No Espresso Setup Is Complete Without This Essential Coffee Tool

As an espresso lover, I was so incredibly amped when I finally bought my first espresso machine. I had the best coffee beans, I perfected my ratios and I nailed the preparation. But only after I pulled my first shot did I realize my setup was missing something essential.

When I went to throw away the puck — the spent espresso grounds left in the portafilter — in my trash can, I left a trail of coffee on the floor. It didn’t take me long to realize I needed a knock box, and ever since I got one, I haven’t had to scurry to the trash can after every shot I pulled.

A knock box is a little box you set next to your espresso machine so that you can easily (and cleanly) throw away your pucks after every time you pull a shot. What makes a knock box a knock box is a bar that runs horizontally across the box for you to bang your portafilter to expel the puck.

Food52

Editor's Pick

Dreamfarm Espresso Knock Box

Made of solid steel, this compact knock box can take a decent beating but the rubber sleeve will keep the noise to a minimum. It’s available in two colors, and the price is not too bad for a high-quality espresso accessory. Plus, it’s easy to clean and even safe to throw in the dishwasher.

Pros

• Compact enough to fit in most drip trays
• Solid steel and rubber make it sturdy and quiet
• Available in two sizes

Cons

• One side is shorter than the other, limiting storage space

• $25 at Food52

After you pull a shot, the puck is wet and hot. The moisture of the puck makes it get stuck inside the filter, and the puck is way too hot to go jamming your finger in there. Knocking the portafilter against the bar helps to get you a clean filter in almost no time at all.

Added convenience

Instead of running back and forth between your espresso machine and your trash can, the knock box becomes a trash can. (Just don’t throw anything that’s not a coffee puck in there.)

Also, if you’re pulling a lot of shots, cleaning out your portafilter over and over becomes as easy as knocking on a door, er, knock box.

A cleaner coffee station

You already heard me whine about dripping coffee on the floor, but since I got a knock box, you won’t find any coffee drips on my floor. And because your knock box is probably just a couple of inches from your espresso machine, there won’t be any coffee drips on your countertop either.

Just remember to empty the knock box regularly. Because the pucks are so wet and densely packed, they’re prone to developing mold. It happened to me. Don’t be like me.

Not all knock boxes are equal

Not all knock boxes are the same, and that helps with finding one that’s right for you. Here’s what to consider when shopping for a knock box.

You’re probably not pulling shots at the same capacity as a cafe, so find a knock box that has enough space to hold a few pucks so you don’t have to constantly empty it.

Also, your espresso machine probably takes up a lot of prime countertop real estate so you might not be able to make space for an extra-large knock box.

Since you’re going to be beating the crap out of your knock box, you’ll want to find one that’ll hold up against constant poundings. Metal and rubber are both good materials.

Metal, on one hand, will be strong and hold up for a long time, but they will be a little pricier. Rubber knock boxes are affordable but that rubber won’t last very long.

Food52

Editor's Pick

Dreamfarm Espresso Knock Box

Made of solid steel, this compact knock box can take a decent beating but the rubber sleeve will keep the noise to a minimum. It’s available in two colors, and the price is not too bad for a high-quality espresso accessory. Plus, it’s easy to clean and even safe to throw in the dishwasher.

Pros

• Compact enough to fit in most drip trays
• Solid steel and rubber make it sturdy and quiet
• Available in two sizes

Cons

• One side is shorter than the other, limiting storage space

• $25 at Food52

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