Knock boxes

The first choice is freestanding or built-in, and that depends on your countertop. A freestanding knock box sits beside the machine. When it’s full, you take it to the sink. Handy at home and at a small bar where you can’t or don’t want to drill. The 16.5 cm knock box is the smallest of the four and also fits on a narrow countertop.

A built-in model or knock drawer is fitted into the countertop. The top stays flat, so you can simply wipe it down. It’s the best choice for a permanent coffee station where the machine won’t be moved again. The brushed stainless steel knock drawer slides open and closed, keeping the coffee grounds out of sight.

Tap the edge of the portafilter against the rubber bar, not the base or the side of the basket. One firm tap is enough. If you keep tapping, the edge will still wear down. Hold the portafilter at a slight angle so the puck comes out whole and doesn’t break apart.

Empty the bin before it gets full. A stack of wet pucks compresses under its own weight and then sticks to the bottom. For a built-in model, lift out the bin; for a drawer model, pull it forward. Never pour coffee grounds down the sink, because they clump up in the drain.

The bins are usually made of stainless steel or plastic, with a rubber bar that wears down over time. Heat and coffee oils gradually harden the rubber. A hard bar no longer absorbs the impact. Replace it as soon as it no longer springs back when you press on it.

Rinse the bin every day with warm water and a mild detergent. Coffee oils build up into a brown film that starts to smell rancid, and that smell gets into your next puck.

Everything else you need for your espresso machine is in barista accessories. There you'll also find the tampers for tamping down the coffee and the milk pitchers for frothing milk. For the glasses your espresso ultimately goes into, take a look at coffee glasses and cappuccino glasses. If the coffee is headed to the bar afterward, take a look at espresso martini or carajillo.