Buying a La Marzocco Espresso Machine in Singapore

Buying a La Marzocco Espresso Machine in Singapore - For the past decade or so, La Marzocco coffee machines have become an integral part of the global coffee scene. Used by many top restaurants and cafes, the brand has become synonymous with quality. It is arguable that in terms of brand reputation, La Marzocco is right up there with the best coffee machine manufacturers in the market, such as Victoria Arduino, Faema, Slayer, and Synesso.

In fact, this sentiment is so strong that in countries like Singapore, the use of a La Marzocco in a cafe, has now more or less become a benchmark of quality - almost to say that if a cafe operates a La Marzocco espresso machine, the coffee must be good.

While we know this is not completely accurate, at the very least, it provides a visual indication that the restaurant or cafe is serious about their business. Why do we say so? - Well, to put things simply, La Marzocco coffee machines cost quite a bit of money to buy, with coffee suppliers seldom willing to rent out a La Marzocco machine.

While it is not the most expensive machine in the market, its price tag definitely puts it in the upper echelons of espresso machines. The question is, is this price tag really worth it, and should restaurants and cafes continue to pay for such a luxury. Here are some points to consider when you are thinking of buying a coffee machine for your restaurant, cafe, or F&B operation.

Operation & Functionality:

Buying a La Marzocco Espresso Machine in Singapore - To set the context, there is no denying that La Marzocco machines are among the very best espresso machines you can get on the market. Since the time of the La Marzocco GB, up till today where we see the Strada and Linea in numerous establishments around Singapore, it is clear that the La Marzocco’s reputation has stood the test of time, even throughout periods where Victoria Arduino burst onto the scene with their Black Eagle and White Eagle machines, and also throughout periods where other manufacturers such as Synesso, Slayer, and at one point, Expobar and Rancillio were making quite a name for themselves.

At the end of it all, La Marzocco is still prominent within the F&B scene today. However, when looking at commercial espresso machines for use in restaurants and cafes, one should understand that price does not always reflect quality. In fact, price often reflects the presence of certain technologies found in these coffee machines.

For example, some coffee machines today like the Dalla Corte, feature flow profiling of each individual group head, while Victoria Arduino and Nuova Simonelli have their patented T3 technology, which is also a form of individual group head customization. Other brands, like San Remo, have smart machines that can be hooked up wirelessly to control panels that gives the machines this element of cloud control.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Oncoffeemakers (OCM) (@on.coffee.makers)

These technologies are all ground-breaking and good, but ultimately, you should be discerning as to whether or not your setup, or your workforce is able to optimise and fully utilise these technologies.

Is your barista team well trained enough to customise individual group heads for specific espresso flow profiles? Is your establishment set up in such a way where cloud control can benefit workflow and reduce your reliance on manpower? If the answer is no, then you might actually be better off spending less, and getting a well built, but basic coffee machine. If you think of a standard, well built two group commercial espresso machine, then you actually have many other options other than to pay a huge upfront amount for a La Marzocco.

There are brands such as La Cimbali who have great heritage and quality in their manufacturing process, but don't come with the additional bells and whistles. They do not cost a bomb, and more importantly, are also very good coffee machines that get the job done in a commercial setting.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Oncoffeemakers (OCM) (@on.coffee.makers)

Volume & Staff:

Buying a La Marzocco Espresso Machine in Singapore - There are some camps that believe that the real benchmark of a commercial espresso machine lies in its ability to maintain boiler heat and pressure over sustained periods of continuous use.

This is the reason many commercial dual group espresso machines come with individual boilers that have the ability to constantly churn out enough hot water and pressure. But what if this situation does not apply to your business? Perhaps you are a restaurant which focuses on other products, but you also sell coffee as a supporting item, producing only about 30-50 cups of coffee a day? Do you then still need a two group espresso machine? The short answer to this is - no.

From a purely functional standpoint, an establishment really only needs to consider having a two group coffee machine if they are churning out at least 100 cups of coffee a day, or if all your coffee orders are squashed into the same 2-3 hour period in the morning.

Anything lower than 100 cups a day, you can actually save some space and money, and work off a single group espresso machine, like the La Marzocco Linea Mini, which is hugely popular in small establishments and at home.

That said, the price of a Linea Mini is actually considered very high, and is almost double that of some very reputable single group coffee machines like the Dalla Corte Studio, San Remo Cube, or Elektra Sixties. If you compare these against a La Marzocco GS3 single group, the price gap is even larger and harder to accept.

Another significant benefit of running a single group espresso machine if you do not require the strength of a double group machine, is energy consumption. As the double boilers in a double group need to constantly be kept hot while the machine also manages brewing pressure and steam wand pressure is no mean feat. For the machine to perform all these tasks, it can consume quite a huge amount of energy. For that reason, using a single group espresso machine where your operations allow for it can be beneficial to your energy consumption.

Lastly, consider the level of proficiency of your staff. Do you have a full team of trained Baristas who are experts at calibration and flow profiling? Or do you have a team of part timers who come and go with the seasons, usually with a crash course on how to make coffee followed by a lot of on the job training?

If you identify with the latter situation, then perhaps having a semi automatic commercial espresso machine set up can be tough. Instead, consider working with a good quality automatic coffee machine, where preset drink recipes can be made with the touch of a few buttons.

While consumers generally believe that semi automatic machines produce better coffee, technology in fully automatic machines have evolved drastically over the years. And honestly, a good automatic machine with an untrained staff has a good chance of making a better cup of coffee than an untrained staff with a La Marzocco.

The best part about a fully automatic machine is consistency. It doesn’t matter who makes it, or how many days the person has been on the job. As long as they know how to activate the right buttons, the coffee and end product will come out the same. It’s something for all operators out there to think about - and honestly, if you have a team that is mainly made up of part timers, it is likely that coffee probably isn’t your core product anyway.

As such, perhaps spending big on an expensive machine like a La Marzocco may not be getting you the returns that you had imagined - you might be better off with something else. A cheaper machine, a smaller machine, or an automatic machine.

If you are looking for "buying a La Marzocco espresso machine Singapore" type of articles, check out our homepage for different genre of articles. If you need to chat with someone on your coffee needs, do drop us a message below on buying, selling or renting machines or coffee related stuff.

Featured coffee brewing method: How to prepare V60 Coffee?

Previously: Making Coffee with a Coffee Sock.

Buying a La Marzocco Espresso Machine in Singapore

Contact Us

Recent Articles

Tim Hortons Singapore is a Canadian Coffee Chain?

Coffee report on WMF Coffee Machine Brand in Singapore

What is the target market for Starbucks?

Featured: Office Coffee Machines

Food and Beverage (F&B) Articles