# Newbie here, need espresso machine advice!



## Guest (Nov 21, 2014)

I have been reading for months and trying to make some decisions. We are in the process of opening a coffee shop and trying to decide on an espresso machine. I need help trying to figure out which brand of machine? We are leaning towards a semi-automatic. We will be located one block off campus of a major university. Not sure what the traffic flow will be, no drive thru. Approximately 1250 sq ft for the seating area. I am guessing a 2 group is big enough or perhaps a 3? Nope, money does not grow on trees in my back yard so we will be purchasing a used espresso machine. Any help, kind advice would greatly be appreciated!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Welcome to Coffee Forums UK Jihan

How many people per hour are you expecting and what size of cups will you be using?


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## jjprestidge (Oct 11, 2012)

A Linea is a good bet if you can find a good used one. Most seem to be 2 group, which is enough for moderate volume.

Grinder wise, my feeling is that if you're after the best results in the cup a flat burr grinder is best. Our Anfims are great, but prices are a little high now. The K30 is another good choice, or the new Mythos. None are cheap, though.

JP


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## emradguy (May 24, 2014)

Considering this is the Grinder Forum, I'm not going to address the machine question.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of most of the experts I've read from, a conical burr set gives a smoother mouthfeel and greater appreciation of the range of the bean/blend flavors in the cup than a flat burr set. They're more expensive, but not significantly so, given you're opening a cafe. You probably ought to get both flat and conical burr grinders though, so you can take advantage of each type's strengths. Since you're opening a cafe, you're going to need at least two espresso grinders, so that you can offer regular and decaf or two different beans, but also so that you have a backup just in case. You'll need at least one additional grinder for press/pourover/drip too.


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