How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

For cafes and coffee shops that want to attract customers with a love of barista and espresso skills, this is an excellent choice. It's an official machine for World Barista Championships, and it displays.

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

Water

A commercial espresso machine has to produce a high volume of espresso based drinks efficiently. That's why they are usually constructed of stainless steel which is more durable and resistant to scratches and break. These espresso machines are simpler to maintain and clean.

A high-quality machine should have a separate shut-off valve for the water pipe in order to prevent the build-up of limescale. This will ensure that any repairs are made to the affected machine components and won't impact the remainder of your operation.

When selecting your water ensure that you test it and treat it appropriately to get the best results. For instance distillate water can be restored by adding a tiny amount of minerals back into it. This could reduce its erosion properties and improve its taste, but it can also damage some machines. Remineralized wate makes the boiler sensor think that the machine is full and it isn't. This can cause excessive heat and damage to the machine.

Grinder

The grinder is an essential component of a successful coffee maker. The grinder transforms a raw, commercial unground coffee gift bean into finely-ground coffee that can be properly tamped into the filter basket for an efficient extraction.

Commercial-grade professional machines include a grinder that can be programmed for different drink sizes. This guarantees consistency in results each time. Super-automatic espresso machines take this one step further, automating and programming the entire process from brewing to dispensing. These kinds of machines typically get high marks in Lab tests for their hands-off accessibility.

A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement from the barista, however the quality of the final result is often worth it. This model won an award called the Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 for its smart dosing mechanism that measures and dispenses the right amount of coffee each time. It also comes with a low pressure pre-infusion system that allows for balanced extraction and the milk frothing wand, which performed well in our tests for producing rich, thick steaming milk.

Temperature

When it comes to espresso temperature, it plays an important factor in the taste and quality of your espresso. If the water isn't at an ideal temperature, it may hinder extraction and even result in bitter coffee.

Espresso machines of the highest quality come with tools that help you maintain the proper temperature of your water. A PID monitors and regulates the temperature of the water. Another option is utilizing a double boiler system. This lets you make use of one boiler for steam and tea while the second one heats water to brewing temperatures.

Carles explains how these systems can be beneficial for both large-scale businesses as well as home-based baristas. They can make it much easier for newbies to dial in the perfect espresso since they can keep an exact temperature and eliminate a lot of the variables that can throw off the flavor profile. It also makes it easier for experienced baristas to create their shots exactly as they want them.

Pressure

The pressure an espresso machine is using also affects the quality of coffee it produces. Many espresso drinkers notice that their beverages taste different based on the amount of pressure they use, even if all other factors remain constant.

Most commercial machines use 9 bars of pressure to make espresso. These machines tend to be driven by pumps rather than steam-driven. Although high-pressure machines are offered however, they require a group head that is more complex to handle the higher levels of pressure.

While you may find espresso machines that advertise 15 or even 18 bars of pressure, nine bars are generally considered to be the gold standard for creating consistently excellent espressos. These higher-pressure machines are typically less expensive and Coffee bean Shop designed for use at home.

In comparison, 9 bars of pressure is 4 times more than the pressure applied by your car tire. The greater the pressure an espresso maker that is professional can apply, the more effective it is at capturing the flavor of the coffee beans you love. It's worth investing in a high-end machine that will deliver the best results.

Barista Skills

A barista should be able to take orders and handle them quickly and accurately. This is particularly important during busy periods in the coffee shop. Excellent customer service skills are crucial to build relationships with customers and boosting the sales of the coffee shop. This includes acknowledging regular customers, resolving issues quickly and remaining positive and welcoming even in stressful situations.

Baristas frequently need to be adept at multitasking as they are required to take orders as well as operate a cash register, communicate orders with coworkers and commercial handle phone calls all at once. This skill allows the customer to enjoy a pleasant experience in the cafe by ensuring that orders are delivered quickly.

It is vital for a barista's education in order to make different types of drinks using an espresso machine. You can get acquainted with the various kinds of espresso by studying their characteristics, tasting them in person, or watching online videos. Many baristas find it beneficial to take classes offered by various organizations.