The Specialty Coffee Expo is the largest event in craft coffee. It’s where the world’s baristas, roasters and coffee geeks congregate to talk about what’s new and next in the coffee world. But it’s also where the biggest gear makers in the coffee world show off their latest digs. These are the best products shown at the Expo, as chosen by a panel Expo judges. You can find the full list of winners and their respective categories on the Expo’s website.
Kruve EQ Glassware Line
After a successful crowdfunding effort at the tail end of 2018, Kruve’s EQ coffee tasting glasses took home the prize for best new coffee accesory. The pair of glasses focus on bringing out specific notes in a cup of coffee by emphasizing and de-emphasizing acidity and sweetness.
Breville Barista Pro
The Barista Pro is Breville’s mid-way point between high- and low-end espresso makers. It sports a digital interface like the Oracle and comes in a neat all-in-one package (built-in grinder, dosing mechanism and auto-tamp). Buy it from Williams Sonoma for $300 less than Breville’s site.
Bellwether Coffee
While Bellwether’s roaster is strictly for commercial use, there’s still a good chance it’ll impact your coffee drinking. The machine is a fraction of the size of most roasting rigs, produces zero extra emissions and roasts seven pounds of green coffee every 15 minutes.
Cafelat Robot Espresso Maker
If you’re looking for a manual espresso maker with some class, the Robot may be the end of your search. It doesn’t skimp on materials, rocks a charming industrial look and its brew baskets can be ordered either pressurized or professional-grade (if you have to ask, get pressurized).
Cometeer Capsules
Not much is known about Cometeer Coffee Capsules, but what we do know is encouraging. Its site promises specialty-grade coffee frozen “in peak state” and ready to brew with our without K-cups (plus, it’s recyclable). The collection of high-profile roasters are already on board may be even more telling — co-signatures from craft coffee roasters like George Howell, Bird Rock, Equator and Counter Culture don’t come easy.