Tips For Upgrading Commercial Equipment

November 30, 2020

When upgrading your commercial equipment, there are a lot of factors to consider. Are you upgrading to keep up with higher volumes of customers? Or, are you simply upgrading to better quality equipment? In this article, we’ll cover some of the key things to consider when upgrading your coffee grinder and espresso machine setup.

All coffee drinkers have their own opinions on what's involved in brewing the perfect espresso. For many, it's a combination of clean water and freshly ground coffee beans. Coffee grinders are the perfect accessories for these caffeine connoisseurs.

The most common debate among the home coffee equipment world is burr or blade grinders? However, this is not much of a debate when it comes to commercial usage. Burr grinders produce vastly more consistent results across the board. Coffee grinders work so well because they unleash the bean oils and create a delicious aroma before even brewing. It's like opening a fresh can of ground coffee each and every morning.

Of course, there's more to cooking up a great cup of joe besides simply grinding the beans. There are different techniques for storing the coffee, measuring the grounds. The type of coffee maker and water you use can also mean the difference between so-so and simply delicious.

With a growing number of websites offering coffee machines at increasingly affordable prices, buying a coffee machine online can be a great way to save time and money. But there are a few golden rules you should follow when purchasing your machine, and these should help you find the best machine for your business.

When shopping for a commercial espresso machine, it’s important to do your research. There are so many types of coffee machine out there that it can seem like a daunting task trying to figure out just which one is right for you. But you should take the time to look through your options: read the specifications for the different coffee makers and make sure that you think not just about the basic features of the different coffee makers, but also the extras that the different machines are fitted with.

Check installation and warranty information. Most coffee machines should come with an instruction manual, however some also include installation in the price of the machine, having someone come out and install the machine for you can save time and hassle, particularly if you are buying a complex machine. Also make sure that the machine you buy has a decent warranty It is likely to be an expensive piece of equipment, so it is important that you are covered if anything goes wrong.

Follow these basic rules and you will be well on the way to finding the ideal commercial coffee equipment. Good luck!

Solid piece and great service!

A great buy for beginners, a solid machine. Great service from Nick and super fast shipping! We’ll definitely come back here for an upgrade later on.

Outstanding Machine (But Takes Practice)

This is my first manual espresso machine after starting with a cheap full auto and later upgrading to a semi-auto BES870XL. I love the sheer amount of control that I have over my shots, from the pressure the machine brews at to the amount of water that goes into the shot (more so with a double), pre-infusion time, and flow of the steam coming out of the wand. It takes a lot of time getting dialed in right to produce a good shot, and I am still working on my technique, though it has improved greatly in the past few weeks that I've had this machine.

Out of the box:
I'll start with the most disappointing thing for anyone who reads this: The tamper this machine comes with is a cheap, flimsy, plastic 48mm disc that doesn't even cover the surface area of your 49mm portafilter. If you don't have one already, save yourself the extra wait and get yourself a nice, heavy 49mm tamper when you buy this (I got a solid stainless tamper by Silmur and it's perfect) and throw the plastic one into the trash upon arrival.
Now for the good: Everything was well-packaged in molded styrofoam to minimize the chance of impact damage. Everything came out looking shiny and beautiful with no damage. Assembly was pretty straightforward, and the owner's manual gives you just enough information to get started. Disclaimer: the manual does not tell the user how to adjust the pressurestat if you find that your machine is not in the right zone out of the box, or if you really want to fine-tune your extraction. But fear not: simple but tedious pressurestat adjustments are a quick Google/YouTube search away (butter knife and small ratchet with phillips and flat head bits to get the job done not included).

Brewing with this bad boy requires a ton of patience. If you're new to manuals, do not expect to pull amazing shots right away. Even semi-autos have their nuances, though not nearly as many. First, make sure that you can see the meniscus (that bottom line at the top of your water) in the sight glass. This will ensure that your boiler is neither under nor overfilled. It doesn't take long to heat up and get to pressure. Once it's ready to go, the rest is up to you (take lots of notes; it helps!). After a few weeks of active use, I've just about gotten it down (until I get different beans, that is). The steam wand is another well-designed piece of this machine, and produces the silkiest microfoam I have ever made. You control the output, and it is immediate steam on demand. Do let some out to get the wand up to temp and avoid it shooting straight hot water into your pitcher before frothing it up. Back to brewing: It does seem to run a bit hot, and I've read that the general consensus is that the ideal brewing temperature is right when it gets up to pressure, and then after that the user should to apply a cold cloth to the groupset to keep temperatures down and avoid burnt shots. I'll start following that advice and see how my extraction improves.

I've been having a ton of fun with this machine, and don't think I could ever go back to anything short of a manual espresso machine after this experience. It's definitely one of my favorite additions to my coffee-making collection, and I'll probably love it even more when I finally do pull that perfect shot.