Hi All. This is my first post and perhaps an odd one. I came across the site because I was discussing with a friend what an espresso cup should be shaped like inside. I was drinking from a cup that had a flat bottom and straight walls at the time and mentioned that I thought this was the wrong type of cup as I thought it should be rounded and curved inside. Can anyone shed some light on this and whether there is a definitive shape? Kind regards. Paul

The best shape for an espresso demitasse is the one you enjoy using the most . . .

There is no real wrong or wright shape. Although I will say that a slightly inward curve at the top will concentrate the aromas in the cup. Depth to diameter will also change how the crema is presented, if that is important to you. I use the standard tulip and bowl shaped demitasse cups.

This one.

I have 4 of them and couldn't be happier. Slight rounded shape, easy to clean, and holds just the right amount for a good cappa. Anymore and you wander into latte territory and I personally don't like that much milk.

lolgun wrote:This one.

I have 4 of them and couldn't be happier. Slight rounded shape, easy to clean, and holds just the right amount for a good cappa. Anymore and you wander into latte territory and I personally don't like that much milk.

On that same note, is there any source for the Tulip Shaped Winged Intelly demitasse that were given away as part of the HB anniversary years ago?

Their website only provides the capp cup.

Perfect anything is a little iffy. That's my advice on life. Regarding cups, I like my small collection of Illy cups. IMO, cup choice is entirely a matter of aesthetics, and that's very important. Think of it as what you like combined with what you reveal about yourself--a bit like how you decorate your home or the shirt you are wearing. Illy combines a sense of classic design and goofy (at least those I've chosen.) Of the whole batch, I like my 3 remaining clear "Naked" cups (no longer available?) and the 4 cups featuring various internal human organs (forget the name.) My idea of perfect.

lolgun wrote:This one.

Humph!

This one.

I have 6 of them and couldn't be happier. Rounded shape, easy to clean, and holds just the right amount for a good piccolo capp. Anymore and you wander into latte territory and I personally don't like that much milk.

Thanks for your good sense of humor. lolgun basically said exactly what I was going to say, immediately before I said it.

Schmidt says those hold 100mL, but I can't seem to squeeze more than 90mL in. (They may have revised their design since I got mine.) Of course, as you move into bigger drinks, the shape and size and wall thickness and height/width aspect ratio and taper should all adapt...

This is a very subjective topic, but I expect that everyone here will agree that a thin-wall cylindrical shaped vessel isn't the right answer.

You could look over the The eternal search for the perfect drinking cup thread for more shapes, brands, etc... There is 7 pages of cup discussion.

Well, for me it is "luna" from inker. http://www.inker.hr/en/porcelain/as-przionice.php