Which equipment companies are best?

[Jitterbeanz]

I am new to this trade and looking to start my own coffee shop. I have seen many different equipment companies online, but I'm not sure which companies I should actually consider purchasing. I was looking for advice one different equipment that you all have used and would recommend to others and do you recommend looking at used or new.
thank you all and have a great day.

 

[NicolettiCoffee]

For American Coffee I have always used Bunn and they have good stuff and decent service with ok pricing.As far as Espresso....there are so many options to go with...I'll say Faema or La Cimbali for Espresso machine and Mazzer for Grinder..That's just my two cents...

 

[Jitterbeanz]

thank you for the advice. I was looking at bunn, and I saw some of the faema equipment but haven't looked at la cimbali yet.

 

[John P]

Fetco is the best for controlled temperature and saturation for drip, and then Curtis. Everyone else is "everyone else".

Faema? La Cimbali? Really?!!?

When it comes to espresso equipment you should think about:

1) Availability of 24/7 maintenance OR your ability to service yourself
2) Quality of machine
3) see #1

The espresso machine is the heart of your operation, you can't afford to have it go down without a backup or a great tech at the ready.

For espresso, LaMarzzocco would be tops on double boiler machines, and the best overall machine in terms of quality, temperature stability, consistency, and national parts/service availability with Nuova Simonelli the top HX machine.

If you do your own maintenance, then you can start to think about other high-end machines such as Synesso and Mistral.

No serious shop or coffee enthusiast would ever consider La Cimbali, and other than a true throwback E-61 for nostalgia's sake, Faema is woefully unstable in temperature repeatability with fluctuations as much as 14 degrees F intershot. Those are simply not good machines.

 

[chast]

For Espresso machines and Fetco give Chris's Coffee a call in Albany NY or visit their website. No one touches their quality customer service on the east coast as they do. Seattle Coffee Gear on the West coast is also excellent. US Roaster Corp in Ok if you are in the market for a new or used roaster.

 

[eldub]

I'm with John...

Find out who services machines in your area and go from there.

For instance, here in Des Moines, there is one company specializing in the service of espresso machines. Anyway, what i've learned is that the company in question can service about any machine on the market, but they only carry an extensive parts supply of one: La Cimbali. That means quicker turn around time on that brand and probably slower service on most any others, if parts must be ordered.

So can you guess which brand we decided to go with?

Good luck.

Scott

 

[DirtyDave]

I'm continually perplexed by roasting companies that are willing to spend more money on their espresso machine and grinder combo
than they are on their roaster.
The investment/profit potential of the two categories don't even come close.
So, what's the justification?
Somebody s'plain me......

 

[Jitterbeanz]

I am gonna spend money on the product as well lol. I just don't want a machine that will break in a month

 

[dstrand]

Whenever your thinking of making a large investment in machinery, whether it's a roaster or espresso machine, your first call should be to your local City Hall, to find out what they require. Once you have their requirements, then your first question for your espresso sales guy should be, "Do you meet these?"

Years ago, we were getting our final inspection before opening our first coffee house. Everything checked out, except the espresso machine. Turns out that even though it was approved by UL, their approval for Los Angeles had lapsed. So, there I was, on the day before we were supposed to open, making calls to all the local espresso machine vendors.

We ended up with a 2-group La Cimballi. It was a beautiful machine, one heck of a workhorse, and was never down a day.

Best of luck with your new venture. Some of my fondest hours were spent behind a coffee bar.

Regards,
Dave S.

 

[CoffeeShockwave]

Have you ever tried using a Nespresso machine? I have the Citiz, which is the upscale model (the Essenza is just as good). I know it's considered cheating, but when you wake up in the morning with a craving, nothing beats brain-dead easy push-button simpleness.

 

[eldub]

Spamming the boards with Nespresso products, eh coffeeshockwave?

 

[CCafe]

Thanks eldub for the plug for my company. As for our extensive parts inventory, its a lot more then just Cimbali. We service just about everything under the sun.

John P I'm a little concerned at why you think Cimbali is such a crap piece of equipment?

For espresso, LaMarzzocco would be tops on double boiler machines, and the best overall machine in terms of quality, temperature stability, consistency, and national parts/service availability with Nuova Simonelli the top HX machine......

No serious shop or coffee enthusiast would ever consider La Cimbali, and other than a true throwback E-61 for nostalgia's sake, Faema is woefully unstable in temperature repeatability with fluctuations as much as 14 degrees F intershot. Those are simply not good machines.

I think the main problem here is the everyone has lost the point of espresso production. Unfortunately through the past few years manufactures have started noticing more and more home users PID'ing their home machines trying to get that .1F temp difference. So now they are all going about adding more electronics more heating elements more more more. This is driving up the price for equipment as well as the cost for repair.

The quest for temperature stability is probably one of the dumbest things I've seen in the last 10 years. I've had espresso from all kinds of machines and I can't tell you the difference between a machine who had a variance of .5F to as much as 15F. The point is people want to be led, and told what is better. So if product A has more bells then product B then obviously A is better. But there lies the real issue at heart, A is not better then B and vice versa.

The average drinker coming to the store wouldn't know they were drinking an espresso made on a $15,000 vs a $4,000 espresso machine. If the average drinker was drinking only espresso they might (and that's a hard might) be able to tell a small difference.

The sad fact about temperature stability is there is no such thing when your hammering out 200 shots an hour for 4 hours straight when the local farmers market is right on your door step. This is the real point of an espresso machine. Who cares about that half a degree! I want the machine to knock hundreds of drinks consecutively without fail and I want it to do that every time. So does the guy who bought it.

Let the connoisseur who thinks having a high priced machine, $20 demitasse's, and $15/lb espresso think he's making the best espresso. Because I know I can go right down the street to several mom and pop shops who have a decent Cimbali, Rancilio or even a Nuova Simonelli and can have a great cup and a awesome experience.

Again I submit this link for those who think there are only certain ways that you can obtain espresso. http://www.coffeeforums.com/forum/c...es/8648-debunking-espresso-machine-myths.html

 

[DirtyDave]

I have to agree with CCafe.
I have watched cafes pump SERIOUS $ into the latest fashion espresso machines, and then not service/clean the roaster they bought for $5000.00.
Makes no sense.
The level of sophistication required to maintain 2 degrees +/- is beyond any device available today.
Most so called pid controlled espresso machines work as an on/off control, and do not proportion voltage to the heating elements any way, not a great difference to a properly set pressure switch (oh bring back those marvelous diaphragm/mercury switch units).
And, the E61 was a Faema, by the way.

 

[shadow745]

Well said CCafe and I totally agree, except for the part "or even a Nuova Simonelli", lmao. I've been able to use a a handful of good-great machines, home models to commercials and can state the Aurelia (made by Nuova Simonelli for those that don't know) can easily keep up with anything I've used yet and does so with good temperature stability and spot on recovery drink after drink after drink. FWIW I really appreciate the ergonomics the Aurelia has over any other machine and it's really easy to work (parts swap, etc) on as well. I have no idea how good Simonelli was in the past, but they must've turned the corner with the Aurelia because it is a good solid machine. Have also heard the same about La Cimbali.

I think the La Marzocco lovers are just brand loyal, machine stupid or both. They are good machines, but for people to think double boilers is where it's at is idiotic at best.

 

[CCafe]

The thing I've seen about Marzocco that drives me bonkers is that they are expensive to repair. I don't understand why the thermostat for the coffee boiler costs almost $500? Why?

What blows my mind is the fact that Starbucks made a little company called Marzocco in to what it is today. Then they left and people feel that Marzocco is still top of the world yet I can walk in to several coffee shops today and not see a single piece of that legacy. I do see all the other brands. So I have to agree with you that its just brand loyalty at this point and pure name recognition.