Hello everybody.
I am lover of good coffee who is finally realising a long-time dream of running his own café with a friend. I am not a trained barista, but I am a connoisseur of good coffee and a perfectionist, and I believe that with research and a great amount of practice I will be able to make an excellent coffee.
My concern is for our equipment, because for now we have a very small budget. I understand that the machine one uses is critical for releasing the full flavour from the beans and ensuring the correct consistency.
We will be serving all of the standard styles: espresso, macchiato, caffè latte, cappuccino, etc. and expect to deliver coffee of the highest standard. However, as a business consideration, we would like to limit our outlay. Our café is relatively small, so rate of production is of lesser consideration. Our focus is on quality.
Can any of the smaller, cheaper machines produce a professional standard of coffee? Should we consider a second-hand machine? Both? Any guidance that anybody can offer would be invaluable.
Thank you in advance.
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