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  • Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

    Hellow Everyone, has anyone has experience with commercial machines used in functions and events, perhaps if there is any suggestion as to which commercial espresso machine is suitable for such occasions where I am guessing the normal power they provide is 150amp single phase?


  • #2
    Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

    How long is a piece of string?

    Rough idea on numbers you are expecting to do? One operator or two?

    For a start a good solid 2 group is somewhere about right to start looking anyway. A 2 group compact will fall over if you are busy and a 3 group will kill you trying to transport it and move it around. Most 2 groups can or be made to or will run on 15A circuits and some can be detuned to run on 10A if needed but the boiler recovery time suffers.

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    • #3
      Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

      So far with the expression of interest, the event has a min of 500 attendees and up to 3000 on some occasions, perhaps 2 operator will be nice, one for the milk and one for the shot.

      Ive searched around and most full two groups machines are 15amp, if the circuit is 15amp as well, just right for the machine, do you think this will pose a problem?

      Im thinking as a precaution, what about getting an external portable power generator that can do 20amp as well?

      Does it sound crazy to get LM Linea 2 Groups machine? Other machines I am thinking as well will be the Atlas or the Polaris from Wega or expobar ruggero. What do you think?

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      • #4
        Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

        Hello there.

        My opinion:

        You will do no good asking about specific brand name machines in this forum. Everyone has their pet brand and the greatest majority of people in this forum have experience of their own machine only and in many instances they have brought an old clapped out machine back to life. That is good if you are after a hobby or project in your spare time, but no good if you are seeking to do business.

        All brand coffee machines make coffee. Some make it better than others, or perform better than others in certain situations, however please permit me to give a small anecdote. I have just returned from a fact finding mission in the USA.  I found, that the greatest majority of cafes that are wishing to make an image statement, buy expensive multiple boiler machines of the usual brand names and far greater capacity grinders than they need. Unfortunately, the resulting coffee in the cup does not always live up to the image trying to be portrayed by the use of these "brands". Would you rather have a low quality brew made with someones pet brand esp machine, or would you rather have a good quality eminently drinkable cuppa made with an espresso machine whose brand or type you couldnt even see over the top of the counter?

        Does a retail client care what brand / type machine his cuppa was made with?  That is...place youself in the shoes of your client. Therefore suggest your level of expertise in good coffee making and your own ability to put that into practice under conditions of volume is more important.

        Suggest you should speak with a commercial espresso machine vendor in your local area that can present some machines to you in whatever brand he supports, and that he can demonstrate or guarantee will perform well in the situation you present to him.

        What is "performance"?

        In your case, may I suggest it will be a large capacity commercial espresso machine, probably 3 groups (if you can access 25 amp power), because you will want a large steam capacity and ability to recover for functions such as you describe where you could get swamped for coffee.

        See if the venue can provide the power, because otherwise the cost of hiring a suitable genie could be prohibitive.

        If they wont / cant provide power for a 3 group (25 amps) see if they will provide it for a large volume 2 group (15 to 20 amps) and if they cant do that see if they will provide 10 amps.

        If you are restricted to providing your own power or if you can only get 10 amps from the venue, suggest you go with a compact sized 2 group because they will run 10 to 12 amps, and owing to smaller boiler size will recover quickly. Ability to recover is what will make or break your capacity to perform at a function such as you seem to be describing.

        I would have three people working, because you need the third person to take the orders and handle the money if you get as busy as you hope.

        Dont fall into the trap of buying / renting / begging  a clapped out espresso machine to do the job. It may be inexpensive but could likely fail to do the job and is therefore a more expensive" option than getting good condition equipment in the first place.

        Repeating, talk to your local esp machine service provider and see how they can help you plan what you have in mind.

        Other opinions most welcome.

        Regardz,
        Attilio
        very first CS site sponsor.

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        • #5
          Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

          Generaly speaking, most venues seem to be able to provide a standard 15amp, and as you have said as well Attilio, it will be better perhaps to have the full size 2 groups machine in the case if it get busy then it will have sufficient capability to recover.

          I have narrowed down to purhcasing new 2 groups machine, Wega Atlas EVD, Wega Polaris EVD or Expobar Ruggerro. As I never have any experience with any of these machine, perhaps anyonw who has experience may share a little bit of their experience?

          And yes, I agree with you Attilio, having the most expensive equipment may not always work.

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          • #6
            Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

            Dont think you will find too much between them, I personally would go for the expobar megacrem, not as pretty but a bit cheaper. But as Attilio says that is the machine that I have experience with. Also if you have 3000 people you will need more that one machine it just wont keep up. Also you need a high capacity grinder not just a standard one to really push out the numbers.

            Good luck

            Brett

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            • #7
              Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

              Originally posted by 52505C575E4D5E525A535E4B4B5A3F0 link=1289348347/4#4 date=1289355970
              Thanks very much for your response Attilio

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              • #8
                Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                wega polaris 2group compact or la cimbali m29 selectron compact both very robust and good for events.

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                • #9
                  Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                  ahh, also gaggia d90 as the power switch will turn on 1,2 o 3 elements depending on available power.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                    Originally posted by 2C2E22292033202C242D20353524410 link=1289348347/4#4 date=1289355970
                    Generaly speaking, most venues seem to be able to provide a standard 15amp
                    Ive found the opposite actually. Unless they are a purpose-built venue, most will say they can supply 15A but when I go and inspect its normally just 10A, or the only 15A has already been claimed by someone else. This has happened to 6 times in the last 8 months.

                    20+ Amp power is generally only available where the event organiser has setup some large generators and then you need to be very careful as the load can get "shared" with the donut machine or Souvlaki next door.

                    With so many site power issues, Ive given up trying to run a full-sized 2-group machine unless I know the power is going to be good beforehand. I run a 2-group compact that has no problem pumping out 500+ coffees in 6hrs - the only hassle is a single steam arm and there are ways to get around that issue.

                    If you are planning to serve tea, then get an urn and place it on a trestle behind - dont take hot water from the boiler, else you may have a 5 min time penalty applied for steam.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                      Originally posted by 393939685A0 link=1289348347/9#9 date=1289699963
                      500+ coffees in 6hrs
                      I assume they are fairly small coffees? That is pretty impressive for a compact machine.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                        Hang on.. 3000ppl function, one or two baristas and one two group machine? you must be kidding...

                        2 baristas on a 2group is pointless, they just slow each other down if they know what theyre doing. try twelve baristas on six 3group machines for 3000ppl function.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                          I am a little surprised by the preference of Compact 2 groups over the full sized 2grp boiler at either standard or reduced 10A. While yes the smaller boiler will recover better and heat up quicker initially the bigger boiler will hang on longer due to the reserves of steam when under the pump even at reduced power. So surely there is still merit in the bigger boilers over the compact ones?

                          On the 15A vs 10A most of our local indoor venues are NOT generally fitted out with "spare" 15A outlets near the kitchens or food service areas, the 15A outlets are already in use. Some do have 15A available near stage areas or at the fuse boxes but that would mean a long run in a lot of cases.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                            Originally posted by 6C4852424940210 link=1289348347/11#11 date=1289713058
                            try twelve baristas on six 3group machines for 3000ppl function.
                            All depends on what you are trying to achieve 3000 coffees in a couple of hours I agree but if 3000 people are at an event not all of them will need a coffee. On a side note if there is a company who can supply 6 3 group machines and 12 capable baristas then I would like to know who they are I could learn a lot from them.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Commercial Machine for Events and Functions

                              Cutting to the chase...

                              I recently returned from an event that had probably 10 thou people on site at any one time.

                              Not everyone wants a coffee all at the same time, and

                              People WILL line up and wait, just as they will do at the FOOD and the BEER concessions.

                              Trust me, it isnt that desperate and you can only do....what you can do. Either way you go home shagged and with a bundle of money in the van. There is no point also going home with an elevated stress level trying to cater for impossible numbers or stressing about "what if" you had used some other configuration of equipment.

                              As others have said the fact is, 15 amps is a rarity at these events except if someone has hired a humumgous and expensive  genie, so 10 amps is usually the norm and therein lies the deciding restriction on what you can do particularly if you actually have to provide your own generator. This happens often enough despite venues theroetically being able to provide the power, because they may put you in a designated area that is actually away from the power....

                              If it were me I would buy (in fact I did) best quality equipment like the Honda or Yamaha inverter generators. Its not just the quality of the power its also the noise level as well as the longevity and reliability.

                              After that, my money is on a compact 2 group machine and the rest is academic. For any anyone that is in my own local area and wants to view one of my own BFC / Diadema compact 2 group machines which have been tried and proven in event situations by myself and my family, please do come in and ask.

                              Good luck no matter what you decide to do  

                              Regardz,
                              Attilio.

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