Gosh fellas, here we go again hehehe..... The use of such equipment is nothing more than business owners attempting to use every tool at their disposal to try and attract as much business as they can. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What is wrong, is they've gained the impression that by doing that (attaching themselves to coffee machine or grinder brand names), that they will get instant cred ( for using such brand names). Its the cred they're after to get people in the door, and quality is an entirely separate issue. If you are after quality, you will take steps to get that no matter what brand equipment you use although....if you are quality minded then you will attempt to get the best possible equipment you can. The thing is, you can give these internet cred brand names to some people who will ruin the coffee, and you can give base grade machines to others who will work them to best effect in the cup. The brand name is not an indication of a quality production by the operator. Certainly if you give someone a better tool, it is more likely their "game" will inmprove. But that also brings in a multitude of other factors in the quality stakes some of them being: Who says this brand 2 boiler machine is "better" than some other brand, or some other brand HX machine? What is the definition of "better"? In what context and situation? For what type of coffees milk or black? Can the consumers pick the difference? If they do (pick a difference), can it be definitively attributed to the fact of using a 2 boiler design over an HX design? If they do (pick a difference), can it be attributed to anything more than individual likes, dislikes, and opinions on what constitutes a "better" coffee? Who is right? Can any consumer comentators give a qualified opinion on quality, or is it only personal opinion? What is their background? If the shop concerned had staff who were capable of "interpreting" their coffee nicely into a fine drinkable brew, then they would be able to do it with a low end machine as well. Its a shame to see how people are influenced enough by what they read on the internet that they will be swayed to go into a cafe just because of the brand of equipment placed on the bench. Once the clients have their bums in the seats however, the cafe needs to follow up with the right staff to work the equipment properly and to best effect. A 2 boiler commercial esp machine is a manufacturer's interpretation of what constitutes a "better" design in some cafe situations, where "better" = hopefully....a machine that is less affected in its capacity to deliver steam, than a heat exchanger machine, during high volume production of coffee. This has not much to do with quality of coffee except where in a high volume situation, a heat exchanger machine could in some situations cool to a point, due to high demand for steam, where the black coffee are less than satisfactorily extracted. This is not an issue in countries where most coffee prioduction is black. It is only likely to be an issue where most coffee production is white. But most cafes in this country have such small average production, that it isn't an issue in real terms. The rest is academic cyclic internet discussison from people outside the coffee service industry. After that there are good design and build commercial espresso machines just as there are low end design and build machines. What I am getting at, is that just because a machine or a brand has a certain level of internet cred, doesnt necessarily mean it is "better" than anything else and that people should somehow expect miracles to be performed in every cafe where they may be in use. If you could walk into any cafe anywhere with this brand name equipment, and could be assured of a high standard of brew no matter what.....then I would have to eat my hat. Until then.......I remain content with my opinion of it all! Declaring openly: My company CosmoreX Coffee imports high grade heat exchanger (HX) BFC espresso coffee machines as well as their multiple boiler PID contolled machines, and I am on the panel of judges (coffee comp) of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW.
