There are now quite good coffee makers on the market. But a machine that works for one of us might not be the best choice for another business / person. Before you decide, it is good to think carefully about what exactly you can expect from your machine.

Text: Kağan İzmiroğlu

There are very good machines on the market nowadays. But a machine that works for one of us might not be the best choice for another business / person. Before you make a decision, it’s good to think carefully about what exactly you can expect from your machine. The list we have prepared can help you in this regard:

• Espresso quality.

• Time required to prepare espresso.

• Installation site (site, existing infrastructure).

• Current workforce.

• Target consumer (yourself, your colleagues, your customers).

• Personal preferences (design, manufacturer, country of manufacture, etc.).

• Price.

• The vendor’s reputation in the sector (service power).

• Ease of maintenance.

The perfect machine for you will be one that can handle most of the items on the list of choices.

SELECTING THE ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR YOUR HEAD

Unfortunately, most of the time, preferences are not very rational. Instead of detailed research, he sometimes said, “I see it in most cafes, it is probably good, a friend recommended it, you should definitely buy this model. This brand is very expensive so it is definitely very good or on the contrary, this model is quite cheap compared to the others so it does not work… ”We can often come across preference types such as”, unfortunately.

If a new business is to be opened, location selection, permits, lease agreements, design and implementation, personnel selection, hot-cold showcases, cabinets, countertops, electrical equipment, etc. Then, when it comes to choosing a machine, you may prefer to reach an easy result after the troubles and boredoms that usually occur while solving others. However, if it is a place that attaches importance to coffee, your new cafe, coffee equipment will be your equipment that you need to pay attention to the most time and importance. First of all, it is very useful to correctly estimate the coffee demand that will occur in your cafe, without being limited to the initial period, the amount of sales that may come in a few months. Are you planning to sell 100 coffees, 300, 500 or more coffees a day? This is one of the most difficult issues to start with, this prediction, maybe only three or five of an idea will come up. Around 100-150 per day for the first 1-2 years, even a single group machine will be able to see your business. However, in addition to the daily period, the time interval in which this period will be served is also very important. If you are a cafe close to the workplaces, all the intensity and the quantity you estimate will take place during the lunch break, that is, not 150 in 8 hours, 150 in 2 hours, and this time the single-group machine we recommend above will not be sufficient, a machine with at least two groups, even a steam boiler if possible. You will need a slightly larger machine.

In addition to boiler size and group number, there are many factors that affect the flavor, aroma and quality of espresso: pressure, temperature, extraction time. Professional machines give you the most control over your espresso, allowing you to fine-tune these elements and mask some possible imperfections. A machine can reduce human error, but a barista with a good understanding of the machine is far more important to producing a quality espresso. Some professional machines have touch screens to easily control espresso, but if they break, your barista must be adept at manually controlling the factors we mentioned. Before selecting your machine, consider how it works when preparing two or more drinks at the same time.

How many group titles do you need? Do you need more than one steam wand? Although the accumulation of orders can be prevented with more than two group headers, this type of machines will require more cleaning and maintenance as well as a larger area, which should be taken into account.

When choosing your machine, get information about the number of boilers and the speed at which the pressure is reactivated after espresso making. Pressure stability is important to the consistency of your espresso, and most professional models have at least two boilers. You may want a machine with variable pressure. Different pressure profiles can produce quite different results.

On the other hand, different flow rate profiles are another way to manipulate the coffee flow rate. Does your machine allow this and is this feature important to you?

Espresso machines that we usually see in the market are machines with a single boiler (hot water and steam boiler), which we can define as Heat-Exchanger, and a closed system waterway passing through the main boiler where the espresso water can be heated while passing through this boiler. The main boiler temperature is fixed above 100 degrees to produce steam. The espresso water heated while passing through this cauldron is 90-93 degrees.

It is possible to manipulate the espresso temperature by changing the temperature of the main boiler. In the Heat-Exchanger system, since the heat of the espresso is affected by the heat of the main boiler, when there is too much steam or hot water usage, “dual boiler”, ie double boiler machines have been produced in order to prevent the differences in the espresso temperature during the water supply of the main boiler.

The espresso machine can be single group or double group, but in the dual boiler system, hot water and espresso water are not affected by each other. Although this effect may occur when there is an excessive service intensity, you can choose dual boiler machines due to this feature.

The espresso machine can be single group or double group, but in the dual boiler system, hot water and espresso water are not affected by each other as described above. Although this effect may occur when there is an excessive service intensity, you can choose dual boiler machines because of this feature.

Another advantage of dual boiler machines is that the heat of espresso water can be managed much more efficiently through the PID system. Thanks to the heat sensor in the boiler to which the espresso groups are connected, you can get espresso heat at the desired level.

The next system after the double boiler system is the multi-boiler espresso machines. In this system, an espresso boiler is reserved for each group. The advantage of this system is that different temperatures can be assigned for each group thanks to the PID. The left group is 90 degrees (for dark roasted coffees), the right group is 94 degrees (for light roasted coffees). Not only the temperature, but nowadays different pressure values can be determined for each group.

Of course, these different features will add serious differences to the price of the espresso machine to be purchased, and how much the investment is really necessary or not is an issue that needs to be carefully considered.

Some other factors to consider before buying your machine for your cafe:

• How long it takes for the machine to warm up when turned on.

• If you want to serve latte art drinks, which has a large customer base in our country; Check if it is easy to use the steam wand. Some machines are more sensitive to steam control than others.

• Control energy usage. Larger machines require more power, but some models have energy saving options. Such as day / night selection, standby times.

Ascaso machines use a thermoblock system in the groups and preheat the espresso water in the heater of the main boiler in the hot water boiler and send it to the groups, thus providing a lot of energy saving while at the same time providing a rapid heating.

SELECTING AN ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR HOME USE

Choosing the right coffee machine is not always easy for everyone, and for this purpose, the following factors should be considered in the selection of the machine:

• User’s coffee preference.

• Amount of coffee to be made.

• Budget / design.

Generally, relatively simple machines can be recommended for those who only drink espresso. If the drinks that will include the column are to be prepared, then it will be necessary to turn to more complex machines.

Manual espresso machines with portafilter:

If you are starting your day with a cup of coffee in the morning, determine how much time and effort you want to spend preparing your coffee before you buy your machine. You can prepare great coffees with a machine with a portafilter, but you will need to perfect many elements, from grinding the coffee to the right fineness and the right quantities. You have to control the espresso parameters like a barista. See Rocket Appartamento. If these are not a problem for you, but rather a pleasure, you can choose this type of machine and enjoy mastering the parameters. But if you want a quick and easy drink, perhaps the machine you are looking for is an encapsulated or automatic machine.

Semi-automatic espresso machines with portafilter:

Some espresso machines with portafilters include a keypad that allows dose programming. You press the button like the machines used in cafes, your espresso coffee flows and stops automatically when you give the right amount. Digital displays, programmable buttons, pre-brew and even temperature control are included in many. These machines are much more comfortable to use, but they are the kind of machines where you are still in control. See, ECM Elektronika Profi.

Generally, relatively simple machines can be recommended for those who only drink espresso. If the drinks that will include the column are to be prepared, then it will be necessary to turn to more complex machines.

The above summary has been prepared primarily to guide your preferences. As Espresso Perfetto, our team will be happy to share with you the pros and cons of the machines on your list that you narrowed in line with this guide.

WILL I NEED THE GRINDER?

Definitely yes! You must have a grinder as the coffee flavors disappear quickly regardless of the packaging after grinding. Usually, most of us go to the machine first, then the grinder, but we strongly recommend purchasing a good grinder first.

MILLER AND ESPRESSO MACHINE COMBINATION?

Today, many companies produce combi machines with their grinder. Good coffee enthusiasts generally do not prefer it. Ideally, coffee beans should not be close to the machine and should be stored in a cool place. In addition, it is not possible to make coffee in these machines when there is a problem in the coffee grinder or the machine. But if you still want the machine and grinder together, Quickmill, Pegaso is a good example for this type of machine.

MACHINES WITH SINGLE CIRCULATION SYSTEM: PRIORITY TO ESPRESSO

A single circulation / single boiler machine will be sufficient for such a use. With the single boiler machine, you can make espresso at the right temperature. If you want to froth milk, the user then presses a button to heat the boiler additionally to produce steam. You can then froth your milk. Therefore, a delay of approximately 60-90 seconds will be required between espresso and milk frothing in this type of machine. Later, it will be necessary to lower the temperature of the machine to make espresso. Therefore, a single circulation system may not be very useful for offices, crowded families and environments with variable users.

Examples are Ascaso Dream, Rancilio Silvia or ECM Casa.

Today, many companies produce combi machines with their grinder. Good coffee enthusiasts generally do not prefer it. Ideally, coffee beans should not be close to the machine and should be stored in a cool place.

HEAT-EXCHANGER SYSTEM / DOUBLE CIRCULATION SYSTEM MACHINES: FAMILIES, OFFICES

As we have mentioned in the same commercial machines, machines with Heat-Exchanger system, which we can call double circulation in home type single group machines, offer a real ‘cafe at home’ experience. They allow making espresso and milk frothing at the same time.

They easily meet the needs of large families, offices and meetings. All have water boilers over 2 liters and some models have a commercial rotary pump. Centrifuge (Rotary) pump machines operate quieter and allow to be connected to the water system when requested. Rocket Appartamento, which we mentioned at the beginning of our article, is an example for Heat-Exchanger models. It is fed from its own water tank and has a vibration pump.

If a model with a rotary pump that can also be connected to the water system is desired, then the Rocket Giotto or Mozzafiato R models can be given as examples.

These models have a digital counter that also shows the elapsed time during espresso flow.

DOUBLE BOILER (DUAL BOILER) MACHINES – MACHINES THAT ALLOW YOU TO MAKE PRESSURE PROFILES

As we mentioned in the commercial category, there are additional features in single group machines that allow you to make pressure profiles in addition to double boilers such as Rocket R58 and double boilers such as Rocket RNineOne, and even allow automatic dosing. You can enable these machines to be turned on and off at certain hours, and expect many advanced features from energy saving to automatic self-washing program.

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