Better Your Brew Series || Volume 1 Ch. 2 of 3 || Fine-Tuning Your Brew: Gear You Want

Welcome to Volume 1, Chapter 2 of a series of articles focused on everything you need to know to brew better. In the first post, we talked about the gear that’s essential for brewing a basic cup of specialty coffee. Now, we’ll dive into some of the endless gadgets and accessories out there to fine-tune your brew.

This chapter is about gear you don’t necessarily need, but should absolutely consider if you're looking to take your coffee to the next level.

FINE-TUNING YOUR BREW || Chapter 2: Gear You Want

There are a lot of coffee gadgets out there that you might not need per se—but having them can definitely help you fine-tune your cup. I’ll try to cover a handful here, but it’s a bottomless rabbit hole. I’ll also share some of the science or reasoning behind why they work... and occasionally force my own opinion on you.

Drip Assists

There are many variations of this tool—some designed for specific brewers, others more universal—but they all aim to do the same thing: reduce agitation and channeling, and encourage even water distribution across the coffee bed.

If you have a gooseneck kettle, you can control agitation by adjusting your pour’s tilt, speed, and height. Still, even the most precise hand can introduce inconsistency. Pouring close to the bed might reduce splash, but it can cause laminar flow, which can clog filters and reduce efficiency.

Drip assist devices like the Melodrip, Timemore, or Hario Drip-Assist ensure a more consistent flow by breaking a single stream into multiple small streams. This reduces disruption to the coffee bed and leads to more even extraction. Low agitation is especially important for naturals or heavily processed coffees, while it tends to matter less for washed coffees.

Drip assists help avoid laminar flow, which causes fines to settle and clog the dripper. With a no-bypass or closed brewer, you’ll see water build above the coffee bed and remain clear—meaning fresh water is moving through the grounds instead of already-extracted liquid. That leads to higher extraction, less clogging, and reduced bitterness or astringency.

Sifter

A sifter separates smaller fines from your coffee grounds using a mesh with a specific micron rating (usually 300–800 microns). After grinding, you shake the grounds in the sifter, and the fines fall through. You can then choose to discard them, reintroduce them later in the brew, or repurpose them.

This is especially helpful for lower-end grinders that produce more fines. Sifting improves clarity, reduces bitterness, and allows you to grind finer—giving you more control and precision.

But what do you do with the fines? You could toss them. Or, repurpose them. One option: use them in Turkish coffee. Another: reintroduce them during the final pour of a pour-over. Fines aren’t evil—they add complexity when used intentionally. Coffee is a blend of under-, over-, and well-extracted compounds. So, I dump my fines on top of the coffee bed before my last pour. Try it. See what works. Post a muddy bed pic to Reddit while sipping a deliciously balanced cup. Chaos and clarity in one go.

Booster Cone or Disc

I'm most familiar with the Sibarist Booster Cone and Booster Disc, though others exist. These tools increase flow rate in pour-over brewers—helpful if flow is slow due to processing, water temp, or fines.

Why does it work? Flow rate improves with more contact points between the filter and the brewer. Booster discs create those points and flow pockets, speeding up drawdown. Test it yourself: pour water through a V60 filter, then lift the filter slightly and pour again. Despite appearing “freer,” the floating filter actually slows flow.

Lily Drip

The Lily Drip is a ceramic cone you place inside a conical brewer to reshape the coffee bed, making it more donut-shaped and less pointy. This changes extraction by reducing contact time in the deepest part of the cone and mimicking flat-bed dynamics. It increases sweetness and clarity by changing how fresh water interacts with different parts of the bed. Different shapes affect flow rate, making it a fun, affordable way to experiment without switching brewers. They also have various styles, which change the contact points of the Lily Drip against the filter, and this alters flow rate.

Chiller Ball

Adapted from whiskey stones, a chiller ball is a frozen metal ball that coffee drips onto post-brew. The goal? Instantly chill coffee, locking in volatile aroma compounds that normally vanish with heat. These compounds give your coffee specific flavors like raspberry or jasmine—not just “fruit” or “floral.”

Use the ball only during the first 30–40% of your brew—otherwise it might trap off-flavors too. Bonus: your coffee hits drinking temp faster. Great for naturals and Geshas. Less crucial for washed coffees, but still fun to experiment with.

RDT – Ross Droplet Technique

This one’s simple: add a few drops of water to your beans before grinding. It reduces static and clumping in electric grinders and minimizes retention. Not necessary for hand grinders but a great free upgrade for electric burr grinders. Moisture doesn’t damage your grinder—heat from grinding evaporates it instantly.

Blind Shaker

Mainly for espresso, the blind shaker is a lidded container you shake lightly to evenly distribute grounds before tamping. It’s another way to reduce clumps and promote consistency. Some people use it instead of WDT—not usually both. You can also try using it for distributing grounds into your pour over brewer, see if you notice a difference.

Refractometer

A coffee refractometer measures Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in your brewed cup and helps calculate extraction yield. It shows how much of your coffee made it into your drink, helping you fine-tune grind, time, and ratio.

Downside: it’s expensive. The VST Lab is around $700+. I don’t have one. If you do, I envy you. But I still taste great coffee—just without numbers.

TDS Meter

A TDS meter measures the total solids in your brewing water. It’s cheap ($5–$25) and tells you if your water is too soft or hard. It doesn’t measure individual minerals—just total PPM (parts per million). I use mine to check water after adding minerals for consistency. You can calculate extraction with TDS readings, but I don’t bother.

Espresso-Focused Gear

Espresso is where I started, but now I drink about 90% pour-over. Still, here are a few espresso-specific tools worth noting:

Bluetooth Scale

Helpful for both espresso and pour-over, but more critical during espresso, where your shot lasts 15–45 seconds. Bluetooth scales track weight, time, and flow automatically. Some even auto-start when your shot begins. With pour-over, you’ve got time to track and write it down, but data nerds might still appreciate it.

WDT Tool

The Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) uses needles to break up clumps and evenly distribute grounds in a portafilter—or even a pour-over. You can DIY one with a cork and needles or buy a decent one for ~$15-$25.

For those who want to go all-in, there are high-end options like the $500 Moonraker, which spins your WDT like a machine shop tool. But you don’t need all that. Even a basic tool drastically improves espresso flow and reduces channeling.

Electric Tamper

Mostly seen in cafes, electric tampers apply consistent pressure at high speed. You place the portafilter into the cradle, and it tamps automatically. Super consistent, super fast. At home? Probably overkill. Would I get one if I hit the lotto? Absolutely. Would I put Play-Doh in it for fun? You bet.

VDT – Vibration Distribution Tool

A VDT vibrates the portafilter or dosing cup to settle and distribute grounds before tamping. It’s like an automated WDT alternative. Research is limited, but some users report more consistent extractions. Still experimental—but fun to play with.

Puck Screen

A puck screen is a thin, perforated disc you place on top of the espresso puck before brewing. It promotes even water flow, minimizes channeling, and helps protect your puck from intense pressure spikes. It can improve crema, flavor clarity, and cleanliness—especially with machines that use a 3-way solenoid valve, which can suck loose grounds upward.

Wrap-Up

That’s all for now! I’m sure I missed a few gadgets—drop your favorites in the comments and let’s grow the list.

Next chapter? We’re talking techniques, tips, and tricks—water chemistry, filters, cup shape, temperature, and more. You’ve got the gear. Now let’s brew like it matters.

See you on the flip side. ☕