The most common mistake when opening a coffeeshop isn't choosing a machine that's too cheap — it's choosing one that doesn't match the bar's volume. Too small and the queue piles up at rush hour; too big and it burdens your electricity and capital for no reason.
Before talking brands and models, answer these three questions first.
1. How many cups per day — and per peak hour?
The daily total is often misleading. A café selling 200 cups a day with 80 of them going out between 7–9 am needs a different machine than a 200-cup café with an even spread. What determines the number of groups is the peak hour, not the average.
- < 30 cups/hour at peak: a compact 1–2 group machine is enough.
- 30–60 cups/hour: a full commercial 2 group — the La Marzocco Linea class.
- > 60 cups/hour or a milk-based–heavy menu: consider 3 groups, because the second steam wand matters as much as the third group.
2. Power: check your supply before falling in love
A commercial 2-group espresso machine typically needs 3,500–5,000 watts, not counting the grinder, fridge, and ice maker. Many shophouses in Indonesia subscribe to 3,500–5,500 VA — meaning a PLN power upgrade often has to be in the budget from the start.
For locations with limited power, ask about configuration options: some machines can run with a limited heating element without sacrificing temperature stability at medium volume.
3. Budget: count 5 years, not the purchase price
A properly maintained commercial machine lasts more than 10 years. What sets the cost of ownership apart isn't the purchase price, but the availability of genuine parts, the ease of service in your city, and resale value. A machine with an official distributor and a technician network is almost always cheaper over 5 years — even at a higher purchase price.