Modern coffee culture means more people are on the lookout for a quality coffee machine, whether that’s for the home or the workplace. If you’re one of them, we’ve put together an article that details the difference between bean-to-cup coffee machines and espresso coffee machines, outlining the pros and cons of each.
What is a bean-to-cup coffee machine?
A bean-to-cup coffee machine is what’s also called an “automatic” coffee machine, which means it uses whole coffee beans and grinds them to make your desired beverage without any intervention needed.
The machine takes the coffee grinds, compresses them into a coffee puck, and passes pressurized hot water through this to deliver espresso.
All bean-to-cup coffee machines are automatic, but some are more automatic than others. The majority will handle everything for you, whilst other less common machines allow you to steam your own milk if you want to be more hands-on.
A bean-to-cup coffee machine is for people or businesses that want great coffee without any hassle. You just select your preferred beverage, whether that’s an Americano or Cappuccino, and the machine will do the rest.
These kinds of machines are especially common in workplaces, where they are used as employee perks to enable workers to enjoy better quality coffee on-site.
They are also becoming more popular in our homes, which emphasises just how far coffee culture has travelled from the coffee shop.
What is an espresso coffee machine?
An espresso machine requires you to bring out your inner Barista and be much more hands-on with the whole process.
If we were to refer to an espresso coffee machine as a “professional” or “Barista” coffee machine, it might be easier to understand. Put simply, these machines are largely found in coffee shops and larger cafes.
Espresso coffee machines use ground coffee, so it’s your choice whether you want to purchase a bag of ground coffee or get even more involved and use a grinder to do it yourself.
These machines can only deliver espresso and you can choose between a single or double shot, but they also feature a manual steam wand on the side so you can get creative with the milk.
For true Barista’s, coffee is more than just a hot drink and delivers an experience to customers. That’s why you expect to see these machines, along with a grinder, when you walk through the door of a coffee shop.
But again, their popularity continues to grow. Some workplaces will now have them, whilst the introduction of smaller models also work well in homes.
Which one is for me?
Whether you go for a bean-to-cup or an espresso coffee machine depends on what you want to achieve and your type of requirement.
For most workplaces (such as offices) and homes, a bean-to-cup coffee machine is more popular for a reason. With fresh coffee beans enhancing a huge digital coffee shop menu that just requires a few touches, they’re so easy and convenient to use. No professional Barista needed.
Espresso coffee machines are much more complex, but arguably arrive with much more variety. That means that whilst you can really splash the cash for your bar or coffee shop, you can also purchase a small, cost-effective model if you’re short on space.
An espresso coffee machine allows you to get more creative with your drinks, too, which will either be a good or bad thing depending on your creative preference. There is far more room for personalised beverages here.
There’s no denying there’s more work needed to get that perfect coffee, but for some people they enjoy and embrace this challenge.
