Another integral step in producing high-quality espresso is selecting the right equipment.  Although a cafe might use a high-quality espresso blend (such as our own Malabar Gold) and train its baristas well, the purchase of the wrong machine and/or grinder may doom it to producing sub-standard espresso.

Some key issues for a cafe owner to understand:

• The difference between single- and double-boiler design (for espresso machines)
• The implications of favoring one espresso machine design over the other
• The need to reconfigure an espresso machine as the default settings will typically emphasize speed over quality
• The important role the grinder plays in the production of high-quality espresso

Here’s what we’ve published on espresso machines and grinders:

• Why We Favor “Double-Boiler” Espresso Machines
• Is Your Machine Configured for Quality? Or for Speed?
• One Machine Isn’t Cool. You Know What’s Cool? Two Machines!!
• The Case for Naked Portafilters
• Machine Maintenance: Five Daily and Five Monthly/Quarterly Tasks