How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

For coffee shops and cafes that want to attract customers with a love of espresso and barista abilities, this is a great option. It's the official machine used for World Barista Championships, and it demonstrates.

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

Water

A commercial espresso machine needs to create a huge amount of espresso based drinks efficiently. That's why they are typically built from stainless steel, which is more durable and resistant to scratches and breaks. Stainless steel espresso machines also make it easier to clean and maintain.

A high-quality machine must include an independent shut-off valve for the water pipe to prevent limescale build-up. 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 you test it and treat it correctly to get the best results. You can remineralize distilled water by adding some minerals. This could reduce its negative erosive properties and enhance the taste, but it could also cause damage to certain machines. The remineralized wate can make the boiler sensor believe that the machine is full, even though it isn't. This could cause excessive heat and damage to the machine.

Grinder

The grinder is an essential part of a successful espresso maker. It takes a raw, unground bean and turns it into finely ground coffee that can be properly tamped into the filter basket, resulting in an excellent extraction.

Commercial-grade professional machines include a grinder that can be programmed to work with different sizes of drink. This guarantees 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 kinds of machines are able to score high scores in Lab tests due to their hands-free ease of use.

Manual or semi-automatic machines require more work from the barista, but the results are worth the effort. This model was awarded an award called the Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 due to its sophisticated dosing system that measures and delivers the correct amount of coffee each time. It also has an infusion with low pressure for an even extraction, and an milk frother that created rich, thick steamed-milk during our tests.

Temperature

Temperature is an important factor in espresso. If the water temperature is not at a suitable level, it could cause extraction to be hindered and could result in an unpleasant cup.

Fortunately, top-quality espresso machines include tools that allow you to keep your water at the right temperature. A PID monitors and regulates temperature of water. Another option is using a double boiler system. This allows you to use a single boiler to tea and steam, while the other heats water to brew temperatures.

Carles explains that these systems can make a difference for both large businesses and baristas at home. They can make it much easier for beginners to determine the ideal espresso drink because they can 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 as they would like them.

Pressure

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

Most commercial machines use 9 bars of pressure in order to brew espresso. These machines are also more likely to be steam driven than pumps-driven. While there are higher-pressure machines, they often require a more complicated group head design that can take on the higher pressures.

Although you might see espresso machines that advertise 15 or even 18 bars of pressure, nine bars are generally regarded as the gold standard more info for consistently great brews. The higher-pressure machines tend to be cheaper and are designed for home use.

In comparison, 9 bars of pressure is four times more than the pressure applied by your car tire. The greater pressure a professional espresso machine is able to apply to the coffee, the better it will be at capturing the taste of the coffee beans you love. It's worth investing in a premium machine that can give you the most effective results.

Barista Skills

A barista needs to be able to accept and process customer orders quickly and efficiently. This is especially important during busy times in the coffee shop. A good understanding of customer service is essential to build relationships with customers and increasing sales for the shop. This includes acknowledging regular customers, working to resolve issues efficiently and remaining positive and friendly even in challenging situations.

Baristas often need to be adept at multitasking as they are expected to take orders, operate a cash register and share orders with colleagues and handle phone calls all at once. This ability allows customers to enjoy a pleasant experience in the cafe by ensuring that orders are delivered promptly.

It is essential for a barista to have knowledge of the various kinds of drinks that can be made by an espresso machine. You can learn about the various kinds of espresso by reading about their characteristics, tasting them in person, and watching online videos. Baristas often find it beneficial to attend classes on the topic, which are provided by a variety of organizations.