Editorial TeamTable of Contents
- 1 Top 5 Best Commercial Espresso Machines For Small Coffee Shops
- 1.1 #1 Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine – Best for Lightweight
- 1.2 #2 Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine – B00H1OUSD2 – Best for Various in Version
- 1.3 #3 Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine – Best Price
- 1.4 #4 Breville BES990BSS Automatic Espresso Machine – Best Overall
- 1.5 #5 Nuova Simonelli Espresso Machine MMUSICALUX01 – Best for Appearance and Functionality:
- 2 Buying Guide
- 3 What you need to know before purchasing an espresso maker?
- 4 Frequently-Asked Questions
- 5 Conclusion
Are you seeking the right commercial espresso machines for your small operation?
We have here the buying guide and the list of the 5 best commercial espresso machines for small coffee shops that meet all small coffee owners’ needs regarding durability and portability. To avoid wasting time, we suggest you consult this list so you can keep your small business growing.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Top 5 Best Commercial Espresso Machines For Small Coffee Shops
| Product Name | Image | Features | |
| 1 Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine |  |
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| 2 Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine – B00H1OUSD2 |  |
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| 3 Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine |  |
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View on Amazon |
| 4 Breville BES990BSS Automatic Espresso Machine |  |
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View on Amazon |
| 5 Nuova Simonelli Espresso Machine MMUSICALUX01 |  |
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View on Amazon |
#1 Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine – Best for Lightweight
We would like to open up this list by introducing this Breville Infuser Espresso Machine. It is the most lightweight coffee maker model on this list, meeting every small coffee shop’s demand: portability.
The item weight is 17 pounds, and the accurate dimensions are 13.7 x 11.5 x 13.2 inches. These measurements make this model become a good choice not only for small coffee shops but also for home coffee making.
This coffee-making set includes single and double divider channel bins, espresso scoop, stainless steel container, cleaning circle and tablets, cleaning tools, and water filter with holder.
The small and lightweight size has nothing to do with its power; it features a 1650 watt element for high-pressure steam and quicker heat up to generate microfoam – essential for a café quality taste and making latte art.
The digital temperature control (PID)- the most widely-used control system – can deliver water precisely the right temperature you want. The generous reservoir capacity can hold up to approximately 2.1 quarts, nearly equal to a big model.
Our only complaint about this machine is its warranty. It has only one year warranty, a rather short period for coffee machines. And the only way to fix it is to buy an extended appliance warranty.
All-in-all, this machine is the best choice if you are finding a lightweight and functional coffee maker.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Reasonable price
- High power
Con:
- Short warranty time
#2 Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine – B00H1OUSD2 – Best for Various in Version
Following is the model from Rancilio Silvia. It is a good option if you have a little extra to spend.
What we love is that this Rancilio has in total 3 versions of design and polish: silver, stainless steel, and updated black, so you can easily choose what fits your coffee counter and your coffee shop decor the best.
This machine is using a commercial-grade bunch head for imminent warmth dependability and extraction quality. With this commercial-grade group, you don’t need to consider getting the PID (digital temperature control) add-on for the machine because it’s a pretty good system, and you can get a cup of great coffee with it.
We want to emphasize that the espresso and crema quality made with the abysmal filter on this machine has far surpassed our expectations: rich and full of flavor, silky and velvety mouthfeel.
If you buy it, we recommend you also purchase an extra heavy tamper and a stainless steel milk frothing cup to praise your buy. The milk frothing pitcher encourages you to appropriately measure out and steam the correct amount of milk.
After analyzing, we found this model to be a bit more expensive than the Breville one, but it has the most reasonable price compared with other commercial-grade models.
There is just a minor drawback, this machine needs to use a lot of water when filtering and we haven’t found out the reason.
Pros:
- More designing options
- Be able to make thick crema
- Durable
Con:
- Use a lot of water
#3 Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine – Best Price
If you want to save extra bucks for your small business, we highly recommend this espresso machine from Gaggia. It has the best price among all the models reviewed here.
The good price does not imply that this machine has a low quality; it is indeed one of the best entry-level semi-automatic espresso machines available.
The housing is rugged brushed stainless steel, ensuring the new appearance longer. It looks really compact but featuring a big water tank – 2.22 quarts, and that’s enough to make up to 8 cups of espresso!
Although it can function quite similarly to other more expensive models, it uses low wattage, and lower wattage implies lower energy invoices – fewer carbon emissions. It’s good for your business and for the environment as well.
The disadvantage of this RI9380 is that it can heat up after all day use, and there is not much automaticity integrated into this model. But we know that it’s just a semi-automatic espresso machine and are well pleased with what we can get for this price.
Pros:
- Good price
- Compact and classic design
- High reservoir capacity
Con:
- Get heat when used all-day
#4 Breville BES990BSS Automatic Espresso Machine – Best Overall
No surprise that we have another model from Breville due to its great quality. This one is a great choice for you if you have a generous budget and want to invest in a superb model for your operation.
In terms of quality, this BES990BSS model is integrated with great technology. It is an automatic espresso machine, and that makes it incredibly easy to use and clean.
You can enjoy the automation on every stage; simply touch the screen, swipe, select latte, espresso, long black, flat white, etc., and enjoy.
There are 5 pre-programmed and 8 customizable coffee settings, so the barista of all experiences can make an excellent coffee cup in the quickest time! 
It uses a triple heat system: Heat Exchange, espresso boiler with digital temperature control (PID), and Heated Group Head to aid thermal stability for the precise water temperature.
Additionally, Breville is a good brand to choose because it has such great customer service. They would fix whatever is wrong and descale the machine for a flat fee.
And if they can’t fix or can’t return it back in 1 month, they will send you a new one. It is a great advantage to secure your business if something goes wrong.
The price makes it hard for people to fall in love with this machine at first but trust us, it’s totally worth your investment!
Pros:
- High technology
- Impressive customer service
- Easy to use and clean
Con:
- Higher price
#5 Nuova Simonelli Espresso Machine MMUSICALUX01 – Best for Appearance and Functionality:
This machine will be a significant investment, but it will pay for itself over time. We will make it crystal clear why it is a judicious investment in terms of appearance and functionality.
Regarding the appearance, this MMUSICALUX01 is stunningly beautiful because it is built upon the design of the widely praised Oscar model.
It also features a removable water tank, so it will be very easy to clean and refill water. The body construction is fully polished by chrome, bringing a luxurious and durable look to elevate any interior decor.
For the functionality, with the new vacuum-breaker valve, it provides a continuous steam power and synchronous coffee blending.
If you are a coffee lover, you will know that certain espresso blends need different temperatures to make it perfect, and this model can do that.
It features a front-mounted pressure gauge that reads out the steam pressure and allows you to regulate the exact brewing temperature by increasing or lowering the pressure.
This Nuova Simonelli can also be pre-programmed. You can set up the amount of water on the digital LCD menu, and it will automatically stop brewing when it reaches the desired amount. This function is great for a small coffee shop that wants to minimize employee training costs.
To top it off, this model can reduce energy consumption and directly save money for your business because the boiler is wrapped with a half-inch of insulation to reduce heat loss.
There is no room for doubt that it will have a high price with the mentioned great functionality,but you will get exactly what you pay for.
Pros:
- Beautiful appearance
- Multi-functional
- Energy-saving
Con:
- High price
Buying Guide
Manual Espresso Machines:
This method of brewing, also called Piston machines, is favored by the traditionalists. It is an original way to brew espresso, allowing skillful baristas to show off their ability. This model requires users to pump a lever to create the pressure needed to pull a shot. This model is not really suitable for a small coffee business.
Semi-automatic Commercial Espresso Machines
This machine offers a perfect balance between control, convenience, and cost. It uses a manual pump, so the barista is responsible for the beginning and extraction, and the machine will handle everything in between. It features a boiler, portafilter, and a switch to turn on and off.
Automatic (Volumetric) Espresso Machines
This machine is widely used in many small coffee shops because it is automatic, consistent from shot to shot, and easy to operate regardless of skill level. With this machine, even baristas new to the coffee-making game can make a perfect cup of coffee. They just need to set the program and let the machine do the rest.
Super-automatic Commercial Espresso Machines
Simply speaking, this model uses as much automation as possible to produce espresso. You can skip all the steps of grinding, tamping, extracting espresso, and automatically steaming, etc., by only one step: pressing a button! It is the latest model on the market and usually used in high-volume shops or large-scale offices.
What you need to know before purchasing an espresso maker?
1. Durability:
Knowing how much pressure your espresso machine can handle is paramount when you are considering buying one. You can opt for either a professional-grade or a compact and budget-friendly espresso machine. Just don’t buy a cheap one because it usually means chintzy.
2. Grinding Capacity
For a small coffee shop, you should consider a high capacity grinder. There are 2 categories of grinding: built-in and separate grinder. A built-in coffee grinder is the most convenient because it can drop the grinds into the basket without any help.
However, machines with built-in grinders are oftentimes expensive, so if you want to save some extra bucks, you can consult other good separate grinder models.
3. Water Tank Capacity
Water tanks are available in many different sizes. If you are considering buying one for your business, you should opt for one that can hold enough water to make at least 8 cups of espresso.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Q: Do all coffee machines feature a plastic water tank and other plastic water line conduit elements? I’m concerned about potential health impacts.
A: We see many people have the same question about the plastic embedded inside the stainless steel bowl of the portafilter.
To make it crystal clear, it is inserted to avoid the reaction between hot espresso and cold metal so you can not find any model that does not feature this plastic.
Another usage of this plastic is to prevent any splashing from the dual-wall pressurized filter baskets, and from that, the product lifetime remains longer.
Q: Is there any espresso machine with enough space for a normal pottery coffee mug to fit below the spout?
A: Actually, not any single espresso machine can fit a coffee mug or a teacup-sized one under. Because espresso machines are to make coffee and draw espresso art, only shot glasses and steel frothing cups will fit.
Otherwise, if you can choose a model with the arm controller rotating out, you might be able to pour espresso in the cup size of your choice.
Conclusion
An espresso machine is considered the most important and must-have tool of a professional barista. Still there are countless models on the market and hoping to immediately find the one that best suits specific needs could be an illusion.
To save time and efforts for you, we’ve rounded up the 5 best commercial espresso machines for small coffee shops. These candidates are not only portable, durable, and affordable, but they can also create excellent espresso cups with the perfect color, smoothness and unique bitter taste. Hopefully, this article can help you make the best decision.
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