coffee
A software engineer's analog escape. Former barista turned home enthusiast, building a tiny coffee sanctuary one upgrade at a time.
From Barista to Home Enthusiast
Back in my uni years, I worked as a barista at a local coffee shop. It was the perfect gig, free espresso, chill vibes, and I got to geek out on extraction times (I never learned latte art though). Fast forward a few years into my software career, nostalgia hit hard.
What started as a simple coffee machine that my girlfriend gifted me in 2022, quickly spiraled into a full-blown coffee corner project. Now I've got a semi-pro setup that rivals some cafes, and I'm still adding to it. It's one of my little analog escapes from the digital world.
Worked at a local coffee shop during university. Learned the fundamentals and fell in love with the craft.
My beloved one bought me a basic espresso machine. Realized I missed making coffee. Started down the rabbit hole.
My first machine just stopped working and we couldn't save it. So as a self-birthday gift, I invested in a Breville Bambino. The home café dream begins.
A year later, I decided to level up: a proper coffee grinder. I’d been getting by with a basic blade grinder, and while it worked, I wanted way more precision for my espresso shots. So I invested in a Baratza Encore ESP, a solid burr grinder that finally gave me the consistency I was chasing.
I fell down the rabbit hole and started upgrading all the small things: a proper coffee distributor, a WDT tool with those tiny needles to break up clumps, a precision tamper to replace the sad stock one, a stainless-steel puck screen (because apparently everyone uses one and I wasn’t about to be left out), and even a tiny RDT spray bottle to tame static before grinding. At this point, it stopped being just coffee, it became a whole ritual.
The Gear
Current setup and accessories. Still growing.
Bambino
Compact espresso machine. The heart of my setup. Delivers incredibly consistent shots.
Baratza
It delivers a decent grind resolution. Game changer for early morning shots.
Cold Brew Maker
Makes smooth, rich cold brew coffee at home. Perfect for hot days or iced lattes.
Botomless Portafilter 54mm
Switched to a bottomless portafilter mostly for the aesthetics, and honestly, no regrets. It just looks way better while pulling shots.
Tamper 54mm
Calibrated to 25lbs of pressure. Consistent tamp every time without thinking about it and a nice pattern.
WDT Tool
0.4mm needles for perfect distribution. Eliminates channeling and improves extraction consistency.
Puck Screen
A simple stainless-steel puck screen that helps keep the group head cleaner and evens out the extraction.
Buy Me a Coffee
Yes, I have a semi-pro espresso setup at home. Yes, I'm still asking you to buy me a coffee. The audacity, I know. But hey, those beans aren't gonna fund themselves, and my grinder upgrade fund isn't growing on its own.
// Every coffee helps fuel late-night coding sessions
$ echo "Next on the wishlist: dedicated coffee bar furniture..."