is there a way or system of testing out commercial espresso machines without having to spend a significant amount of money first. i know that there are plenty of posts about all different machine on here but you never know until youve tested them yourself. i currently work on a faema e61 jubile 2 group and i love it, but i plan on starting a shop of my own at some point and i would like to try more than what i have experience with. i love the old school aesthetic of the jubile/ legend and the elektra epoque appeals to me too but i havent heard much about its quality as a commercial machine. any suggestions of machines or anywhere that i could try them out would be awesome thanks.

Living in CT, you aren't too far from Albany, NY or Manalapan, NJ, where you would likely be able to try out the commercial machines at Chris Coffee and 1st-Line, respectively, if you ask nicely (both of their websites state that they are available by appointment).

But why get rid of the E61? A barista at Abraco in NYC told me that the best shot he has ever made in his life was from an E61. The downside, however, was that he said that the group would overheat under heavy commercial use. I guess I just answered my own question. If you go to some of the better cafes in NYC (or anywhere) you will see an abundance of La Marzocco, Synesso, and a single Slayer machine.

Good luck (and PM me if you open a place in the area)!

thanks for the advice. im only 19 but in the last 6 months have really gotten into the barista culture and although i still am struggling to understand the depth and more scientific aspects, i am very interested in pursuing a career in coffee. i have no problem sticking with the e61 which i really enjoy using and ive never had a problem with it overheating with the amount of use it gets. id just like to try several other machines, just for some perspective on the differences in design and function. i dont wanna be the guy that only ever used one set up simply for lack of familiarity with any other products.

The E61 Jubilee is one of the elite current machines. I've had about a dozen shots from it, and like the NS Aurelia, it seems it's impossible to pull a lousy shot if you are half way competent. The LMs and Synessos pull a lot more terrible shots, but also, on occasion, more memorable ones. The Slayer seems to be in this group, although I've only seen it once. The current Elektra line also produces very consistent, excellent shots.

Quite honestly, it's hard to tell whether the other major brands - Astoria, Bezzera, Brasilia, Cimbali, Gaggia, Rancilio, etc produce as good shots. These machines tend not to be found at the top US cafes, only the lower end ones. This means the people using them have fewer skills and use poorer coffees. This skew in elite US machines has less to do with head to head trials and more to do with which distributors are aggressive in pursuing the top end market. For instance, Cimbali is regarded as the elite brand in Italy, but makes no effort to tune their machines for the enthusiast market here.

If I were contemplating opening a cafe, I would definitely get my coffee and equipment from people with a reputation for great service who cater to the top end enthusiast market, regardless of the brands they are selling. You're going to have enough clueless and AWOL people to deal with; at least make sure your suppliers are available and knowledgeable.

Samuel,

Even though you are only 19, I will assume you have access to the capital needed to open a coffee bar and keep it going until it is profitable.

Let me suggest that you may be looking at this through the wrong end of the telescope, falling in love with an espresso machine and trying to build a business around it. That is a common hobbyist's view.

Your choice of espresso machine should actually be one of your last decisions and may depend on which brands have the best local service or which ones your roaster will lease to you at a subsidized rate. Let me also suggest you look at a professional barista website, where the participants have been down the road you are looking at: http://www.baristaexchange.com/.

Good luck!

i was actually looking at it as a way to broaden my knowledge of other equipment. i do love the machine i work with but i wouldnt ever consider running out and starting a shop without familiarizing myself with the other options. there are so many machines with excellent reputations before i settle on one which i have had a positive experience with id like to see more, or at least here the opinions of those who have worked on them.

the money is a totally different story haha...

Here's hoping you know about these guys - and, to boot, they're in Connecticut - http://www.faemasource.com/