Why You Need To Add A Dosing Funnel To Your Home Espresso Setup
You’ve probably seen videos of people making home espresso using a multitude of tools and have thought to yourself “is all this really necessary? Do they need to use all of those intricate tools?”. Well in this article I will be explaining why you should be using one of those tools, the dosing funnel.
What is a coffee dosing funnel exactly?
A coffee dosing funnel, also known as a coffee funnel or a dosing ring, is a small accessory used in the process of preparing coffee using various brewing methods, especially for espresso. It is typically a metal or plastic funnel-shaped tool that sits on top of the portafilter or coffee basket.
Why do people use one?
The main purpose of a coffee dosing funnel is to aid in distributing the ground coffee evenly and cleanly into the portafilter. When you grind coffee beans, the grounds can sometimes create uneven clumps or spills, leading to an inconsistent distribution of coffee in the portafilter. This can result in uneven extraction and affect the flavor and quality of the espresso.
It’s also particularly useful if you use a WDT tool to prep your coffee as it helps to keep the grounds inside your filter basket and prevents mess.
The coffee dosing funnel helps to address these issues by providing a smooth and controlled flow of coffee grounds into the portafilter.
How to use a coffee dosing funnel?
Here's how it works:
Place the dosing funnel on top of the portafilter or coffee basket.
After grinding your coffee beans, pour the grounds into the dosing funnel.
Gently tap or shake the portafilter with the dosing funnel attached to distribute the coffee evenly within the basket. The funnel ensures that the coffee grounds settle evenly without forming large clumps.
Level the coffee grounds with a straight edge (like a distribution tool or a flat surface) to create an even bed of coffee in the portafilter.
Remove the dosing funnel, and you now have a neatly distributed and level bed of coffee ready for tamping and brewing.
Should you buy one?
Yes, if you want to improve your espresso consistency and reduce clean up. Espresso dosing funnels are popular among baristas and coffee enthusiasts who want to achieve more consistent and repeatable espresso shots. They are especially useful when using manual espresso machines, where the barista has more control over the brewing process. However, they can also be used with certain semi-automatic and automatic espresso machines to improve coffee distribution and extraction.
Which one should I buy and where from?
When looking for an espresso dosing funnel, the main factor to consider is the size. Make sure the tool will fit your portafilter correctly or else it will not work efficiently. For example, if you have a 58mm portafilter basket, make sure you find a dosing funnel that is suitable for 58mm portafilters. The height of the funnel is also worth considering. The taller the funnel, the easier it will be to keep the coffee grounds within the portafilter and create less mess. This is quite a niche tool so I recommend the best place to buy one from is Amazon. Here you can pick one up for around $20 and I will link to some of our favourite products below:
Matow 54mm Dosing Funnel
Normcore 58mm Dosing Funnel