Brewing Equipment

We have numerous types of brewing equipment for tea, coffee and for herbal infusions. Therefore, we shall split this page into these as the following headings / sub-headings.

Tea and herbal infusion / tisane brewing equipment

Teapots

Well what can one say about the humble teapot?

It has been around for as long as tea has been infused.

The very best shaped ones are turnip shaped to allow maximum tea and water contact for the best infusion.

However, the globe shape, which has been universally adopted, is perfectly adequate for the purpose.

Our choice is the, not so humble, infuser teapot.

This glass pot has an inbuilt perforated, plastic, infuser and a plunger to help shut off the tea in the lower part of the infuser that is not perforated.

This means once the tea is brewed, the plunger can be depressed and the tea kept from over brewing.

Advice on "using infuser teapots" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Individual infusers

Individual infusers are a very useful way of making a single cup of tea or herbal infusion, offering many advantages over a traditional teabag.

They can be filled with your choice of ingredient, more often than not of a larger particle size of infinitely superior quality than in most teabags.

As they are emptied and reused, without wasted teabag paper, they are very eco-friendly too.

We stock three types, i.e. mesh tong, novelty teahouse and teapot.

For daily use, the mesh tong is the best. It is very easy to operate and clean; its mesh construction allows better infusion of the content too.

However, it cannot match the other two for sheer fun novelty value.

Advice on "using individual infusers" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Coffee brewing equipment

Espresso machines

Espresso coffee machines are designed to give you a very small volume of extremely intense flavoured coffee.

Nowadays, espresso machines are quite commonplace. However, as espresso coffee has traditionally been enjoyed in Italy, Spain and Portugal, only manufacturers from these countries are expert in the production of the very best machines.

Gaggia, the originators of espresso / cappuccino coffee machines and La Pavoni, both Italian, have in recent years been joined by Jura, Swiss – Italian sector, each offering a wide range of equipment.

Based on years of experience we have come to regard each one of these manufacturers to be outstanding in their field.

As to the advantages machines have over stovetop pots, well, the former offers a better and more even pressure to obtain the best crème, the thick creamy looking head of froth on the top of your espresso.

Remember that only a maximum of two cups can be made from each loading of the coffee basket. This makes these machines ideal for personal use or for entertaining a few guests at an intimate gathering, but perhaps a little fiddly for large dinner parties.

Finally, although one should not really be so materialistic, it is also a great status symbol to show off in your kitchen.

Advice on "using espresso machines" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Espresso stovetop pots

Once again, remember that espresso coffee is always drunk in very small volumes due to its strength and intensity of flavour.

Therefore, stovetop espresso pots, which have been in production for at least 90 years, are designed to give you small volumes of this intense infusion.

Over the decades, many varieties of these stovetop pots have been manufactured. We can broadly split these into two types; i.e. aluminium alloy and stainless steel bodied.

Recently electrically operated versions of the aluminium pots have been introduced. These offer the convenience of a heating element in the base of the pot, eliminating the need for a stove.

We have briefly discussed the advantages of espresso machines over the stovetop pot. Now it is the espresso pots turn to show its true colours.

By taking up less space as well as by its ability to be pressed into service a little faster and with less maintenance than a machine, the pot gains significant ground.

Additionally, if you are entertaining it is a more convenient means of making coffee, as you can choose the size of pot to suit the number of cups required. This is why most Italian families have a range of pots to suit every possible occasion.

We stock both aluminium and stainless steel stovetop espresso pots, with the Andora Express brand being our choice in the former; without sacrificing quality, it offers a distinct price advantage over others.

In the latter case, our manufacturer of choice is Bialetti as it offers stylish, high quality designs with good after-sales parts availability.

Advice on "using espresso stovetop pots" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Filter coffee machines

Filter machines are designed to produce a generous volume of coffee, which can be kept warm for some time, within guidelines stated elsewhere.

This makes them not just ideal for daily use but great for entertaining too.

Currently we only stock one model, manufactured by Gaggia. Our choice was governed by this unit’s ability to keep the brewed elixir hot for a longer period in its vacuum flask container.

Advice on "using filter coffee machines" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Napoletana (Neapolitan) flip filters

Very Neapolitan, very traditional, very novel and very much enjoyed by many thousands of people, worldwide.

Although, for safety, this method requires a little more care than others. If you choose this method of brewing coffee, you will be rewarded with a very mellow tasting infusion in a modest volume to enjoy for your efforts.

Advice on "using Napoletana (Neapolitan) flip filters" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Plunger coffee pots (French Press)

Plunger coffee makers produce a fair volume of coffee of full and mellow flavour.

These pots are often called “cafetiere”, meaning coffee maker. The manufacturer La Cafetiere has, obviously, adopted this as a brand name.

Sometimes, this method of brewing coffee is also termed as the French Press, which is a more descriptive name used by the manufacturer Bodum.

There are numerous types and finishes of these plunger coffee makers available, which can be broadly split into two categories i.e. metal and plastic framed.

In the former, there are chrome, gold and even stainless steel versions of varying quality finish and designs.

The latter category boasts a wide range of colours, some downright outrageous, with many being quite fancy and intricately designed.

Irrespective of which you go for, a plunger's method of operation is identical and indeed, simplicity itself.

Advice on "using plunger coffee pots (French Press)" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Percolators

If you are looking for a good means of brewing a generous volume of flavourful and aromatic coffee, then you need not look further than the traditional percolator that is available in two types; i.e. electrically operated and stovetop, both operating identically.

Often, percolators are said to produce a stewed coffee; in reality, this is due to misuse. Frequently they are left to brew for too long or worse still the brewed coffee being left to stand for hours on end or even worse still reheated once it has gone cold.

It is no great surprise that, through no fault of its own, the percolator suffers such a poor reputation.

Advice on "using percolators" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Turkish Ibrik coffee pots

Ibriks are the traditional stovetop pot used to brew Turkish / Armenian / Greek coffee. The coffee liquor produced is very intense in flavour and is usually drunk in very small volumes.

The ibrik, with its narrower top than base, is a very simple pot.

As the coffee nears its brewing period, it resembles a volcano ready to explode with furious lava like discharge. Of course, if you follow the instruction below, you will never reach the point of boiling over.

Advice on "using Turkish Ibrik coffee pots" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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Vacuum method coffee makers

The vacuum method of brewing coffee is a very simple system with only three main parts; it produces one of the tastiest, full flavoured and aromatic coffee infusions, in very acceptable volumes.

The manufacturer Cona, has for at least the last 70 years produced this system. It continues to do this to the present day whilst offering excellent after-sales parts availability too.

Its rise and fall from the mainstream coffee maker market has largely been due to its glass construction, which can be a tad fragile in careless hands. Yet, it is the use of this very material that also gives it what is nowadays popularly called the “wow factor”, it truly is a terrific talking point at the dinner table.

Advice on "using vacuum coffee makers" can be found via the link in the yellow column, on the left hand side of this page.

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