Espresso accessories for beginners: what belongs next to your machine
The scale jumps to 18.0 grams, fine needles draw quiet circles through the ground coffee, and the tamper settles firmly into the basket: these small gestures turn espresso into your ritual. The right accessories feel good in the hand, match the look of your coffee corner and make every morning a little more special. A little luxury you treat yourself to every day. So the nicest question to start with is: which tools should sit next to your machine?
In short: For getting started with your espresso machine, we recommend a coffee scale, a tamper that fits your basket exactly, a WDT tool, a milk jug and the right care products for machine and grinder. A puck screen, a leveller and a knock box make the routine even more enjoyable. The scale comes first, because we brew espresso by weight. That is how we advise at Coffee Coaching Club.
The scale: your most important tool
Every beautiful espresso begins with the scale. We brew espresso by weight: ground coffee and espresso go on the scale, for example 18 grams in and around 36 grams out. That way you know with every cup what you are enjoying, and you can set the grinder a touch finer or coarser with real precision. We show how this works without a stopwatch in espresso dial-in without a stopwatch.
A good espresso scale shows the weight to a tenth of a gram and is flat enough for the drip tray of your machine. You will find beautiful scales from Normcore, Varia and Acaia, for example, and all models among the coffee scales. We compare two classics in Acaia vs. Normcore.
Puck prep: the ritual before the shot
Before the water flows through the coffee, you prepare the puck, and this is exactly where espresso becomes a ritual. With the WDT tool, you draw fine needles in circles through the ground coffee and loosen small clumps. A leveller smooths the surface, the tamper compresses it evenly, and a puck screen on top of the ground coffee spreads the water gently. The result is an espresso that tastes sweet, round and clear.
With the tamper, one thing matters above all: it fits your basket exactly. For most portafilters that means 58 millimetres, for more compact machines often 53 or 54 millimetres. A pressure-regulating tamper compresses just as firmly with every shot, which makes getting started especially easy. Some people prefer to loosen the ground coffee in a shaker before it drops into the portafilter, and that is a lovely ritual too.
You will find all the tools among the WDT tools, from Subminimal, Weber Workshops and Normcore for example, plus matching tampers, levellers and puck screens. We are the exclusive importer of Normcore, Weber Workshops, Subminimal and Varia in Switzerland. Our guide puck prep accessories shows which tool suits which step, and we explain the physics behind it in WDT and self-levelling tampers.
Milk: the jug for your cappuccino
Your first homemade cappuccino with a little heart on top is a special moment. For it, you need a stainless steel milk jug with a fine spout. For one cappuccino, around 350 millilitres is right; for two cups at once, more like 600 millilitres. A pointed spout draws fine lines, a rounded one paints soft hearts and tulips.
You will find beautiful jugs among the milk jugs, for example from Subminimal and Normcore. You can see how milk behaves as you froth it in our milk foam simulator, and with the latte art trainer you practise your first patterns.
Cups that make the moment more beautiful
The cup is part of the pleasure, too. A thick-walled, preheated ceramic cup keeps the espresso warm and makes it taste rounder, and your favourite colour makes the moment entirely yours. Beautiful cups in many colours come from Loveramics, another brand we import exclusively into Switzerland. You will find all models among the cups for espresso and cappuccino.
Knock box and order in your coffee corner
After the shot, you knock the puck into a knock box, nicest of all in a drawer right under the grinder or next to the machine. With a dosing cup, the ground coffee lands neatly in the portafilter, and airtight storage canisters keep your beans lovely and fresh. The result is a coffee corner where everything has its place.
Care: so every cup tastes like the first
You can taste a well-cared-for machine in every cup. After every shot, you briefly rinse the portafilter and basket and wipe the steam wand. Every day, you backflush the group with the blind basket without detergent, and at home about every 50 shots with detergent. A soft brush keeps group and grinder clean.
You will find everything you need under machine and grinder cleaning, explained step by step in backflushing the right way and cleaning your coffee grinder.
Water: the invisible ingredient
Espresso is mostly water, and the water helps shape the taste. In Bern and Zurich, the tap water is fairly hard. A water filter, from Brita for example, makes it softer and is gentle on your machine. If you would like to compose your coffee water entirely to your own taste, mix it with the mineral concentrates from Apax Labs, which we also import exclusively into Switzerland. You can see how in composing your own coffee water.
At a glance
| Accessory | What for | Right for you if |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee scale | espresso by weight, to a tenth of a gram | you want to know every cup exactly |
| Tamper | compresses the ground coffee evenly | it fits your basket exactly |
| WDT tool | loosens the ground coffee and breaks up small clumps | you enjoy the ritual before the shot |
| Leveller | smooths the surface before tamping | you want to prepare every puck the same way |
| Puck screen | spreads the water gently over the puck | you love a round, sweet espresso |
| Milk jug | milk foam and latte art | you make cappuccino and flat white |
| Knock box | a place for the puck after the shot | you want your coffee corner to look tidy |
| Care | backflushing, brush and detergent | you want every cup to taste like the first |
| Water filter or minerals | soft, beautifully balanced coffee water | you want to tailor your water to your taste |
Together with machine and grinder
If the accessories are part of a new coffee corner, it is worth taking a look at the bundle bonus: if you buy a new machine and a new grinder together, we add up to CHF 150 in shop credit*, wonderful for a scale, tamper and jug. You can see which machine suits you in espresso machine for beginners, you will find the right grinder in coffee grinder for beginners and the bean in coffee beans for espresso machines. Jackson, our AI advisor, answers your questions around the clock and helps you find the right tools.
You can also find us in person
In Bern at Gerberngasse 44 and in Zurich Oerlikon at Hagenholzstrasse 50b, our accessories are in use all day long: at the bar, our baristas work with exactly these tools. Drop by for an espresso and see them live in action.
Frequently asked questions
Which espresso accessories do I need to get started?
A coffee scale, a tamper that fits your basket exactly, a WDT tool, a milk jug if you like milk drinks, and care products for machine and grinder. A puck screen, a leveller and a knock box make the routine even more enjoyable.
Why is a scale part of the setup?
Because we brew espresso by weight. You weigh the ground coffee and the espresso in the cup, for example 18 grams in and around 36 grams out. That way you know exactly what you are enjoying with every cup, and you can adjust the grinder with precision.
Which tamper size suits my machine?
The tamper matches the diameter of your basket exactly. For most portafilters that means 58 millimetres, for more compact machines often 53 or 54 millimetres. You will find the size in the description of your machine, and Jackson, our AI advisor, is there to help you around the clock.
What does a WDT tool do?
Fine needles loosen the ground coffee in the portafilter and break up small clumps. The water then flows evenly through the puck, and the espresso turns sweet, round and clear. For many people it is the nicest part of the ritual.
Which milk jug is right for getting started?
A stainless steel jug with a fine spout. For one cappuccino, around 350 millilitres is right; for two cups at once, more like 600 millilitres.
How often should I clean my espresso machine?
After every shot, you briefly rinse the portafilter and basket and wipe the steam wand. Every day, you backflush the group with the blind basket without detergent, and at home about every 50 shots with detergent.
Is there a bonus on accessories?
If you buy a new machine and a new grinder in one order and pay by advance payment, we add up to CHF 150 in shop credit with the bundle bonus, depending on the purchase value. You can redeem the credit on accessories, beans or workshops.
* Bundle bonus: when you buy a new espresso machine and a new coffee grinder in one order paid by advance payment; amount depending on the purchase value; valid for 60 days. You will find all the conditions on the bundle bonus page.
Written by Yalcin Akpinar, qualified food chemist and coffee roaster at Coffee Coaching Club. Updated: October 2026.
