7 Tips To Make The Most Out Of Your Professional Espresso Machine

How to Build a Professional Espresso Machine

For cafes and coffee shops looking to attract customers with a love of espresso and barista abilities, this is an excellent choice. It's the official machine for World Barista Championships, and it shows.

The barista can refill the reservoir with water throughout their shift. The machine also comes with steam wands with cool-touch technology and a hot water tap for tea.

Water

A commercial espresso machine needs to be able to produce an enormous amount of espresso-based drinks efficiently. They are usually constructed of stainless steel, which is strong and resistant to breaks and scratches. Espresso machines made of stainless steel make it easier to maintain and clean.

Lastly, a good quality machine will have a separate shut off valve for the water line to prevent limescale build up. This will ensure that any repairs are isolated to the affected components of the machine and won't impact the rest of your operation.

Test your water and ensure it is treated properly. For example distillate water can be recycled by adding a small amount of minerals back into it. It can improve the taste and negate its erosive characteristics, but could also cause damage to certain machines. This is because the remineralized water will cause the boiler sensor to think that the machine is fully stocked, but it is not. This could cause the machine to overheat, and eventually be damaged.

Grinder

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

Commercial-grade professional espresso machines typically have a built-in grinding unit that can be programmed to grind different drink sizes, ensuring that the results are consistent every time. Super-automatic machines go further and automatize the entire process from brewing, to grinding and dispensing. These machines are often praised in Lab tests for their ease to use.

A manual or semi-automatic espresso machine requires more involvement from the barista, but the quality of the end result is often worth the effort. This model won the Good Housekeeping Coffee Award in 2022 for its clever dosing system, which measures and distributes the right amount of coffee each time. It also comes with a low pressure pre-infusion system that allows for an even extraction, as well as the milk frothing tool that did well in our tests for producing rich, thick steaming milk.

Temperature

When it is time to make espresso, temperature plays a major factor in the taste and quality of your espresso. If the water temperature is not at the right level, it can cause extraction to be hindered and could result in bitter cups.

High-end espresso machines have tools to help you maintain the proper temperature of your water. One method for doing this is with a PID, which monitors and adjusts the temperature of the water. The other way is by making use of a double boiler. This allows you to use one boiler for steam and tea while the second one heats water to the right temperature for brewing.

Carles says that these types of systems can make the difference for large-scale businesses and baristas working at home. They can make it simpler for novices to get the perfect shot of espresso since they can keep an accurate temperature and avoid some of the variables that can throw off the flavor profile. It's also much easier for baristas with more experience to get their espressos just how they want.

Pressure

The pressure that an espresso machine uses is another aspect that affects the quality of the coffee it makes. Many espresso drinkers have noticed that their drinks taste different depending on the pressure they use, even if all other elements remain the same.

In general, commercial-grade machines use nine bars of pressure to make espresso. These machines are also more likely to be steam-driven rather than pumps-driven. Although there are machines with higher pressures but they usually require a more complicated group head design to manage the higher pressure levels.

While some espresso machines advertise 15 or 18 bars of pressure on their machines 9 bars are typically considered to be the gold standard for creating consistently great brews. These machines that are higher pressure are typically less expensive and designed for home use.

To put 9 bar of pressure into perspective, it's over four times the amount which is emitted by the air in your car tire. The more pressure a professional espresso machine can put on and the more effective it will be at capturing the taste of the coffee beans you love. Therefore, it's worth investing in a high-quality machine that will deliver the best results.

Barista Skills

Baristas must be able to accept orders from customers quickly and accurately. espresso machines for home is particularly important when there is a lot of activity at the coffee shop. Good customer service skills are crucial for establishing relationships with customers as well as increasing the sales of the coffee shop. This can include recognizing regular customers, working efficiently to resolve issues, and being positive and helpful even in the most difficult of situations.

Baristas are often adept at multitasking as they are required to take orders and operate a cash counter, communicate orders with coworkers, and answer telephone calls all at once. This skill allows the customer to enjoy an enjoyable coffee shop experience by making sure that orders are delivered quickly.

It is vital that a barista's skills are developed to be able make different types of drinks using an espresso machine. This can be learned by studying the various kinds of coffees, trying them out in person, or watching videos online. Many baristas find it helpful to attend classes offered by various organizations.