Spilling the beans on the future of coffee machines

Coffee machines have been around for over a century. In fact, the earliest concept of the coffee machine dates back to 1818, when Mr Laurens, a Parisian local, invented the percolator machine which changed the way coffee was typically prepared. Since then, there have been many developments and innovations to coffee machines, some of the most notable include: The creation of the vacuum siphon coffee machine in 1953 by English engineer, James Napier The first filter coffee machine in 1908 by a German housewife, Melitta Bentz The invention of the first espresso machine by Turin local, Angelo Moriondo in 1884, and later improved and patented by Luigi Bezzera in 1903 The evolution of coffee machines has been an impressive feat, and as the coffee culture displays no slowdown and the demand for coffee continues to rise, many believe that the future design of coffee machines will focus on efficiency and sustainability. Read on to discover the modern-day adoptions and the upcoming developments of commercial coffee machines. Automatic Coffee Machines Compared to the first inventions many years ago, coffee machines have since evolved to create a cup of coffee at a faster rate of time. This has resulted in consumers becoming more demanding of consistency, shorter waiting times and with the expectation that they will get a great tasting drink at for a good value. This shift in expectations and coffee consumption behaviour has caused an enormous amount of pressure for coffee machine manufacturers to deliver highly efficient machines. Automation is key to revolutionising the new age of highly efficient coffee machines. Advances in the likes of bean-to-cup machines have allowed them to produce consistent, high-quality coffee, with minimal human intervention. Automation means that the coffee-making process faces greater convenience and reliability. Newer models of automatic commercial coffee machines work out to have a lower whole-life cost. Majority use Thermo block technology to heat the water and steam the milk, thus avoiding costly boiler inspections and maintenance fees. Technological Developments It’s no mystery that as technology evolves - amongst many other things - so does the different ways of making coffee. All these technological advancements allow the coffee-making process to become more effortless, efficient and comfortable. Generally, artisan coffee making involves many variables which include, the origin of the coffee, quality of the roast, temperature, humidity, and the talent of the barista. With all these variables in play, it becomes difficult to regulate the consistency and manage control to ensure a consistent cup of good coffee is made each time. But as the Internet of Things (IoT) developments allow commercial coffee machines to become more sophisticated, control in the measures of temperature and timing become more precise. These variables can now be controlled and automated using a simple-to-use LCD display mounted on the machine, which has now become a standard feature for many commercial coffee machines. Features such as the Dynamic Coffee Assist on the WMF 5000 S+, permanently guarantees that the ground coffee quantity and grinding degree is monitored and automatically adjusted if necessary. Through this, the brewing time, extraction and value remain consistent for every cup. The integration between cutting edge technologies allows for a flawless experience and connectivity between technology and the artisan nature of coffee making. Design Developments Generally, with new designs of coffee machines, you’ll find that they are becoming more compact, but offer the same capacity and quality as their bigger predecessors. In a commercial setting, the machines will be designed to be shorter as the lowered height allows them to be moved to the front of the counter, allowing for better interaction between the barista and the customer. Additionally, being able to customise the look of the machines will become more popular as businesses use coffee machines as a statement piece. Selecting your own colour scheme and importing your own beverage images and videos on the screen interface will be some of the developments in coffee machine design. Personalisation will enable them to make their coffee machines look unique while still maintaining the functionalities of the machine, that gives it the purpose of being a tool for great coffee making. Other developments include a build that allows for easy handling, sensors for monitoring, and height-adjustable dual spouts for making speciality coffee or two drinks simultaneously. Essentially, the innovations in coffee machine design have strong elements in terms of both style and ergonomics. Environmental Impact One of the most important trends that have become critical in the catering sector is the consideration of the environmental impact of the product or service being provided. Many organisations are now concerned with the product lifespan and how eco-friendly their purchases are. Typically bean-to-cup coffee machines are more environmentally friendly, as they make fresh coffee from the beans rather than using pre-packed alternatives. Pod and capsule coffee machines are not so eco-friendly as the aluminium coffee pods reportedly take a couple of hundred of years to decompose. Sustainability concerns have driven the need to innovate and cater to the growing demand for coffee machines with long-life guarantees. Whether organisations are buying, leasing, or renting a coffee machine, they are looking for high-quality machines that reach their full potential lifespan with the least amount of maintenance required. Investing in a specialist coffee machine will require care and upkeep, proper maintenance will allow your coffee machine to last longer and minimise the likelihood that it will end up in the landfill sooner than expected. Contributed by KD Web