Coffee accessories are the small-detail kit that turns a good espresso program into a great one — tampers, knock boxes, dosing rings, milk pitchers, group-head brushes, water filtration cartridges and barista cleaning chemicals. Hospitality Connect stocks the working range from Pullman, Cafelat, Joe Frex, Rhino and Cafetto.
Range overview
- Tampers (51, 53, 58, 58.5mm): Pullman flat and convex bases in stainless and aluminium; match to your portafilter exactly.
- Knock boxes: Bench-top and counter-mounted, rubber-bar puck removers; 1L–3L capacity.
- Milk pitchers (350, 600, 1000ml): Spouted stainless pitchers in matt and polished; the latte art workhorse.
- Group-head and steam-wand cleaning: Cafetto Espresso Clean and Milk Clean tablets and powders; daily backflush regimen.
- Water filtration: Pre-machine filter cartridges and softeners — extends machine life by 2–3x in hard-water areas.
Sizing and barista workflow
Tamper diameter must match the portafilter exactly — a 0.5mm gap creates uneven extraction and channelling. Confirm portafilter spec before ordering. Milk pitchers in 350ml suit espresso-and-flat-white menus; 600ml is the all-rounder; 1000ml for batch milk steaming. Knock boxes need to be sized to your shift volume — a 30+ shot espresso bar produces 0.5–1kg of pucks per hour; specify a knock drawer or 3L+ box. Stock cleaning chemicals for daily backflush; non-cleaned group heads create channelling and bad shots within a week.
Use cases and care
- Daily backflush: Use Cafetto Espresso Clean weekly minimum; daily for high-volume sites.
- Steam wand purge: Purge before and after every milk run; wipe the wand with a damp cloth between drinks.
- Tamper care: Hand wash; aluminium tampers oxidise in dishwashers.
- Filter cartridge schedule: Replace per manufacturer — typically every 3–6 months in commercial use; annual descale required even with filtration.
- Pitcher rotation: Stock a minimum 6 pitchers per machine for high-volume sites; alternate cleaning cycle.
Daily backflush, weekly chemical clean, monthly steam-wand strip-down — the espresso machine maintenance cycle drives coffee quality more than any other variable. Stock Cafetto Espresso Clean (group head), Milk Clean (steam wand) and a descaler matched to your machine's manufacturer. Schedule water filter cartridge replacement on the calendar — typically every 3–6 months in commercial use. An annual descale is required even with filtration; book the service technician at least 4 weeks ahead. Tamper choice matters less than tamper consistency — pick one tamper per machine and lock it to that portafilter.
Pair with
Round out a coffee program with blenders for milkshakes and smoothies, juicers for orange juice service and dinnerware for service cups and saucers.