Good, Better, Best: Choosing an Espresso Set-Up That Works for You

Choosing the right espresso set-up isn’t just about buying the biggest or most expensive machine — it’s about finding the right fit for your business. The volume of drinks you serve, the skill level of your staff, the space and power you’ve got available, and the image you want to project all play a role.

Whether you’re running a cosy tearoom or a high-footfall coffee bar, your equipment needs to keep up with demand, suit your workflow, and reflect the experience you want your customers to have.

In this guide, we’ll break down three levels of espresso set-up — Good, Better, and Best — to help you make a confident, cost-effective choice.

Start with the Essentials – What Every Espresso Set-Up Needs

When setting up for espresso, the grinder is just as important — if not more important — than the machine. It controls the grind size, which directly affects how water flows through the coffee during extraction — and that has a huge impact on flavour. If the grind is too coarse, water runs through too quickly, under-extracting the coffee and leaving it tasting thin or sour. If it’s too fine, water struggles to pass through, leading to over-extraction, bitterness, and inconsistency.

A good grinder lets you dial in the perfect grind size and keep it stable throughout the day — essential for consistently great-tasting espresso. There’s also a commercial advantage: higher-end grinders are faster, shaving valuable seconds off every drink.

Once you’ve got the essentials in place — a traditional machine and a reliable grinder — it’s time to consider what else your setup might need.

A hot water boiler, in particular, is a smart addition. Using your espresso machine to make cups or pots of tea can drain the boiler, reduce pressure, and impact coffee performance. Worse still, it can increase wear and tear over time. Keeping the machine focused on espresso and using separate equipment for tea helps maintain both quality and longevity.

Good – A Reliable, Entry-Level Espresso Set-Up

If you’re just starting out or operating in a low-to-medium volume environment, you don’t need all the bells and whistles — but you do need equipment you can trust.

The Casadio Nettuno is a compact, affordable traditional espresso machine built for reliability. Paired with the Casadio Enea grinder, you’ve got a solid foundation that delivers consistent results without overcomplicating service.

This set-up is ideal for smaller cafés, offices, village halls, or tearooms where speed isn’t critical but quality still matters. It gives you the tools to serve great espresso-based drinks with minimal training, while keeping your initial investment manageable.

You’ll still need space for a knockbox or jug rinser, and you may want to plan for a hot water boiler if tea is on the menu — but as an entry point into barista-style coffee, this combination gets the job done without unnecessary complexity.

Better – A Flexible Set-Up for Growth and Consistency

If you’re serving coffee throughout the day and starting to see volume build — whether in a café, hotel, garden centre, or food-led pub — you’ll need a set-up that balances speed, reliability, and quality.

The La Cimbali M26 is a robust 2-group machine with programmable dosing, great thermal stability, and the option to upgrade to Turbosteam for automatic milk texturing. This takes pressure off staff and ensures a more consistent drink standard across shifts.

Matched with the G50 grinder, you get fast, precise grinding with low retention and a clean workflow — essential during peak periods. Compared to entry-level kit, this grinder speeds things up significantly, helping to keep queues moving and reduce wait times.

The M26 also comes with a built-in hot water outlet, but if tea is a major part of your offer, a dedicated hot water boiler still makes sense to protect machine pressure and prolong lifespan. This set-up also gives you a bit more flexibility with optional extras — such as a Magrini Milk Base for better workflow and ergonomics.

Why Add a Magrini Milk Base?
For busy teams, the Magrini Milk Base can make a noticeable difference to service. It automates milk steaming, delivering milk that’s textured to the right temperature, with minimal input from staff. That means better consistency from cup to cup — even during peak times.

We’ve fitted this in several cafés, and the feedback is clear: it saves time, avoids waste, and produces milk that’s perfectly steamed, at the perfect volume, every time. It also helps cut down on over-steaming and re-heating milk, which can affect both flavour and hygiene.

Best – A High-Performance Set-Up for Quality at Speed

If you’re running a high-footfall site — think city cafés, busy hospitality groups, or destination venues with a premium offer — then performance and consistency under pressure are non-negotiable.

The La Cimbali M200 is a flagship machine designed to deliver exceptional espresso, fast. It offers advanced features like independent boilers, PID temperature control, and ergonomic design — all built for long shifts and high standards.

Pair it with the Elective AT grinder, and you get serious firepower. This grinder is ultra-fast, auto-tamping, and precise — meaning every dose is delivered at the right weight and compacted consistently. It removes a big source of stress from busy baristas and helps maintain speed and drink quality throughout the day. Fewer workflow bottlenecks. Fewer errors. Happier staff.

At this level, we’d also recommend adding a Magrini Milk Base to fully streamline milk service, and a filter coffee machine to handle bulk orders or offer variety alongside your espresso menu.

How to Choose – Matching Your Set-Up to Your Business

Choosing the right espresso set-up isn’t about buying the flashiest machine — it’s about making sure your equipment matches your needs, space, and staff. Here are the key questions to ask before you commit:

1. How many drinks are you serving each day?
2. How experienced is your team?
3. What impression do you want to give?
4. Do you have the right power and plumbing?
5. What’s your long-term plan?

Final Thought – Get the Set-Up That Works for You

There’s no one-size-fits-all espresso set-up — it’s about balancing quality, speed, and investment to suit your space and your service. Whether you’re just getting started or levelling up your offer, the right equipment can help you serve better coffee, faster, with less stress for your team.

Not sure what’s right for you? We’re happy to help. At Ringtons, we don’t just sell machines — we’ll manually assess your needs, space, and goals to recommend a set-up that works for your business, not someone else’s.