Espresso Cups Buying Guide


Buying your next espresso coffee cups can be quite an adventure with all of the choices in the market today. If you take a few minutes to figure out what want in your ideal espresso cups and how much you are willing to spend, you should be able to guide yourself to a wise purchase.

Espresso Cups

Espresso Cup

The first thing to do is to determine your priorities for your espresso cup purchase. What is most important to you? The most common factors to consider are:

    • Porcelain sets of 6 run $20 to $50 (and a lot more)
    • Stainless steel run about $15 for a cup and saucer
    • Glass $7 for singles, $12 to $20 for sets of 2
    • Porcelain
    • Glass
    • Stainless steel
    • Single cup
    • Cup and Saucer pair
    • Set of cups & saucers (from 2 to 6)
    • These run the gamut. Choose you style, choose your artist
    • It is beyond the scope of this article to guide you on the collectability of espresso cups. Start with ebay to get a feel for the market and work your way in slowly if you are doing this as an investment.

    • Price range

    Type of material

    Quantity of matching cups in a set

    Art Pattern

    Collectability

Once you know what you are looking for and what your priorities are it is time to do a little research. You want to find a store that you trust and a price that you think is right. It is often hard to get a good sense of an art pattern or of the overall quality of a cup without seeing and holding it in person. The ergonomics of a cup can be a big turn on or turn off factor for you so trying before you buy is always a good idea.

Some of the more common brands of espresso cups include:

  • Bailetti
  • Bodum
  • Francis! Francis!
  • Illy Schwung
  • Saeco
  • Segafredo
  • Teaposy
  • Tognana
  • WMF
  • And many more

If you are giving espresso cups as a gift then you might way to pay attention to the boxes that the sets come in. The designer art sets often come with very elegant packaging.

Here is to finding your perfect espresso cup and many wonderful small moments of escape with it!

Common spelling variation: Expresso Cups


Espresso Cups and Demitasse Cups Glossary


Here is a short glossary of terms commonly associated with espresso cups. I am sure that I am missing a few other important terms, but these are the core terms and should help you find what you are looking for. I could certainly go crazy and start adding an entry for all of the espresso based drinks out there, but I think I would go banana long before getting that list done! Enjoy…

    Bar Sets – Usually more rugged and durable construction with slightly less finishing details. Bar sets are often what you will be served with at your local restaurant.

    Cup tray – the tray where you place your espresso cup when you begin to brew

    Cup Warmer – the part of the espresso machine where you place the espresso cups to warm them prior to brewing the espresso.

    Demitasse – Another name for espresso cups. Typically 2-3 ounces in size.

    Demitasse Spoons – A demitasse or espresso spoon is smaller than a teaspoon.

    Designer Sets – These are the high quality porcelain cups that usually have a name brand designer’s artwork on them. Certain patterns have become very highly collectable.

    Dosage – The amount of coffee used to product an espresso

    Cappuccino Cup – These are very similar in style to espresso cups except that they are usually around 6 ounces in size.

    Espresso Cup Sets – The word sets refers to many groupings of espresso cup items. A set can refer to a cup and a saucer. Sets also refer to more than one pairs of cups and saucers. Sets can come in 2 pairs of cups and saucers up to 6 pairs of cups and saucers.

    Materials that espresso cups are made from

    • Glass Espresso Cups – a good choice in double walled construction that improves thermal properties

    • Porcelain Espresso Cups – the traditional material used to make espresso cups. The art or designer models have become very collectible.

    • Stainless Steel Espresso Cups – a good choice in double walled construction that improves thermal properties

    Pods – a self contained single serving of ground coffee. Often come in standard configuration called ECS (Easy Serve Espresso). Pods can also be found as “single serve coffee”.

    Thermal Insulated – Thermal Insulated is a term used to describe a cup that has been designed to aid in heat retention. The most common method of thermal insulating is the double walled designed used in glass and stainless steel espresso cups.