by Chris Arnold
UPDATE September 2020: The BeanSafe Espresso Storage Container is not obtainable on the market.
Freshly roasted espresso deserves correct storage. When espresso beans are roasted, they launch a variety of CO2, particularly for the primary few days. Ideally, you wish to let the CO2 out but additionally maintain the oxygen from coming in. Oxygen, together with mild, warmth, and moisture, is an enemy of contemporary espresso.
Introducing BeanSafe Espresso Storage Containers
BeanSafe Espresso Storage containers present a one-way valve and in any other case hermetic storage resolution to maintain your espresso beans contemporary. Though they will additionally maintain out mild and, to some extent, moisture, most containers can’t actually do a lot about warmth. If the room you might be storing your beans in is scorching, ultimately, your beans shall be too. However virtually talking, I’ve not discovered this to be an issue.
BeanSafe Espresso Storage Containers maintain 16 ounces of espresso with room to spare and can be found within the following colours and supplies (all lids are BPA-Free polypropylene):
304 Meals Grade Stainless Metal
- Primary Stainless Metal with a black lid
- Primary Stainless Metal with a white lid
- Blue with a black Lid
- Inexperienced with a black Lid
- Purple with a black Lid
- Pink with a black Lid
BPA-Free polypropylene
- White with white lid
- Black with black lid
All containers, lids, and valves are dishwasher-safe. BeanSafe doesn’t advocate eradicating the silicone valve; as a substitute, it recommends putting the complete lid and valve collectively within the dishwasher.
BeanSafe vs. Friis
I’m evaluating the BeanSafe espresso storage containers to my trusty Friis Espresso Vault storage containers. The Friis has served me nicely, however they’ve two fundamental points. The valves are meant to get replaced, and though they embrace additional alternative valves, that is an added value over the lifetime of the container, since alternative is beneficial each 2 months. The opposite drawback is with stability. While you open the hinged lid to fill it up with espresso beans, it virtually all the time ideas over. The BeanSafe appears to deal with each of those points.
The BeanSafe valve system is a chunk of specifically formed silicone rubber with a gap in it. Inside, there’s a glass bead that’s simply heavy sufficient to cowl the opening however mild sufficient in order that as CO2 builds up, it quickly pushes the bead out of the way in which to let the CO2 out after which returns to its place to maintain oxygen out. Though this does imply that the container should stay degree to be efficient, they declare that the “Valve…by no means wants alternative.” Whereas I by no means imagine statements like that, I do assume the valve ought to final for years, seemingly provided that the silicone degrades or turns into malformed.
I examined some freshly roasted espresso complete beans in each my Friis and the BeanSafe. Though I don’t have a option to measure the CO2 ranges being expelled or any oxygen coming in, the espresso tasted superb popping out of each containers over the interval of about 7 days. I floor beans contemporary out of each containers on Espresso, Drip, and Chilly-Brewed Espresso strategies, they usually tasted glorious and weren’t discernibly totally different between the Friis and the Bean Protected. I needed to see if I might file a video of the glass bead rise and fall, however the high exit slit was too small to see inside. I must minimize the silicone away with a purpose to do that, and I didn’t wish to destroy such a gorgeous product. Maybe I’ll do that sooner or later as an experiment.
Included Extras and Floor Espresso
The Stainless Metal coloration, in addition to the Black and White BPA-Free polypropylene containers solely, embrace a scoop. The colour variations embrace an orange espresso scoop and a DIY reusable Keurig Okay-Cup suitable espresso pod, that are good extras.
The reusable Okay-Cup suitable espresso pod is an effective way to economize on these costly replacements, and enhance the standard of your espresso over the mediocre pre-packaged Okay-Cups you get on the grocery retailer.
Additionally, BeanSafe says that you may retailer floor espresso if you want. Friis doesn’t advocate this, as their design has the potential to clog the valve. Though I didn’t check storing floor espresso, typically you should grind forward of time for brief journeys like tenting or weekend getaways, and it’s good to know the BeanSafe valve will deal with that.
Considerations
One space of concern I had straight away was the plastic clips on the lid. Placing the lid on and off simply 3 instances, which additionally meant I used to be bending the clips forwards and backwards, resulted in plastic stress to the clips (see picture). Through the years, I’ve owned many merchandise which have an identical design, and I don’t count on this half to final too lengthy, however BeanSafe tells me that they’ve been examined “400,000 instances for sturdiness”, so solely time will inform how nicely they maintain up. They do advocate that you simply deal with the clips gently for an extended life.
I might additionally wish to see container producers put some type of comfortable anti-skid materials on the underside. Metallic containers can slide round simply on a tile kitchen counter, and the steel on tile sound hurts the ear. It’s not an enormous deal, however it could be a pleasant contact. I might additionally wish to see a option to securely retailer the news with the canister.
Conclusion
At roughly $25 road value for food-grade chrome steel and $20 for BPA-free polypropylene, the BeanSafe Espresso Storage Containers are an reasonably priced, aesthetically pleasing different to different merchandise in the marketplace. They make a fantastic improve in case you are at present utilizing non-valved storage in your espresso.
Assets
The BeanSafe Espresso Storage Container is not obtainable on the market.
The right way to Retailer Espresso Beans (Ideas and Suggestions) – Our article on storing espresso beans.
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