thehubbell Senior Member Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 60 Location: Arkansas Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Moka Pot Grinder: KA Proline Vac Pot: Cona Drip: #2 Pourover Filter Roaster: Popper Modded w/ switch...
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 10:36am Subject: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
My first real espresso setup is being shipped to me this week (Mini Vivaldi, Vario, knock box, bottomless pf, etc.) that I am very excited about. My wife believes greatly in having a very tidy, simple, and clean home which I greatly appreciate.
I have this bar (got at final close out price from local department store) for my coffee altar. click here
What is your routine and tips for minimizing escaping coffee grounds and other messes.
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 12:11pm Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
A 3" to 4" paint brush to brush off the area, or a small hand vacuum cleaner. To go with that beautiful coffee center, look for what use to be called a "silent butler." Many on eBay. A tray under the grinder will help contain the mess. Microfiber rags. And good enough espresso that offsets the mess from your wife's point of view. ;-)
calblacksmith Senior Member Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 4,017 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: 2many I need to thin the... Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 12:17pm Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
Very nice "bench"! Some place coffee colored towels on the counter before starting to make their drinks. The towel catches stray grounds and prevents them from bouncing off the counter.
I just let them hit the counter (though not a lot of them do) and clean up after the drink making with a paint brush and paper towel.
Try several things and stay with what works for you, ENJOY and CONGRATS!
thehubbell Senior Member Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 60 Location: Arkansas Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Moka Pot Grinder: KA Proline Vac Pot: Cona Drip: #2 Pourover Filter Roaster: Popper Modded w/ switch...
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 1:08pm Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
Thanks for the great ideas frcn & calblacksmith! They will definitely help make for a happier house. I will have to get a silent butler or similar vessel, paint brush, and micro fiber towels. With the silent butler I would be much more likely to make cleaning the grounds part of my routine since there will not be a trash can near by.
I will be putting the espresso machine on one side with the flip top closed and the grinder in the middle section that doesn't flip out. I am concerned about stuff getting in the cracks and being difficult to clean out. I also think a lot of the bar is made of MDF (compressed sawdust). I have a router so I think I could make a nice looking board to go under the espresso equipment. The workbench may have been designed for booze, but it is prefect for coffee with all the nicely laid out storage underneath.
This has been a long delayed start of my espresso journey. I have been researching espresso equipment off an on since 2005 and have kept putting off a purchase in favor of more expensive equipment that I wasn't quite ready to invest that much cash on yet.
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 1:42pm Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
thehubbell Said:
My first real espresso setup is being shipped to me this week (Mini Vivaldi, Vario, knock box, bottomless pf, etc.) that I am very excited about. My wife believes greatly in having a very tidy, simple, and clean home which I greatly appreciate.
I have this bar (got at final close out price from local department store) for my coffee altar. click here
What is your routine and tips for minimizing escaping coffee grounds and other messes.
Honestly I drop grounds on the counter and floor and my PF usually ends up dripping on the floor as well. Steam wand purges sometimes wet the counter, etc.
I just do a periodic clean up of everything and I wipe the counter off when I'm done.
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 435 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major, Barratza Vario Roaster: Poppery
Posted Wed Feb 8, 2012, 3:18pm Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
If you have kids just kill them now, it's far easier that way. ;)
One of these click here the aforementioned paint brush, stack of microfiber towels click here and Saturday morning is coffee bar bath day at my house.
That dosing funnel is right up there with the discovery of fire really but any microfiber will do. I like the black ones for cleaning the PF, group and screen and the gray ones for cleaning the wand, milk spills etc.
What machine should you buy? Buy what ever I have in my profile.
fwtechwiz Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 468 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution Grinder: Hario Skerton
Posted Thu Feb 9, 2012, 4:41am Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
thehubbell Said:
I also think a lot of the bar is made of MDF (compressed sawdust). I have a router so I think I could make a nice looking board to go under the espresso equipment. Any other tips welcomed.
Posted Thu Feb 9, 2012, 8:07am Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
I used a large rectangular scrap piece of Carrara marble instead of hardwood for under the espresso machine and grinder. Put small rubber feet on the bottom to raise it just a little off of the counter. The marble is 5/8" thick so it doesn't raise everything up too high for me (I'm short). Very easy to clean and I really like the look. It covers from front to back so I can just wipe grounds etc right off the front onto a plate or something to clean it.
CoffeeRoastersClub Senior Member Joined: 6 Jul 2005 Posts: 3,676 Location: Connecticut Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Vintage La Pavoni Lever... Grinder: Zassenhaus Hand Operated... Vac Pot: Vintage Silex Drip: Aeropress, French Press Roaster: bbCUBE, "Little Tyke" BBQ...
Posted Thu Feb 9, 2012, 9:50am Subject: Re: Tips and best practices for keeping a clean workbench
I use nice towels the same color as the tablecloth I have under my equipment; dark red in my case. Then its just change the towels when needed.
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
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