How to Choose an Espresso Machine

Choosing an espresso machine is perhaps the most important buying decision you will make. It will be used to create most of your products (and most of your revenue). If you business is built around espresso drinks, it stands to reason that you should find the best espresso machine you can.

You may have heard that a well-trained barista should be able to produce excellent drinks on any espresso machine. While this is true to an extent, "well-trained" is a very necessary component of the statement.

Lets consider the job of an espresso machine: First it must force hot water through a bed of ground coffee at high pressure. Second, it must provide steam pressure for heating andtexturing milk for lattes, cappuccinos, and other milk based drinks. It all sounds simple enough, but coffee and milk are complicated substances. In order to achieve consistently excellent results, the pressure and temperature of the water used for extraction must be tightly controlled. Incorrect temperature is a common cause for bitter or weak espresso. A change as small as 1 degree can have anoticeable impact on the quality of espresso.

The availability of steam pressure, as well as the configuration of the valve, wand, and tip also have an impact on the end product.