Cup warmer

An electric plate, heated tray, or simply the passive top of an espresso machine that pre-heats cups before pouring. Active warmers run on low wattage and gently raise cups to roughly the temperature of the brewed coffee.

Why it matters — A cold cup can drop your espresso temperature by 10–15 °C the instant it's poured. That collapses the crema, dulls the aromatics, and shortens drink temperature for the customer.

Good to know

• The top of most prosumer machines runs warm enough to pre-heat cups passively — use that surface before reaching for a plug-in warmer.
• Stack cups upside down so dust doesn't settle inside.

Related: Cup Warmers