Everyone loves a sturdy piece of gear, something with a little heft to let you know it’s built to last. Unless, of course, you have to use that piece of gear hundreds of times a day. Then the weight can be more of a nuisance than anything. So it has been historically with the portafilter. When not being used to pull shots of espresso, the portafilter could double just as easily as a bludgeoning implement.
Enter the Hummingbird. The aptly named new portafilter by Canal is ultra-light, ergonomic, and it’s coming to Indiegogo soon.
The new portafilter from the Seattle-based company clocks in at an impressive 150g, around 75% of a traditional portafilters, per the Indiegogo campaign. To make weight, the Hummingbird employs a durable fiberglass-reinforced polymer.
Compatible with most 58mm espresso machines, the new portafilter includes interchangeable, replaceable ear pads of varying depths to ensure a snug fit inside the grouphead. With an embossed rubber handle and lay-flat base, the Hummingbird is designed for ergonomic handling and easy tamping.
And due to the materials used, the Hummingbird will be able to bring a little pop of color to the portafilter. Everything from the rubber handle to the fiberglass-reinforced polymer is able to come in an array of colors. No more chrome plating as the only option.
Soon to be live on Indiegogo, the price point for the Hummingbird has yet to be announced, but campaign backers will be able to receive up to a 34% discount by getting in on the launch day deals. You can sign up for email notification for updates on when the campaign will officially go live.
So if you’re looking to lighten your load or maybe just want to brighten up the business side of the espresso machine, there’s the Hummingbird by Canal. It may not stop an intruder though, you should probably keep the old portafilter around for that, just in case.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
All media via Canal
