Hello guys,

I have a small ice cream and pastry shop and I'd like to add an espresso machine. The local Public Health Department requires a floor sink for the coffee machines and they also have to to be connected directly to the building plumbing, and I don't want to break the floor again etc since I recently opened and the last thing I wanna do is dealing again with permits, contractors etc, and I don't even have a 220V outlet where I'd like to place it.

For all the above reasons, I'd like to know if there is some small coffee machine (home/office style) that is NSF approved, 110V and that it can be filled manually. I don't need something professional, this is more like a test and if I see that I really do sell a lot of coffee then I'll go for a proper espresso machine, but right now I only need something simple, small, not too expensive and NSF approved.

Thanks a lot!

EDIT: I was doing some research, what about the Nuova Simonelli Oscar II? To me it looks like it should be fine, what do you guys think?

Ale88 wrote:...I'd like to know if there is some small coffee machine (home/office style) that is NSF approved, 110V and that it can be filled manually.

The La Spaziale S1 Mini Vivaldi II qualifies. A friend of mine and local cafe owner uses one for catering.

La Marzocco Linea Mini

https://clivecoffee.com/products/la-mar ... so-machine

La Marzocco GS3

https://clivecoffee.com/products/la-mar ... -automatic

Don't forget a grinder or two if you do decaf, plus all the other accessory items needed. You also may be heading into a catch 22. Buying a cheap machine (probably not NSF approved) will probably not be satisfactory for your intended use. You may want to consider leasing equipment from your local coffee supplier.

Rancilio classe 5 ST1 would work. I had its predecessor Epoca ST1 and found it to be a great machine, although the water tank could be larger.

First of all, thank you so much for all the answers!

baldheadracing wrote:Nuova Simonelli Oscar II

La Marzocco Linea Mini or GS/3 if you want to spend more.

Nuova Simonelli Oscar II is exactly what I was looking for, I discovered it shortly after posting on the forum

The other model is too expensive at the moment.

HB wrote:The La Spaziale S1 Mini Vivaldi II qualifies. A friend of mine and local cafe owner uses one for catering.

This is another good option, which one would you guys suggest between La Spaziale and Nuova Simonelli?

baristainzmking wrote:La Marzocco Linea Mini

https://clivecoffee.com/products/la-mar ... so-machine

La Marzocco GS3

https://clivecoffee.com/products/la-mar ... -automatic

Unfortunately both are too expensive.

chipman wrote:Don't forget a grinder or two if you do decaf, plus all the other accessory items needed.

Besides the grinder, what are the other must have accessories?

You also may be heading into a catch 22. Buying a cheap machine (probably not NSF approved) will probably not be satisfactory for your intended use. You may want to consider leasing equipment from your local coffee supplier.

I'm already in touch with a local coffee supplier but they only have big commercial machines, and all of them require a floor sink and 220V outlet. Our main focus is gelato and pastry, the space is pretty limited, so coffee is just something to make some extra bucks, it's not our main product, especially because on our street there already are tons of coffee shops

Jasper_8137 wrote:Rancilio classe 5 ST1 would work. I had its predecessor Epoca ST1 and found it to be a great machine, although the water tank could be larger.

I was taking a look at the spec sheet but I don't see any reference about being NSF approved.

Ale88 wrote:I was taking a look at the spec sheet but I don't see any reference about being NSF approved.

The spec sheet does not mention it but a question was posted on the Seattle Coffee Gear site with the response that it is NSF approved. You'd have to call though to be sure.

Jasper_8137 wrote: The spec sheet does not mention it but a question was posted on the Seattle Coffee Gear site with the response that it is NSF approved. You'd have to call though to be sure.

In that case it's better if I send an email, I need some written proof because here in LA the inspectors are crazy... They even asked me if the cutting boards I have in the shop were shown in the original plans drawn by the architect, the cutting boards... Why not also all the spoons and the cups at that point