Are you looking to pull your baristas into the twenty-first century? Or perhaps your employees are protesting the old drip machine in the staff room…you might even be a coffee enthusiast who’s ready to make the leap and turn your kitchen into your very own espresso heaven. All these scenarios tend to have one thing in common: the super-automatic espresso coffee machine. And because purchasing a coffee system of this type typically involves a significant investment, it makes sense to do your homework and ensure that your search will be efficient, smart, and ultimately – successful.
While the espresso coffee machine market has never been – shall we say – “hotter” – there are some basic guidelines to follow when starting off on your espresso journey. First of all, arm yourself with a bit of knowledge. Espresso machines can be broadly divided into a few categories: manual, semiautomatic, automatic, and super-automatic. What’s the difference?
The manual machine is self-explanatory: every step of preparing a beverage requires physical handling and measurements. After the manual model, however, comes the semiautomatic espresso machines, which tend to be the preference of many experts. These systems require an experienced hand and a barista who knows when to start and stop brewing – with the result that pulling consistently great shots on a semiautomatic machine can be challenging – even for the pros.
Automatic espresso machines relinquish a portion of the barista’s control to gain some consistency and a more user-friendly process. These machines do the calculating and stop automatically at the appropriate time, but they don’t provide options like grinding the beans, tamping the grounds, and frothing the milk. Super-automatic espresso machines, however, take over all these steps, turning the entire process into a guaranteed perfect brew.
So now that you realize a super-automatic espresso coffee machine is in your future, how do you narrow down the field and make your selection? Some of the key points to consider will be your budget, your employees’ experience, your drink menu, and your drink volume. A good rule of thumb to remember is that the more high-tech a coffee system is, the higher its price tends to be. Some of the cutting-edge technology built into today’s super-automatic espresso machines can turn them into major investments. Keep in mind while you’re looking for your ideal machine, that there is still a wide range of prices within the super-automatic espresso machine market and find a price point that works for you.
Your next consideration should be a clear understanding of who will be using the espresso machine. Will it be the employees of a coffee-centric business, who need to build both skill and knowledge with espresso? A busy staff who expect to push one button and quickly brew a shot so they can get back to work? Or maybe the work-from-home professional who wants the perks of the neighbourhood café with none of the travel? Other points to consider – your beverage menu and volume – will be strong determining factors in choosing a super-automatic espresso machine. Take a good look at the drink menu included on the product page, and make sure that your preferred machine’s output suits your needs – whether it’s a few dozen or a few hundred drinks per day.
Quality Coffee Systems, based out of Burnaby, BC, is a leading supplier in the coffee appliance industry. Our team of specialists live, breathe, and drink coffee and have a high degree of product knowledge across all brands that we represent. We consider your every need – along with your budget – and match you up with a coffee system that will see you through many years of brewing, thanks to our unparalleled after-sales support.
Drop by the QCS showroom today to check out our super-automatic espresso machine portfolio.
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