What’s the Best Commercial Espresso Machine? Our Top Reviews

So you’ve dabbled in home espresso and are ready to take it up a notch with a strong, commercial-grade machine. You’re going to love the upgrade, but first, you’ve got to sift through the countless pages of gear to find your perfect match.

Let’s make this easier. We’ve put together a list of the best commercial espresso machines on the market for the modern espresso lover.

Each of these machines is far more capable of pulling rich, balanced shots than the small home machines you’ll find in big box stores. These are the real deal, for real espresso lovers, designed to last longer, pull tastier shots of espresso, and do so more consistently.

Let’s get started.

Picking The Right Commercial Espresso Machine - Buying Guide

Espresso machines come in many shapes and sizes, includes a huge variety of features, and can be used many ways—finding the right espresso machine can be quite the challenge.

Hopefully this list has helped you narrow down your selection, but here are a few things you should keep in mind to help clear up thing some more.

Semi vs Auto vs Super Auto

The most patient espresso lovers will love semi-automatic machines because they offer full control over the grind size, tamping, shot timer, and a few other features. Machines like the Nuova Simonelli Appia II fall in the ‘automatic’ category because of the volumetric dosing—also a great choice for super enthusiasts but a little simpler to use.

Super-automatic machines take care of the whole experience, from grinding to pulling the shot, and are best suited for lovers of great espresso who aren’t really all that excited about learning how to pull the perfect shot.

Group Heads + Steam Wands

A single group head allows you to pull one shot at a time, and the more group heads, the faster you can pull shots. Two group heads are usually plenty for casual and super enthusiasts.

As far as steam wands go, it’s nice to have two, but not as impactful as having two group heads. The reason is that you can steam two drinks-worth of milk using one steam wand, which makes a second wand less meaningful.

Price

Ultimately, price is a big player here. A single group will obviously be less costly that than a two group, but all the bells and whistles start to rack up the price tag as well. Go with what you’re comfortable with, and keep in mind that you’re still going to need to upgrade to a commercial espresso grinder to match your commercial machine.

Best Commercial Espresso Machines - Our Top 6 Picks and Reviews

We reviewed the top commercial machines one by one. If you're in a hurry, here is a quick overview of our top picks.

Commercial espresso machines can vary a lot in features, power, and price tag, but few find the right balance as much as the La Pavonia Bar-T 2 Group. This powerful device features dual group heads, dual steam wands, and has enough strength to pull 600 shots per day (but we don’t recommend drinking that all by yourself).

The machine is a semi-automatic, which means you have full control over the coffee grounds, shot timer, and steam wand. It also features the gauges and tools you need to really thrive, like…

• Pressure Gauge
• Hot Water Dispenser
• Mug Warmer
• Direct Plumbing (no more refilling a small tub!)

The thermal stability of this machine is one of its top features. It’s capable of maintaining a steady temperature with incredible consistency, which is essential to pulling balanced shots over and over again (and it’s something those weaker home machines can’t dream of).

While most coffee businesses go with larger two-group espresso machines, smaller cafes and mobile espresso carts frequently opt for this beast of a machine.

The Bezzera Mitica is surprisingly reliable for its low price point. It may not have the bells and whistles of bigger, pricier machines, but it’s still a great pick in terms of value and strength.

This espresso machine features a 2-liter copper boiler with a heat exchange system, which means you can pull shots of espresso and steam milk at the same time—a quality not common in smaller equipment. The 1350-watt thermometer also ensures your water is kept a steady temperature.

Of course, one of the biggest draws of the Bezzera Mitica is its vintage, stainless steel design. From the joystick knobs to the old-school E61 group head, every element pulls you into the classic espresso experience.

We’re so excited about the La Pavoni Bar-T 2 Group that we have to mention its bigger brother: the La Pavoni Bar-T 3 Group. It’s essentially our top pick—just with more ‘umph’ in every category.

The three group heads allow for making up to 800 espresso drinks per day! And just like the 2 Group version, it also features pressure and temperature gauges, dual steam wands, a mug warmer, a hot water dispenser, direct plumbing, and an incredible boiler with unrivaled temperature stability.

If you’ve suffered through the grueling learning curve of manual espresso brewing and came out more frustrated than rewarded, here’s one for you. The Jura 15145 is a super-automatic espresso machine that takes the guessing out of espresso and steamed milk with its high-tech automated processes.

The trick is their PEP shot pulling method that shoots water through the grounds in short spurts, rather than a prolonged flow. As far as super-automatic machines go, it doesn’t really get much higher quality.

All you do is add coffee, add milk, fill up the 101oz water container, and select your coffee beverage of choice from the screen. The Jura will then craft your drink with incredible precision, espresso and all! In less than a minute, you can have an americano, latte, or ten other drink options hot and ready.

Settle for nothing less than the best? Then the Nuova Simonelli Appia II, with its dual group heads and steam wands, reliable construction, and next-gen volumetric dosing, may be the perfect espresso machine for you.

This stunning device features all the doo-dads you’d expect in a commercial machine—gauges, dual boilers, temperature stability—but it’s the volumetric dosing that really makes this one stand out.

With this style of dosing, you can set a target espresso yield and the machine will stop the shot automatically to reach that target. This is great for a few reasons:

• You can pull multiple shots quickly without having to worry about over or under pulling since the machine stops it for you
• You can find the perfect recipe and program it into the machine for consistently delicious espresso
• You can say you’re one of the elite—because few cafes even have volumetric dosing!

Much like the Jura WE8, the Jura Impressa is a high-end super-automatic espresso machine that makes a variety of drinks for you at the touch of a button. It’s simple, consistently delicious, and great for busy professionals.

Here’s what makes this higher-priced model different:

• Dual thermoblocks heat water for steam and espresso separately, so you don’t have to worry about losing pressure or temperature after a few drinks
• LCD display provides for a more intuitive drink selection and customization experience
• Fine Foam technology produces a higher-quality microfoam for milk drinks

If the Jura super-automatic espresso machines don’t look right to you, this Gaggia Accademia may. Featuring a stainless steel construction, a fully-automated drink creation system, and one-touch controls, it’s a strong rival to the Jura line.

Owners of this one comment with interesting frequency on the simplicity of this machine.

It’s easy to use, reliable for years, and comes pre-programmed with a handful of beloved espresso drinks—perfect for coffee lovers who want great coffee from a great machine without the fluff of unnecessary features.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

Even with all this information, you likely still have some questions—we don’t blame you. Espresso machines can be pretty complex. Let’s see if we can answer a few of them.