10 Best Commercial Espresso Machine

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Best Commercial Espresso Machine

Coffee is no longer just a beverage; it has become a way of life.

You need an espresso machine that can dependably make remarkable coffee even at high volumes.

Whether you’re opening a brand-new cafe, running a high-volume coffeehouse, looking to add espresso service to your retail business, or maybe you just need a good coffee machine in the office.

Choosing an espresso machine for your café, espresso bar, or restaurant might be tricky. You can easily get lost in technical jargon and make a bad investment in your business.

How do you know which features are suitable for you when there are so many espresso machines out there? How much money do you need? Should you prioritize utility or style?

For this reason, we’ve dug deep into the market to find the best-performing and most dependable espresso machines available.

Regardless of your espresso needs, there is a machine that can help you consistently deliver an exceptional cup of espresso coffee.

What Should You Consider Before Buying a Commercial Espresso Machine?

Automation

You’ll need to decide if you want a manual, semi-automatic, or fully/super-automatic machine when it comes to adaptability.

Manual lever espresso machines aren’t widespread outside of a few specialized hipster coffee shops.

They require solid and experienced baristas as well as patient customers. Generally, these aren’t the best commercial espresso machines for most coffee shops.

Semi-automatic espresso machines give you more control over the brewing process while also making the machine easier to use. They also allow your barista to show off his or her abilities.

On the other hand, a semi-automatic might be hard to master if you or your staff are untrained. Fully automated espresso makers, on the other hand, will be more challenging to customize.

Budget

This may appear to be a no-brainer, but you should probably take your time and think about it. These machines come with different kinds of equipment and a wide range of price tags.

You don’t want to overspend on an espresso maker with features you’ll only use once in a while simply because it has “all the bells and whistles.”

On the other hand, you don’t want to purchase a machine that doesn’t meet your requirements and then waste money on accessories you didn’t realize you needed.

Here are a few things to think about: Is there a built-in frother or a steam wand on the machine? What difference does it make if the machine has one?

The truth is that you may need to buy more equipment to complete your setup.

However, in order to get the best bang for your buck, it’s advisable to try to get a machine that closely matches your requirements.

As a result, you should compare what a machine offers against everything you need to determine whether there are any gaps that must be filled individually.

Grinder

Bringing grinders into an espresso machine conversation may seem strange. But, while deciding which machine is appropriate for your business, your grinder is an essential item to consider.

The milling capacity of your grinder should be the same as the brewing capacity of your espresso machine.

Don’t waste your money on a machine that can make 125 shots per hour when you only need 50.

If your grinder isn’t able to keep up with your machine of choice in terms of volume, make sure you budget for a new one.

Versatility

What can the machine actually do? Some machines can draw a shot and only need a little help to do so.

Others are equipped with amenities such as auto-frothing, hot water spouts, and so on. You should look for a machine that is adaptable and easy to customize.

Checking for presets and being able to change them easily is an excellent approach to determining flexibility. Check to see if the temperature and volumetric controls can be adjusted.

Also, keep in mind how simple it is to change these customizations. Will a barista who is still learning the ropes be able to use these features effectively?

You don’t want to repair your espresso maker because the manufacturer made changing a few settings ridiculously complicated.

Volume

You must look at volume in two ways. First, consider the size of your business. How many people do you serve on a daily basis? What does it look like at rush hour?

For instance, if your shop is open 8 hours a day, a two-group head machine can handle around 125 shots per hour or about 1000 shots per day.

If you have plenty of clients and buy the wrong equipment, you might need to add another machine, which is inconvenient.

You’d be better off buying in a heavy-duty commercial espresso machine with three or four group heads.

Alternatively, if you serve less than 1,000 consumers every day, a single group head machine would suffice. Whatever your client traffic is like, you’ll need a machine that can keep up.

This leads us to the second type of volume: water. If your espresso maker doesn’t feature a direct water line, consider how many shots it can draw before needing a refill.

Best Commercial Espresso Machines Include:

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1. Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine

This compact espresso maker from Breville lacks a grinder and a bean hopper to store whole beans. In essence, this simplifies the espresso-making procedure for beginners.

There are no digital panels, as there are on some of Breville’s somewhat costlier machines, but there are knobs to assist you in automating parts of the procedures, such as the number of ounces produced.

What’s more, you can manually override some of the settings.

This Breville dual-boiler espresso maker comes in three colors, but some users have suggested going with the stainless steel version because it appears to be the most durable.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Manual
• Boiler Capacity: 2.5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Single
• Drip Tray: No
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 14.7 x 14.8 x 14.7 inches
• Weight: 30 pounds

2. Breville BES990BSS Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Being an all-in-one espresso maker, the Breville Oracle Touch is a remarkable machine. It has a touch display featuring a variety of espresso-based beverages and custom designs.

It stores beans, grinds them, pours the grounds into a portafilter (the handle with a cup), pre-infuses them, and then draws a shot.

In addition, it can froth milk to your desired consistency as the shot is pouring, thanks to specialized steam and espresso boilers.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Fully-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 2.5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Single
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 14.7 x 14.5 x 17.6 inches
• Weight: 37.3 pounds

3. De’Longhi La Specialista Espresso Machine

The La Specialista Espresso Maker from De’Longhi is aesthetically built to accurately handcraft espresso coffee to your client’s preferences.

This machine has some unique features, such as active temperature control for optimal coffee extraction and milk texturing, smart sensor grinding technology for precise grinding, and a separate hot waterspout that provides hot water for your hot chocolate or tea without transferring the residual coffee flavor from the brewing component.

• Key Specifications
• Automation: Manual
• Boiler Capacity: 2.5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Single
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 14.48 x 15 x 17.5 inches
• Weight: 30 pounds

4. Diletta Bello Espresso Machine

The Bello Espresso Machine is a cutting-edge machine that has been engineered to deliver the finest possible results. Stainless steel is used for the body panels, boiler, and frame. 

All manual settings are available on this lovely machine. This allows you to train as a barista artist and provides you with all of the instruments necessary to brew Café-quality espresso. 

This is for small coffee shops or a coffee drinker who enjoys the process of brewing a cup of coffee in the morning. The lovely machine allows you to get into the swing of making your beverages just how you like them.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Manual
• Boiler Capacity: 5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Double
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 24 x 17 x 14 inches
• Weight: 53 pounds

5. La Pavoni Bar T2 Commercial Volumetric Espresso Machine

Over the last century or so, La Pavoni has become one of the most common brands in the industry, and it’s easy to understand why. The Bar T 2 is the Mario of commercial espresso machines, with outstanding specs on all fronts.

This espresso machine is ideal for most coffee businesses, with a 14-liter boiler and the potential to make about 600 cups of espresso each day. Both the brass-chrome group heads feature radiator hydraulic systems. 

Moreover, there are built-in steam wands for optimal shot pulling, a changeable cup size, a pre-infusion feature, and a versatile hot water jet.  

Key Specifications

• Automation: Fully-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 14 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Double
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Brass, Copper, and Glass
• Dimensions: 22 x 31 x 22 inches
• Weight: 139 pounds

6. La Pavoni PUB 1V-R 1 Group Volumetric Espresso Machine

La Pavoni’s PUB units feature cutting-edge technology, such as pre-infusion of the coffee grinds, ensuring balanced, uniform coffee shots and heat resistance for consistent temperatures.

The PUB 1V-R 1 Volumetric Espresso Machine has a digital control panel and microprocessor programming, as well as four preset dosage levels and a manual override option.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Fully-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 6.5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Single
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 22 inches
• Weight: 75 pounds

7. Nuova Simonelli Appia Volumetric 1 Group Espresso Machine

In instances where thorough barista training isn’t a concern, such as an office, the Appia Life is perfect. It has enough automation that almost anybody can make excellent espresso.

It pulls shots and steams milk at the same time using a heat exchange boiler. Each group features four preset volume settings, so the barista needs only to click a button to get started.

This frees up time for steaming milk and communicating with clients.

Like other Simonelli machines, the Appia Life is recognized for its quad-hole steam tips and steam power.

This specific model has an ‘Easy Cream’ system that uses a sensor to identify optimal milk texture and temperature, completely automating the foaming process.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Semi-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 5 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Single
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 16 x 22 x 21 inches
• Weight: 130 pounds

8. Nuova Simonelli Appia II Volumetric 2 Group Espresso Machine

The Appia II is ideal for a medium-sized coffee business, as it can brew between 30 and 100 coffees per hour.

The 2nd Appia is one of Nuova Simonelli’s most popular models since it is the perfect mid-range espresso maker.

It employs volumetric monitoring to ensure that shot pulling is capped at the right time.

The Nuova Simonelli Appia II features pre-infusion technology to ensure you get the most out of your grounds prior to pulling your shot.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Semi-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 11 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Double
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 31 x 22 x 21 inches
• Weight: 160 pounds

9. Nuova Simonelli Aurelia II Volumetric 2 Group Espresso Coffee Machine

Manual and preset dosages are incorporated in the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia II, ensuring constant, high-quality shot drawing.

This Simonelli espresso maker also has a pre-infusion or soft infusion mechanism, providing additional tamping options.

Overall, the infusion technology, along with the machine’s ergonomic design, makes it fairly user-friendly, particularly for a high-end commercial espresso maker.

This model is also a true commercial espresso machine, capable of handling high turn-overs. You can even attach an extra steam wand to either side if required.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Semi-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 14 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Double
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 33 x 23 x 23 inches
• Weight: 220 pounds

10. Victoria Arduino Black Eagle Auto Volumetric Espresso Machine

If your coffee shop’s queue is very long, investing in an espresso machine that can manage the volume can pay off in satisfied customers and happy baristas.

The Victoria Arduino Black Eagle is unbeatable in this regard.

It has scales incorporated right into the drip tray for automated gravimetric dosing. This is the most accurate method of determining the length of a shot.

This, along with soft pre-infusion that lessens the need for tamping, results in exceptional consistency from shot to shot.

All of the programming, including boiler and hot water temperatures, dosage, and steam pressure, is accessible via a TFT display above each group.

Key Specifications

• Automation: Fully-Automatic
• Boiler Capacity: 18 liters
• Coffee Group Head: Triple
• Drip Tray: Yes
• Material: Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 33 x 28 x 20 inches
• Weight: 400 pounds

Final Thought

All in all, regardless of the needs of your coffee-making business, any of these espresso machines will deliver exceptional workmanship and superior performance that will make your work easier and your clients happier, too.

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