Coffee Tools Distributing tells BeanScene about the new product offerings in its range and the value of portable equipment.
With the hospitality industry returning to a sense of normalcy following two years of sporadic lockdowns and density restrictions, Coffee Tools Distributing has a new variety of equipment available to help businesses thrive in the ‘new norm’ of operation.
Company Director Curtis Arnold has worked with portable espresso manufacturer Wacaco since its first product launch of the Minipresso, a convenient handheld espresso machine. Along with its entire product range, Coffee Tools Distributing now supplies its newly released products: the Wacaco Picopresso 12-gram Basket, Picopresso Protective Sleeve, manual coffee grinder Exagrind, and Exagram compact coffee scale.
“As their Australian distributor, it would be wrong if we didn’t support all Wacaco products, but the fact of the matter is that they’re just fantastic. The humble Minipresso was released in 2014, and its latest model, the Picopresso, is specifically designed for ground coffee, and is the most compact, true barista-style portable espresso machine,” Curtis says.
“I used it when I travelled to Canada recently for a couple of weeks. I used it every day, a couple of times a day, and it was very easy to use. The same can be said for the grinder and the scales. I had them all with me, and the workflow and quality are fantastic. It’s hard to believe something that compact and portable can produce such a nice cup of coffee.”
Along with consistent quality and portability, Curtis says the trio of products are ideal for consumers on a budget.
“If you don’t have the budget for a good espresso machine or aren’t willing to spend $1000, you can buy the Exagrind, Exagram, and Picopresso for less than half that price, and produce a quality espresso at home or take it with you camping, or to a friend’s house. That flexibility shows that Wacaco products are constantly evolving,” says Curtis.
Curtis says the light and durable Picopresso model can fit 18 grams of ground coffee, and with the basket width, the coffee bed is similar in proportion to a regular espresso machine.
“As their only distributor, we make sure to really support the brand. If there’s ever an issue with any Wacaco products, we’re right there to take care of the problem. We ensure the brand is well represented so customers can buy with confidence,” he says.
Another unique coffee maker now available from Coffee Tools Distributing as the newly announced official Australian supplier, is the VacOne Air Brewer, one of the first coffee brewers for home use that uses air to brew coffee.
“The VacOne creates a vacuum and pulls the water through the coffee grounds, applying air pressure to reach an even extraction and make a nice clean cup. It also makes a great cold brew in under five minutes. The patent-pending air brewing technology accelerates the extraction time to deliver an intense glass of cold brew in just four minutes,” Curtis says.
“Traditionally, cold brewing requires a 12 to 24-hour steeping process with a really coarse grind, but the electric air brewer can make coffee at the press of a button. You can charge it over USB in two hours to make over 100 cups of coffee on a single charge.”
For those who prefer filtered coffee, the Loca Zero-waste Ceramic Coffee Filter has also joined the Coffee Tools Distributing line-up.
“The ceramic filter is a new type of coffee filter that uses the porous function of ceramic to filter coffee naturally through miniscule holes in the ceramic, meaning you don’t need to use filter paper to make drip coffee,” says Curtis.
“Washable and usable many times over, this eco-filter helps to actually change the taste of the coffee as well, removing any harsh or odd tastes from the coffee, letting you enjoy coffee to its full potential.”
With espresso and filter coffee devices accounted for, Coffee Tools Distributing is excited to offer the second generation NanoFoamer, a battery-operated microfoam milk maker for milk-based espresso beverages.
“The NanoFoamer creates microfoamed milk that has bubbles so small, they become invisible. The milk transforms into a liquid velvety texture and blends perfectly with the espresso and crema. You can even create latte art with it, it’s that good,” Curtis says.
“While the first generation NanoFoamer required you to hold a button in and apply quite a lot of pressure to keep it on, the second generation NanoFoamer has been improved with a momentary on-and-off switch and increased durability, along with a lithium-ion, rechargeable battery version. It only takes 30 seconds to make a fantastic coffee as good as or better than what you’d have in a local café.”
Due to the rise in home-use equipment use, Curtis predicts the portable nature of the new releases will prove to be popular in the Australian market.
“During COVID-19 we actually had a spike in sales because people were working from home and didn’t have access to the nice coffeemaker they had at work. They wanted to improve the quality of their experience at home with easy-to-use equipment,” he says.
“We strive to get our products out the door as quick as we can, but with the constant additions to our range, we’re looking at new warehouse space from early next year to cater for the increase.”
Coffee Tools Distributing has been supplying the Australian hospitality industry with premium coffee equipment and support for more than 15 years. Its product list will only continue to grow with Grosche International’s coffee, tea, and hydration equipment soon to join the company’s portfolio, with profits used to fund the Grosche Safe Water Project.
The Safe Water Project gives community members access to safe drinking water by installing Biosand water filters in remote and poor locations. The project currently impacts impoverished communities in South Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
“We share a similar morality of putting the environment first. We’re grateful to contribute to the Safe Water Project by distributing their products here in Australia, and we’re exploring how we can work together to have even more of a positive impact on the environment,” Curtis says.
For more information, visit www.coffeetools.supply
This article appears in the October 2022 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.