How prosumer espresso machines have raised the bar in specialty coffee - Perfect Daily Grind

Oct 22, 2024

Coffee education took centre stage during the pandemic, and consumers have only continued to become more knowledgeable in the years since, reshaping the at-home coffee market. According to the latest National Coffee Data Trends report, 81% of past-day drinkers in the US had prepared coffee at home, compared to 36% of past-day drinkers having coffee outside it.

Home baristas are more passionate than ever about making high-quality coffee. This has given way to the rise of the “prosumer”: skilled and educated consumers who invest in premium beans and equipment. Their expectations have never been higher, and they’re increasingly looking for machines that mirror the performance of commercial equipment.

In response, manufacturers have shifted their focus onto the growing prosumer market, developing more advanced single-group espresso machines for home use.

I spoke to Tommy Gallagher, brand and product manager at SLAYER Espresso, and Christopher Flechtner, the lead designer at Christopher Flechtner Inc and SLAYER’s lead designer to find out how prosumer espresso machines have elevated the at-home specialty coffee experience.

You may also like our article on why the espresso machine should be the centrepiece of a coffee shop.

Prosumers occupy a niche space in the coffee community. Sitting somewhere between an industry professional and an informed consumer, they take the term “home barista” to the next level, investing in premium equipment to recreate a café-quality experience at home.

Traditionally, prosumers often had to modify or even invent their own tools if existing home coffee equipment didn’t meet their expectations. This sparked significant innovation in both the home and professional machine space, with manufacturers pushed to meet ever-evolving needs.

Tommy Gallagher is the brand and product manager at premium coffee equipment manufacturer SLAYER Espresso. Although prosumers account for a small proportion of the overall market, he says they have had a significant influence on trends over the last 15 years.

“The first commercial Proportional Integral Derivative (or PID) controlled machines and naked portafilters were developed because serious home baristas would modify their equipment,” he explains. “They believed that the equipment on offer was insufficient, so they had to create their own solutions.

“Manufacturers like SLAYER Espresso and other industry-leading companies have introduced ready-made tools that don’t require modifications to achieve exceptional results,” he adds.

Fast forward to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the growth of the prosumer market exploded. As lockdowns halted out-of-home coffee consumption, more and more people started recreating café-quality drinks at home. Education played a key role in this, but investing in premium equipment was equally important.To cater to this burgeoning market, manufacturers increased their focus on home espresso machines designed to yield the same results as commercial models.

The rapid growth of the coffee prosumer market is driving significant changes in home espresso machine technology. Manufacturers are increasingly prioritising these consumers’ needs, incorporating more advanced features and technology than ever before. Many prosumer espresso machines now perform at a very similar (if not the same) level as their commercial counterparts – revolutionising the at-home coffee experience.

Tommy explains that SLAYER Espresso launched its Single Group machine in 2013, designed for the home and professional settings. However, as it requires a plumbing system, the machine is more suitable for commercial use.

“SLAYER was founded by baristas, roasters, café owners, and technicians who needed to get more from the tools that were available to them,” he says. “So we wanted to make a commercial, professional-calibre machine that could also be used in a home setting.”

Launched at World of Coffee Copenhagen in June 2024, the new Steam Single machine – a one-grouphead version of its commercial Steam LP model – is designed specifically for prosumers and consumers.

Tommy says the machine is SLAYER’s first-ever model to include an internal 2.5-litre reservoir for plug-and-play installation without the need for direct plumbing.

“The Steam product range helps make our equipment more accessible to a broader audience,” he tells me. “Adding an internal reservoir was a natural step in this direction.”

Built-in reservoirs and removable drain trays allow home baristas to enjoy café-quality machine performance without complex installation. With machines like the Steam Single, however, users still have the option to plumb their equipment in – accommodating a range of needs.

A common issue with traditional home machines is that they often include a single boiler. This can limit the ability to pull shots and steam milk at the same time, slowing down performance and impeding the user experience.

To address these issues, more home espresso machines like the Steam Single now include multiple boilers, similar to commercial models. Home baristas can then extract espresso and steam milk at the same time – saving them time and better replicating the at-home café experience.

Similar to industry professionals, skilled and knowledgeable home baristas seek more control over different extraction variables like pressure, flow rate, and group head temperature to prepare excellent espresso. In response, equipment brands are equipping their home espresso machines with more advanced features that emphasise precision and consistency.

Tommy tells me that the Steam Single incorporates the same commercial features as the Steam LP, including a dedicated pre-infusion water circuit, commercial-style pumps, and a record and playback function. This allows home baristas to adjust brewing variables and save these settings to achieve consistent results.

“There are two distinct flow rates to switch between, which allow the user to change parameters easily,” he explains. “Once you pull a shot you love, you can quickly save the recipe and use it as often as you want.”

Additionally, he says the Steam Single features a dashboard so users can see and change brewing parameters in real time, as well as a shot mirror and light that allow users to observe extraction and make any necessary changes.

Beyond features and functionality, home espresso machine design has evolved significantly in recent years. As influencers have become more prominent in specialty coffee, interest in curating aesthetic home coffee setups has increased.

Christopher Flechtner is the lead designer at Christopher Flechtner Inc., the creative studio responsible for the design of all SLAYER products since the company’s founding in 2007. He says that design is a key part of making machines both functional and engaging.

“People eat with their eyes first, and when you have an impressive design that is purpose-built to make incredible coffee, both the user and customer are assured that they will have an excellent experience,” he says. “A well-designed user interface encourages the professional or home barista to be truly engaged with the machine and gives them the focus they need to prepare great coffee.”

Christopher explains that scaling down the design of commercial machines to home models can be challenging but should be a priority for manufacturers to replicate the café experience.

“You can’t compromise performance for fit and finish, but you need a machine to turn heads,” he says. “We wanted the Steam Single to look like the Steam LP, especially the iconic ‘wings’ design feature.”

As part of a focus on elevating overall design, ergonomics and sustainability have become increasingly important to prosumer machine manufacturers. Modern home espresso machines often feature eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient components designed with durability in mind.

“Commercial equipment is built to last, but this is often lacking in the home appliance market,” Tommy says. “Machines should be designed to last for years to come and not be destined for landfill, and they have to look the part, too.

Machine size is also a constraint in a home setting. Prosumer machines need to be compact enough to fit on kitchen countertops, but a smaller size can’t compromise performance or the user experience.

Christopher explains that this comes with its own set of challenges. “Adding the water reservoir meant the machine had to sit directly on the counter without additional space underneath,” he says.

“With the original Steam LP, my eyes are immediately drawn to the swish of the ‘wings’ and how they flow into the cup rail on top,” he adds. “Given the larger size of this machine, it was challenging to recreate it for the smaller Steam Single, but it pushed us to be more innovative and creative with its design.”

Compared to home barista setups, coffee shops inevitably prepare many more drinks on a daily basis. To keep up with customers’ orders, cafés need to invest in machines with multiple group heads to optimise barista workflow and stay profitable.

In recent years, however, more specialty coffee shops have been investing in prosumer machines for a number of reasons. As these models offer the same level of quality and performance as their commercial counterparts, they can be a more affordable and accessible option for smaller-sized coffee businesses with lower footfall.

Tommy explains that busier cafés are also incorporating single-group machines into their business strategies to offer differentiated experiences.

“You can offer two distinct types of coffee service,” he says. For example, he tells me that a main bar with a multi-group machine can handle the bulk of orders, while a single-group model can be part of a “slow bar” experience where service is more intentional and curated.

“Many businesses also receive requests for catered gigs or pop-ups to replicate their café experience at events, so having a single-group machine on hand is useful,” he adds.

Implementing effective training programmes is another key reason for investing in compact prosumer machines.

“Using a scaled-down replica of your café’s espresso machine in a dedicated staff area is a much better place for training than on the bar during service,” Tommy says. “The Steam Single has the same interface and touchpoints as the Steam LP, so it’s easier for staff to directly transfer their skills and knowledge from each machine.”

Additionally, roasters can use single-group espresso machines to test sample roasts without investing in a multi-group commercial model, which can be a more affordable option for micro and other smaller-sized roasters.

Home espresso machines have made massive strides recently, both in terms of design and functionality. Prosumers have undoubtedly driven this level of innovation, and we can expect to see more in the future.

Looking ahead, manufacturers will continue to develop single-group versions of their commercial machines to meet both performance and aesthetic expectations. By doing so, home baristas and prosumers can elevate their at-home coffee experiences, and coffee shops can use smaller-sized machines to their advantage.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how the home espresso machine market is evolving.

Photo credits: SLAYER Espresso

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: SLAYER Espresso is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

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Zoe is an expert content marketer based out of the Pacific Northwest. She has a deep-rooted passion for all things coffee with over five years of coffee copywriting and barista experience.