Why espresso gadgets have become so popular at coffee competitions
No World Barista Championship routine is seemingly complete without an espresso gadget or extraction tool.
Every year, a growing number of competitors showcase the latest innovations in espresso preparation. Multiple distribution tools, post-extraction improvement machines, and advanced tampers are becoming increasingly prevalent on the world stage, as competitors push for better-tasting espresso and higher scores.
For a competition that promotes excellence, the trend towards high-tech, fashionable gadgets and equipment was to be expected. But it’s also having an impact on the wider industry, influencing high-end coffee shops and home brewing setups.
I spoke with John Gordon at Silverback Coffee Solutions and Benjamin Hohlmann of Kaffeemacher for their insight.
You may also like our article on why specialty coffee is obsessed with distribution tools.
Specialty coffee’s obsession with perfection
The pursuit of “perfect” espresso is seemingly never-ending in the specialty coffee world.
In addition to the “big three” variables – dose, yield, and extraction time – baristas, prosumers, and competitors push to control a number of other parameters as much as possible. Over the past few years, an increasing number of coffee professionals and enthusiasts have focused heavily on flow rate, temperature, pressure, and grind size as a means to retain the maximum amount of flavour and aroma compounds in their coffee.
Equipment manufacturers have clearly taken note of this interest. Coinciding with this trend, the market has been flooded with “espresso gadgets”: advanced and often expensive extraction tools that cater to the more “geeky” coffee professionals and prosumers.
By investing in this equipment, professional and home baristas can exert more control over a wider range of variables. In theory, this helps them prepare better, more consistent-tasting espresso.
The WDT craze
Distribution has become a particular area of focus. The practice helps homogenise different-sized ground coffee particles throughout the portafilter basket, and in theory, should help extract a better shot.
The Weiss Distribution technique is one of the most popular. Developed by John Weiss in 2005, the method involves stirring ground coffee in a portafilter basket using a fine needle or similar utensil.
In response to the growing popularity of WDT and other distribution tools at competitions, home barista setups, and high-end coffee shops, more brands have launched their own. These include the Barista Hustle Autocomb (made popular by the 2022 World Barista Champion Anthony Douglas), Weber Workshops’ Moonraker and Blind Shaker, the NCD Pulse (which utilises vibration technology), and PUQ Press’ automated Navigator.
“The use of these tools raises compelling questions about the subjective experience of coffee preparation and consumption, and how the tools we choose can influence not just the outcome, but the extraction itself,” says John Gordon, multi-national Barista Champion and the director of Silverback Coffee Solutions in New Zealand.
The trend of espresso gadgets at coffee competitions
Competitions like the World Barista Championship are considered by many to be the pinnacle of excellence in specialty coffee. Inevitably, they have become the ideal setting for the use of advanced espresso gadgets and extraction tools.
The trend appears to be intensifying year after year. During the 2025 US Barista Championship, each of the finalists used either one or a combination of several distribution tools and techniques in their routines. At this year’s World Barista Championship, we’re likely to see a similar situation.
Meanwhile, other advanced extraction tools are gaining prominence. The Nucleus Paragon Espresso tool (a titanium-coated stainless steel sphere with a liquid core containing glycerin and water) was a notable fixture at the 2023 World Barista Championship. During their routines, competitors noted how the Paragon preserved more of the coffee’s volatile compounds, enhancing flavour perception.
At the 2024 event, Australian competitor Jack Simpson showcased “post-extraction improvement” using the Waved Tech machine. This utilises electromagnetic wave technology to reduce bitterness and enhance sweetness in espresso, characteristics that help competitors achieve higher scores.
“While espresso is already a kind of emulsion, stirring, vibrating, or applying ultrasound can further alter the arrangement of particles in the liquid,” says Benjamin Hohlmann, the founder and CEO of Kaffeemacher in Switzerland. “This is an area where more research would be valuable.
“Using these tools conveys a sense of ‘consistency’ and provides another narrative element where causality related to flavour can be claimed without the current competition format being able to disprove it,” he adds. “For these tools to have genuine value in a competition setting, the format would need to change so judges taste one espresso prepared without any tools, stirring, or vibration, and one with these methods.
“Such an approach would advance knowledge within the industry.”
Some research, however, has reaffirmed competitors’ claims that these espresso gadgets and tools offer advantages. Researchers at ZHAW, for example, found that “compound chilling” the first 10ml of espresso preserved more volatile compounds.
Influence on the wider industry
As with many competition trends, espresso gadgets are becoming increasingly popular in high-end coffee shops and prosumer home brewing setups.
“You only need to look at the top coffee bars around the world and see what is being used on the bar or what competition baristas use on a daily basis to understand the validity of most tools,” John says.
Coffee influencers, including well-known competitive baristas, also continue to drive the trend. Many prominent industry figures showcase new, innovative extraction tools on their social media platforms or on the global competition stage.
This presents valuable promotional opportunities for equipment manufacturers, although the majority of competitors don’t officially endorse or are sponsored by these brands.
“Generally, there’s initially little to no direct monetary exchange between manufacturers and competitors; instead, tools are provided free of charge,” Benjamin says. “Some brands actively reach out to competitors and provide equipment – often a win-win.
“The barista gets to tell a ‘new’ story with a new tool, and the brand gains visibility,” he adds. “Whether the tool actually improves the final cup profile doesn’t have to be the point, as there’s no blind testing on stage with and without the device.”
Form over function?
Following broader trends in the coffee industry, the design and functionality of espresso gadgets have advanced considerably in recent years. The former has become more visually striking, while the latter has become more advanced and intricate.
Both aspects capture the attention of prosumers, who are increasingly willing to invest in high-tech gadgets that enhance the aesthetic appeal of their home brewing setups.
In turn, we could see more home and semi-professional baristas use advanced extraction tools, inevitably making them more mainstream.
Still, manufacturers need to find ways to add genuine value to the user experience – especially when it comes to improving extraction.
“Emphasising and understanding user needs, combining aesthetics with functionality, and ensuring ease of use are key going forward,” John says. “Ultimately, we need to aim to create innovative and user-centred products that resonate with consumers and address actual and tangible real-world challenges.
“I think we need to go back to the fundamentals of brewing and look at what we’re actually gaining from each tool,” he adds. “If it’s not improving the overall experience, then remove it and simplify the process. Sometimes, less is more.”
Trends often come and go in specialty coffee, but espresso gadgets are here to stay – especially at competitions.
As the prosumer market expands, these gadgets and technologies will likely become increasingly mainstream. But the ones that maintain their presence in the industry need to deliver on performance.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the competition trend of post-extraction improvement.
Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association
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