Product Specifications
The Star commercial espresso machine is the universal traditional espresso machine, designed to excel in all areas - be it coffee or sandwich shop, restaurant, hotel, mobile unit... This overview is designed to give you a summary of the main aspects of the machine and how they can benefit your business. If you are not quite sure what features you are looking for in your espresso machine feel free to take at our quick tour to get to grips with traditional espresso machines in general. For up-to-date, you can visit our online shop.
- Simple to install (by you or an engineer)
- Simple to setup
- Automated features (dosing, cleaning, cup-counter etc.)
- PPS (parts protection system)
- Large boiler and heating element
- High drop (for tall cups)
- Compact dimensions
- Design and build quality
Dimensions, power ratings and other details can be found on our technical data page.
Simple Installation
Before you've even made a cappuccino, your machine needs to be connected to a cold water supply, electricity and drain to then be programmed and commissioned. This has traditionally been a tricky past-time, requiring the installer to manually fill the boiler with water and have knowledge of the programming method. The Star machine has been designed to first detect if cold water is present and automatically fill with water prior to heating up. They also come pre-programmed with standard espresso and cappuccino dosing volumes so you don't have to wait to start making great espresso coffee. Detailed guides are included, offering step-by-step instructions on every aspect of your espresso machines installation and setup.
We don't expect all customers to utilise this option, indeed, all quoted prices in our online shop include an installation from a fully-vetted engineer. It does mean however, that those who do want to install their own machine aren't forced to pay for an engineer, and may save £150 on the sale price!
Simple to Setup
It is a common myth that espresso machines are 'an art' which require much training and practice to master. True, there are '' which can consistently produce beautiful espresso based drinks which not only taste but look fantastic. However, the vast majority of operators need to be able to make a great tasting, nicely presented coffee quickly and consistently. There are several factors which all need to be correct for a great espresso... the grind of the beans, the amount of coffee in each dose, the temperature of the group heads and so on. As all machines come fully programmed with automatic dosing, only the grind of the beans is left to setup. This can be easily setup by either the installer of your machine, or with the aid of our free tutorials if you fancy doing it yourself. All you have to know is what drink you are making and press the correct button.
Although all online prices include staff-training and installation, Star espresso machines all come with detailed tutorials as well as in depth online content. They show you how to make every drink to be found on a high-street menu in simple intuitive steps.
All of the information you need to get the most from your machine is provided simply and extensively. To take a glimpse of these tutorials see our support area . Alternatively, you can always visit us and get a first-hand demonstration by getting in touch!
Automated Features
Although we would enjoy listing the numerous automatic features, which are standard with every machine, this is a précis of the major ones and how they benefit you.
Traditional espresso machines are either manual, semi-automatic or just automatic. Manuals are large lever machines which are rare outside of Italy and semi-automatics require you to manually tell the machine when to start and stop extracting coffee. Automatics, however, have pre-programmed volume doses. This allows you to just press a button - leaving you to froth the milk, take money or prepare another espresso. It makes the machine easier to use, far more efficient, consistent and allows for other functions such as cup counting. For this reason, all Star espresso machines are 'automatics' as standard. If you are used to semi-automatic machines and more comfortable using them, the touchpads can easily be set to perform exactly as a semi-automatic, whilst retaining many of the additional automatic features.
It is fair to assume that no one ever has or ever will enjoy cleaning. Unlike your kitchen at home, not cleaning your commercial espresso machine will cost money later down the line. It is often neglected by owners, let alone staff with one eye on the clock for the end of their shift. Back-flushing the group heads on a coffee machine is a very important daily task to prevent the valves and thin passages becoming blocked, but lets face it, it's a hassle. To ease the pain and help ensure the good health of your equipment, we have included an automatic cleaning cycle. Just put a blanking disc in to the filter holder and hold down two buttons. The machine will go through a full cleaning cycle, pulsing on and off, until the group head is clear.
Star espresso machines also offer a detailed cup counting facility. You can tell the number of cups made from each individual button, each group, or the whole machine together. If you don't have an itemised till, it is hugely useful for keeping track of sales figures. This allows you to measure the success of a recent marketing push, or just double check that the numbers going through the till equate to those being made by the machine!
PPS - Part Protection System
The Part Protection System (PPS) is a series of safety measures which clearly alert you if the espresso machine is not performing perfectly, or there is a danger to the pump, heating element or valves in the system. Espresso machines can easily be damaged by external factors which are not their fault. It is not our policy, however, to profit from maintenance of your machine. If your water supply is interrupted, for example (which is more common than you may think!), we don't want you to incur the cost or inconvenience of replacing a pump or element. A warning will be clearly displayed on your LCD display and the machine will disable the pump and element for protection. If your water softener needs changing, the machine will clearly alert you to give us a call for a replacement treatment unit. There are numerous protection features such as this, to ensure that your running costs are as low as possible.
Large Boiler / Heating Element
If your espresso machine has a large boiler, it means you can pull off plenty of hot water for tea, hot chocolate, Americanos etc. This also means that you can often manage without the additional capital or space required for a separate hot water boiler. Having a large boiler is all well and good, but with a larger boiler comes more cold water to heat up. If you don't have an equally large heating element, you can find yourself in the frustrating position of waiting some time for the boiler to reach full pressure. By definition, this is always at the busiest times and can result in bottle-necking when you need to get as many customers through the door as possible.
Many so-called "compact" machines of a comparative size have boilers which are under half the volume. Star espresso machines, despite their compact forms, all have huge boilers and heating elements. No other like for like traditional espresso machines are better equipped.
High Drop
Traditionally, espresso machines were only required to serve in to low ceramic cups. 10 years ago lattes came over from America, bringing with them tall glasses, mugs and paper cups. As a result there have been a flurry of specially adapted versions of espresso machines from foreign manufactures to cater for our insatiable appetite, while many people still struggle by extracting in to a smaller container to transfer to larger cups.
All Star espresso machines have been designed from the outset to cater for every size of cup commonly available, be it an espresso or a 20oz take-away. An added advantage is the ability to fit cafetière containers etc. under the hot water font if you don't have a separate hot water boiler.
Compact Dimensions
There are few counter tops which have room to spare. When you take a look at any high-street operation, every inch is being maximised with equipment, stock and displays. Often the only space not being used is left by the till to allow customers to pay. 
The espresso machine is usually the largest single item on either front or rear counter and can be difficult to fit in. Coffee and sandwich shops are often very small by nature and outlets where coffee is not the primary product (such as restaurants and pubs) can find it difficult to find a suitable location at all.
There are many specialist espresso machines which have been adapted to suit outlets struggling for room, but invariably compromise on boiler size to achieve this. The Star espresso machines are some of the most compact espresso machines available, whilst still retaining all of the features (and often more) of a 'full-sized' espresso machine. Take a look at the technical data for further details.
Design & Build Quality
As with all large, functional machines, there are many areas where costs can be cut. You can write a long list of cars with 4 wheels, 5 gears, black paint and steel panels - but some will last longer, go faster, keep you safer and take you further. Espresso machines are no different. No expense has been spared in bringing about a Star espresso machine which will not only produce great coffee, but will continue doing so with the minimum of hassle and maximum value. It is a primary aim to to maintain our reputation for quality and all-round ability, which is why we have invested in the best quality parts with a design based on years of experience.
Because much of the costs which go in to making the machines are never seen, we have devoted an entire section on exploring the stages your machine goes through to get from paper sketches to making espresso. Please take a look at our design and build quality sections for further details.
