What does a new commercial espresso machine cost?

La Marzocco 2-Group PB-ABR.

New commercial espresso machines can cost as little as a few thousand dollars to as much as $40,000 and more. They come in all shapes, sizes, and price points, and in all reality, for many different purposes. This article is to help you get started thinking about what budget you would want to consider when making such an important investment.

When buying a commercial espresso machine, you need to consider how busy you will be. How many shots will your machine pull each hour or day? This may determine how many group heads you need (1, 2, 3 or 4). Are you operating an in-store experience or drive-thru, or both? Are you concerned about quality and consistency, and what price are you willing to pay for it? How dependable are you wanting this machine to be in the short-term and long-term? Serviceability…let’s not forget that even good machines have service needs.

Lower-cost espresso machines - $3,000 to $10,000

Cheaper units are generally geared towards home and light commercial use. A smaller machine is generally cheaper. How many boilers does the machine have? Lower cost units are generally Single Boiler, which means both the espresso and the steam sharing a single boiler, which increases the frequency of temperature fluctuations in the water brewing the coffee. Lower costing units can sometimes come with dark secrets, such as the availability of parts for repair. OR, the machine may be lower cost but the parts are expensive. We have run into all of these scenarios and it’s important to know what you are trading off when you choose to save money at the initial purchase.

Higher-Cost espresso machines - $10,000 to $25,000+

When you choose to buy a commercial espresso machine you are choosing to buy an asset designed to make money for your business. A more expensive espresso machine often comes with more bells and whistles, more consistency in the way water is heated and distributed, more reliability, more availability of parts and service technicians, and even more. They can be larger to accommodate higher volume businesses (such as 2, 3 and 4 groups), and they can be beautifully designed or customized to fit your business aesthetic.

Super-Automatic espresso machines - $12,000 to $40,000+

If technology is needed to streamline processes or reduce labor, there’s an entire class of espresso machines that are designed to replicate steps with the push of a button. Super-Automatic espresso machines are an automated approach to making espresso. The internal systems of these machines replicate the dosing and grinding of the coffee, the tamping and the pulling of shots. And in some systems, you can also steam milk at a consistency that rivals your seasoned baristas. It is not surprising to find out these espresso machines are in the most expensive category, ranging from $12,000 to $40,000 or more.

A word about pre-owned / used espresso machines.

It is often customers choose to buy a pre-owned espresso machine. You can really save a lot of money up front when you are not buying new. And it is definitely possible to find a great deal on a used machine. With that said, there is a lot of potential to acquire a machine with a host of issues that you maybe were not aware of. Pre-owned machines really need to be inspected by a trustworthy service technician to search for signs of wear and tear, broken parts, abuse and neglect, water damage and more. One of the most common problems found in older, used machines is stagnant water that has the propensity to cause an abundance of technical work and repairs you may not have budgeted for. An experienced tech can look under the hood and give you an estimate for maintenance needs and for what you may need to consider for ongoing care. Keep in mind that the cost of repairs goes up as the machine ages.

A new machine may not be that much more than a used machine if you consider the costs of immediate repairs and downtime. Be sure to do your homework before you make any decisions. And always get the opinion of your coffee equipment tech before you buy. After all, they will be doing the work to fix it. And if you don’t yet have a coffee equipment technician, would you consider our company, Principal Coffee Equipment Solutions?

In Summary…

Choosing the right commercial espresso machine for your business is extremely important. We have a team of experienced baristas, managers, service techs, and wholesale team members that are here to help you discern what features you should need for your home or business. We also have distributor relationships with most coffee equipment manufacturers, and we would be thrilled to help you pick out your next machine.

To inquire about new and used commercial espresso machines, simply call us at (316) 393-8877 or email us and a member of our team will reach out to you right away.