Why All The Fuss Over Professional Espresso Machine?

How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

This is an excellent choice for coffee shops and cafes which want to draw customers who are passionate about espresso and barista skills. It's the official machine for World Barista Championships and it truly shows.

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

Water

A commercial espresso machine should be able to produce a large volume of espresso-based drinks in a timely manner. This is why these machines are built with stainless steel, which is more durable and resistant to scratches and break. Espresso machines are also easy to maintain and clean.

A good quality machine should include a separate shut-off valve to the water pipe to avoid limescale accumulation. This will ensure that any repairs are made to the affected parts of the machine and won't impact the rest of your operation.

Test your water and ensure it's being treated correctly. Remineralize water that has been distilled by adding a few minerals. It can enhance the taste and lessen its erosive characteristics, but can also harm certain machines. Remineralized wate makes the boiler sensor think that the machine is full and it isn't. This could cause overheating and damage the machine.

Grinder

The grinder is a crucial element of an espresso machine that is successful. It takes a raw, unground bean and transforms it into a finely ground coffee that can be put into the filter basket to produce an excellent extraction.

Professional commercial machines come with grinders that are programmed to accommodate different sizes of drinks. This ensures consistency in results each time. Super-automatic espresso machines take this one step further, by automating and programmable the whole process from brewing to dispensing. These machines are often praised during Lab tests for being easy to use.

Semi-automatic or manual machines demand more effort from the barista, but the results are worth it. This model won an 2022 Good Housekeeping Coffee Award for its clever dosing feature that weighs and dispenses the correct amount of ground coffee each time. It also features a low pressure pre-infusion for an even extraction, and a milk frother that made thick, rich steamed milk in our tests.

Temperature

When it is about espresso temperature, it plays an important role in the taste and quality of your coffee. If the temperature of your water is not at the right degree, it can cause extraction to be impeded and could result in a bitter cup.

Espresso machines of the highest quality come with tools that can help you keep the correct temperature of your water. A PID monitors and regulates the temperature of water. Another method is using a double boiler. This lets you use one boiler for steam and tea and the other one to heat water to brew temperature.

Carles says that these kinds of systems can make the difference for large-scale businesses and baristas working at home. They can make it much easier for newbies to make the perfect shot of espresso since they can keep an exact temperature and eliminate a lot of the factors that can alter the flavor profile. It is also much easier for baristas with more experience to make their espressos just how they want.

Pressure

The pressure an espresso machine uses is another aspect that contributes to the quality of the coffee it makes. Many espresso drinkers notice that their drinks coffee machine taste different based on the pressure employed, even when all other factors remain the same.

In general, commercial-grade machines utilize nine bars of pressure to brew espresso. These machines are also more likely to be steam driven than pumps-driven. Although there are machines with higher pressures but they usually require a more complex group head design that can handle the higher pressure levels.

While some espresso machines advertise 15 or 18 bars of pressure in their machines nine bars are usually considered to be the standard for creating consistently great brews. These machines that are higher pressure tend to be more affordable and designed for home use.

In comparison, 9 bar of pressure is four times higher than the pressure applied by your car tire. The more pressure an experienced espresso machine can put on more pressure, the better it'll be at capturing the taste of the coffee beans you love. It's worth investing in a high-quality machine that can give you the best results.

Barista Skills

A barista needs to be able take and process orders quickly and accurately. This is particularly crucial during busy periods at the coffee shop. Having good customer service skills is also essential for building relationships with customers and increasing sales for the shop. This includes recognizing regular customers, working to resolve issues efficiently and remaining optimistic and friendly even in challenging situations.

Baristas typically 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 take phone calls at the same time. This ability allows customers to enjoy a pleasant coffee shop experience by ensuring that orders are served promptly.

It is essential that a barista's skills are developed to be able to make various drinks using an espresso machine. This can be accomplished by reading up on the different kinds of coffee, testing them out in person and watching videos on the internet. Many baristas find it helpful to take classes offered by various organizations.