How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

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

The barista can refill the water reservoir during their shift. The machine has an hot water tap for tea and steam wands that cool-touch.

Water

A commercial espresso machine needs to make a large amount of espresso based drinks in an efficient manner. That's why these machines are built with stainless steel which is more durable and resistant to scratches and break. Stainless steel espresso machines also make it easier to maintain and clean.

A good quality machine should have a separate shut-off valve to the water pipe in order to prevent limescale accumulation. This will ensure that any repairs are made to the affected machine components and won't affect the rest of your operation.

When selecting the water you want to drink, make sure to test it thoroughly and treat it in a way to get the best results. You can remineralize the water you distill by adding some minerals. This can reduce its erosion properties and improve its taste, but it could also cause damage to certain machines. Remineralized wate makes the boiler sensor believe that the machine is full however it's not. This could cause excessive heat and damage to the machine.

Grinder

The grinder is an essential component of the success of an espresso machine. It takes a raw, unground bean and transforms it into a finely ground coffee that can be properly put into the filter basket, resulting in an excellent extraction.

Commercial-grade professional espresso machines typically have a built-in grinding unit that can be programmed to grind different sizes of drinks, which ensures that the results are consistent every time. Super-automatic cafe Espresso Machine machines go one step further, implementing automation and programmable the whole process from brewing to grinding to dispensing. These machines are often praised during Lab tests for their ease to use.

A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement from the barista, but the quality of the final result is often worth it. This model was awarded a Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 for its intelligent dosing system that measures and delivers the correct amount of coffee each time. It also has a low-pressure pre-infusion system for balanced extraction and the milk frothing tool that did well in our tests for producing thick, rich steaming milk.

Temperature

Temperature is a major aspect in espresso. If the water isn't operating at an ideal temperature, it may affect extraction and can cause an unpleasant cup of coffee.

High-end espresso machines have devices that allow you to maintain the proper temperature of your water. A PID monitors and regulates the temperature of water. Double boiler systems are a different way to do this. You can use one boiler to heat steam and water for tea, and use the other for heating water to brewing temperature.

Carles explains how these systems can be beneficial for large corporations as well as baristas who work from home. They make it easier for novices to dial in the perfect espresso drink because they maintain an accurate temperature and avoid some of the factors that can alter the flavor profile. It helps experienced baristas to make their shots exactly how they would like them.

Pressure

The pressure that an espresso machine uk machine utilizes can also impact the quality of the coffee it makes. Many espresso drinkers have noticed that their drinks taste different based on the amount of pressure used, even when all other factors remain the same.

Most commercial machines use 9 bars of pressure in order to make espresso. These machines are also likely to be pump-driven instead of steam-driven. While higher-pressure machines are readily available, they require a group head that is more intricate to handle the increased levels of pressure.

While some espresso machines advertise 15 or 18 bars of pressure on their machines nine bars are usually considered to be the standard when it comes to making consistently excellent brews. These higher-pressure machines are typically smaller and designed for home use.

In comparison, 9 bars of pressure is 4 times more than the pressure exerted by your car tire. The more pressure a professional espresso machine can apply more pressure, the better it'll be at capturing the taste of the coffee beans you love. For this reason, it's worth investing in a high end espresso machine-end machine that will deliver the best possible results.

Barista Skills

A barista should be able take orders and process them quickly and accurately. This is especially crucial when there is a lot of activity at the coffee shop. Effective customer service skills are essential for building relationships with customers and increasing the sales of the coffee shop. This could include recognizing regular customers, working effectively to resolve issues, and remaining positive and friend even in challenging circumstances.

A strong ability to multitask is a must for a barista, as they may have to take orders and operate the cash counter and then communicate orders to coworkers and answer phone calls at the same time. This ability helps keep orders moving quickly to the customer, and will allow them to have an enjoyable time in the coffee shop.

It is beneficial for a barista to have knowledge of the various types of drinks that can be prepared with an espresso coffee machines machine. This can be accomplished by reading about the various kinds of coffees, trying the drinks in person and watching videos online. Many baristas find it helpful to attend classes run by various organizations.