Commercial Coffee Machines UK: How to Choose for a Café, Shop or Restaurant
Last updated: October 2026
In 30 seconds:
- Size it by your busiest hour. A 1-group suits a quiet counter, a 2-group suits most cafés and restaurants, and a 3 or 4-group suits a high-street rush.
- Power and water decide the shortlist. Check whether you have a 13A socket or a 20A/30A supply, and whether you can plumb in.
- Match the controls to your staff. Semi-automatic needs a trained barista. Automatic and one-touch machines keep drinks the same whoever is on.
- Prices run from £1,150 to £5,830 for the electric espresso machines here, and from £2,549 for a bean-to-cup. Lease finance is available on orders over £1,000.
Not sure where to start? Try our coffee machine planner. It takes two minutes.
A commercial coffee machine is the hardest-working thing on most counters. It runs ten hours a day, every day, and every drink it makes is profit. Buy the wrong one and you pay twice. First for the machine, then for an electrician or a second machine a year later.
A plumbed-in 2-group espresso machine is the standard choice for a UK café. Fracino’s Contempo 2 Group is the all-round workhorse in that class. This guide shows which machine suits which business, what each one needs from your counter, and where the trade-offs are.
The honest summary
The biggest mistake is buying a 2 or 3-group machine that needs a 20A or 30A supply you haven’t got. Then an electrician’s bill lands that you never budgeted for. Check what your counter can give the machine before you choose a model.
Which commercial coffee machine for which business?
Start here. Find the row that sounds like your business, then read the detail further down.
| Your business | Our pick | Why | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busy independent café with a trained barista | Contempo 2 Group Automatic (CON2E) | 14-litre boiler and programmed doses for a steady queue. | £2,900 |
| Café or restaurant with only a 13A socket | Bambino 2 Group Automatic (BAM2E) | Two groups on a normal plug, so no rewiring. | £2,380 |
| Restaurant, pub or hotel bar with no barista | Velocino VC1 or VC2 | One-touch espresso, cappuccino and latte with automatic milk. | £2,330 |
| Speciality coffee shop | Romano PID 2 Group (PID2) | Each group’s brew temperature set and held to within a degree. | £4,870 |
| High-street shop serving 300+ cups at peak | Contempo 3 Group Automatic (CON3E) | Three groups and a 20-litre boiler, on a 30A supply. | £3,530 |
| Farm shop, deli, office or convenience store | Jetinno JL31B bean-to-cup | Grinds, brews and froths fresh milk at one touch, up to 75 cups a day. | £2,819 |
| Kiosk, tiny counter or back-up machine | Piccino or Cherub | Tank-fed and plug-in, so it goes anywhere with a socket. | £1,150 |
Choosing a coffee machine for a café
Most cafés have a breakfast and lunch rush and sell a lot of milk drinks. So size the machine for your busiest hour, and make sure it can steam milk back to back.
- Quiet café or a coffee corner in a shop: a 1-group machine. Many run from a normal 13A plug. The plumbed-in singles make around 120 to 200 cups an hour.
- Most cafés: a 2-group, around 240 to 400 cups an hour, so two drinks can be made at once in the rush. Compare every model in our 2 group espresso machine buyer’s guide.
- Busy high-street café: a 3-group, which needs a 30A supply.
- No trained barista? An automatic machine pours the same shot every time. Or go fully automatic with a commercial bean to cup coffee machine.
- Spreading the cost: lease finance is available on orders over £1,000. You own the machine and pay for it over time.
Our pick for a typical café is the Contempo 2 Group Automatic (CON2E). Its 14-litre boiler keeps steam up through a run of lattes. The programmed doses mean a Saturday helper pours the same shot as you do.
Choosing a coffee machine for a restaurant, pub or hotel
A restaurant’s coffee rush is different. It comes in waves at the end of each sitting. And the person making it is usually a server, not a barista.
- Pick automatic or one-touch. Programmed doses stop over-long shots when a new starter is on.
- Look for a 13A option. Restaurant bars rarely have a spare 20A supply in the right place.
- Allow for cup height. The Bambino 2 Group has 120mm under the groups, so taller cups fit.
The Bambino 2 Group Automatic is the safe restaurant choice. It runs off a standard 13A plug, holds 10 litres in the boiler and has an automatic group-cleaning cycle.
If nobody on the floor can steam milk, the Velocino is the better fit. It dispenses espresso, cappuccino, latte and Americano at one press, with an automatic milk frother and an automatic cleaning cycle. Fracino designed it for sites with high staff turnover.
The trade-off is speed. Fracino rates the VC1 at 80 and the VC2 at 120 twelve-ounce drinks an hour. A barista on a Contempo 2 Group goes faster in a real rush.
Choosing a coffee machine for a shop, deli or office
A farm shop, deli or convenience store wants good coffee without anyone standing at a machine. That is where bean-to-cup earns its place.
The Jetinno JL31B grinds fresh beans and froths real milk for every cup at one touch. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen customers can use themselves. Dual thermoblocks and dual pumps brew and froth at the same time, so orders come out faster.
- Size: 300mm wide, 490mm deep and 548mm high, plus room for the 4-litre milk fridge.
- Power: 2,850W on a single-phase supply. No three-phase needed.
- Water: its own 2-litre tank, or a mains feed.
- Output: Jetinno recommend it for up to 75 cups a day.
- Included: installation, commissioning, staff demonstration and a 12-month on-site parts and labour warranty.
The honest limit is volume. Seventy-five cups a day is a quiet café’s morning, so a bean-to-cup is not a café’s main machine. The JL37 and JL38 models handle up to 200 cups a day, from £4,859. The smaller JL30 costs from £2,549 and suits an office or showroom.
How to choose in four quick checks
1. Size it by your busiest hour
A “group” is one brew head. More groups means more drinks at once, not better coffee. Size to your peak, not your average, and buy one group up if you are growing. Our guide to what size coffee machine your shop needs works through the numbers.
2. Check the power before anything else
A normal UK 13A socket gives roughly 3kW (230V × 13A, approximate). Every single-group machine here runs off one, and so does the Bambino 2 Group. The standard 2-group machines need a 20A supply and the 3 and 4-group machines need 30A. Those mean an electrician and a dedicated circuit, so price that in.
3. Tank or plumbed in?
The Piccino, Cherub, Classico and Little Gem have a fill-up tank, so no plumbing. The Bambino, Velocino, Contempo, Retro and Romano need a 15mm cold supply with a ¾-inch washing-machine isolator valve. They also need a 1½-inch waste standpipe within a metre of the machine.
4. Semi-auto, automatic or bean-to-cup?
Semi-automatic gives a trained barista full control. Automatic sets the shot volume for you. Bean-to-cup makes the whole drink at one touch. Our guide to semi-automatic, automatic and bean-to-cup machines explains the difference in more depth.
Compare the range at a glance
Every spec below comes from the Fracino spec sheets. The “from” price is the current MobCater price. Size is height × width × depth.
| Machine | Groups | Water | Power | Boiler | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piccino | 1 | Tank-fed | 2.2kW / 13A | 300ml + 300ml | £1,150 | The smallest counters and tightest budgets. |
| Cherub | 1 | Tank-fed | 2.85kW / 13A | 2.3L | £1,240 | Entry machine for a small café or kiosk. |
| Classico | 1 | Tank-fed | 2.85kW / 13A | 2.3L | £1,380 | Traditional-look single group. |
| Little Gem | 1 | Tank-fed | 2.7kW / 13A | 4L | £1,740 | More steam than the entry singles, still no plumbing. |
| Bambino 2 Group | 2 | Plumbed | 2.85kW / 13A | 10L | £2,380 | Two groups on a normal plug. |
| Contempo 2 Group | 2 | Plumbed | 4kW / 20A | 14L | £2,490 | The all-round workhorse for a steady queue. |
| Romano PID 2 Group | 2 | Plumbed | 4kW / 20A | 14L | £4,870 | Speciality coffee with per-group temperature control. |
1-group machines: small cafés, kiosks and second machines
Every single-group machine here plugs into a 13A socket. Pick a tank-fed one if you cannot plumb in. Pick a plumbed one if you want to stop refilling a tank all day.
| Model | Water | Boiler | Size (mm) and weight | Output | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piccino (Full review →) | 3L tank | 300ml group + 300ml steam | 370 × 250 × 315, 15kg | Occasional service. | £1,150 |
| Cherub CHE1 (Full review →) | 3L tank | 2.3L | 380 × 360 × 460, 18kg | Small café. | £1,240 |
| Classico (Full review →) | 3L tank | 2.3L | 380 × 360 × 460, 18kg | Small café. | £1,380 |
| Little Gem semi-auto (Full review →) | 3L tank | 4L | 535 × 380 × 500, 28kg | Small but busy. | £1,740 |
| Little Gem LG1E automatic | 3L tank | 4L | 535 × 380 × 500, 28kg | Small but busy. | £1,780 |
| Bambino BAM1E automatic (Full review →) | Plumbed, 20L hot water an hour | 4L | 535 × 380 × 500, 35kg | 120–200 cups an hour. | £1,870 |
| Contempo CON1 semi-auto | Plumbed, 30L hot water an hour | 7L | 575 × 380 × 500, 35kg | 120–200 cups an hour. | £1,940 |
| Contempo CON1E automatic | Plumbed, 30L hot water an hour | 7L | 575 × 380 × 500, 35kg | 120–200 cups an hour. | £2,050 |
| Retro FCL1 lever | Plumbed | 7L | 830 × 375 × 500, 35kg | Around 100 cups an hour. | £2,000 |
| Velocino VC1 one-touch | Plumbed, 20L hot water an hour | 4L | 535 × 380 × 500, 35kg | 80 × 12oz drinks an hour. | £2,330 |
Picking a single group: The Cherub is the proven entry machine. The Little Gem’s 4-litre boiler holds steam better through a busy spell. If you can plumb in, the Contempo CON1’s 7-litre boiler is the strongest single group for a morning rush. The Retro lever looks superb but takes a skilled hand, and at 830mm tall it needs shelf clearance.
2-group machines: the choice for most cafés and restaurants
All the 2-group machines are plumbed in. Fracino rates its 2-groups at around 240 to 400 cups an hour.
| Model | Power | Boiler | Size (mm) and weight | Notes | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambino BAM2E automatic | 2.85kW / 13A | 10L | 535 × 580 × 500, 55kg | Runs off a normal plug; 40–50L hot water an hour. | £2,380 |
| Contempo CON2 semi-auto (Full review →) | 4kW / 20A, or a 2.85kW / 13A build | 14L | 575 × 580 × 500, 55kg | 60–80L hot water an hour. | £2,490 |
| Contempo CON2E automatic | 4kW / 20A, or a 2.85kW / 13A build | 14L | 575 × 580 × 500, 55kg | Programmed doses; our café pick. | £2,900 |
| Retro FCL2 lever | 4kW / 20A | 14L | 830 × 580 × 500, 55kg | Around 200 cups an hour; needs a skilled barista. | £2,900 |
| Velocino VC2 one-touch | 4kW / 20A | 10L | 535 × 810 × 550, 55kg | 120 × 12oz drinks an hour; automatic milk. | £3,930 |
| Romano FR2E-R automatic | 4kW / 20A, or a 2.85kW / 13A build | 14L | 565 × 800 × 550, 70kg | Heavier premium build. | £4,570 |
| Romano PID2 (Full review →) | 4kW / 20A, or a 2.85kW / 13A build | 14L | 565 × 800 × 550, 70kg | Per-group temperature, 80–115°C. | £4,870 |
Picking a 2-group: The Contempo is the machine most shops settle on, because the 14-litre boiler keeps up with a real queue. If your counter only has a 13A spur, order the 2.85kW build when you buy, or choose the Bambino. Pay for the Romano PID only if you sell speciality coffee and your barista will use the temperature control.
The 13A builds are a compromise. A smaller element takes longer to recover after a long run of steaming. So a 13A Contempo will not match a 20A one at the peak.
3 and 4-group machines: high-street and high-volume sites
These need a 30A supply as standard, so budget for an electrician before you order.
| Model | Power | Boiler | Size (mm) and weight | Output | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contempo CON3 semi-auto | 7.5kW / 30A (9kW/45A or 3-phase option) | 20L | 575 × 785 × 500, 84kg | 360–600 cups an hour. | £3,070 |
| Contempo CON3E automatic | 7.5kW / 30A (9kW/45A or 3-phase option) | 20L | 575 × 785 × 500, 84kg | 360–600 cups an hour. | £3,530 |
| Retro FCL3 lever | 7.5kW / 30A | 20L | 830 × 785 × 500, 75kg | Around 300 cups an hour. | £3,520 |
| Romano FR3E-R touchscreen | 7.5kW / 30A (9kW/45A option) | 20L | 565 × 1045 × 550, 90kg | 360–600 cups an hour. | £5,540 |
| Romano PID3 | 7.5kW / 30A (9kW/45A option) | 20L | 565 × 1045 × 550, 90kg | 360–600 cups an hour. | £5,830 |
| Contempo CON4E automatic | 7.5kW / 30A single phase, or 3-phase 415V | 25L | 575 × 1000 × 500, 94kg | 480–800 cups an hour. | £4,560 |
Picking a big machine: A third group only pays if three people work the bar at once. If you have two baristas, a 2-group with a strong grinder is usually faster and cheaper to run. The CON4E is for transport hubs and the busiest high-street sites.
What a commercial machine really costs
- The machine: from £1,150 for a Piccino to £5,830 for a Romano PID3.
- A grinder: budget for one separately. Our coffee grinders for coffee shops guide matches grinders to machines.
- Electrics: a 20A or 30A supply needs an electrician and a dedicated circuit.
- Water: plumbed machines need a cold feed and a waste. Every machine needs a filter or softener, changed at least every two months.
- Electricity: see what a 1, 2 or 3-group really uses.
Warranty is back-to-base. If a Fracino machine needs a warranty repair, it goes back to the workshop. There’s no engineer visit for the likes of the Cherub, Bambino or Little Gem. Worth knowing before you buy, not after.
Spreading the cost. Lease finance is available on orders over £1,000, so a machine and grinder can be paid for monthly. See our leasing page.
Three mistakes that cost café owners money
- Buying for your average day. A machine that copes at 3pm can still leave a queue out of the door at 8am.
- Ignoring the supply. A 20A or 30A machine arriving at a counter with one 13A socket means a delay and an unplanned bill.
- Skipping water treatment. Limescale is the main killer of boilers, and scale damage is down to the owner, not the warranty.
Once your machine is in, keep it running with our guides to cleaning and descaling a commercial coffee machine and coffee machine servicing and warranty.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best coffee machine for a small café?
For a quiet café, a single-group machine such as the Fracino Cherub or Little Gem runs from a normal socket and needs no plumbing. Got a breakfast or lunch rush? A 2-group such as the Bambino 2 Group (13A plug) or the Contempo 2 Group makes two drinks at once.
Can I lease a coffee machine for my café?
Yes. Lease finance is available on orders over £1,000, so you can buy a machine and grinder and spread the cost. You own the machine and pay for it monthly. See our leasing page for details.
What is the best commercial coffee machine for a restaurant?
An automatic 2-group that runs from a 13A plug, such as the Fracino Bambino 2 Group Automatic from £2,380. Programmed doses keep shots consistent when servers make the coffee. If nobody can steam milk, the one-touch Velocino makes cappuccinos and lattes at a press.
How much does a commercial coffee machine cost in the UK?
Our espresso machines run from £1,150 for a Fracino Piccino to £5,830 for a 3-group Romano PID. Most cafés spend £2,380 to £2,900 on a 2-group. Bean-to-cup machines start from £2,549. Add a grinder, water treatment and any electrical work.
Do I need an electrician to install a commercial coffee machine?
Not for single-group machines or the 13A two-group builds, which use a normal socket. The standard 2-group machines need a 20A supply and the 3 and 4-group machines need 30A. An electrician fits those as a dedicated circuit.
Do commercial coffee machines need plumbing in?
Not all of them. The Piccino, Cherub, Classico and Little Gem are tank-fed, so you fill a water tank. The Bambino, Velocino, Contempo, Retro and Romano need a 15mm cold water feed and a waste pipe within a metre of the machine.
Is a bean-to-cup machine better than an espresso machine for a business?
It is better where nobody can make coffee, and worse where volume matters. The Jetinno JL31B is recommended for up to 75 cups a day. A 2-group espresso machine is rated at 240 to 400 cups an hour, so cafés with a rush should choose espresso.
How many cups an hour can a commercial coffee machine make?
Fracino rates its plumbed 1-group machines at 120 to 200 cups an hour, 2-groups at 240 to 400 and 3-groups at 360 to 600. The 4-group Contempo is rated up to 800. Size the machine for your busiest hour, not your average.