All-in-One Espresso Scale with Shot Glass Review: Smarter Workflow for Home Baristas

 When we’re pulling espresso shots in our daily routine, it’s pretty common to use both a dedicated espresso scale and a separate shot glass.But every time I go through that setup, it feels a bit cumbersome. Or maybe it’s just that there are too many tools cluttering the bar. You need a compact espresso-specific scale, plus a measuring cup—or even one with oil-filtering features. If you could combine the two into one, it would simply make more sense and be far more practical.

Some people might say, “Haven’t products like this been around for a while?” And that’s true. I’ve used similar all-in-one scales before. The key difference here, though, is that the cup and the scale are still designed as separate components, and the cup itself is made of easy-to-clean stainless steel. That alone makes it significantly more practical than some of the versions I’ve used in the past. At its core, it’s no different from a standard scale-and-cup setup—but the integrated design makes your espresso station look cleaner and helps streamline the workflow.

This coffee scale uses gravity-sensing technology to track real-time weight changes during extraction. The moment liquid starts dripping into the cup, the timer automatically kicks in. When the extraction stops and the flow stabilizes, the timer stops as well—no manual input needed. It also features a dual-range high-precision sensor system, measuring from 0.2g to 500g. It’s sensitive enough for fine adjustments, and the readings remain stable without digital drift, ensuring accuracy throughout the entire brewing process. The cup itself holds up to 100ml and includes internal measurement markings at different levels.

The scale comes with a built-in LED display and touch controls. Personally, though, I think the vertical viewing angle isn’t ideal—you have to shift your perspective slightly to read the screen while working. If the display were angled, it would be much easier to read at a glance while standing. So from a usability standpoint, this might be a small drawback for JOINOUT in terms of visibility during real-world use.

Thanks to the modular design, the stainless steel cup can also be used independently, which adds some flexibility. The device is powered by a 300mAh rechargeable lithium battery, offering up to 14 hours of continuous use. And of course, it includes the standard scale feature of switching between grams and ounces, making it adaptable to different workflows and preferences.

At the bottom, there’s a non-slip base that keeps everything securely in place during brewing. Even on smooth surfaces, it won’t slide around, helping maintain consistent measurements. There’s also an optional pure titanium cup version available—lighter, more corrosion-resistant, and with a premium feel. That said, the standard stainless steel cup is already excellent. Both options are designed with safety, durability, and a refined coffee experience in mind.

FLATE Espresso Storage Rack | Minimalist Barista Station for a Stylish Home Coffee Corner

 For every coffee lover, the coffee corner at home is a small personal sanctuary—a place to enjoy some quiet, happy moments alone. When space is limited, creating a compact yet practical system to organize your coffee tools becomes especially important. I personally pay close attention to products like this. Storage racks themselves aren’t rare, but good storage comes down to smart design and a minimal footprint. Being able to neatly organize all your espresso tools within a very small space—that, to me, is the optimal solution.

Some time ago, I came across a brand called FLATE on Instagram. Their official website focuses exclusively on espresso storage solutions. Guided by the philosophy of “less is more,” they create everyday accessories with high standards of both design and functionality. After watching quite a few unboxing and review videos of their products, I noticed how much attention they pay to detail—from material sourcing to the entire production process, all the way to the final application of color. Every step follows strict quality standards. Beyond their core lineup, they also offer unique, customized solutions, taking products from initial concept to finished form.

One of FLATE’s most iconic product lines is the Barista Station series—essentially what the name suggests: a “barista station.” It truly feels like a home base for a barista. With tools stored properly, the coffee-making workflow becomes smoother, and the countertop looks cleaner and more organized. The core concept behind this series is combining compactness with efficient use of space. It may sound like a slightly contradictory pairing, but that’s exactly what I like about it. Whether it’s a countertop version or a wall-mounted one, the defining feature is that the rack itself doesn’t take up much space, yet it offers ample room to conveniently store all your essential espresso tools.

Let’s start with the countertop rack. It’s made from 3mm powder-coated steel, with excellent build quality and a solid weight of about 3.2 kg. Compared to the wall-mounted version, it’s slightly smaller. It features two holders, which are perfect for two portafilters, or one portafilter and a tamper—essentially covering the core storage needs for everyday home use. Below the main rack, there’s an open cut-out area that’s ideal for milk pitchers and other tools. Behind it, there’s also a hidden shelf for items you don’t use as often. On the side, you’ll find two notches designed for hanging cleaning brushes and similar accessories.

The Journey of Coffee Aromas

For ease of use, the rack also includes an oak rod finished with hardwax oil. Visually, it’s very appealing, but it’s also functional: the rod integrates magnets, meaning it can be repositioned on the metal panel. This allows you to adjust the support point for your portafilter to better suit your personal habits. With the portafilter slightly elevated, placing it on the rack or taking it off becomes noticeably more comfortable.

The wall-mounted version is larger and, in my opinion, works very well as storage on a café bar wall. It adds a decorative touch while keeping tools neatly organized. All of FLATE’s racks feature a wear-resistant powder-coated finish that also helps prevent annoying fingerprints. In addition to classic black and white, they offer orange, mica light gray, and light gray-green options. Every color looks great, making it easy to personalize and match your own coffee corner.

Is a €65 Aluminum Espresso Cup Worth It? A Minimalist Coffee Design Review

 The world of coffee gear is inseparable from product design, and product design, in turn, is inseparable from innovation and aesthetics. To some extent, there is always a tension between emotional appeal and rational utility. I can accept that an original design object may carry a premium beyond its material value as a way of honoring the effort and creativity behind it. What I find harder to ignore, however, is a more practical question: What tangible benefits does this product bring to my daily use? And more importantly, what problem does it actually solve?

If I can’t find convincing answers to those questions, I tend to classify the product as “nice but unnecessary,” and switch into a mode of evaluating whether it’s truly worth the price.

Today, I want to talk about an espresso cup made from an unusual material, and use it as a starting point to discuss a broader question: when it comes to original design, do you place more value on form or on function? The espresso cup in question comes from a French design studio called UNAVELA, founded by Javier and Anaïs, a Spanish–French couple. Before starting their studio, they spent six years working in the aerospace industry. Perhaps because of this background, their designs consistently carry a sense of minimalism and rigor. They place great importance on detail and aim to bring that same level of precision into the field of interior and product design.

One defining feature shared across many of their products is the choice of materials. UNAVELA frequently works with 6061 aluminum and high-temperature ceramics, using these materials to create objects with strong geometric presence and visual tension. Every product is modeled by the designers themselves and then handcrafted, piece by piece, in France.

Before going further, it’s worth briefly explaining what 6061 aluminum is, since it’s the core material of this espresso cup. 6061 is a heat-treatable aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloy. Its primary alloying elements are magnesium and silicon, with a small amount of copper added to increase strength, and additional silicon used to offset copper’s negative impact on corrosion resistance. After aging treatment, the material achieves relatively high strength. It offers excellent machinability, weldability, and surface treatment performance, along with good corrosion resistance and toughness. It resists deformation after processing, has a dense, defect-free structure, and is easy to polish and anodize, producing very consistent surface finishes. For these reasons, 6061 aluminum is widely used in precision components and structural parts where both strength and surface quality are critical.

Most espresso cups we encounter have a round rim. This one, however, is deliberately designed with a square opening to emphasize geometric tension. I’ve owned square-rim cups before, and to be honest, this shape isn’t particularly friendly for pouring or drinking. Unless you consciously use one of the corners as an entry point, there’s a real chance of spilling coffee—an awkward moment no one enjoys.
The handle is also worth mentioning: it’s designed as a spherical knob. This type of handle is fairly common, and on a standard-sized mug it can feel acceptable. But on an espresso cup, where the body is already quite small, this style of grip doesn’t feel especially comfortable or secure.

I took a closer look at how the designers themselves describe the thinking behind this cup. Clearly, their perspective is rooted primarily in object and form design. In their view, an espresso cup is not merely a functional vessel; it’s an opportunity to rethink everyday life and to create a quiet, contemplative dialogue through design. While that may sound poetic, it’s also highly abstract. It’s evident that the design did not originate from tasting experience or functional optimization. As someone who leans toward a more technical, design-minded approach, I find it difficult to fully buy into this concept.

As for manufacturing, UNAVELA handles the entire process in-house—from design and prototyping to production. This espresso cup is CNC-machined from a single block of aluminum, ensuring excellent precision and consistency. The surface is then sandblasted with fine abrasives to achieve a soft, satin texture with a natural matte finish that feels smooth to the touch. Finally, a clear anodized coating is applied to protect the metal and ensure food safety.

To be fair, this design does, in some ways, attempt to redefine the espresso cup. From material and tactile experience to manufacturing process and conceptual intent, every step reflects a desire to rethink an everyday object. But when I see that this cup sells for €65 on the official website, what you ultimately receive is a carefully modeled aluminum espresso cup—one whose design doesn’t really address tasting or functional needs. That leaves me with a lingering sense of dissatisfaction: interesting to look at, but not particularly rewarding to use.

Specifications:

• Material: 6061 aluminum

• Surface finish: sandblasted with food-grade anodized coating

• Cup dimensions: 70 × 44 × 44 mm

• Tray dimensions: 125 × 125 × 10 mm

• Capacity: 50 ml

In the end, it raises the same question again: when it comes to coffee gear, where do you draw the line between design as expression and design as utility?

Better Vessel Review: The Espresso Crema Filter Tool Changing Modern Coffee Extraction

 Over the past year or two, I’ve noticed something interesting while visiting cafés: people are experimenting with new, nontraditional approaches to making espresso—the very foundation of all espresso-based drinks. One of the biggest changes is that some baristas are now filtering out the crema, the oily layer on top of the espresso, to produce a cleaner and sweeter shot.

Another trend that has become increasingly popular is “super-extraction.” To achieve a cup with pour-over-like clarity, many cafés filter out the crema using special filter papers during the extraction process.

Some people believe that crema is the very soul of espresso. Remove it, and it feels like you’re drinking... nothing. Since everyone’s flavor preferences differ, there’s no definitive right or wrong here. Filtering out crema is usually done in preparation for making other drinks. But if I ordered a straight espresso and the barista filtered out the crema without telling me, I might actually jump in protest—just kidding… sort of.

Today, I’m not here to debate whether removing crema is right or wrong. Instead, let’s talk about how people are removing it. Aside from the extremely demanding setup used for super-extraction—where filtering happens inside the portafilter using specialized medical-grade filter papers that can cost 1–2 RMB per sheet—many cafés opt for a much simpler, low-cost solution: the same stainless-steel oil-filtering bowl commonly found in home kitchens.

I’ve tried using one myself to filter espresso crema. While it doesn’t remove everything completely, it does a good enough job to produce a clean, crema-free Americano.

I’m not sure whether removing crema will become a standard procedure in the future, but tools designed specifically for this purpose are still quite rare. That’s why baristas often borrow tools that weren’t originally created for coffee at all. Recently, I came across a tool called Better Vessel, designed for use after espresso extraction. It doesn’t even have an official product category—some media outlets describe it as the “Clever Dripper of espresso,” but in reality, its core function is simply to act as a crema-filter bowl.

Better Vessel gained wider recognition thanks to Michael Harris, the Philippine Barista Champion in both 2019 and 2025. Although he only made it to the semifinals in those WBC competitions, some of his ideas are worth discussing. He designed and used this tool to more easily remove crema from espresso, showcasing the coffee’s purest flavors and enhancing clarity, sweetness, and balance.

His belief is that crema contributes bitterness and harshness; removing it leads to a smoother mouthfeel. At the same time, this method also creates a better foundation for subsequent drinks. Whether you’re making a black coffee or a milk-based beverage, it allows for more flexibility, higher tolerance for error, and a clearer, cleaner flavor profile.

The core design of Better Vessel features a safety ball-lock mechanism with a gasket—very similar to the system in the HARIO Clever Dripper. It works as a standalone vessel for espresso: once the shot is pulled into it, you can place it over a cup and release the ball-lock to filter out the crema. The entire unit is made of durable, food-safe materials. After each use, it must be rinsed immediately with warm water. The ball lock and gasket should be removed and thoroughly cleaned. For deeper cleaning, the components can be soaked in a diluted espresso-machine cleaning solution. Before reassembly, make sure all parts are completely dry.

This tool cannot be placed in a dishwasher and should not be exposed to boiling water or high temperatures.

As of the time I’m writing this article, the product displayed on its designated shopping website is a 3D-printed prototype created by Better Vessel. Although tested in professional environments, it is still in the development stage. The material is food-safe, but it is not yet the final injection-molded version; future versions will feature improvements in surface finishing and materials. According to their official website, they aim to begin mass production of the injection-molded Better Vessel in the first quarter of 2026. The current prototype is listed on their site for 3,880 Philippine pesos.