Tips For Buying A Commercial Espresso Machine

Posted on: 28 April 2022

If you have a small coffee shop in your store or office building, you'll probably want a commercial espresso machine since many people love espresso. Commercial espresso machines can be expensive, so you'll want to buy the right one and make good use of your money. Here are a few things to know.

Cups Per Hour Rates The Water Capacity

When you look at commercial espresso machines, you'll see they're rated at the number of cups per hour they produce. That rating is actually the number of cups per hour of water the machine can hold and process. This number is usually much greater than the number of espresso shots you can pull and serve.

More Groups Mean More Shots Pulled

The groups on an espresso machine are the heads where water is pulled from the reservoir and into the filter basket. If you think you'll serve a lot of espresso at once, you'll probably want a machine with more than one group. If the machine is for a small office, one group might be enough and you can save money on the cost of the equipment.

Recovery Time Is How Long You Wait Between Pulls

An important point to consider is the recovery time. The recovery time is the amount of time you have to wait between espresso pulls. High-quality machines have zero recovery time, and this allows you to process orders much quicker than if you have to wait between each pull.

Larger Machines Could Need A 220 Outlet

Small commercial espresso machines can operate on 110-volt outlets. Larger machines require 220 outlets. You may need to take this into consideration for a small coffee shop in an office building. Otherwise, you may need to add the cost of installing a 220 outlet to the cost of your machine.

Food Service Certification Could Be Required

You may want to check with local codes and regulations about the type of commercial espresso machine you can buy for your purposes. You may need one that has been certified for food service. This shouldn't be difficult to find, but you'll want to get one if you need it so you can pass inspections.

If you don't have much experience making or drinking espresso, you might have difficulty choosing a machine. You might get advice from an espresso aficionado or the machine dealer so you buy a machine capable of making espresso your customers love.

Speed is only one consideration when it comes to a commercial espresso machine. You also want a machine that produces espresso with a consistent flavor so your customers know exactly what to expect every time they order.

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