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When purchasing commercial espresso equipment, it’s essential to understand the roles your equipment retailer, roaster, and service technician play in ensuring your success. Here's what you should expect from each:  

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Your Equipment Retailer  

If your retailer is not also your roaster or service provider, they are responsible for:  

- Ensuring your equipment is installed and programmed correctly. 

- Offering guidance and support to ensure your site is properly prepared for installation, helping you avoid additional charges for unpreparedness when your technician arrives.  

- Providing your service technician with any necessary training on your equipment.  
 

A trustworthy retailer will outline these services in writing. If they do not, consider shopping elsewhere.  

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Your Service Technician

In most cases, your service technician will deliver and install your equipment. This includes:  

1. Programming your espresso machine and grinder to meet you or your roaster’s specifications.  

2. Training you on:  

   - Operating your equipment.  

   - Adjusting brewing parameters (pressure, temperature, volume, etc.).  

   - Basic maintenance and cleaning.  

It’s not uncommon for service technicians to lack prior experience with a specific equipment model. It is the retailer’s responsibility to ensure your technician receives the necessary training to properly program your machine.. During installation or maintenance, technicians may refer to the equipment’s user manual—a standard practice.  

The training provided by your service technician is vital to your business’s success and is typically included in your purchase, whether you choose economical or high-end equipment.  

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Your Roaster

Your roaster may provide training either:  

- During the installation alongside your service technician, or separately utilizing  their own equipment at their roastery or other venue.  

Essential roaster training typically covers:  

1. Throw Weight: The standard dose of coffee for a double shot (e.g., 17–18 grams).  

2. Brewed Result: Final output in ounces, milliliters, or weight, as per the roaster’s preferences. 

3. Brew Time: A specific range within five to six seconds  (e.g., 25–35 seconds for a double shot).  

4. Brewing Temperature: The optimal temperature or range for their coffee.  

5. Brewing Pressure: Recommended pressure settings.  

6. Tamping and Grind Adjustment: Techniques for proper extraction and flavor balance. 

7. How to build drinks such as a latte or cappuccino

This training ensures you understand how to showcase the coffee’s full potential. If your roaster is unable to provide these details (e.g., they’re new to the industry), it shouldn’t discourage you from buying their coffee if you like their product.  

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If Training Is Not Provided

If your roaster does not offer brewing parameters, your service technician will set up your equipment using default parameters. Some technicians with advanced coffee knowledge may help develop custom settings, though this could involve additional costs.  

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What Every New Buyer Should Expect

Minimally, you should receive:  

1. Default programming of your equipment.  

2. Training on its operation and maintenance.  

If your retailer, roaster, or service provider cannot provide this support, it’s worth considering other options. Investing in partners who prioritize your success lays the foundation for long-term growth and sustainability in your coffee business.
 

If you have any feedback or would like to contribute to this article, please send your comments to solutions_usa@esnservices.org. Your input is greatly valued and will be  warmly received.

M. Casiraghi and N. Lee