Which espresso machine do you recommend for a roastery?

Most often the Linea PB X ABR: a separate coffee boiler for each group and drip tray scales. For more than 300 coffees a day or pressure profiling, the Strada X; for demos, the Leva X is worth considering.

Why does a roastery need independent boilers?

So that each group can brew a different coffee at its own temperature, for example a light and a darker roast side by side.

When should you choose the Strada X?

For high volume, over 300 coffees a day, or when the roastery works with pressure profiles. The Strada X has Manual, Profile and AV modes, drip tray scales and independent pumps.

How many grinders does a roastery need?

As many as there are coffees on the bar at once, plus a grinder for decaf. Plan the number of grinders together with the machine.

Espresso machine for a roastery or showroom: how to show off your coffee

Q: Will the Leva X work in a showroom?

Yes. It is a lever machine with a display that shows pre-infusion pressure, extraction pressure and time live, so it works well for demos and tastings.

why a roastery needs an espresso machine

A roastery knows its coffee from cupping. Cupping shows the bean's profile well, but a wholesale client will sell it mainly as espresso and milk drinks. That is why an espresso machine in a roastery has several jobs at once:

calibrating roast profiles for espresso: checking how a new batch behaves in the basket before it reaches clients;
tastings: comparing coffees and recipes with the client at the same bar;
wholesale client training: showing how to dial in the coffee before the client does it on their own premises;
on-site sales: coffee to drink in and take away for roastery visitors;
demos: events, new coffee launches, showroom visits.

Each of these jobs places slightly different demands on the machine, so choosing one starts with the question of which of them matter most in your roastery.

what matters in an espresso machine for a roastery

separate temperatures for different coffees

A roastery rarely works with just one coffee. Light and darker roasts, espresso blends and single origins often need different temperatures. Independent saturated boilers give each group its own coffee boiler, so each group can run a different coffee at its own temperature. They are found on the Linea PB X, GB5 X, Strada S and Strada X. We explain the difference between a dual boiler and independent boilers in the guide dual boiler and saturated groups.

recipes in grams

Roasteries write their recipes in grams and give them to clients in the same form. Drip tray scales in the ABR version end the extraction once the target beverage weight is reached, so the recipe from the coffee card gives the same result on every group. On the Strada X the scales are combined with weight-based profiling: the pressure curve is driven by the beverage weight. We explain when the extra cost of scales pays off in the guide ABR drip tray scales or AV dosing.

pressure profiles

If the roastery works with extraction profiles, the Strada X has Manual, Profile and AV modes, a paddle that turns the barista's movement into a pressure profile, and independent pumps that let the groups run different profiles at the same time. It is a tool for a team that genuinely uses profiles.

the demo effect

The Leva X is a lever machine with independent coffee boilers for each group. The display shows pre-infusion pressure, extraction pressure and time live throughout the extraction, and the exposed groups give a clear view of the station. At tastings and demos, guests can see what is happening to the coffee and the barista can talk them through it.

grinders for several coffees and decaf

A roastery bar usually has several coffees on at once, plus a decaf. Each coffee needs its own grinder, otherwise readjusting the grind eats up time and beans. Plan the number of grinders together with the machine.

which models we recommend to roasteries

We stick to the rule we apply to every recommendation: the simplest model that covers your volume and way of working. For roasteries and showrooms it looks like this:

Linea PB X ABR as the core choice: a separate coffee boiler for each group for different roasts, drip tray scales and beverage weight control. Plus a water sensor that measures the conductivity and hardness of the incoming water.
Strada X for more than 300 coffees a day, or when the roastery works with pressure profiles.
Leva X is worth considering for demonstrations and the showroom: a lever with a pressure graph on every group.
Linea Classic S AV, when the retail point has small, simple traffic and calibration and cuppings happen elsewhere.

Recommendations in line with our selection for roasteries and showrooms. The final choice depends on traffic and the way you work.
Use	What you need	Model
Cuppings and roast calibration	a separate temperature for each coffee, recipes in grams	Linea PB X ABR
Training wholesale customers	stability, scales, clear parameters, the same workflow as at the customer's	Linea PB X ABR
Retail point with coffee to drink in	speed and consistency under traffic	Linea PB X ABR, for more than 300 coffees a day Strada X
Small retail point, simple traffic	simple operation, programmable doses	Linea Classic S AV
Working with pressure profiles	profiles, scales, independent pumps	Strada X
Demonstrations and showroom	impact for guests, visible extraction parameters	Leva X (also consider)

You will find a comparison of the most popular models in the article Linea Classic S, Linea PB, KB90 and Strada, and more on a quality-focused bar in the guide specialty café: which espresso machine to choose.

Do you run a roastery or showroom? Tell us about your coffees and the traffic at your retail point.

Ask about the Linea PB X ABR Find your machine in 30 seconds

the espresso machine as a training tool

When a roastery trains wholesale customers, it helps if the roastery's machine works like the machines at the customers' cafés. A recipe set during training then carries over to the café without explanation. Scales and a clear display help show how a change in grind affects the beverage weight and extraction time.

We have set out a team training plan for a new espresso machine, which you can also use for your customers, in the guide barista training plan for the first month.

how to plan a roastery bar

Before you choose a model, answer a few questions. In our experience these are what change the choice most:

How many coffees are on the bar at once? This determines the number of groups with a separate temperature and the number of grinders.
Who works on the machine? The roastery team, baristas at the retail point, or perhaps customers on training courses. The more different people, the more important scales and clear parameters become.
What is the traffic at the retail point? A few coffees a day at cuppings is different from a queue of guests from the morning.
Where does the machine stand? In a lab behind glass, on a bar for guests or on a stage for demonstrations. This determines how much the look and visibility of the station matter.

It is worth discussing the answers before you buy, together with water and connections. In a roastery it is often easier to prepare the installation for the final bar straight away than to rework it a year later.

what not to do: a machine just for show

The most common mistake in roasteries is choosing a machine purely for the effect in the showroom. If the same machine serves a retail point with morning traffic, it has to keep up with the queue, and the team has to be able to work on it in a rush. A beautiful machine that slows down sales stops being a pleasure after the first week.

That is why we start with the traffic at the retail point and the jobs the machine has to do. If demonstrations matter and traffic is high, it is sometimes better to have one machine for everyday work and a separate demonstration station than one machine that has to do everything.

espresso machine for a roastery or showroom: how to show off your coffee