What To Look For In The Best Espresso Machine For Small Business
Expected Customer Volume

Picking a commercial coffee machine requires more effort than picking an espresso machine for your home. You can’t just pick a Breville or Gaggia, and be assured of quality and expectations!
Any commercial machine is as good as the number of customers it can serve. So when you look at this buying guide, see espresso machine reviews for machines that match your requirements. Use the rush hour as the basis of your calculations so you essentially have a machine that can comfortably handle the maximum number of customers. Expecting customers to wait for ungodly times isn’t going to bode well for business. Your machine must keep up!

 
A Coffee Grinder That Matches

The same rules as above apply to the grinder as well. Having the best grinder won’t do you any favors if it can’t deal with the footfall. Use the same calculations as the machine for the grinder, and pick one that works best. Even one that goes double the speed of your machine is a better pick than one slightly slower. Interestingly, picking a compatible grinder is something most people gloss over while obsessing over choosing the best espresso machine for a small business.

 
Plumbing And Coffee Machine Connectivity

Several commercial espresso machines rely on the conventional reservoir water system to keep them moving. Many, however, require plumbing and hook directly to water pipes so there’s a steady supply of water for the machine. The latter is a great option when you have a steady stream of customers demanding their cuppa. A water reservoir, on the other hand, can be economical and slightly easier to maintain.

 
Budget And Maintenance

A commercial grade coffee machine should be easy to maintain and long-lasting. This could be the deciding criterion for your top pick. Higher the volume of customers you have, the more you will appreciate the ease of cleaning the coffee maker at the end of the day. Commercial equipment is built to last years, which is one of the reasons you could even find them in the homes of some enthusiasts.
Of course, with all the high-grade construction comes the high-grade cost. A high quality espresso machine can easily run into several thousand dollars. It may be worthwhile to look for used commercial machine models that suit your budget. There’s a good chance you could get a high-end machine at an acceptable price, or at least have better options for a budget under 2000 bucks.
You can be flexible with the manufacturing date of the machine provided it is in good condition. Commercial espresso machines don’t change that often, so an espresso machine 2019 model will likely be just as useful as the 2021 machine variant.
Machine Operation – Semi-Automatic And Automatic

Commercial espresso machines are available in several variants, the most favored amongst them being semi-automatic and automatic. The fully automatic variant is where you just press a button and wait for the coffee to flow into the cup. You don’t have to double your work with other things, and let the machine handle it for you. There isn’t much control, but it is the simplest of options and can be utilized if you don’t have particularly well-trained baristas.
A semi-automatic puts more control in your hands, and you can control the volume, and even the strength of the shot. It puts more control in the hands of the barista, and with a skilled barista at the helm, the coffee will be impressive. Many enthusiasts swear that the best espresso comes from semi-automatics.



There is a third variant, the manual option, where the barista pulls levers on the machine to manually control the shot. It’s rarely used, and most of such machines been replaced by semi-automatic machines. We won’t put one mode of operation over the other for this buying guide, and will instead keep the focus on espresso machine reviews.

 
Taste And Quality Of The Coffee

An obvious, but perhaps the most important point. The machine you use will greatly influence the taste of the coffee. The ideal coffee brewing temperature is 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit. Since a commercial machine is expected to brew shots at a quick pace, maintaining the temperature can be a challenge. The same goes for pressure. Many espresso machines are equipped with a pump to generate 15bars of pressure, but maintaining it can get tough.

High quality commercial espresso machines are equipped to handle these issues. However, you should still keep an eye out to ensure your customers at your café don’t end up complaining about sour or bitter taste of their coffee.

 
Bottom Line — Best Commercial Espresso Machines

Getting a professional coffee machine is an obvious choice for your business needs. The offerings in the niche are wide, so it is best to understand your specific requirements before you commit to a purchase. It is immaterial to declare a winner when the requirements can vary massively. Our list here is wide enough to cover most common use cases of commercial espresso coffee makers, and you’ll find one fit for your preferences.