Since the world’s first espresso machine was patented by Angelo Moriondo in 1884, design has come a good distance. Between turning into extra modern and trendy and specializing in controlling espresso extraction, expertise continues to evolve.
All through this development, precision has at all times been a guiding focus – and this continues to be the case. Now greater than ever, espresso outlets and roasters spend money on high-quality, exact espresso machines for plenty of causes.
To search out out extra about precision in espresso machines, I spoke to 3 folks at Levee – a premium espresso machine producer in Turkey. Learn on to study extra.
You might also like our article on how espresso machines work.
How have espresso machines modified through the years?
Over the previous 100 years, espresso machine design has developed tremendously.
Between the late-Eighties and mid-1900s, espresso machine design was significantly extra rudimentary than now. Moriondo’s prototype espresso machine used one boiler to pressure water by way of a espresso puck at round 1.5 bars of stress. A second boiler would then flush the puck and end extraction.
Within the years since, machines have come to function improvements similar to stress launch valves, steam wands, and levers to enhance efficiency. Nevertheless, it wasn’t till 1961 that the primary motorised pump was put in – which actually created the espresso machine as we all know it right this moment.
For the reason that Sixties, we will say that espresso machine engineering has come to give attention to plenty of areas. These embrace boiler expertise, water circulation management, automation, and basic precision in design.
An growing give attention to design
Baris Helvacioglu is the CEO of Levee. He explains how espresso machine design has modified over the previous few years.
“In recent times, the design of espresso machines, in addition to efficiency, has change into the principle focus of producers,” he says. “As an illustration, as an alternative of levers which required a sure degree of power to drag, espresso machines now have a lot smaller and extra environment friendly methods of extracting espresso.
“With rising demand for espresso, cafés and roasters want sturdy but exact espresso machines to make sure their drinks attain a excessive commonplace,” he provides.
Begüm Akpinar is the Chief Monetary Officer at Levee.
“Older espresso machines typically take up more room, and embrace many chrome steel and plastic parts,” she says. “This led some espresso store house owners to put them out of sight.”
As a way to minimise any bodily boundaries between baristas and prospects, espresso store house owners typically positioned espresso machines behind the bar. Nevertheless, this could imply that baristas had their backs to prospects whereas utilizing the machines – impeding each workflow and customer support.
“With extra precision in espresso machine design, they are often made a lot smaller – with out sacrificing on expertise,” she provides. “Furthermore, they’ll look extra elegant, to allow them to be the centrepiece of a espresso store.”
Matching efficiency and design
Pinar Kabakçi is the Gross sales and Advertising Supervisor at Levee. She explains why the design of an espresso machine is so vital.
“Extracting high-quality espresso is an artwork type,” she tells me. “Subsequently, the espresso machine that you simply use additionally must be visually interesting, in addition to with the ability to carry out to a excessive commonplace.”
According to this, Pinar explains that Levee espresso machines had been designed in partnership with Pininfarina, a luxurious Italian car producer, and low provider Helvacıoğlu Kahve.
“The magnetic mechanism for Levee’s handmade wood panels – that are created from Ziricote, black and white ebony, and American black walnut – was impressed by F1 pit-stops,” Baris says. “You may simply take away and reattach inside seconds.
“Together with our companions at Pininfarina, we visited lots of espresso outlets in Turin to watch barista workflow,” he provides. “Even much less skilled baristas can rapidly change into snug utilizing a Levee espresso, and may set and report brewing profiles utilizing one button,” he provides.
How do espresso outlets discover an espresso machine that aligns with their branding?
Advertising is a necessary a part of operating a profitable espresso enterprise, particularly in a customer-facing a part of the availability chain. For espresso outlets, espresso machines have come to play a key function in branding and visible identification.
Furthermore, many espresso outlets and roasters now place their espresso machines extra thoughtfully, in order to be the point of interest or centrepiece of their café.
Finally, which means that in addition to being extra visually interesting, the design of espresso machines additionally must be extra according to a espresso enterprise’ branding and advertising.
For instance, roasters and low outlets must ensure that a number of design options align with their branding, similar to:
- Design model (e.g. trendy or retro)
- Form
- Supplies used (plastic, steel, glass, and wooden)
- Color scheme
- Customisation choices, similar to firm names and logos
“Espresso machine design must be appropriate with the ambiance of a espresso store,” Pinar says. “Levee espresso machines are designed to draw consideration with their ‘fluid’ and futuristic – but additionally retro – design.”
Baris explains that utilizing totally different supplies and hues might help to steadiness a number of design kinds.
“The mixture of ‘heat’ and ‘chilly’ supplies, similar to wooden and steel, might help your espresso machine to face out,” he says.
The form of your espresso machine also can play an enormous function. For instance, sharp, exact shapes are sometimes seen as extra slick and futuristic, whereas a extra fluid and rounded design comes throughout as extra relaxed and intimate.
Pinar explains the design of Levee’s higher and decrease grids was impressed by Pininfarina’s iconic Fifties automobile design.
“We manufacture our machines utilizing six items of chrome steel, with no screws seen from the outside,” she says.
What about customisable espresso machines?
Till just lately, espresso store and roastery house owners had a restricted vary of colors and supplies to select from for his or her espresso machines.
Nevertheless, the rising demand for extra customisation means which you can alter or change increasingly more elements to create an espresso machine that works on your model. Right this moment, manufacturers can add their brand, alter colors, and even exchange inventory panels with totally different and even branded supplies.
An instance is Levee’s customisable, hand-made wood panels, which will be interchanged and fitted utilizing sturdy magnets.
“Levee makes use of a particular method to fabricate its handmade wood panels, which will be interchanged,” Pinar explains. “It takes 4 days to fabricate them to a specification which ensures that the panels can stand up to temperature fluctuation [because of the boilers].
“Apart from the panels, portafilter handles, and the color of chrome steel and plexiglass are additionally customisable,” she provides.
Furthermore, Begüm explains that Levee machines – which obtained the 2023 German Design Award – additionally embrace different options, similar to glass ft.
“The glass ft particularly create a lightweight and virtually floating impact to the machine,” she tells me.
Why does precision matter a lot?
It’s no understatement to say {that a} high quality espresso machine ought to be the centre of each espresso store.
“An espresso machine is the facility behind each espresso store,” Begüm says. “It must be sturdy and sturdy, in addition to carry out persistently.”
In flip, increasingly more espresso outlets and roasters are in search of extra exact espresso machines – by way of efficiency, in addition to design.
Successfully, having extra management over extraction variables ends in higher-quality espresso. Subsequently, it’s vital that baristas dial in espresso so prospects can expertise the complete spectrum of a espresso’s flavours.
Espresso machines designed with precision in thoughts definitely assist with attaining persistently glorious espresso. As an illustration, machines which permit baristas to manage circulation charge, temperature, and stress will inevitably lead to higher high quality espresso.
Upkeep and spare elements
Upkeep and repairs are additionally vital, too. One of many greatest considerations for espresso store house owners and baristas is the supply of spare elements and entry to technical help when points come up.
“Typically talking, [to avoid any interruptions to service], a espresso store may have to put in a brand new machine till their present one is mounted,” Baris explains.
Nevertheless, receiving new elements or upkeep help can typically take up to a couple days – which will be detrimental to gross sales.
“Levee ensures technical service inside 48 hours in Turkey and different nations the place we distribute our machines,” he provides. “For some other nation, Levee ensures technical service by way of video name inside 24 hours, and we ship spare elements to wherever on the planet inside three days.”
What ought to espresso outlets and roasters search for?
There are many espresso machines out there available on the market, however what you need to be in search of relies upon largely in your espresso store or roastery’s standards.
There are just a few key traits to look out for when investing in a brand new machine.
At the beginning, efficiency ought to be a precedence – high-quality espresso drinks will communicate for themselves. On the identical time, discovering a design and magnificence of espresso machine that aligns together with your model identification is vital.
“With a powerful, elegant, exact, and barista-oriented espresso machine, baristas can do their jobs extra successfully,” Baris tells me. “Having a high-quality machine with a clear design can add extra worth to a espresso enterprise.”
Lastly, sturdiness can also be important. As a lot as potential, repairs ought to be minimal – for each the inside and exterior of the machine.
Over the previous few many years, espresso machine expertise has developed to stress design and efficiency – and precision has been on the forefront of this evolution. Now greater than ever, it’s vital that espresso outlets and roasters spend money on machines that are each purposeful and visually interesting.
Finally, a extra exact espresso machine not solely signifies that espresso high quality stays excessive, however helps to enhance model fairness and consciousness amongst your prospects and past.
Loved this? Then learn our article on what the longer term is for espresso.
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