To make a good cup of coffee at home or in a shop, choosing the right equipment and doing daily maintenance are equally important. This article systematically covers the key purchasing points for common coffee equipment, from Turkish coffee pots, Neapolitan pots, and siphon brewers to semi-automatic espresso machines, water-drip coffee makers, American coffee machines, and moka pots, including suitable roast levels and grind sizes, and provides reference prices and purchasing advice for commercial equipment. It also explains in detail the cleaning process for coffee machines, backflushing steps, and precautions for using glassware, helping coffee enthusiasts and professionals extend equipment lifespan and maintain consistent output quality.
I. How to Choose Coffee Equipment That Suits You
(1) Turkish Coffee Pot
Suitable roast level: Dark roast
Suitable grind size: Extra-fine powder
This small pot has a cup-shaped body and a long handle, with a delicate appearance that is easy to store and carry. To use it, put coffee grounds into the pot, pour in hot water and let it steep; after about a minute, the grounds settle and the coffee is ready to drink. Interestingly, many people also tell fortunes based on the patterns formed by the coffee grounds left at the bottom of the cup.
(2) Neapolitan Pot
Suitable roast level: Medium-dark roast
Suitable grind size: Medium grind
This is a filter-type coffee maker, also called an "upside-down pot." Structurally, it consists of two cylindrical containers forming a two-way filtration device, with a filter screen in the middle. To use it, place coffee grounds in the upper filter, heat water in the lower pot until it boils, then flip the pot over and let hot water pass through the coffee grounds by the drip principle to complete extraction. To prevent odors from developing upon contact with coffee, most are now made of stainless steel.
(3) Siphon Brewer
Suitable roast level: Medium roast, light roast
Suitable grind size: Medium grind
The siphon brewer, also known as a vacuum pot, was originally designed by a Scottish engineer based on the physical siphon principle of PV=nRT. Water in the lower chamber is heated and pressurized, then rises through the vacuum tube to the upper chamber, where it mixes with coffee grounds; after the heat is turned off and the temperature drops, the brewed liquid flows back down to the lower chamber. The entire brewing process is both visually appealing and fun, and with its classic shape, it is very common in atmosphere-focused cafés and homes.
(4) Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine
Reference price: about 15,000 yuan for a single-group, about 20,000 yuan for a double-group, and about 25,000 yuan for a three-group.
Considering price and initial usage, it is recommended to choose a semi-automatic double-group model, paired with a grinder and water purifier, preferably equipment made in Italy or Switzerland. Second-hand machines are also available on the market at about 50%–60% of the new price, but guarantees are relatively weaker, and repair issues need careful evaluation. The two most critical parameters of an espresso machine are temperature and pressure. When purchasing, it is best to ask the vendor to demonstrate on site and try the coffee produced.
(5) Water-Drip Coffee Maker
Reference price: about 19,000 yuan for large Taiwan-made models, about 30,000 yuan for Japanese-made models.
The iced coffee made with this equipment has a better flavor and can also become a signature item in a shop. If the budget is limited, you can also buy a few-hundred-yuan filter bag stand and pair it with a gooseneck kettle for hand pouring, which can likewise create iced coffee.
(6) American Coffee Machine
Suitable roast level: Medium roast, light roast
Suitable grind size: Medium grind
The American coffee machine uses the drip brewing principle and is a common small appliance in homes and offices. It is effortless and simple to operate: just add coffee grounds and water, plug it in, and press the switch. However, because it is a mechanical automatic brewing method, it cannot adjust water volume and stream thickness according to coffee quality and grind size like manual drip brewing, so the resulting taste tends to be more mass-market.
(7) Moka Pot
Suitable roast level: Dark roast
Suitable grind size: Fine grind
The moka pot is compact and exquisite, very popular in Europe. Like an espresso machine, it relies on high-pressure steam to extract coffee, but its price and size are more suitable for home use. Water in the bottom is heated, and under the push of steam pressure it passes upward through the coffee grounds in the filter, thereby extracting coffee liquid.
(8) Other Equipment
Belgian coffee maker, reference price: about 600 yuan for Taiwan-made, about 1,800 yuan for Belgian-made
Turkish coffee pot, reference price about 1,200 yuan
Ice maker, reference price about 4,000 yuan
Blender, reference price about 3,000–20,000 yuan
Commercial waffle maker, reference price about 1,700 yuan
In addition, when purchasing other production equipment, also pay attention to the following points:
1. Natural gas/LPG: If the stove has more than 3 woks or ovens, natural gas is more suitable, but the cost of natural gas connection equipment must be considered.
2. Water: Generally, a pressure-reducing valve is used to lower water pressure, or a booster pump is used to increase water pressure (automatic coffee machines, ice makers, and cola machines pay more attention to water pressure issues).
3. Repairs: When purchasing equipment, after-sales service factors must be considered.
4. Quantity of tableware to purchase: Items every customer will use (such as water glasses) should be seats × 2, while tableware should be 1/2 of the number of seats.
How to Choose Coffee Equipment When the Budget Is Limited?
Currently, commercial coffee machines fall into two major categories:
One is electronic. Electronic refers to so-called fully automatic machines, equipped with buttons for setting the number of cups, water volume, and coffee volume; temperature and pressure are automatically regulated by the machine, making operation convenient for less-skilled bar staff. Major hotels and chain cafés mostly use this type, and their selling price is also the highest.
The other is semi-automatic. Most cafés use semi-automatic models that require manual control. Their failure rate is lower than fully automatic models, but operators must practice and master brewing techniques. First-time entrepreneurs may wish to choose this type.
When installing a coffee machine, the power supply, water outlet, and extraction pressure of the brew head all need to be calibrated. During use, brew with water purified by a purifier, so scale is less likely to remain in the boiler; immediately after brewing, clean the coffee residue in the filter and remove milk scale on the steam wand. Good maintenance not only makes coffee flavor better, but also allows the machine to last more than 5 years.
II. Maintenance Tips for Coffee Machines and Coffee Equipment
Establishing an equipment maintenance plan is a simple and economical way to ensure coffee-making quality. Although commercial coffee machines are designed for business users, they are still machines after all. Regularly maintaining coffee machines not only ensures coffee-making quality, but also reduces the frequency of breakdowns and eliminates hidden risks that could lead to closure.
There are two ways to maintain equipment: one is what you can do yourself, and the other is what you cannot do yourself and need to ask someone to help with.
The first coffee machine maintenance approach, namely what you can do yourself, mainly involves cleaning the coffee machine. Cleaning itself is monotonous and tedious, but it benefits the operation of the entire café.
Overall, every surface of the coffee machine should be spotless. Baristas should frequently wipe the machine. Every time the steam nozzle is used, it should be wiped. The portafilter should be cleaned after every use.
(1) Cleaning the Coffee Machine
Some cleaning tasks for the coffee machine, such as cleaning the filter screen and backflushing the coffee machine, need to be assigned to a dedicated person. It is best to use specialized cleaning agents to clean the machine.
Espresso machine cleaning agents produce foam when they come into contact with hot water. The foaming process can clean hard-to-reach parts of the coffee machine. Good cleaning agents are biodegradable.
Do not use dish soap or laundry detergent. They are difficult to rinse clean and will therefore leave a large amount of residue on the coffee machine.
The brew head should be regularly cleaned by backflushing. Backflushing refers to the process of forcing water backward into the filter screen and brew head. Apart from this, there is no better way to effectively clean these parts of the coffee machine. Rest assured, backflushing will not contaminate the boiler or the water used to brew coffee. The backflushed water will not reach those parts.
For backflushing, you need a blind basket—a filter basket without holes—or a rubber plug. Backflushing can be done without cleaning agent. It is recommended to backflush with clean water multiple times every day, but use cleaning agent once a week.
Backflushing steps:
1. Replace the filter basket with a blind basket or add a rubber plug.
2. Lock the portafilter tightly onto the brew head.
3. Start the pump and let water flow into the brew head for about 30–60 seconds. Stop the pump. Someone must monitor the operation while doing this.
4. Repeat several times.
5. Hold the portafilter firmly and start the pump. Twist the portafilter in and out several times. This can clean away coffee grounds accumulated around the portafilter gasket. The entire cleaning process requires a large amount of hot water. For safety, it is best to have a towel ready.
6. When cleaning with cleaning agent, use half a scoop of cleaning powder in the blind basket and clean according to steps 1–4 above. After the cleaning agent has been eliminated, repeat step 5 at least 10 times until everything is completely clean.
7. Clean the drainage pipe. If coffee grounds are discharged directly into the drain, to ensure smooth discharge of waste grounds, after a day of work, pour a cup of hot water into the drain box to eliminate coffee grounds deposited there. Coffee grounds consist of water and coffee sludge. If not cleaned frequently, coffee grounds will form a hard coffee cake that clogs the drain.
Coffee machine maintenance is a very scientific matter and must be taken seriously. To ensure the normal operation of the machine, regular inspections, timely cleaning, and repairs must be carried out. Be sure to choose matching specialized cleaning chemicals, specialized descaling agents, and specialized cleaning powders.
(2) Use and Maintenance of Coffee Equipment
1. For transparent glass coffee pots, if there is no coffee or water inside, never heat them over fire, to avoid bursting.
2. Before use, the filter and filter cloth should first be cleaned in boiling salt water.
3. The lower end of the filter spring should be hooked firmly to the glass tube of the filter pot, so that excessive force does not cause the glass tube to spring loose and break.
4. After a glass pot has just been heated, it must not come into contact with cold objects, to avoid bursting.
5. Be careful when rinsing glassware to prevent accidental collisions that cause damage.
6. When cleaning glassware, be sure to hold the glass tube firmly to prevent it from slipping off and breaking.
7. Never use a siphon to boil tea. If you do, be sure to replace the filter cloth promptly. Because off-flavors will have a certain impact on coffee quality.
8. Do not use food-service cleaning products to wash brewing bags and filters.
9. After use, brewing bags or filter cloths should be soaked in clean water to prevent odors caused by becoming too dry.
10. After using a siphon, rinse it clean immediately and store it properly for next use.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
