Opening a Coffee Shop? Here’s the Beverage Preparation Equipment You Need

Are you planning to put up a coffee shop? Selling coffee to Americans who continue to rely on their daily caffeine dose boost remains profitable. In fact, according to the National Coffee Association, coffee consumption is on the rise, which means more people will likely rely on more coffee shops for their daily cup o’ joe.

However, setting up shop can be overwhelming. Investing in the equipment alone can take up a lot of your time, resources, and energy. But having the right machines and tools in place helps you provide great products and excellent service. Here are the following equipment that are a must-have for every new coffee shop.

1. Espresso Machines

The most popular coffee machines are made with a shot (or two) of espresso. Cappuccinos, machiattos, flat whites, café lattes, and ice coffees all have an espresso base. Espresso makers run the gamut from premium super-automatic machines that can be operated at a single push of a button to traditional manual machines where you have to pull a pump to create pressure that forces the water through the coffee to make the espresso.

2. Drip Coffeemakers

Next to espresso sales, you’ll likely find that customers still choose a regular cup of strong black coffee. Invest in three to four drip coffeemakers to begin with and add more units as you go. Make sure you choose a reliable brand of coffeemaker that can keep up with the demand of the regular morning rush and produce large batches so that you’re not making coffee all day long.

3. Coffee Grinder

The best coffee is made from high-quality beans freshly ground right before use. That’s because grinding increases the bean’s surface area and releases the fragrant oils that impart the distinctive flavor and smell of coffee. Using a good coffee grinder allows you to extract the rich flavors of the bean, which customers can taste when they take a sip. Having a specialized espresso grinder also helps for making that ultra-fine grind needed to create espresso’s velvety, fine froth.

4. Refrigerators and Freezers

Keep units to be used for the front-of-house and back-of-house. Back-of-house refrigerators and freezers are used for storing extra ingredients, such as milk, syrups, and garnishes. Front-of-house units must be aesthetically pleasing to attract your customers and functional at the same time to help make baristas’ work easier for them. Consider putting an low-profile unit to be placed right under the front counter so baristas can access ingredients more easily.

5. Ice Maker

A commercial ice maker is an essential piece of equipment for making ice-cold drinks. With cold-drip coffee now becoming more popular, coffee shops need to invest in a high-quality ice machine for icing their drinks. A good option is to go for a nugget ice maker, which scrapes off ice flakes from the sides of a stainless steel cylinder and forms them into a nugget. Nugget ice is perfect for ice coffee because it absorbs a lot of the coffee flavor and can be easily chewed at the end of the drink.

6. Blenders

Heavy-duty blenders are needed for making frappes, smoothies, and summery drinks that require a lot of ice. If you have a small coffee shop, it is a good idea to get a blender with a sound shield so that you don’t disturb the ambience with all the racket that a regular blender makes.

7. Water Filtration System

Coffee is 98% water, which is why it’s important that you only use the best quality of water that you can get. A good water filtration system should be able to remove particles, sediments, and other impurities in your water. This greatly improves the taste, smell, and appearance of your coffee and minimizes the risk of developing buildup in your espresso machines and coffee makers.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.