Commercial Coffee Machines

Commercial coffee machines are capable of delivering high volumes of coffee and are specially designed for the hospitality industry. They’re typically much larger, can hold more water and can steam higher volumes of milk than domestic models. Some models also come with multiple group heads for higher espresso turnover.

Espresso machines use pressure and hot water to extract the perfect cup of espresso. You start by dosing your ground coffee into the portafilter and tamping it down. The portafilter is then locked into place, and water is forced through the grounds, passing through the portafilter into your cup or glass.

There are multiple models of coffee machines, each operating slightly differently. Depending on the needs of your establishment, you can consider choosing from automatic, semi-automatic or manual models. Many of the larger options also come with a steam wand, allowing you to texture milk and create the perfect amount of foam for espresso-based drinks, from cappuccinos to lattes.

The lifespan of your coffee machine can vary depending on the model, how frequently it’s used and how well you maintain it. With proper care and maintenance, they can last up to 10 years.

As with any appliance that uses water, we recommend only using filtered water. This is especially important if you’re located outside metro areas and have hard water, as this can increase the amount of mineral buildup in your machine. Not only does this impact the flavour of your coffee over time, but it also results in more cleaning and, in many cases, voids your warranty.

Water filtration systems like those from Coast are a good investment for everything from your coffee machine to ice machines.

We stock three main types. Espresso machines, available in automatic, semi-automatic and manual formats, are the mainstay of any cafe or bar serving espresso-based drinks. Pour-over coffee brewers are a separate option, brewing filter coffee by the jug rather than by the shot and often coming complete with pot warmers, making them a simple and intuitive choice for offices, function rooms and breakfast service. Bean-to-cup and other automatic coffee machines grind, dose and brew at the press of a button, so they suit self-serve settings and venues without a trained barista.

Super-automatic models, including bean-to-cup machines, streamline and manage the entire brewing process. Aside from dosing and tamping the coffee, all you need to do is press a button. The machine will then pass through a set volume of water, stopping the flow when it’s done.

Semi-automatic models don’t have an automatic shutoff, allowing baristas to choose how long or short the shot should be. This puts more control in the users hands but also requires more supervision.

When you order a coffee machine, you’ll get a user manual included. This will typically include information regarding common issues that you can easily troubleshoot yourself. If you have any issues that you can’t fix, you may need to contact the manufacturer for more information.

Choosing the best commercial coffee maker will depend on your needs and how you want to use it. One of the first considerations is the capacity you’ll need. The volume of coffee you need to produce to meet demand will vary depending on whether you’re a small or large business, and the water capacity will need to match accordingly.

We stock a range of sizes, with models that have boilers that can hold anywhere from 2 to 15 litres of water. Getting the right capacity means you can reduce the frequency with which you need to refill it.

To increase the number of coffees you can make at one time, you may also want to consider models with multiple group heads. We stock multiple models, ranging from a single group head to double and triple group head options.

Along with choosing the right machine, pairing it with the perfect accessories can be the key difference in achieving that perfectly brewed cup of coffee. To achieve the perfect texture, coffee grinders give you greater control over how finely ground your coffee is. You may also want to consider jug and cup rinsers, which allow you to rinse your milk jug more quickly between steaming sessions. This is especially important when you’re switching between dairy milk and plant-based milk.

Cleaning your commercial coffee machine regularly not only ensures you’re delivering exceptionally good coffee, but also helps to increase your machine’s lifespan. There are some cleaning practices you need to complete daily, while others are maintenance jobs you’ll want to do every one to three months.

Each day, you should clean the steam wand and purge it to remove any residue. You should also disassemble the portafilter and wash the baskets and empty the drip tray.

Weekly maintenance should include backflushing the group heads. Using a specialty cleaning solution will help break down any oils left over from the coffee and keep your machine running more smoothly.

Each month, wash and sterilise your portafilters and baskets with a cleaning solution to remove any stubborn residue and oil. If you’re using filtered water, you may not notice mineral build-up as often, but ensure you’re checking for scale and use a descaling solution if needed.

You should also maintain the hardware, checking for any wear and tear. If anything is wearing down, you may need to get your machine serviced, which will save you in the long run by reducing the chances of anything fully breaking.

Commercial coffee machines, despite keeping water hot consistently, are generally low-cost to run. They’re more efficient than boiling a kettle for coffee in the workplace, and if you’re in a commercial setting, they’re also more efficient at keeping a steady flow of fresh, delicious coffee.

Depending on the model you choose, the hours it runs for and how many Watts it requires to run, your commercial coffee machine will typically range from a few dollars up to around $20 per day.