What equipment do you need to open a coffeehouse?

Launching your coffeehouse business is an ambitious undertaking that requires passion and dedication. You’ll need to consider various factors to ensure its success. One of the most important factors is the kitchen equipment you'll need to serve your customers their favorite drinks and light food options.

Aside from the basics, you'll also need a few specialised appliances and that's where a professional kitchen supplier, like Maxima, can be a big help. These machines are often made to withstand daily intensive use and are constructed from durable and easy-to-clean materials.

Coffee and beverage equipment

High-quality coffee and beverage equipment ensures the consistency and quality of the products served and significantly enhances operational efficiency.

Espresso machines

A reliable espresso machine is the heart of any busy café and ensures a consistent supply of high-quality espresso throughout the day’s peak hours. Utilising high-pressure methods, these machines force hot water through finely ground coffee. This creates a rich, strong beverage that is more intense in flavour and strength than regular black coffee.

Commercial espresso machines are categorised mainly into two types: semi-automatic and super-automatic. Semi-automatic variants use a motor-driven pump to generate the necessary pressure for extracting espresso. They require manual intervention, yet their operation is easy enough that no staff training is required. These machines offer significant control over the brewing process, allowing for coffee volume and tamp pressure adjustments according to preference.

Conversely, super-automatic espresso machines provide a hands-free coffee brewing experience. Often called ‘bean-to-cup’ machines, they automate the entire espresso production from bean grinding to tamping and dispensing the espresso. Super-automatic machines are highly efficient, capable of brewing a batch of espresso in minutes and swiftly moving on to the next.

For high-volume establishments that need a rapid, continuous espresso supply, we recommend this semi-automatic 3-piston espresso machine, which can make 540 cups of coffee per hour.

Blenders

Blenders are ideal for making delicious frozen coffee drinks that are popular during the warmer months. They are also useful for serving customers smoothies and milkshakes. For frozen beverages, cafes must have a strong blender to crush ice efficiently. Choosing a blender with a robust, stainless steel blade is important. Blenders with a vortex design of blades can easily pulverise large ice chunks and are more durable than standard household blenders. Premium models also offer the added benefit of adjustable speed settings and programs that allow cafes to blend different ingredients and achieve optimal textures.

If you’re looking for a powerful industrial blender to make a variety of frozen beverages, our product specialists recommend this 2.5L blender with a pulse function.

Coffee grinders

Selecting the right coffee grinder is vital to the success of your cafe. While opting for pre-ground coffee might seem convenient, it compromises on freshness, which could impact the overall quality of your coffee drinks.

A reliable commercial coffee grinder is critical to achieving the optimal flavour and aroma of coffee beans. The consistency and size of the ground coffee directly affects the extraction process during brewing. If the grind is too coarse or too fine, it can lead to under- or over-extraction, compromising the coffee's overall taste and quality.

Additionally, commercial grinders are designed to withstand the high volume demands of a café setting, ensuring that each batch of coffee is ground to perfection. Investing in a high-quality grinder elevates the coffee experience for customers and streamlines the brewing process, enhancing efficiency and productivity within the café.

Hot water dispensers

A hot water dispenser delivers steaming hot water with a simple button. This is essential for serving customers who prefer tea to coffee. Models are available in various capacities, from 10L to more robust 20L models that can supply 120 cups of hot water.

These indispensable appliances have an internal heating element that is responsible for warming the water. A thermostat allows users to determine their preferred water temperature, while an automatic shutoff function ensures the heating element is deactivated once the selected temperature is reached. This promotes both safety and energy efficiency.

Key features to consider when selecting a hot water dispenser include a drain tap that allows users to easily fill up with hot water and well-insulated carrying handles so you can move the dispenser without burning yourself.

Cooking equipment

Serving light food options with coffee can significantly increase a coffeehouse’s revenue. That is why it's important to also have high-quality cooking appliances such as:

• Induction hobs: Professional induction hobs are popular among cafe owners due to their compact size and portability. These appliances take up less space than traditional stovetops, making them a perfect fit for kitchens with limited space. They are also suitable for a range of different cooking techniques.
• Griddles: Smooth griddles feature a flat cooking surface made from stainless steel and occasionally enhanced with chrome plating for added resilience and performance. Their design makes them ideal for preparing breakfast items such as eggs, bacon, pancakes and staple lunch items like burgers and sandwiches. Contact grills are also suitable for making pressed sandwiches and paninis.
• Ovens: Many coffeehouses also offer a variety of baked goods, like pastries, to complement their coffee offerings. That is why it’s beneficial for cafes to invest in one or more high-quality ovens. Convection ovens are popular among cafe owners as they use fans to circulate hot air, ensuring swift and uniform baking results. For cafes with higher demands for baked goods, ovens like this four-tray convection oven with a built-in timer are ideal.

Refrigeration

Quality refrigeration equipment allows coffeehouses to efficiently store perishable goods and products while guaranteeing the safety and freshness of their ingredients.

Reach-in refrigerators

It is vital to include refrigerators in every coffeehouse. These essential units serve the dual purpose of preserving ingredients, freshly prepared items, beverages, and more while offering easy access to all stored goods. Depending on the coffeehouse's volume, the size and capacity of reach-in refrigerators can vary. For establishments with a lower turnover, a single-section refrigerator may be sufficient.

However, for cafes looking to expand or expect increased customer traffic, opting for a two-section or three-section fridge could be beneficial in the long term. It’s also important to consider a refrigerator's maximum ambient temperature before purchasing it and ensure it can withstand the kitchen's heat.

Ice makers

Investing in top-quality ice machines is essential for serving properly chilled cold and frozen beverages. Many ice machines are available, each producing different types of ice to suit various drink requirements.

For example, ice machines that create bullet-shaped cubes are ideal for cold brews, sodas and other chilled beverages. Additionally, flaked-iced machines produce small, delicate flakes perfect for blending slushies and iced frappés. Undercounter ice machines are also popular for coffeehouses with limited space as they seamlessly integrate into the kitchen workflow.

Drinks fridges

It's important to ensure that you have an extensive coffee menu and offer coffee alternatives. A drinks fridge is a glass-fronted fridge that displays tempting drink options to customers. They come in various shapes and sizes, depending on what you need. Drink fridges are also available as self-service options, so customers can choose their drinks and bring them to the counter.

Display cases

Display units come in two main varieties: refrigerated and heated. These cases are essential for showcasing your cafe's offerings and enticing customers with a visual display of your products. Refrigerated display units are specifically designed to maintain optimal temperature conditions. Dairy-based products like cakes, pies, cheesecakes and cream-filled biscuits should be placed in a refrigerated display case to preserve their freshness and safety.

Additionally, for establishments offering bottled beverages, investing in a glass-fronted refrigerator might be beneficial. Positioned conveniently behind the counter, it facilitates smooth operations. Conversely, in a self-service environment, a glass-door fridge allows customers to pick their choice of drink directly, streamlining the purchase process at the counter.

Commercial dishwashers

In contrast to the typical home dishwasher, which runs through a cycle within 1 to 4 hours, commercial dishwashers complete powerful cleaning cycles within minutes. For any coffeehouse, owning at least one such appliance is indispensable to ensure the constant availability of clean, sanitised crockery, cutlery and glassware for your customers.

Luckily, several dishwashers are available to cater to your daily dishwashing needs. For establishments dealing with a high volume of dishes, opting for a robust model like a rack conveyor dishwasher is advisable. Though these models are usually more expensive and demand more space, they justify their worth in busy environments by efficiently managing larger loads. Conversely, smaller coffeehouses could benefit from space-efficient undercounter dishwashers.

Another recommendation is to consider investing in a glass washer designed to carefully handle delicate glassware such as espresso cups. These machines use gentler water pressure to avoid damage. While they are versatile enough to clean larger items such as plates and saucers, they're not suited for cleaning heavy-duty items like pots and pans.

For a compact solution, Maxima’s product specialists recommend this 40 x 40cm undercounter dishwasher to effectively wash your dishes without taking up too much space.

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Setting up a successful coffeehouse doesn’t have to be a challenging task if you’re prepared and have done research. Make sure you invest in equipment from a reliable supplier, like Maxima, who has extensive experience in the catering industry.

They should also be able to advise you on which models would work best for you and can help with any installation or maintenance requirements. Once your equipment is installed, you're ready to open your doors and serve your delicious coffee drinks!

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Equip your coffeehouse with only the best equipment and shop at Maxima.com now!