commonly coffee

When you think about picking up some new coffee gear where do you go?

Getting set up with quality coffee gear will be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. But I realize that finding that gear isn’t always as obvious if you’re newer to brewing coffee at home.

COVID-19 has certainly served as a catalyst for many of us to begin brewing coffee at home much more than we have before. I published an article with a huge database of roasters back in March at the beginning of the pandemic that offered various incentives and discounts on coffee beans as a way of coming alongside these great companies that were (for some) really feeling the impact of the economic shutdown. This was one of my top-read articles, and so then in April I created a bit of a sequel to that to share some basic items that could help you get established.

This time around I wanted to share about a few of my favourite Canadian coffee companies where you can purchase gear and support local in the process. With the holiday season quickly approaching, I wanted to encourage you to keep these places in mind as you begin to put together your holiday wish-lists.

BEST PLACES TO GET GEAR

If you live in Canada, and you wouldn’t call yourself a “coffee nerd” then my guess is that when you think about coffee gear your go-to might be something like Canadian Tire, or maybe London Drugs, or in all-honesty, you’re getting it with your Amazon Prime account.

While those are retailers where you can get products that will technically brew a pot of your morning coffee, my guess is that if you’re reading this blog you’re likely wanting to find a retailer–and gear–that is more focused towards specialty coffee. And that’s what I’m happy to help with.

There are a number of great coffee companies across Canada that I would definitely suggest you check out. Sometimes they are only 5-10% more for the same items than online retailers (but this way you’re supporting local), and sometimes they are less than Amazon even!

So here are some of my favourites to check out (from the west coast to the east coast). Click the company name title to link to their website.

ESPRESSOTEC – located in Vancouver, BC

Established in 1997, Espressotec is a top tier choice for home and commercial espresso machines, coffee, grinders, accessories, repairs, education, and service.  In its 10,000 square-foot location on Clark Drive, the company hosts an inviting showroom, a large selection coffee tasting bar, and a repair facility. Espressotec also offers a user-friendly customer experience through its online store.

Espressotec is also home to Roaster Central, an intimate coffee tasting experience, bringing a carefully curated selection of specialty coffee beans from roasters around Canada to their customers all in one place. I had the chance to try out this experience pre-Covid and they have recently opened it up again. It was a lot of fun and an amazing way to experience some great coffee. Their “coffee wall” of dozens of Bartaza Sette 270W’s is a sight to see!

EIGHT OUNCE COFFEE – Located in Calgary, AB

Eight Ounce Coffee is a company of coffee people passionate about specialty coffee and all the fun gear and equipment that go with it.

They started in 2011, mostly selling AeroPress and KeepCups to an emerging crowd of specialty coffee baristas and home coffee enthusiasts. As the market grew, they expanded their line of products considerably. They’re now the biggest specialty coffee equipment distributor in Canada, selling to almost three thousand cafes, roasters, hotels, kitchen and lifestyle stores across the country and in America.

The Eight Ounce Coffee Calgary Showroom is located at the same location as their HQ office and warehouse facility. This is a space where you can try out equipment, talk to their team about your needs, and get a feel for all of our products. They love chatting to home coffee enthusiasts and professional baristas about what you’re doing, and how you’d like your coffee routine to evolve.

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Eight Ounce. And I must admit having them here in my city is truly a blessing! It’s like Disney Land for coffee lovers.

NATIONAL CAPPUCCINO – Located in Calgary, AB

National Cappuccino has been providing coffee machine products and services in Calgary & Edmonton, AB and surrounding areas for more than 30 years.

They are dedicated to being the best that they can be and offer customers superior service and quality. They carry a broad range of quality products that are priced affordably. They are an authorized Canadian distributor and service centre for La Marzocco, Jura, Rocket, and Rancilio product lines.

They have recently launched a new program called “Meet The Roaster” where they welcome various local coffee roasters to brew up coffee for customers and share more about their company. I had the chance to attend the first one and it was great. They have some pretty drool-worthy machines on display too. They also stock a great selection of coffee to purchase.

ESPRESSO WORKS – Located in Calgary, AB

The Calgary Espresso Works location opened in 2017. They have many years of experience in sale and servicing of espresso machines and coffee grinders. They are locally owned and operated, and love to serve the city of Calgary and surrounding communities.

They believe in great well-made products, fair pricing, good and efficient service, ultimately leading to a happy customer.

I DRINK COFFEE – Located near Toronto, ON

iDrinkCoffee.com was founded over a decade ago on one simple principle: to bring fresh high-quality coffee to the masses.

They take quality seriously and have curated an unparalleled selection of the finest coffee equipment, espresso machines, and accessories. They pride themselves on delivering exceptional customer care, making sure each and every customer knows how to use and maintain their machine, while also offering educational resources for anyone interested in learning more about finely crafted, cafe-quality coffee.

They believe that an excellent cup of coffee should be easy to come by. Whether you’re a coffee aficionado, cafe owner, or simply looking to refine your morning brew, iDrinkCoffee delivers everything you need to brew superb coffee anywhere. 

No hassle, no hype. Just everything you need to enjoy premium coffee each and every day. I will say that one of the best things about I DRINK COFFEE are their open-box sales. While I’m not quite in the market for a new machine, they certainly have some of the best deals around if you’re lucky enough to order quick enough.

ESPRESSO PLANET – Located in Mississauga, ON

Espresso Planet has been a Coffee Supply Retailer for over 20 years. Their website, retail store, commercial showroom and service team all work together to provide service and equipment for any and all levels of coffee; from home to cafe!

Founded in 1999, they have dedicated themselves to espresso machines, grinders, coffee makers and everything else coffee, all while learning and improving along with the ever changing coffee industry.

Their 10,000 sq. ft. facility features a large showroom displaying over 1,000 coffee related products. You’ll find over a hundred espresso machines, coffee makers and grinders in operation and ready for you to test. Located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the showroom is open to the public to assist you personally, with staff who are not just sales people but coffee lovers who want to share their passion.

Everyone has different wants and needs, and their goal is to help you determine what yours are so you can go home with items that work for you. If you live in the GTA this is definitely one place you’ll want to hit up. Their online store is also very well stocked and easy to navigate.

CAFUNE – Located in Montreal, QC

Connecting you with the products and resources that inspire and empower elevated home brewing, CAFUNĒ aims to foster a deeper and more intimate relationship with your daily coffee ritual.

Always on the lookout for the finest equipment, accessories and coffees they value quality, craft, design and sustainability, and do their best to provide just the right coffee experience for their customers.

Carefully curated, packaged with care and delivered right to your door, CAFUNĒ is dedicated to the enjoyment of exceptionally good coffee—yours to share with someone you love. If you’re fortunate to call Montreal home then this is by far one of the best places to get some incredible coffee gear. Easily one of the most well-stocked sites of truly specialty-level coffee gear you will be hard pressed to not find something you just can’t live without!

I spent a few minutes scrolling down their web-store and let me tell you it was hard not to want to buy it all!

ECM ESPRESSO – Locations in Calgary & Vancouver

ECM traces its roots back to the early 1980’s where the demand for espresso machines compelled the Bresciani brothers to open Espresso Coffee Machines Company. Following the 1986 EXPO in Vancouver it seemed as though everybody wanted espresso machines in their homes, offices and restaurants.

Soon, Nuova Simonelli began sending shipping containers full of machines to meet the increasing demand for this taste of European culture. ECM was the first company that Nuova Simonelli exported to outside of Italy and today they have worldwide distribution. In 1995, the company moved to its present location and officially changed the name to ECM Espresso Coffee Machines Co.

ECM has locations in Calgary & Vancouver so if you call either of these cities home then consider paying them a visit.

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So there you go! I really hope that you’re able to check out some of these great Canadian companies and if there’s one close to where you live I would highly suggest paying them a visit in-person.

What I know about each of these companies is that they have incredible teams of people who are fully committed to helping you find the right gear to brew the best coffee possible at home.

If you’ve got any other questions about coffee gear I am ALWAYS happy to answer those too. Brewing great coffee is something I want to help you with no matter where you are at in the journey.

Stay Caffeinated,

Tyler