffee bar that is not the machine — coffee tampers and distribution tools, milk frothing jugs, knock boxes, tamping mats, cloths and kitchen scales. Delivered anywhere in Australia.
Order it with the commercial coffee machines and coffee grinders it gets used with, and that is one order to track and one number to call if something goes wrong, instead of chasing several suppliers.
Barista equipment here includes single tampers and jugs for a one group bar up to full sets of barista tools for a new fit-out, so you can start with the areas that need covering now and add more as your business grows. The consumable end — espresso cups and tea equipment — is worth ordering at the same time.
Pricing professional barista tools for a one group bar or a three group one? The price guide has tampers, jugs and knock boxes listed by size.
These are the top FAQs for Barista Accessories
What size tamper do I need?
Measure the inside diameter of the basket you are using, not the outside of the group head. A tamper a half-millimetre narrow leaves an unpacked rim and the water finds it, which is the most common cause of a sour, fast-running shot in an otherwise well-dialled bar.
Flat bases are the standard and the easiest to learn on. Convex bases suit some baskets and some techniques, but they are a preference rather than an upgrade. Diameters are listed per product on the coffee tampers pages.
Do I need a distribution tool as well as a tamper?
Not strictly. A distribution tool levels the grounds before tamping, so the shot is less dependent on who is on the machine. In a bar with casual staff turnover that is a real benefit; in a single-barista cafe it matters less.
If you buy one, it has to be the same diameter as the tamper and the basket. Running a distribution tool and a tamper at different sizes gives you the worst of both.
What size knock box does a busy bar need?
Bigger than you expect. The common mistake is choosing a knock box that fits neatly on the bench rather than one that holds a session's worth of pucks, so it gets emptied mid-rush or overflows into the drip tray.
Look at the bin arrangement too. A benchtop box that someone carries to the rubbish bin every half hour costs more time than a larger knock bin that is emptied twice a shift.
Which milk jug should I use for which drink?
Small jugs for single drinks, mid-size for two, and a large one for jug-of-milk service. Texturing a small amount of milk in a large jug does not work — the whirlpool never forms properly and you end up with bubbles rather than microfoam.
Spout shape changes how much latte art you can do. A tighter spout pours a finer line. Hold a range of sizes rather than one compromise jug; milk frothing jugs are inexpensive enough that having three is normal.
What should barista tools be made of?
Stainless steel for anything that touches coffee or milk. 304 stainless steel is the food-safety grade used in Australian commercial kitchens, it does not taint milk, and it takes being dropped on a tiled floor several times a week.
Handles are where the choice sits. Timber feels better and looks better on the bench but needs hand washing; stainless and composite handles are easier to keep clean in a wet area.
How do I clean them?
Jugs, tampers and knock boxes get rinsed through the shift and washed properly at close. Milk jugs in particular need washing rather than rinsing, because a film of milk protein left in the bottom sours and taints the next pour.
Anything with a timber handle stays out of the commercial dishwasher. For the rest, check the individual product page before putting it through a machine cycle.
What else do I need on the bench?
Tamping mats, cleaning cloths, a thermometer if staff are still learning to texture by feel, and a scale. Weighing the dose and the shot is the single cheapest consistency improvement most bars can make, and kitchen scales do the job.
A plunger for filter and a kettle for pour-over round it out if that is on the menu. See stainless steel coffee plungers and coffee kettles for those.
