So you’ve been into a café business. You’ve brought an espresso machine for that purpose. After some time customers pile up and eventually, you found that your espresso machine isn’t enough for the job already. So you might think, how about adding another machine or perhaps an upgrade to the old one? Well, it surely becomes a necessity at times. For that, here are some of the best commercial espresso machines that can fit the bill.
Pasquini Livia 90
So got yourself a small café by the street corner. And you found that bigger espresso machine is expensive and might even more than what you need. For that, the Livia 90 with its 1.5 Liter dual heat exchange boiler will suit your needs. These dual boilers works perfectly as it allows for simultaneous brewing and steaming, cutting preparation time in half. And it comes with a solid stainless steel construction that guarantees many years of excellent service, a good thing for your business. With pump pressure boasting a solid 15 BAR pressure, it provides optimal level for perfect extraction every time. Also, it has a 3-way solenoid valve which instantly relieves the pressure in the group heap making cleanup easier after the day is done.
Features
One-touch Control, Programmable Automatic Brewing
With just a push of a button on the Livia 90, you can choose either a single or double shot of espresso. Once you select the cup size amount you want, the Livia 90 Automatic will brew a rich, aromatic cup of espresso, just the way you asked for it. You can also program the button to bring you your favorite style of espresso, every time. Want even more? You can brew any size coffee on the Livia 90 by switching on the manual override feature.
Simple to use and easy to read controls make brewing with the Livia 90 a joy. Heavy-duty rocker switches and two attractive indictor lights are conveniently located on the front of the machine. One flip of a switch gives you the green light and the power is on.
The orange light lets you know the boiler is heating. In addition to these simple controls, a pressure gauge, just below the control panel, signals when optimum pressure for brewing has been reached. A gauge on the front of the machine monitors the pressure in the boiler and indicates when the machine is at the optimum pressure for brewing espresso or frothing milk. It also aids in making adjustments to the boiler pressure if needed.
Frothing Milk & Dispensing Hot Water
The Livia 90 provides great steamed milk, without waiting for the brewing cycle to finish. A chrome plated brass steam pipe on the left side of the machine brings the steam down to the frothing tip. You have two tips to choose from, a more traditional commercial tip of stainless steel and a second tip made of Teflon. This second tip is a froth enhancer for making no nonsense foam. Small holes on the side of the tip draw in air and direct it to the milk. Instantly you’ll have foamed milk for any number of lattes or cappuccinos.
A turn of the knob located conveniently on the right, and hot water is yours, instantly. It’s great for tea or hot chocolate or adding a dash of hot water to an espresso for a Café Americano.
Rugged Portafilter
The Livia 90, heavy-duty, hardworking portafilter is made of chrome plated, cast brass. The comfortable grip is rugged molded plastic for easy handling and insulation.
3.5 Liter Water Tank
The large capacity, fully removable water tank makes volume coffee production easy. Perfect for coffee bars or restaurants, this tank doesn’t require constant refilling. The tank can be filled while it is operating or pulled out and taken to a faucet. For added protection for pump and boiler, it features a built-in particulate filter to stop damaging bits from going through the system.
Brawny Pump System
The stronger the pump, the better and stronger the espresso. This powerful pump provides steady, continuous pressure to produce full flavor extraction and a thick espresso crema.
Resilient Electrical System
Tailored for heavy use, the Livia 90 can be left on all day, due to its power supply and stable electrical system. The machine is always ready to brew espresso or steam milk. The system heats up the boiler in less than 8 minutes from morning’s first power-up and then it’s good to go all day long.
Removable Cup Tray, Drip Pan and Cup Warming
Both the polished steel cup tray and the sturdy plastic drip tray are easy to remove and clean. Proper heat is essential to a good cup of espresso and the Livia 90 has included a stainless steel warming plate, located on the top of the espresso machine, to make sure the espresso doesn’t lose temperature a cold cup.
1.5 Liter 1200 Watt Copper & Brass Boiler
Who wants to wait for an espresso? No one! With one of the biggest boilers for a machine this size, this commercial espresso machine has no problem making espresso and steaming milk at the speed or in the quantities you desire. It features rapid heating and recovery as well. To insure long life and protection against overheating and burnout, the boiler is equipped with a safety feature called Auto-Refill. This system keeps an eye on the water level in the boiler and when the level falls below a certain point, the computer controlled water level system automatically adds more water. If the machine should run out of water and the Auto Fill system was unable to refill the boiler, the computer will automatically turn the machine off to prevent overheating and damage to the heating element. What’s more the Livia boiler features an over pressure relief valve, which serves as a backup to the boiler pressure regulating system.
Pros
This automatic espresso machine is compact, attractive, reliable, competent machine. Constructed to last for year of regular service, the Livia 90 is built with heavy gauge metal, anti-rust and corrosion protected frame with an exterior housing of polished, stainless steel.
Cons
This may sound a bit biased but, there seems to be no bad apple on this one. But, just like other machine, if not handled and operated properly, the machine would not last as it is expected it to be.
Pasquini Livia 90 Automatic Espresso Machine Tips
In order to keep the inside of your machine healthy; it must be periodically cleaned. Scale buildup from naturally occurring minerals in your water can build up on sensitive components like the inside of the boiler, which left unchecked can cause considerable damage to the machine. By descaling your machine every two-three months, your machine will be trouble-free for years. Espresso machine cleaner can be purchased from us or by calling the support number in your user guide.
It is recommended that you perform a “back-flush” of the brew system. This removes buildup of coffee residue in the grouphead (part of the machine where you insert the portafilter and coffee basket). Your Livia comes with detailed instructions that describe the procedures for maintaining your machine. Toll free technical support is also available Monday through Friday should you need further assistance.
If Pasquina Livia 90 doesn’t appeal to you, here are some commercial espresso machines that you might find interesting:
La Pavoni BAR-STAR 2V-R – 2-Group
For starters, this machine looks like a perfect piece to decorate your café. It’s elegant, it’s simple, and it’s wonderful. But it does not stop with the looks. Features-wise, this machine is an NSF/CSA-certified 2-group commercial espresso machine. For added ease of use, it has a digital control pad to cater for the controls. These minute alterations are then analyzed by a microprocessor for extra precision. Electronic programmable dosing is among the things you can fiddle with in this machine. Also, it has an energy-saving power switch to limit power usage after the machine is idle for a specified time. You don’t have to worry about running into multiple orders at once as this machine has 14-liter copper boiler which is enough for dozens of shots. It comes with a manual reset thermostat with auto shut-off for added safety. It has a warming tray for extra heat. It has 2 steam wands, a hot-water button with 12-liter water softener for a total package.
Grindmaster-Cecilware ESP2-220V Venezia II
This machine is a good enough for commercial purposes. It can work in auto or semi-automatic mode, can make single or double espresso for 1 or 2 cups at a time. It comes with a touch pad control panel for easier control. It comes with double gauge for its boiler and pump pressure keeping you informed of its performance. Also, that double gauge pressure can be controlled as well. As it was designed for commercial use, you would think that this machine would take a very huge space. Fortunately, it doesn’t. With dimensions of 28 3/8, 21 9/16 and 21 1/2 inches for its width, depth and height respectively, it’s actually smaller for the features it packs.
La Pavoni PUB 1EM-R
First off, this machine is portable enough, weighing only at 65 lbs. This makes it a perfect solution even for caterers. It has a manual dosing of espresso coffee. It comes with a huge water boiler with capacity of around 2.5 liters. It’s also good to know that it comes with groups which are made with press-forged brass and chrome plated. Then, it has a vertical infusion chamber and pressurization system which helps in eliminating group dripping for extra cleaner brewing station. It has an Internal Ulka electric pump. To achieve better, overall thermal stability, this machine has independent radiator hydraulic system for every group for that extra consistent water circulation throughout the boiler. It comes with mounted gauge to monitor boiler pressure as well.
Nuova Simonelli MAPPIA5VOL03ND001
This is a 3-group espresso machine that can cater for some extra tough jobs. While the overall machine shows an exceptionally high quality, it has a very reasonable price. To cater for the barista’s needs, this machine was designed with wide visual field which makes it easy to see the group head and espresso pour from almost any angle. It also has a “push/pull” steam levers which are intuitive and ergonomic. The group head of this machine also holds the portafilter at a slightly declined angle thus it fits the hand and angle of the wrist more naturally for easier access. It as well comes with soft engaging system which makes engaging and removing of the portafilter easier than your average machine. It also features a thermo-compensated group head and the patented Soft Infusion System which delays full water pressure during extraction thus reducing channeling and cracking of the coffee cake for an extra thorough and consistent extraction every time. With its 15-liter boiler capacity, it ensures plenty of performance and productivity, a fitting machine for commercial purpose.
Strong Classic Lever 2 Group Espresso Machine
If you want something classic and durable, this might fit your needs. It starts with its handmade solid Italian walnut steam handles and coffee group handles. It looks nice and works like a charm. But this beast is all capable of catering some serious café business with its 14 liter solid stainless boiler. Although it may look classic, it has some modern touch through its red LED light cup illumination and rear LED light panel. The thing about manual espresso machines is that, the honor of creating perfect espresso will be for the barista, making the experience something memorable. It’s low maintenance and has a hand stitched Italian leather-wrapped lever pull handles for a perfect classic feel. Further, as this machine is not mass produced, you can be sure that high level of workmanship was put into it.
Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso Machine
The beauty of this Breville machine starts with its construction and design. With stainless steel that surrounds it, it sure is a very durable partner for years to come. And the design approach looks very straightforward with easy-to-the-eyes placemen t of controls. This is an automatic machine that caters all your needs with an easy and simple process. It can automatically grind, dose & tamp the required amount of coffee for that mess-free with barista-quality espresso making. It comes with programmable, hands-free milk texturing with automatic purge to come up with perfect results every time. It has dual stainless steel boilers & dual Italian pumps for that precise temperature ranges. If that’s not enough, it has a one touch Americano setting that delivers water directly into the cup after extraction. This machine has 3 preset & 6 customizable settings to have all the bases covered. Further, it has programmable shot temperature which ranges from 190 Degree to 205 Degree F. For an even more accurate result, the boilers can be descaled by users so the taste can have as little affecting elements.
Nuova Simonelli Aurelia II Digital 4 Group Espresso Machine
A four group setting may sound absurd but then, if you are catering more than average number of customers each day, you really need a bigger gun. For this, Nuova Simonelli has the answer. With its 4-group set up, you can literally create 4 different espresso servings at a time. And all 4 groups have their individual temperature controlled by display with unprecedented accuracy regardless of the workload or environmental conditions that applies, all in real time. It sports multiple safety and comfort features with great number of ergonomics like having an evenly lit work surface. It also has the back angled so you can check at a glance on the coffee coming from the spout while the LED light by the steam nozzles are capable of illuminating the interior of the milk jug. All in all, this semi-automatic machine can bring out the best from every barista for both commercial and home purposes.
Elektra ART.T1 T1
This machine has a semi-automatic approach in espresso making. Some folks actually prefer this so they can easily incorporate their own unique style to their creation. This beautiful masterpiece of machinery is made from ultra-polished stainless steel finish. It comes with commercial-grade steel frame for extra durability. For lesser noise, it comes with a motor with positive, rotary vane, displacement pump for vibration-damping fastening. It has an electronic level control system which controls the water level in the boiler to make sure the heating element is fully submerged for that added heat accuracy. For added convenience, it features a patented heat exchanger which is accessible from the top of the boiler for easier inspection and cleaning when you need it.