How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

For coffee shops and cafes looking to attract customers with passion for espresso and barista skills this is a great option. It's the official machine used for World Barista Championships and it truly shows.

The barista is able to refill the reservoir with water throughout their shift. The machine has a tea hot water tap and steam wands that cool-touch.

Water

A commercial espresso machine needs to be able to create large quantities of espresso-based drinks in a timely manner. That's why these machines are typically built from stainless steel, which is more durable and resistant to breaks and scratches. These espresso machines are also easy to maintain and clean.

Additionally, a top quality machine will have a separate shut-off valve for the water line to prevent limescale build up. This will ensure that any repairs are confined to the affected parts of the machine and won't impact the remainder of your operation.

When selecting your water ensure that you test it and treat it correctly to get the best coffeee results. You can remineralize distilled water by adding a few minerals. It can improve the taste of the water and eliminate its erosive properties, however it can also damage certain machines. This is because the remineralized water can cause the boiler sensor to think that the machine is fully stocked, but it's not. This can cause the machine to overheat, and eventually be damaged.

Grinder

The grinder is a vital element of the success of an espresso machine. 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 efficient extraction.

Commercial-grade professional espresso machines usually have a built-in grinding unit that can be programmed to grind for various sizes of drinks, ensuring the same results every time. Super-automatic espresso machines take this one step further, implementing automation and programmable the whole process from brewing to dispensing. These types of machines typically get high scores in Lab tests due to their hands-free user-friendliness.

A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement from the barista but the quality of the final result is usually worth it. This model earned a 2022 Good Housekeeping Coffee Award for its intelligent dosing system that weighs and dispensing the right amount of ground coffee each time. It also comes with a low pressure pre-infusion system for an even extraction, as well as a milk frothing wand that did well in our tests for coffee shop producing rich, thick steamed milk.

Temperature

Temperature is a major element in espresso. If the water isn't operating at an optimal temperature, it could hinder extraction and even result in the coffee being bitter.

Espresso machines that are of high-quality come with devices that allow you to maintain the right temperature of your water. A PID monitors and regulates the temperature of water. Double boiler systems are a second method to accomplish this. This lets you make use of one boiler for steam and tea and the other for heating water to brewing temperatures.

Carles explains how these systems can be beneficial for large companies as well as baristas who work from home. They can help novices to dial in the perfect espresso because they are able to maintain a precise temperature and avoid many variables that can affect the flavor quality. It can also make it easier for experienced baristas to create their shots exactly how they want them.

Pressure

The amount of pressure an espresso machine employs is another factor that contributes to the quality of the coffee it produces. Many espresso drinkers notice that their drinks taste different depending on the amount of pressure they use, even if all other elements remain the same.

In general, commercial-grade machines use nine bars of pressure to create espresso. These machines also tend to be pump-driven, not steam-driven. Although high-pressure machines are offered however they require a group head that is more intricate to handle the higher levels of pressure.

While some espresso machines advertise 15 or 18 bars of pressure in their machines 9 bars are typically considered to be the gold standard for creating consistently great brews. These machines that are higher pressure are generally more affordable and are designed for Coffee Shop use at home.

To put 9 bars of pressure into perspective, it's over four times the amount of pressure which is emitted by the air in your car tire. The greater the pressure an espresso maker with professional quality can apply, the better it will be at extracting flavor out of the coffee beans you love. It's worth investing in high-quality machines that produce the best results.

Barista Skills

A barista needs to be able to take and process customer orders quickly and accurately. This is especially important when there is a lot of activity in the coffee shop. Being able to provide excellent customer service is also essential for building relationships with customers and increasing sales for the shop. This can include recognizing regular customers, working effectively to resolve problems and remaining friendly and positive when faced with difficult situations.

Baristas often need to be capable of multitasking, as they have to take orders, operate a cash register and share orders with colleagues and take phone calls at the same time. This skill allows the customer to enjoy a pleasant coffee coffeee shop experience by ensuring that orders are delivered quickly.

It is vital for a barista's knowledge in order to make different drinks with an espresso machine. This can be learned by reading up on the different kinds of coffee, testing them in person, and watching videos on the internet. Many baristas find it helpful to attend classes run by various organizations.