Choosing the correct equipment is one of the most enjoyable and exciting aspects of operating a coffee business. You will use your numerous coffee equipment items to provide your coffee business clients with delicious coffee. Choosing your coffee equipment and business espresso machine is an important decision.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Commercial Espresso Machine
Before you begin, make sure you have prepared a coffee shop business strategy, as well as set your coffee shop budget and menu. These factors will eventually influence your equipment selection. Your coffee business espresso machine will be a critical piece of equipment on which you will rely.
If you’ve ever been to a restaurant supply store or a business coffee equipment store, you’ll see that there are several possibilities for purchasing an espresso machine. It might be daunting, so before choosing which espresso machine to buy, consider the style of coffee business you want to open.
You must answer certain questions such as, what sort of setting will your espresso machine function in, will you utilize your espresso machine in a drive-through where space is limited, and most importantly, what is your budget. I personally suggest and prefer to buy commercial espresso machines from Chris’ Coffee.
1. Business Espresso Machine
A business espresso machine is comprised of different materials and is built to withstand more uses and wear and tear than a home espresso machine. A professional espresso machine is also safer to operate, especially when producing large amounts of espresso.
For example, you may require an coffee machine capable of producing 200 espresso shots per hour. After a short time, your home espresso machine will burn out. Purchasing a commercial coffee machine for your coffee business is not only a wise investment, but it is frequently essential.
When the lever on a manual coffee machine is pressed down, pressure is used to extract the espresso shot. These are traditional and elegant old-school espresso machines. They may complement the style and feel of your coffee business, but they are neither functional nor cost-effective. While the lever espresso machines are appealing, I recommend that you stick to the automated espresso machines.
2. Semi-Automatic coffee Machine
Semi-automatic coffee machines are the most typical requirement for a barista training to create delicious coffee. Most coffee businesses and baristas have no trouble with this. Staying consistent is one of the most difficult components of utilizing a semi-automatic coffee machine. You want your first espresso shot to be as tasty as your hundredth shot of the day.
Hiring and training baristas will help you improve your level of consistency. The semi-automatic equipment lets you or your baristas make modest but critical modifications to the quality of the espresso shot. These aren’t the machines used at Starbucks, which are primarily automated for high volume and uniformity.
3. Automatic coffeeMachine
Your devices will come with a steam wand for steaming and frothing your milk for each beverage. While this takes longer than, for instance, a fully automated machine, it may produce high-quality coffee cups that your customers will appreciate.
An automatic coffee machine is completely automatic, frequently with built-in grinders; you simply add the cup and press the desired sort of coffee. They do not need any thought or innovation. They also have far less variability. Super-automatic devices are frequently seen in high-traffic venues such as airports and sports arenas.
4. Size of Coffee Business
The size of your coffee business will also influence the type of coffee machine you choose. To begin, estimate the number of coffee beverages you will be providing. When determining which coffee machine to buy, consider your volume. Some commercial espresso machines are more capable than others. A single-group espresso machine can only produce 15-20 espresso shots per hour, which is half the capacity of a two-group machine. It makes a tremendous difference because a three-group machine can handle 200 percent greater volume than a single group unit.
You wish to buy your commercial coffee machine based on your requirements and vision. Remember that even the busiest coffee shops normally feature semi-automatic machines since they allow for coffee extraction based on client demands.
Even before you go out to buy a commercial espresso machine, your coffee shop idea and business strategy should lay out exactly what sort of commercial espresso machine you will require.
Because semi-automatic espresso machines are widely used in coffee shops, we’ll assume that you’ll buy one as well for the rest of this essay. If you anticipate serving 50 to 100 coffee drinks per hour, a three to four coffee machine or two two-group machines should be installed at your coffee bar workstation. Despite a large volume of consumers, it makes sense to employ semi-automatic espresso machines because of their unique ability to create beverages.
5. Other Beverages
Keep in mind that, in addition to drip coffee, you will want to provide an espresso-based beverage to your consumers. Espresso-based beverages offer variety while still providing strong profit margins. Over time, the greater earnings created by an espresso-based firm can be considerable.
For example, you may charge $2 for a cup of brewed coffee. A vanilla latte, on the other hand, may be sold for $6. If your ideal consumer prefers espresso-based beverages, make sure you have a semi-automatic espresso machine on hand to create them. While drip coffee is good, the multiple possibilities for preparing coffee beverages with an espresso machine far outweigh the benefits of merely having drip coffee.
6. Volume Each Gadget can Manage
You might wish to find out how much volume each gadget can manage. This should be the first thing you ask while deciding between commercial espresso machines. If you anticipate serving 120 drinks between 8 and 10 a.m., you’ll need a semi-automatic espresso machine that can manage the demand. Examine your company plan’s Pro-forma forecasts or sales predictions to see how many clients you will have during peak periods.
Furthermore, if you want to plan for development as a new coffee shop owner, you may set a daily sales goal. However, it is natural to anticipate growth as your company expands. Similarly, your coffee equipment, particularly your espresso machine, should be expandable.
7. Equipment Check
Finally, ensure that the espresso machine is operational. If feasible, have the vendor demonstrate the espresso machine’s functionality before purchasing it. Espresso machines are frequently stored by vendors. While this is typical, years of storage may signal that the espresso machine needs service or may not function at all. As a reason, I prefer acquiring my coffee equipment, even secondhand coffee equipment, from a trustworthy merchant.
