A standard 2 group coffee machine usually has a 10 litre boiler, whereas a compact espresso coffee machine has a 5 litre boiler. The boiler is usually placed vertically in the machine which means that the machine takes up much less space. For example, a La Spaziale 2 group coffee machine is 77cm wide, while a compact machine is only 58cm wide. This is quite a big difference if you only have a small counter space.
A compact espresso machine will also use quite a lot less power than a standard 2 group coffee machine. Most compact machines can run off a standard 13 amp plug because the maximum power they use is 3,000w. 3,000w/240 volts is 12.5 amps, so a 13 amp power outlet is fine.
You might wonder how well a compact machine could deal with busy spells. In most cases it will deal with them with no problem. The main difference between a standard size and a compact machine is the boiler size. Now because the boiler is smaller you have less storage for steam. If you draw lots of hot water and you steam very large cups, then it might have a bit of a problem. If your cups are normal size and you don't draw off lots of hot water, then it will be perfectly happy. There will be no difference from a standard size machine.
When it is a case of making more coffees at the same time, what matters is the groups. A 3 group will handle more than a 2 group, but it is not necessarily the case that a standard 2 group can deal with more than a compact 2 group.
When you draw a lot of hot water from the boiler, the steam pressure drops because you have the same amount of steam in a bigger space. The boiler also draws in water so the water in the boiler cools. If you draw off lots of hot water the steam pressure can drop too far, but as long as you give the machine enough time to recover, it won't cause a problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment