When considering purchasing a coffee machine here are a few tips to hopefully help you to make the right choice. Firstly, purchase your machine from someone in the coffee industry who knows what they are talking about and can give you the correct advice. If you speak to someone who is an expert in the coffee industry, they will be able to answer any questions you may have, and you should ask lots of questions. You will find that they will be only too pleased to answer and make your choice of machine as simple as possible. The advantage of buying from a reputable person in the coffee industry is the backup service and expert after sales advice when you need it, from choosing beans, to the maintenance of your equipment etc… etc… which is rare in this day and age. At The Bean Scene in Cinema Arcade Warragul, we pride ourselves on our customer service and our industry knowledge, and our after sales service is second to none. Our staff would be only too pleased to assist you with the purchase of a machine from our range. The last thing you need is to be sold a box and then be left to work out how to use it yourself. When choosing a machine, consider what you want and expect out of a machine.
- Do you entertain a lot?
- How many coffees do you need to make at a time?
- Will you be making mainly milk based coffee?
- How much bench space and height do you have available. Measure up first!
- Do you need to have a hot water arm for making long blacks or tea?
- Budget.
- Ask about after sales service and repairs, availability of parts, where is servicing done, does the machine need to be sent away for repairs, warranty.
When deciding to purchase a machine you should, at some time, plan to purchase a grinder, whether it be at the same time or in the future. A quality grinder is every bit as important as the coffee machine. A grinder gives you control over the grind of the coffee which directly impacts on taste and flavour of the coffee. It allows you to keep your coffee fresher as you can then buy your coffee as whole beans and grind as required. Nothing smells better than fresh coffee, but stale coffee smells rancid, like a dirty ashtray. By following this small bit of advice you will hopefully enjoy the experience. Maintenance and cleaning of your machine is extremely important if you want to continue to make good coffee at home. Machines that are not descaled regularly will result in bitter tasting coffee. Bitter tasting coffee is generally a result of dirty equipment, incorrect storage of beans, incorrect grind and or poor barista skills, not fresh coffee beans.
