From The Philippines, The Better Vessel Frees Espresso from Crema

Barista and entrepreneur Michael Harris competing at the 2025 World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy. Courtesy photo.

A new device for removing crema from fresh espresso shots is hitting the market after launching on the competition stage at the 2025 World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy, last month.

(Read all of DCN’s HostMilano 2025 coverage.)

Called the Better Vessel, the device was used in the routine of two-time World Barista Championship semifinalist Michael Harris of the Philippines. Harris also helped develop the device.

The Better Vessel receives espresso directly from the portafilter, and its use requires no special skills or extra steps for baristas who already pull shots into receptacles such as measuring glasses.

After a pause to allow crema to fully rise to the surface, placement of the filled Better Vessel on top of a mug or cup automatically opens a ball-lock valve in its base, allowing liquid to flow out the bottom.

The Better Vessel (left) separates withholds the crema from a vessel placed beneath it. Courtesy photo.

As gravity draws the liquid down, the precise angles and surface areas of the Better Vessel capture the crema floating on the surface. The design also allows users to freeze the ball for compound-chilled shots.

Harris, the founder of coffee roasting company Henry & Sons and commercial equipment service and repair company Manila Coffee Gear, co-created the device with his coach, Federico Bolaños, and his teenage son, Liam Conlin. Development began in 2023, shortly after the Philippine National Barista Championship.

“We initially experimented by pouring espresso through paper filters to remove crema, but it was time-consuming,” Harris told Daily Coffee News. “Since efficiency is critical in a barista competition, where we only have 900 seconds (15 minutes), I started 3D-printing various prototypes to improve workflow while still complying with WBC rules, which require the crema to be intact for evaluation. By early 2024, we had a fully working prototype, and the patent was filed in June 2025.”

Harris is among a growing contingent in the coffee industry that believes the bitterness in crema is often detrimental to the perception of more desirable qualities and nuance in espresso.

Courtesy photo.

“It really depends on the coffee and roast profile. I’ve found that specialty coffees, especially species like Eugenioides and Liberica, benefit greatly,” Harris told DCN. “Removing the crema often reveals a sweeter, cleaner cup with higher flavor clarity.”

Earlier this year, the Thailand-based specialty coffee accessories maker Squeaky also launched an espresso tasting cup called the Esplorer, designed to isolate the crema and separate the layers of a shot for clearer evaluation.

The Better Vessel is currently produced and sold under Henry & Sons. Early adopters who pre-order at ₱3,880 (approximately $66) via the company’s Philippines-based specialty e-commerce platform, The Vault, will receive a 3D-printed prototype edition now.

A final production version made from injection-molded Tritan plastic is in development and expected to ship early next year. Pre-order customers who receive the 3D-printed version will also receive the final production at no additional cost.

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