Coffee-machine automation: Convenience vs control

article

IS THE RISE of super-automatic, or fully automatic, coffee machines a flash in the pan or something more momentous?

It’s a question occupying the minds of many coffee-industry figures, since the answer will have significant implications for consumers and industry professionals.

Most espresso machines in cafés and coffee shops are semi-automatic.

They take care of things like water temperature and pressure, leaving the barista to grind the beans, tamp the grounds, manoeuvre the portafiller, and froth the milk.

However, super-automatic coffee machines can do everything at the touch of a button, removing the need for a barista.

Few people would question the set-and-forget functions of, say, a Rational combi oven, which can cook racks of different foods to perfection simultaneously.

However, the coffee industry appears divided when it comes to the question of fully automatic coffee machines.

It’s a clash between speed and ease and the artisanal craftsmanship that has largely defined Australian coffee culture since the first espresso machine was installed here in 1928.

Barista using a semi automatic coffee machine

The role of skilled baristas is a key ingredient in what makes the experience of getting a coffee a ‘thing’, says SilverChef’s Steven Hutchings.

“Australia has arguably one of the greatest coffee cultures in the world,” says Peter Quigley, executive managing director of ERS Catering Equipment.

“But can we continue to carry the exorbitant costs of operation, including wages?”

Indeed, with barista wages reaching nearly $50 per hour on public holidays, the level of coffee-machine automation has become a make-or-break decision for some café owners.

Despite the economics, SilverChef coffee account manager Steven H future.

"For the operator and their valued customers, the role of skilled baristas is a key ingredient in what makes the experience of getting a coffee a ‘thing’.

”However, the tide is turning on other types of coffee equipment, he says, with automatic tampers, grind-by-weight coffee grinders, and automatic milk-texturing machines becoming widely adopted.

Brett Bolwell, the CEO of Barista Equip, argues automation in the coffee industry is not merely a passing trend but a permanent fixture.

Fully automatic coffee machines improve efficiency, reduce wastage, and ultimately improve the customer experience, says Brett.

By streamlining routine tasks, full automation allows coffee-shop staff to redirect their focus towards the core of hospitality — serving guests’

Adds SilverChef coffee account manager Jamie Thomson: “By streamlining routine tasks, full automation allows coffee-shop staff to redirect their focus towards the core of hospitality — serving guests.”

Even though there is a growing trend towards full automation, Oliver Brown, the co-founder of The Big Easy Group, thinks tradition will prevail.

He predicts a continued preference for semi-automatic coffee machines — which allow greater control and customisation — over fully automatic ones.

Oliver’s prediction could be related to some of the downsides of fully automatic machines.

While the machines are more convenient and consistent, pulling the same shot every time, if a customer doesn’t like how the shot tastes, there’s little the operator can do.

Moreover, the milk is generally not as creamy or smooth as you can get with manual steaming, and you can’t create latte art.

SilverChef sales manager Dion Ireland agrees that full automation won’t appeal to everyone.

“I don’t think we’ll see complete automation at our local coffee shops,” Dion says. “[But it’s happened or is happening at] large groups such as Starbucks, Coffee Club, and major fast-food outlets.”

For coffee-shop owners, the choice between semi- and super-automatic machines will continue to boil down to which of two things is most beneficial to their business: control or convenience.