SuperTrooper00 Junior Member Joined: 6 Mar 2013 Posts: 2 Location: Southern California Expertise: Just starting
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 10:51am Subject: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
Hi all, I am so sorry to say that I know very little about Espresso machines or coffee in general. However, I am tasked with helping my church buy a new Espresso machine for our cafe. I would LOVE to get some help from some of you if I could. Here is some info that I do know: - We only use the machine 2 days a week - We make between 30-50 shots each time we are open (60-100 a week) - We have a Eureka MDMCA Grinder (is that a good one?) - We are looking for the best bang for our buck, but will spend whatever we need to spend in order to get a great machine. Probably would prefer to stay in the $1,500-$4,000 range. - The guy who services our machine (that just went bad), has a "barely used" Mr. Espresso Faema Smart Machine he is selling for $2,900. That was his recommendation as he said its a great deal for that machine. I will try and attach a pic of it at the bottom of this post. He is also selling a new L'Anna Auto 2-group (E-61) for $4,227. - Another person recommended we buy the Breville Dual Boiler for $1200 as they believed that would suffice for our needs.
Please give any help and advice you can as I am walking blind here. Thank you for your help.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 500 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 11:16am Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
I would jump all over that Faema, 1st it's a two group machine = speed, 2nd nice price, and 3rd it's...well, a Faema lol. You'll have the stability and speed in that machine. I know a few Breville Dual Boiler owners, 3 now actually, and one has two of them with one being in his office. Pulls 10-20 shots easily for employees daily if not more. However your talking 30-50 shots at a time, whether in a row or not, the Faema is gonna kick ass there.
No idea about that grinder though, I'm sure someone will know. But remember to get fresh roasted beans, plenty of good roasters will do a bulk order for you for that amount of servings. No fresh beans and you won't be pulling good shots at all, but with them I'm sure your peeps attending will be amazed by fresh shots lol.
Two pounds usually gets me around 60 shots at about 16g a shot, there are places that will do 5lb orders (should be fine for your needs) for you a week fresh for around $50 inc shipping, Red Bird is one offhand http://www.redbirdcoffee.com/redbirdespresso.html
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,698 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 11:56am Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
yes, Faema is a very well known, well established and respected brand. In fact, they invented the E61 group (think Espresso 1961 - the year it was introduced to the market).
I would certainly rather have a commercial two group machine than a Breville DB, especially if I was planning to prepare 30-50 drinks a day.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 500 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 12:19pm Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
Yeh my buddy pry pushes the limit of the BDB in his office, no comparison to a commercial two group machine. That beast will have excellent stability and speed for shot after shot after shot, and if your doing 30-50 shots a pop if not more (never know) having two groups will be a massive difference in speed especially if one right after another, forget regular, no prosumer machine is going to keep up with a two group commercial.
JPF Senior Member Joined: 3 Jun 2010 Posts: 207 Location: NJ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Mini Vivaldi, Pre-millenium... Grinder: Dosered SJ, Resurrected... Vac Pot: Yama Siphon Drip: Technivorm Roaster: Behmor, Poppery I
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 1:09pm Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
I think the magic words here are that it's from the "guy who services your machine". The BDB can't be serviced (except by sending it back to Breville). Sooner or later you'll need something fixed, and your guy will obviously work on this machine.
coffeestig Junior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2013 Posts: 60 Location: Charlotte Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quick Mill QM67 Grinder: Mazzer Mini Electronic... Drip: French Press
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 1:19pm Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
If you don't buy the Faema please inbox me so I can buy it. Also, if your service guy is familiar with it and recommends it... you're nuts if you don't buy it.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,652 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 2:37pm Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
The BDB is a home consumer product at best, it is NOT certified for use in a commercial environment. Take the advice of your service tech, having service is much more important than the brand of the machine. You need someone who knows the machine and can be there in a flash at the top of a customer rush. Phoning customer service half way around the world then waiting on hold isn't going to help you. The Smart is a $6.5K machine. Automatic espresso machine. This means it has volumetric dosing. You program it once then every time you push the dosing button, you get exactly the same volume of water for your shots. You still need to grind, dose, tamp lock the PF yourself, this is NOT a Superautomatic which does everything for you and has lower quality drinks. A two group commercial machine is light years better than a BDB and will out live it by decades in a commercial environment. YMMV!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,652 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 2:43pm Subject: Re: Espresso Machine for Semi-Commercial Use
OH, BTW, I am pretty sure that Mr Espresso is the name of the retailer/importer that sold the machine, it was made by Faema, a top tier maker of espresso machines. It is common to have one makers machines with several different "badges" or names on it.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
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