by Randy Glass - Copyright 2016 - All rights reserved
   2015 was a hectic year and I have just noticed that little has changed here on Espresso My Espresso in that time. I suppose life has mostly got in the way what with my job, taking care of my little ten acres, preparing for the inevitable fire season, cutting, hauling, and stacking about three cords of wood, and so much more. I can't believe that I had not added even one review this past year. But here we go. And it's a good one.

   A recent thread on Home Barista.com was centered around a member looking for a dosing funnel. It wasn't me, but a few months back I had done a search for such an item but in my alloted time it did not turn up, and as so many things on the Internet go, I forgot about it. The HB thread was the boot to the head that I needed to restart the thinking engine. The original poster didn't want to spend as much as the Orphan Espresso offering, but that didn't stop me. Off to Orphan Espresso and I found exactly what I needed. Their stainless steel 58mm dosing funnel. The total was $24.58 and it arrived two business days later! Really!



   As you can see the OE Dosing Funnel is nicely formed and finished. It weighs a mere 34.7 grams (about 1.25 ounces) but despite is thin looks and light weight, it is quite sturdy.
   Whether you have a doser or doserless grinder, the funnel directs the ground coffee into the portafilter.

 Observations after just one morning's use:
• All the coffee goes into the basket.
• You can distribute the grounds with gusto if you so desire. Whatever your method of distribution of the grounds, the funnel keeps the coffee in the basket. Tap downward, stir, vibrate, whatever you like, the funnel contains the grounds
• It fits the 58mm basket nicely but offers no resistance when removed so your efforts are not disturbed.
   In my case it eliminated about 99% of the mess that manual dosing created on the countertop. Once I become accustomed to its use it just might eliminate the need to have the grinds catch tray on my countertop in front of my Kony! Time will tell.
   The only negative I can discern is that the lip which fits inside the basket leaves just a tiny void when you remove the funnel. Simple to deal with by giving a light downward tap of the portafilter on your tamping mat.

Conclusion
   Yes, I am there already at that conclusion. After all, it's just a funnel. But after all, it works. It's also affordable, it saves cleanup, and may even improve your espresso. If not, it will give you more time to enjoy your espresso as you will be spending a little less time cleaning up! That's a good thing at 0'dark-thirty in the morning.
    Check out their website. They carry other sizes of funnels and a lot of other interesting and unique items.