One of the most common questions about espresso machines is weather to buy a home-use or a commercial model.

One sure thing is that espresso machines, no matter the brand or type, they need to be operated with skill, patience, and, as funny as it may sound, devotion. Some espresso people go as far as saying that buying an espresso machine resembles much the beginning of a love affair. You need to make a match. And if you don't do it right, it would be for the loss of both parties.

But why do you need to own an espresso machine, when there are so many cafes selling espresso and cappuccino these days? Why bother preparing coffee when there is Starbucks? Using the collocation 'commercial cup' to define the coffee prepared in cafes, we can say for sure that most of the times, this phrase doesn't overlap the common agreement of what a 'good cup' means.

Espresso machines for home use

Ok, that is the moment when you decide making espresso at home. Let's say you are not into spending a large amount of money. In this case, a semi automatic espresso machine for home use, starting at $150, may be the answer for you. This type of machine is medium-easy to use, needs arround 20 to 30 secconds to switch from the brewing temperature to the steaming one, and usualy comes with plastic components (not that all components are necesarily plastic). However, this means shorter life period. Capresso Ultima Model # 121, Solis Crema SL70 and Rancilio Silvia are semi automatic machines for home use.

CapressoBAR Model #351 is a semiautomatic machine for home use that features also a coffee maker. Spidem Trevi Combi Plus combines the semi automatic machine with the burr grinder (a built-in model).

There's one exception here: Rancilio. Wheather we are talking about home use or commercial Rancilios, the parts are all the same, durable & sound commercial kind. Their portafilter, brewhead, or steam wand are all the same marine-forged brass found on machines in the cafes. The carcase is stainless steel.

The ideea is, when choosing a home use machine, you mind the price ($200 to $500 is acceptable), the number of cups you are planning to brew daily, and the life-span.

Semi commercial espresso machines

Defining the semi commercial espresso machine is not an easy thing to do. Here are a few characteristics we thought through:

• the reason you buy: you need it for home use, but you want it to be more robust, metalic parts and everything;
• the cost: you have to see if the investment is worth it, and how much time it takes for the machine to return this investment. The first aspect depends only of the money you afford to pay. About the seccond part of the problem, return on investment depends on how many cups you intent to brew every day;
• when you need it: if you want the machine to be ready for a quick brew at any time of the day, this is a good choice, as semi-commercial machines are designed to be left on 24/7;
• the soft spot: for semi commercial espresso machines, the soft spot is the pump, the only part of the machine that doesn't subscribe to commercial standards; Why? Maybe that was the point to cut some costs and make it worthy of its name, that is semi commercial; the pump will, more likely, be the first component to break on this machine.

Commercial espresso machines

Needless to say we don't recommend buying a commercial espresso machine for home use. But, supose you have enjoyed making espresso at home for quite time now. And many times have made espressos or cappuccinos for visiting friends. In fact you often found yourself craving for a visit only for the joy of practicing a new extraction.

About friends and neighbours, supose not only they love your coffee, but often encourage you to open a small cafe. And promise to be your ever-faithfull customers. And finaly, supose one good day you find out about an unexpected inheritance from a rich, distant kind of aunt.

Given this particular situation, we are the first to encourage you in buying a commercial espresso machine. La Pavoni, Capresso, Espressione, Gaggia, Pasquini, Rancilio, Briel, Saeco, are all worth a look. It will very much depend on what you intend to do. If you want to bring a touch of entertainment, buy a piston type and have the bar placed in the middle of the place; you can also try to explain the operations if you are performing in front of a passionate public. Otherwise, if you want to make sure the customer gets the same quality of the cup, day by day, the super automatic type is the best choice.