How to Choose an Espresso Coffee Machine? There are many fine, high quality espresso machines on the market, and many with very similar features. Although most machines appear to be similar, and some of their components are similar or identical, there can be dramatic differences in engineering, design, price, sizes and features.

Reminders to Check:

I. Product Stability

II. Technical Specifications of Equipment. There are good reasons why one machine costs thousands more than another.

III. Technical and Training Support

IV. Parts Availability

V. Warranty

There are five (5) basic components to every espressos machine:

Boiler The water is heated for brewing and steaming by the boiler- a sturdy metal tank inside the espresso machine, heated by an enclosed electric heating element which heats the water. The boiler is used in two ways: It vents out steam from the machine's steam wands for foaming milk. It heats the brewing water via a heat exchanger. Copper boilers are the best. A more powerful heating element is better.

Heat Exchanger The heat exchanger is a copper of stainless steel tube or coil which runs through the boiler and heats the brewing water as it travels through the tube. The water used for brewing does not come directly from the boiler. This water would be too hot and would scald the ground coffee. Heat exchanger is an important feature for multiple group machines.

Pump The pump is a mechanical device that pushes water through the portafilter for extracting the espresso, and it may pump water into the boiler for steaming. Having an adequate pump is essential . Your pump must produce 130 pounds of pressure for a proper extraction.

Group (consisting of the portafilter and the group head) The group is composed of two major sets of components: the portafilter and the group head. The portafilter is the “metal cup witht the handle” that holds the coffee grounds. Inside the portafilter is the filter basket, a stainless perforated basket into which the ground coffee is actually dispensed and compacted. During brewing, the hot water passes through the coffee, and the holes in the filter basket, and finally out the spigot(s) extending from the bottom of the cup. Typically your machine will come with two different size filter baskets. A large one (double shot) which holds 14 to 16 grams of ground coffee, and a smaller one (single shot) which holds 7 to 8 grams of ground coffee.

The group head is the round metal housing attached to the espresso machine into which the portafilter is inserted. The brewing water is dispensed from the group head into the portafilter. The group head contains the shower head, which dispenses the brewing water, the group screen, which prevents grounds from migrating into the holes of the shower head, and the rubber gasket, which ensures a tight fit when the portafilter is inserted. The group head provides another important function beyond holding the portafiter. The group head transfers heat, which it has accumulated from the head of the boiler, to the brew water. The group's head ability to retain heat is essential in producing the proper water temperature at the point of brewing.

Steam Wand The steam wand is a small tube coming off the espresso machine that sprays steam and is used to foam milk. Other important features you should look for in a good steaming wand are its length, and its ability to swivel to multiple angles away from the machine. The wand should swing out or swivel away from the machine to achieve a variety of positions and angles. A wand which can travel from a vertical position, out to an angle of about 45 degrees will provide you with the flexibility to achieve the proper position to create the needed circulation of the milk in the pitcher. We recommend stainless steel steam wands because the chrome plating can flake away after an extended period of use. One other consideration is the control that releases the flow of steam to your wand. There are basically two types:

Levers are quick and easy to activate, but opponents of these controls point out that they do wear faster and tend to leak.

Augers offer more variation in control, but require greater effort and more time to open fully. And keep in mind….. If your machine is a centrepiece in your business, then you want it to look good, in addition to its being an efficient revenue generating machine. In this case, you may want to consider such as brass and special decorative metal, marble like finishes. To assure drink consistency, larger operations minimally requires a semi-automatic machine with electronic control of water flow and output. Control buttons should operate independently of each other on semi-automatic or automatic machines so you can use the remaining buttons if repairs have to be made. All machines should have a system to let the operator know when the water supply is low. A sight glass or warning light in clear view to alert the operator is a must. Stainless steel steaming wands are recommended rather than chrome coated ones to avoid the possibility of the chrome flaking off into a customer's latte.

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