Fully automatic coffee machines in restaurants very often brew bad coffee. We all experience this regularly when we give in to them. I was surprised by how much feedback of this kind I received after my last video, in which I discuss 16 warning signs that help us recognize "bad coffee" before we even drink it. The fully automatic coffee machine itself was a widely held opinion in the comments as a signal for bad coffee in restaurants.
I agree with you that we very often drink very bad coffee from "fully automatic coffee machines." And yet, I also don't completely agree. From my perspective, we make many mistakes when using fully automatic coffee machines, and that starts with the name. A fully automatic coffee machine is simply not fully automatic!
What is needed instead, what manufacturers of "fully automatic coffee machines" don't do well, and how restaurants and roasteries can get better coffee from fully automatic coffee machines together, is the topic of this video.
Then an invitation. If you have a restaurant business, use fully automatic coffee machines, and want to improve your coffee quality, then apply to us for a "quick check." Michel and I will visit you, give honest feedback, and work with you on your coffee quality. The only condition: we can film it and create a video that helps other restaurants improve their own coffee quality. You can find the application form at the very bottom of the page.
Fully automatic coffee machines are not fully automatic
Fully automatic coffee machines have much greater potential to brew good coffee than we experience every day in restaurants, and perhaps also at home or in the office. I think this is due to a fundamental error that is already evident in the naming.
Fully automatic coffee machines do not automatically make good coffee. This marketing claim is a good idea, but it is not true. We have gotten used to it, and I also use the phrase in the video description so that you can find my article and my video in your search. But so-called fully automatic coffee machines are not fully automatic.
The best naming of coffee machine types seems to me to be according to the brewing process and brewing location. Portafilter espresso machines make coffee in the portafilter, which is why we call them portafilters. Capsule coffee machines brew in the capsule, which is why we precisely call them capsule machines, and the same applies to filter coffee machines and pod machines. So-called fully automatic coffee machines are, by this definition, piston coffee machines.
(No, portafilters are not piston coffee machines. Manual lever machines have a piston, that's correct, but according to the definition proposed here, I would call them portafilters with a manual lever.)
Comments under the video 16 warning signs for bad coffee in gastronomy.
Taking responsibility for coffee quality
In recent years, we have advised many restaurant businesses, worked closely with manufacturers of fully automatic coffee machines, and also made numerous visits to restaurant businesses.
I have noticed two phenomena in the handling of commercial machines. Both often occur together or alternate.
No one is responsible
A lot of money has been invested in a professional commercial fully automatic machine, quickly 10 - 25,000 Euros or Swiss Francs. Now the machine is supposed to deliver. Perhaps it will be equipped with good, but more likely cheap, beans, and then the machine is supposed to automatically brew good coffee. No one really gets involved and takes responsibility. The restaurateur may not even work with a roaster, but buys the coffee from a wholesaler. And substantively, the topic doesn't particularly interest them.
The drinks are supposed to flow, it has to be quick, and the coffee machine was purchased as a "fully automatic machine" precisely so that they wouldn't have to think about it any further. In such a setting, the service technicians of the machine manufacturers are not asked to go the extra mile or fine-tune (which they rarely offer on their own).
It's the others' fault
Another phenomenon is pointing fingers at others. The service technicians refer to the roasters, the roaster blames the technician. Incidentally, both believe that the cleaning by the restaurant business is not carried out carefully. Everyone points fingers at each other, and no one takes the lead.
Presumably, the restaurateur lacks an understanding of coffee contexts, the roaster doesn't even know all piston machines, and the technician isn't sensory trained. This constellation is always problematic and leaves many restaurateurs feeling insecure.
Then the focus is preferred to be placed on other things, and the coffee remains bad.
Good coffee from the piston coffee machine
But the potential for very good coffee from the so-called fully automatic coffee machine is there. I have not only had very, very good long coffees but also excellent espressos from fully automatic machines.
Some of these coffees would not have had to hide from any portafilter espresso machine in the world. But such a machine setting is not a given.
Prerequisites are:
- Basic sensory training for a person responsible for coffee in the business
- Purchase of a good fully automatic coffee machine
- Use of good coffee beans
- Beverage definition by the person responsible for coffee together with the roaster
- Implementation of the definition on the machine together with the machine manufacturer
- Development of a quality control protocol for daily and weekly checks of the machine, the coffee blend, the beverages
- Establishment of continuous improvement processes in the coffee focus area
Sounds complicated?
Yes, it does. The time investment for defining and setting up the machine is realistically one to two days, plus a sensory course at the roaster or in a coffee school. I can recommend this to restaurants anyway so that they can confidently interact with roasteries and coffee machine manufacturers. A good vocabulary for describing coffee will later facilitate the development of beverage definitions.
Is a fully automatic machine worth that much effort?
Of course! At least where people have the choice to drink coffee at home or at the neighboring business. That's why we will probably continue to drink very bad coffee on trains, planes, and in prisons for a very long time.
But if there is a choice, then the quality improvements triggered by the measures mentioned above will noticeably increase sales. And this will lead to the investments being amortized sooner rather than later (at least if the restaurant business is functioning overall).
It should not be underestimated that many cities are coffee deserts. A lot of bad coffee is prepared, which has once again been highlighted not only by the many comments under my video about 16 warning signs for bad coffee in gastronomy.
It's almost absurd, but with really good coffee, restaurant businesses can positively stand out from the crowd of other establishments.
Invitation: we will accompany you!
For a time, we supported restaurant businesses in improving their coffee quality. Admittedly, it exhausted us, and the low interest in coffee and the real willingness of many businesses to tackle structural improvements led us to no longer offer this as a consulting service. In contrast, there are so many interested home baristas who are willing to go the extra mile for good coffee. That brings us much more joy!
But here we want to open the window again.
We are looking for a restaurant business that is serious.
The requirements:
- you are aware that your coffee – to put it diplomatically – has a lot of room for improvement.
- you have a piston coffee machine (fully automatic coffee machine).
- you want to learn and are open and interested in working with us on your drinks, setups, etc.
- you are open to us filming our visit to you and making a video about the visit.
Then apply to us. Michel and Benjamin will visit you, work with you, and together we will get everything out of your setup.
There are no costs for you; you just have to invest your time.
We look forward to your application. We reserve the right to visit different companies and businesses, depending on where the applications come from and how many companies apply.
