It is fashionable to install machines for preparing coffee drinks in catering establishments and offices. A coffee machine for a coffee shop or other establishment with a large number of consumers must meet special needs. Such models have high power, speed of preparation of drinks, and have several taps for dispensing.
Features of professional coffee machines
Several dispensing groups in the coffee machine
Unlike household and office appliances, equipment for professional use has:
- big sizes;
- increased power;
- increased volume of water tank;
- several bottling groups;
- automatic or semi-automatic control;
- precise control of parameters.
The need for a coffee machine on the bar
- The need for a coffee machine on the bar
- Main types
- How to choose quality equipment for a coffee shop
- For a mobile coffee shop
- For the bar
- For a restaurant
- For cafe
A coffee machine is an indispensable piece of equipment in any bar; it bears a heavy load. Considering that, as a rule, one person works here, only equipping with a large number of functional devices can ensure fast and high-quality service to visitors. There are always a lot of them in any such establishment. And the bartender performs a variety of jobs: from preparing drinks to flaring.
The coffee machine will independently grind the beans in the required quantity (you don’t even need to buy an electric coffee grinder) and brew any type of coffee according to the parameters set by the bartender.
Coffee machines, like all bar equipment, should be easy to clean and ideally have automatic cleaning.
How to choose a coffee machine
Wide range of drinks
When choosing a model, you should pay attention to:
- case material – plastic is vulnerable to mechanical damage, metal is reliable and durable;
- the ability to use tall cups;
- the presence of an option for heating dishes;
- number of groups - for an establishment with low traffic, choose 2 groups, if there are more visitors - 3, 4 groups;
- assortment of drinks;
- connection to water supply;
- installation option - desktop or built-in (the first takes up a lot of space on the table, the second fits in a separate niche);
- low or high body option;
- additional functions (self-cleaning, auto shut-off, water level indication, collection of drops and waste).
Equipment breaks down from time to time. What matters is how easy it is to troubleshoot. If the repair is complex and requires the intervention of a specialist, the coffee shop will be idle. Therefore, the ability to independently restore the operation of the machine plays an important role in the choice of equipment.
If your water supply is hard, choose a coffee machine with decalcification.
The best manufacturers of coffee machines - La Marzocco, Gaggia, Nuova, La Pavoni - (Italy) create high-class professional equipment. The most popular coffee machines for professional use:
- Saeco SM7685;
- Nuova Simonelli Appia II Compact Gr V;
- Asko SM84565;
- La Cimbali M29 SELECT DT/2;
- La Marzocco FB/80 AV 2gr.
Coffee machines are designed for different capacities of cafes, all have a high level of reliability and performance.
Leading brands on the Russian market
In general, the coffee equipment market in the HoReCa sector is focused on espresso. Accordingly, the most popular in coffee shops are single- and double-group espresso machines, which are famous for their reliability, relative affordability and wide selection. They are represented mainly by Italian manufacturers, since Italy is the birthplace of espresso. Among the leaders are La Cimbali, whose coffee machines can withstand up to 20 years of intensive work, as well as CMA Astoria with an assortment of 25,000 units and the technically advanced Nuova Simonelli with its luxury sub-brand Victoria Arduino.
Saeco SM7685 – for those who need to be reminded about the quantity of products
An automatic professional coffee machine works with beans and ground coffee. The model has grinding and temperature adjustment, a self-cleaning option, and a display. Universal equipment for cafes and offices is reliable, does not require cleaning, and quickly prepares various drinks.
The body is made of plastic, simultaneous filling into 2 cups is provided. Heating element – boiler, capacity – 1.7 l. Assortment: espresso, Americano, cappuccino, latte macchiato, flat white, ristretto.
The advantages of the model include - it works with beans and ground coffee, there is a measuring spoon for ground coffee, and a decalcification option is provided.
The control is carried out using a display, a waste tray is provided, and a drop collection system is thought out.
Built-in option, does not take up much space, indicator of power on and water level allows you to control the cooking process. 12 grind options provide a wide choice of drink for every taste.
Features of the device - quiet operation, there is an option to remind you that water and grains are running out. The disadvantages include the plastic case, which is easy to damage.
Features of installing coffee machines
To make delicious coffee, you need to take care of the quality of water and grain. Coffee beans can be selected according to the type of roast and variety, but with water it’s a little more complicated - you have to figure out the mineralization and filtration of the water.
Water affects not only the taste of coffee, but also the calcification of the coffee machine - the formation of plaque. If you reduce the mineralization of the water so that plaque does not accumulate, the coffee will not taste good. If you increase it, there will be large deposits on the coffee machine. In this regard, everyone selects different filters. You can install a filter with high mineralization of water to get more tasty and aromatic coffee, but thereby shorten the life of the coffee machine by half than when using filters with low mineralization.
How to choose the right water filter
There are a lot of filter manufacturers, it all depends on the type of input water and what the tasks are. You can buy a filter for 40 UAH (100 rubles) and it will work, or you can buy it for 40,000 UAH (100,000 rubles) and it will not work, because no one has done laboratory tests.
For establishments that specialize in coffee drinks, you need to select a filter using laboratory water tests. Testing your water will help you decide which filter to choose to achieve the level of coffee taste you want.
98% of a cup of coffee is water, it should act on both the taste and the equipment. Therefore, preparing a drink in a coffee machine must begin with selecting and purifying water.
Nuova Simonelli Appia II Compact Gr V – for high traffic establishments
A tabletop automatic machine from an Italian manufacturer works with ground coffee. The model is presented in 2 color options – silver and black. A 7.5 liter coffee machine is suitable for establishments with high traffic.
The heater of the device is a boiler. The equipment is connected to the water supply, there is a panel for heating cups, and there is a power indicator. The coffee machine offers espresso and cappuccino.
The advantages of the machine are its large volume, the ability to prepare 2 cups at the same time, a mirror to control extraction, mesh and gaskets, and a built-in SIS system that allows you to brew coffee with insufficient tamping. You can use tall cups for pouring.
The disadvantages of the model include a small number of drinks, the absence of an anti-drip system, the equipment does not provide a display, and only brews ground coffee.
Advantages and disadvantages of different types of professional coffee machines
Which coffee machine for business would you choose?
DripCarob
Various types of devices have their pros and cons, which must be taken into account when choosing equipment. An average quality drink can be obtained when prepared in drip-type models. Such equipment is not suitable for elite coffee shops aimed at gourmets. The advantage of the devices is their affordable cost. They are perfect for cafes and middle-class restaurants.
Carob machines are more expensive than drip machines, but they outperform them in terms of productivity and speed of preparing a portion of the drink. It is advisable to install them in coffee shops with a high traffic flow of visitors. A pod coffee machine produces coffee of consistently good quality and has high productivity, but there may be interruptions in the supply of raw materials. It is advisable to install such machines in expensive coffee shops that make money on the quality of the drink, and not on its volume.
Asko SM84565 – if you like coffee with milk, this is your option
An automatic coffee machine for cafes brews drinks from beans and ground coffee. The equipment is assembled in Slovenia, which does not affect its quality.
The stainless steel case is durable and resistant to mechanical damage, which is important for a device intended for frequent use. Convenient, reliable equipment with a large number of additional options is suitable for an office or a small cafe.
The model prepares drinks - Americano, espresso, latte, cappuccino, ristretto, temperature and portion control is provided, there are 2 separate boilers for heating water and steam, and a backlit display.
The advantages of the equipment are touch control, the presence of a condensate collector and a waste tray. The model can be installed on a table or mounted.
Prepare cappuccino automatically; the power indicator helps you control the process. There is a separate container for milk, you can choose 4 serving options.
The disadvantages include the lack of water level indication, there is no automatic washing option, the equipment is expensive.
Coffee machines differ:
Number of boilers
For a single-boiler coffee machine, the size of the boiler is of great importance. The larger it is, the less likely it is that the temperature will drop during an intense flow. Since it has a heat exchanger installed, which provides the water temperature for the coffee group. And from this boiler boiling water and steam are supplied to the steamers.
Two-boiler coffee machines (three- and even four-boiler), where each group has separate boilers for steam/boiling water and espresso - the solution is designed for greater temperature stability during the preparation of drinks and the ability to set the temperature for each of the boilers.
One of the significant advantages is that such a coffee machine lasts longer. The espresso boiler does not produce calcium (scale) because it maintains a temperature of 90 to 95°C. And calcium precipitates when water is heated above 100°C.
Type and number of pumps
A pump is a kind of pump whose function is to pump water into the boiler and create pressure. There are vibration and rotary pumps. Vibrating pumps are quite noisy, have unstable pressure, but are budget-friendly. Rotary - a more stable pressure indicator; In addition, such a pump can be moved outside the coffee machine.
Due to one pump, the same pressure is established on all groups (for example, 9 atmospheres), at which espresso is prepared. There are coffee machines with pressure control for each group separately - this is achieved by the number of pumps.
Method of heating regulation
Coffee machines regulate heating using a pressure switch or using a PID controller.
The pressure switch maintains a given pressure range and boiler temperature in the coffee machine. It works on a very simple principle - as the water boils in the boiler and a certain pressure is reached, the circuit closed by the spring pressure opens and heating stops. If you increase the compression ratio of the spring using the adjusting screw, the circuit will open later, which means the pressure and temperature will rise higher. This method does not always accurately control the temperature, but it is budget-friendly.
In machines with a PID controller, a pressure switch is not installed. The electronic controller uses a sensor to constantly check the temperature and, if necessary, turns the heating element on and off. Typically, all coffee machines with separate boilers are controlled using a PID controller.
Built-in microcomputer (for timer functions or portion programming via scales)
The timer function is needed to program the espresso button at a certain time. This is more convenient, since at this time the barista can be distracted to prepare the next drink and pay the client.
The scale in the coffee machine shows the actual weight of the cup in real time. This allows you to set up your espresso faster.
La Cimbali M29 SELECT DT/2 – spacious and compact machine for small spaces
An Italian brand coffee horn coffee machine brews drinks from ground coffee. The model is equipped with a block for programming portions and boiling water, and there is an option for foaming milk. A compact and roomy machine with a volume of 5 liters is suitable for small spaces.
The positive qualities of professional equipment are connection to a water supply system, the ability to prepare 8 types of drinks, the presence of a drip tray, and a water level indication.
Negative qualities of the model - high price, no decalcification, no display.
Choosing a coffee machine
After we have decided on the volume of preparation and purpose, we need to determine the type of equipment that suits us. Modern coffee machines and coffee makers include:
Geyser and drip coffee makers
Carob coffee machines (espresso)
Superautomatic machines
Vending machines
Geyser coffee makers are popular at hotel buffets; super-automatic coffee machines are often located in self-service areas where there are no baristas, and the drink is paid for at the checkout along with other food products.
Vending machines can accept cash and are usually located in places that do not require the presence of sellers, such as the lobbies of shopping centers, hospitals, car washes, educational institutions, banks, etc.
If you want to choose a coffee machine for a coffee shop or restaurant, then professional carob coffee machines are almost always ideal for an average establishment with sufficient traffic. They are quite easy to use and have minimal functionality. Let's look at them in more detail.
