I went to the 'biggest coffee party on earth' — and these 5 coffee gadgets caught my attention
The London Coffee Festival is the highlight of my year, every year. As a Homes Editor who writes about the best coffee makers on a daily basis, I feel right at home surrounded by independent roasters and innovative coffee gear.
And if you're wondering how many espressos I drank, I think I blacked out after coffee number 9.
But even countless coffees didn't stop me from pining after the latest and greatest coffee tech the "biggest coffee party on earth" had to offer. From AeroPress to Fellow, I saw some seriously cool tech that I can't stop thinking about.
Be warned: not all of these products are available to buy yet, and some of them are still in development. But if this coffee tech is a sign of the innovations to come, I think my job's safe for another year.
I got to the festival bright and early on opening day and made an immediate beeline for the new Fellow Espresso Series 1.
Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea. The machine was so swamped by coffee obsessives, you'd think we were at a movie premiere.
On round 2 though, I managed to get up close and personal with Fellow's first espresso machine. And oh boy, is it even prettier in person. The finish is clean, sleek, modern and surprisingly neat. I was mentally sizing it up, trying to figure out if I had room on my (already laden) countertops.
I tried (and failed) to suss out of we could expect a new espresso grinder to go with the Espresso Series 1 from some very tight-lipped Fellow employees. No matter, because the espresso made for me by London's iconic Watch House coffee roasters (using Fellow's Opus grinder) completely blew my socks off.
Although I'm more than a little gutted that I'll have to wait around 6 months to try it for myself and see if it deserves a spot in our best espresso machine roundup, it was great to see this machine in action.
If you preorder the Series 1 , you can get it for $1,199 plus $100 in Fellow Drops credits. For my fellow Europeans, pre-orders have yet to open.
The Pietro is hands-down the prettiest hand grinder I've ever seen. It feels incredibly luxe, too. The cold steel finish and upright construction make it totally fitting for a permanent home on your countertops.
Brought to the market by Italian brand Fiorenzaro, which specializes in electric grinders, the Pietro is a tribue to founder Pietro Fiorenzaro.
The Pietro claims to usher in "the vertical revolution", featuring 58mm flat vertical burrs which can take you from espresso all the way through to filter coffee. It's available in a range of gorgeous colors on the company's website.
There's U.K. distribution from Sigma Coffee for £360, and U.S. distribution through Seattle Coffee Gear for $475.
The xbloom might not be new to you, but it's new to me. Available for U.K. distribution finally through BrewedByHand, this is the first time I've been able to get my hands on this game-changing drip brewer. And why did nobody tell me just how smart this thing is?
My first impression was a sip from a fresh-brewed carafe, which was astoundingly good. Juicy, fresh, vibrant. Exactly my kind of drip coffee, and not the sort of thing I'd be able to achieve at home without some serious hands-on adjustments to my setup.
The xbloom does this all for you, allowing you to tap an NFC tag agsinst the top of your machine, which will automatically adjust the settings for the perfect result, with zero experimentation needed.
Everything has been thought through with the xbloom. It's got a super sensitive in-built scale for more manual brewing, and its attachments allow you to use it as a grinder for espresso or other brewing methods.
Even as it brews, its water flows in a circle (like you'd pour it with a gooseneck kettle) and the machine lightly shakes the brewing cup to agitate the grounds, reducing clumping.
I'm going to need this in my kitchen ASAP. It's available for U.S. readers for $599 at xBloom.com.
Confession time: I've never tried the AeroPress. But if I was to try one, I think it'd be the new Go Plus. It's totally portable, pouring coffee directly into a tumbler that also doubles as a storage container when you're done. Plus, it comes in pink.
The custom travel tumbler comes with a magnetic leak-resistant lid and a built in filter holder, meaning I could take it on those family trips where you're otherwise stuck drinking instant coffee.
As a newly-minted coffee snob, some portable coffee gear is becoming an essential.
The Go Plus is $89.95 or £85.99 and comes in three colors.
A suspiciously sparse stall caught my eye as I made a final, jittery sweep of the festival. The brand is LinkBar, and it could well be the future of coffee shops.
This under-counter coffee and milk dispenser system looks and performs like a high-end faucet, but the milk and coffee it dispensed was far superior to the sort of coffee you'll get in offices and even some mainstream coffee shops.
I loved my little latte, and it took less than 15 seconds to pour. The microfoam was fine and full of texture, and the coffee had a dark punchiness that would definitely satisfy the average Starbucks consumer.
I suspect my employer is more than a few years away from investing in this kind of coffee tech, but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw LinkBars popping up in major corporate spaces or even coffee shops in the coming years.
If this is the future of coffee, I can confirm that it tastes delicious.
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Tom's Guide
22-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Is this the AeroPress killer? I put OXO's Rapid Brewer to the test
Price: $39.99Weight: 1.27 lbsDimensions: 8.7 x 3.4 x 3.3 inches Materials: Tritan Renew (recycled plastic), stainless steel filterColor: BlackDishwasher safe: Yes, top rack (except pump) OXO isn't the first brand that comes to mind when I think about the best coffee makers. I tend to think of the company's prowess in terms of kitchen gadgets, such as garlic presses and kitchen scales, rather than products to make a perfect brew. However, I couldn't turn down the chance to test the OXO Brew Rapid Brewer. I love the concept of making a delicious cup of coffee at home, without a complex machine that has to stay permanently fixed on your countertop. What's more, it's small and compact enough to take to work or on your travels. In less than five minutes, you can make 1-3 servings of an espresso-style concentrated coffee, similar to making coffee with an AeroPress. You add finely ground coffee to the filter, tamper the grinds, add water, and wait. After 2-5 minutes, depending on whether you want a hot or cold brew, you use the pump to press the concentrated coffee into the carafe. From here, you can make your desired drink — an Americano, latte, or cold brew cocktail! Here's how I got on when I tested the OXO Rapid Brewer. The OXO Brew Rapid Brewer is available for $39 at Amazon. It's a good price compared to the AeroPress, which has a list price of $49 at Amazon. However, it's far cheaper than the AeroPress Premium, which rockets up to $179 and is available directly from certainly feels like an affordable coffee maker, and would be ideal for gifting without breaking the bank. I'm so used to using an AeroPress that I didn't think I could be swayed by anything else — but the design of the OXO Brew Rapid Brewer is impressive. It does come with a few parts: a carafe, pump, coffee filter, water chamber and tamper, but it doesn't seem excessive. And everything fits neatly together and can be stored without worrying about losing an essential part. I was even impressed that the tamper fits inside the coffee filter. Everything also feels premium to hold. The coffee filter has a diagonal ridge pattern that helps you grip, but also adds to the aesthetic, and the pump is strangely satisfying to press. You'll also find a stainless steel filter integrated into the coffee basket, so you'll never have to worry about running out of paper filters when you're desperate for a caffeine hit. Plus, if you are clumsy — especially likely until that caffeine hits in the early morning —the water chamber and carafe are made from Tritan Renew. This 50% recycled material that is durable and resistant to impact, unlike glass. Inside the coffee basket, you'll find two fill line markings, one for a hot concentrate and another for a cold concentrate, where you'll need double the grinds. The water chamber also includes a maximum water level mark, and there are alignment marks on the filter and water chamber to ensure everything is secured before you make your brew. And to avoid any awkward spillages, the carafe has a pour spout. I found the carafe super helpful. When using an AeroPress, I usually grab the nearest mug, and it doesn't always sit perfectly on top. But with the carafe included with the OXO's Rapid Brewer, it makes life less messy. The best thing about this coffee maker is that it doesn't need electricity, apart from heating the water, if you fancy a hot brew. Other than that, it's all down to you. Although, it won't be able to heat and froth your milk if you fancy a cappuccino. The coffee-making procedure is the same, whether you're making a cold or hot coffee; the only adjustment needed is the amount of coffee you use and the brewing time. 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However, after a quick read of the troubleshooting section on the instruction guide, I discovered that the grind was too coarse and I needed to use a finer grind. It may take you a few goes to get it just right, but that's all part of the fun. If you're looking for any flaws in performance, you won't find any with the OXO Brew Rapid Brewer. Apart from being easy to use (see below), you're guaranteed a smooth brew, without any hint of bitterness. And thanks to the filter, you won't find any grit in your cup, or between your teeth! It feels like a premium tasting coffee without a premium price tag.I'd compare it in taste to what you'd expect from an AeroPress, and for a cold brew, that is known to take hours to brew, you get a superb result in 5 minutes. You really can't argue with that. The process of using the OXO Rapid Brewer really couldn't be simpler, although it did help me that it's a similar system to the AeroPress. Here's how you use it: 1. 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Tom's Guide
17-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I went to the 'biggest coffee party on earth' — and these 5 coffee gadgets caught my attention
The London Coffee Festival is the highlight of my year, every year. As a Homes Editor who writes about the best coffee makers on a daily basis, I feel right at home surrounded by independent roasters and innovative coffee gear. And if you're wondering how many espressos I drank, I think I blacked out after coffee number 9. But even countless coffees didn't stop me from pining after the latest and greatest coffee tech the "biggest coffee party on earth" had to offer. From AeroPress to Fellow, I saw some seriously cool tech that I can't stop thinking about. Be warned: not all of these products are available to buy yet, and some of them are still in development. But if this coffee tech is a sign of the innovations to come, I think my job's safe for another year. I got to the festival bright and early on opening day and made an immediate beeline for the new Fellow Espresso Series 1. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea. The machine was so swamped by coffee obsessives, you'd think we were at a movie premiere. On round 2 though, I managed to get up close and personal with Fellow's first espresso machine. And oh boy, is it even prettier in person. The finish is clean, sleek, modern and surprisingly neat. I was mentally sizing it up, trying to figure out if I had room on my (already laden) countertops. I tried (and failed) to suss out of we could expect a new espresso grinder to go with the Espresso Series 1 from some very tight-lipped Fellow employees. No matter, because the espresso made for me by London's iconic Watch House coffee roasters (using Fellow's Opus grinder) completely blew my socks off. Although I'm more than a little gutted that I'll have to wait around 6 months to try it for myself and see if it deserves a spot in our best espresso machine roundup, it was great to see this machine in action. If you preorder the Series 1 , you can get it for $1,199 plus $100 in Fellow Drops credits. For my fellow Europeans, pre-orders have yet to open. The Pietro is hands-down the prettiest hand grinder I've ever seen. It feels incredibly luxe, too. The cold steel finish and upright construction make it totally fitting for a permanent home on your countertops. Brought to the market by Italian brand Fiorenzaro, which specializes in electric grinders, the Pietro is a tribue to founder Pietro Fiorenzaro. The Pietro claims to usher in "the vertical revolution", featuring 58mm flat vertical burrs which can take you from espresso all the way through to filter coffee. It's available in a range of gorgeous colors on the company's website. There's U.K. distribution from Sigma Coffee for £360, and U.S. distribution through Seattle Coffee Gear for $475. The xbloom might not be new to you, but it's new to me. Available for U.K. distribution finally through BrewedByHand, this is the first time I've been able to get my hands on this game-changing drip brewer. And why did nobody tell me just how smart this thing is? My first impression was a sip from a fresh-brewed carafe, which was astoundingly good. Juicy, fresh, vibrant. Exactly my kind of drip coffee, and not the sort of thing I'd be able to achieve at home without some serious hands-on adjustments to my setup. The xbloom does this all for you, allowing you to tap an NFC tag agsinst the top of your machine, which will automatically adjust the settings for the perfect result, with zero experimentation needed. Everything has been thought through with the xbloom. It's got a super sensitive in-built scale for more manual brewing, and its attachments allow you to use it as a grinder for espresso or other brewing methods. Even as it brews, its water flows in a circle (like you'd pour it with a gooseneck kettle) and the machine lightly shakes the brewing cup to agitate the grounds, reducing clumping. I'm going to need this in my kitchen ASAP. It's available for U.S. readers for $599 at Confession time: I've never tried the AeroPress. But if I was to try one, I think it'd be the new Go Plus. It's totally portable, pouring coffee directly into a tumbler that also doubles as a storage container when you're done. Plus, it comes in pink. The custom travel tumbler comes with a magnetic leak-resistant lid and a built in filter holder, meaning I could take it on those family trips where you're otherwise stuck drinking instant coffee. As a newly-minted coffee snob, some portable coffee gear is becoming an essential. The Go Plus is $89.95 or £85.99 and comes in three colors. A suspiciously sparse stall caught my eye as I made a final, jittery sweep of the festival. The brand is LinkBar, and it could well be the future of coffee shops. This under-counter coffee and milk dispenser system looks and performs like a high-end faucet, but the milk and coffee it dispensed was far superior to the sort of coffee you'll get in offices and even some mainstream coffee shops. I loved my little latte, and it took less than 15 seconds to pour. The microfoam was fine and full of texture, and the coffee had a dark punchiness that would definitely satisfy the average Starbucks consumer. I suspect my employer is more than a few years away from investing in this kind of coffee tech, but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw LinkBars popping up in major corporate spaces or even coffee shops in the coming years. If this is the future of coffee, I can confirm that it tastes delicious.
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Boston Globe
After wandering, a trumpeter hones his sound at home
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'The real heart and grit of the city, the struggles that you come through, that all gets put in the music without really even being cognizant of it,' Long said. 'But then when you are older and you reflect on those experiences, you realize you've been carrying that with you the whole time.' This article originally appeared in
