Best Commercial Espresso Machines in 2023

This cute professional espresso machine is compact and capable, as well as totally portable (as long as you can hoist around 80 pounds) with no direct plumbing required. It’s a semi-automatic with a 1.8-liter pour-in reservoir, 6.5-liter boiler, and it’s handy for well-trained staff. It can produce up to 150 shots of espresso or cappuccinos a day, making the La Pavoni Commercial Espresso maker a good choice for restaurants — especially if you cater!

Affectionately referred to as a “monster” by Elektra, this isn’t the type that hides under your bed and grabs a dangling ankle in the middle of the night. This shiny beaut will be the star of the show with its steel frame and brass knobs. While this commercial espresso machine is still considered a semi-automatic, it has 5 automatic dispensing buttons to use for different types of caffeine.

This bad boy is quite a leap from the previous two — clocking in at 264 pounds with a price tag that exceeds 17k, the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia takes you up to championship level — seriously. That’s not an exaggeration. This machine is the only espresso machine certified as ergonomic by the European Institute of Psychology and Ergonomics, as well as the official professional espresso machine of the World Barista Championships. It’s totally automatic, so you can have anyone (wo)man this machine, but, for what it costs you, you’ll want to trust them implicitly.

Are you interested in having the reliability and quality of a name brand that’s been doing its thing for a while now without the huge price? Well, the Nuova Simonelli Musica Pour Over Tank Version is a model to consider. It’s output isn’t nearly as high as the Aurelia, and it’s a semi-automatic, but it does have programmable sizes, such as ristretto and espresso. This commercial espresso machine is compact and able to make about 60 cups a day, so it’s for small locations or offices primarily.

The Jura WE8 Professional is like your most agreeable friend. You know, the one that never has a problem driving and has a flexible schedule. They’re generally pleasant and provide engaging 1-on-1 conversation, but they’re also delightful in small groups, too. The Jura WE8 professional is a lot like that person — it has a 101-ounce reservoir and a 17.6-ounce beans and grounds container, which is enough for 25 portions. The Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display makes it easy to use any one of the 12 pre-programmable coffee types!

This machine hits a nice middle ground in price if you’re serious about coffee — this is a good option for coffee shops, cafes, or anywhere with a decent output of caffeine required. This press-forged brass and chrome plated machine is pretty enough to display prominently, and the built-in cup rack across the top encourages that. Multiple users can operate this semi-automatic machine at the same time, as well as the two flexible steam jets and one hot water jet. At 149 pounds, this machine certainly has presence and capability.

This is Nuova Simonelli’s third entry on our list and (spoiler) not the last. There’s a reason for that — they’re known to take everything into account when crafting their machines, from the owner of the establishment, to the barista, to the coffee drinker. The Aurelia II Volumetric 2 has an ergonomic design and clear displays, and it’s automatic, so anyone can make creamy cappuccinos.

As the second-most expensive model on this list and the fourth entry for Nuova Simonelli, you know that this sleek machine packs a punch. This super-automatic has an included coffee grinder, dual boilers, and a hot water nozzle. It’s able to produce 150 espresso shots per hour. So, if your demand is high, this machine is in high demand. It comes with a Smart Wand® that really does allow for some top-notch magic — hook it up to an external milk cooler and the Talento can make up to eight different drinks with nothing but a button push from you. Pure magic.