How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

This is a great option for cafes and coffee shops which want to draw customers who are enthralled by barista and espresso. It's the official barista machine for World Barista Championships and it truly shows.

It also has a reservoir for water so that the barista only has to refill it during their shift. The machine also has cool-touch steam wands and a hot water tap for tea.

Water

A commercial espresso machine has to be able to produce an enormous amount of espresso-based drinks in a timely manner. That's why these machines are generally constructed from stainless steel, which is more durable and resistant to breaks and scratches. Stainless steel espresso machines espresso machines also make it easier to maintain and clean.

A high-quality machine must include a separate shut-off valve for the water pipe to avoid limescale build-up. This will ensure that any repairs are isolated to the affected components of the machine and won't affect the rest of your operation.

Test your water and ensure it's being treated correctly. You can remineralize distilled water by adding some minerals. This can diminish its erosive properties and improve its taste, but it could also harm certain machines. Remineralized wate makes the boiler sensor believe that the machine is full, even though it isn't. This could cause overheating and damage the machine.

Grinder

The grinder is a crucial component of a successful coffee maker. The grinder transforms a raw, unground coffee bean into a finely-ground coffee that can be properly tamped into the filter basket to ensure an excellent extraction.

Commercial-grade professional espresso machines typically have a built-in grinder which can be programmed to grind different sizes of drinks, which ensures that the results are consistent every time. Super-automatic espresso machines take this one step further, by automating and programmable the entire process from brewing to dispensing. These machines are frequently praised in Lab tests for being easy to use.

A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement by the barista, but the quality of the end result is often worth the effort. This model was awarded a Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 due to its sophisticated dosing mechanism that measures and distributes the right amount of coffee each time. It also features an infusion with low pressure for balanced extraction, and an milk frother that created thick, rich steamed milk in our tests.

Temperature

When it is about espresso temperature, it plays a significant role in the taste and quality of your espresso. If the water isn't operating at an optimal temperature, it could slow the extraction process and lead to bitter coffee.

Fortunately, high-quality espresso machines come with tools that enable you to keep your water at the correct temperature. One method of doing this is to use PIDs that monitor and adjusts the temperature of the water. Double boiler systems are a second method to accomplish this. This allows you to use a single boiler to tea and steam and the other one to heat water to the right temperature for brewing.

Carles explains that these systems can make a difference for large companies as well as baristas at home. They can make it simpler for beginners to determine the ideal espresso drink since they can keep an exact temperature and eliminate a lot of the variables that can alter the flavor profile. It's also much easier for baristas with more experience to make their espressos just how they prefer.

Pressure

The pressure an espresso maker employs is another factor that contributes to the quality of the coffee it produces. Many espresso drinkers have noticed that their drinks have a distinct taste differently based on the pressure used, despite the fact that other factors remain constant.

The majority of commercial machines utilize 9 bars of pressure in order to brew espresso. These machines are also more likely to be steam-driven instead of pump-driven. Although there are machines with higher pressures but they usually require a more sophisticated group head design that can handle the higher pressure levels.

While you may find espresso machines that advertise 15 or even 18 bars of pressure, nine bars are generally considered the gold standard for consistently excellent brews. These machines with higher pressure are generally cheaper and espresso machines intended for use at home.

To put 9 bar of pressure in perspective, it's over four times the amount of pressure that is exerted by the air inside your car tire. The greater the pressure a professional espresso maker is able to apply, the better it will be at separating flavor from your favorite coffee beans. It's worth investing in high-quality machines that can produce the most effective results.

Barista Skills

A barista must be able to take orders and handle them quickly and precisely. This is especially crucial in busy times in the coffee shop. Effective customer service skills are crucial to build relationships with customers and increasing sales for the coffee shop. This can include recognizing regular customers, working effectively to resolve issues, and remaining friendly and positive in challenging circumstances.

Having strong multitasking skills is often required for baristas, since they could be required to take orders as well as operate the cash register and communicate orders to colleagues and handle calls at the same time. This skill allows the customer to enjoy a pleasant coffee shop experience by ensuring that orders get delivered quickly.

It is essential for a barista's knowledge to be able to make various types of coffee using an espresso machine. This can be learned by researching the different kinds of coffee, testing the drinks in person and watching videos on the internet. Many baristas also consider it beneficial to attend classes on the topic, which are offered by several organizations.