An Artist Needs Their Coffee!
Architects, interior designers and engineers are notorious for their love of the coffee and espresso.
The demanding nature of their work, with long hours and tight deadlines, often necessitates a steady supply of caffeine to fuel their creativity and productivity. Coffee becomes an essential part of their daily routine, helping them stay focused and energized throughout the day.
I truly never enjoyed coffee or espresso until I lived in Europe. Then, one very cold and dreary morning, I went into the local café and requested a strong coffee. They suggested I have an espresso… At first, I did not care for it as it was very bitter, but then, I realized I can add creams, sweeteners and other fine drinking elements…I learned it was, for lack of a better word, “AMAZING”! And, I have been hooked ever since.
Ever since, I have noticed my team members and consultants all revolve around an excellent “Cup of Joe” or a “Jolt of Espresso”. And I thought I would ponder that since my family likes to chide me on my love of the awesome beans. Here are some reasons why architects and designers are drawn to coffee and espresso:
1. **Initiative**: Espresso (and yes…some coffee) provides an energy boost that helps jumpstart the brain and overcome creative blocks. I live on multiple espressos in the morning and frankly….it is awesome!
2. **Commitment**: Caffeine helps postpone fatigue, allowing designers to push through multiple iterations of an idea until they find the best solution. And you know you love to do multiple and multiple iterations.
3. **Confidence**: The combination of initiative and commitment instilled by espresso and coffee naturally breeds confidence in one’s work.
4. **Culture**: Coffee breaks serve as important social interludes in the demanding life of an architect or designer, providing opportunities to connect with colleagues and recharge. However, I start the day with an espresso break…that is what gives me that extra effort in the morning.
5. **LOVE**: We simply can’t forget we just LOVE this stuff and frankly, how could you not?
Sometimes we just need to make our own. Whether it is in the office, or at home, we need to take the time to create what we love. Almost as much as the designs we create, we need the right tools to shape what we love. Some of us are lost on what the best path is we need to follow. Soo, to help you with understanding the right tools for a great Espresso…and a coffee every now and then, I provide you with this list of unique and awesome machines.
Here are a few popular options:
1. Rancilio Silvia M V6 Espresso Machine
Classic Espresso: The Silvia has been in production for over 20 years– making it one of the most stable espresso platforms on the market.
- Single Boiler: The single 12-ounce brass boiler serves both brew and steam temperatures.
- Steel Case: The Silvia’s steel case offers sturdy service and fits in any decor.
- Professional Components: Built with the same exacting care as Rancilio’s commercial lineup, you can rely on the Silvia to pull shot-after-shot for as long as you need.
Bring a touch of technology to your classic espresso setup with the Diletta Bello+ Espresso Machine. Following the popularity of the original Bello, the Bello+ adds PID temperature control, an integrated shot timer, programmable pre-infusion, and a low-power eco mode—all with an aim to improve your shot consistency and overall machine usability.
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- PID Temperature Control – View and adjust your steam boiler temperature quickly with the front-mounted PID screen.
- Shot Timer – When brewing, the PID screen doubles as a shot timer to monitor your espresso progress.
- Low Power Eco Mode – A new low-power eco-mode lowers your boiler temperature to save energy costs while still offering faster recovery to brew temps.
3. Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine
The next generation fully automatic espresso machine. With automation at every stage, simply swipe and select for your favorite coffee at home
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With 45 grind settings, the precision grinder automatically grinds, doses & tamps 22g of coffee
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Delivers simultaneous extraction & steam with a heated group head and PID temperature control
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Low pressure pre-infusion followed by a high pressure 9 bar extraction for an opulent espresso
4. Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine
Swipe. Select. Impress.
Step-by-step barista guidance at your fingertips with real time feedback and impressive touchscreen.
- You can even name and save up to eight customized beverages with your preferred settings of coffee strength, grind size and dose, and milk texture and temperature
- An intuitive touch screen offers a pre-programmed menu with automatic milk texturizing
- Plus, hands-free steaming delivers silky smooth micro-foam so you can create your own latte art
5. Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine
- Microform milk Texturing: The powerful steam wand performs at the level that allows you to hand texture micro-foam milk that enhances flavor and enables creation of latté art
- The Breville Barista Pro delivers third wave specialty coffee at home with a single touch as the built in grinder with dose control delivers the right amount of coffee on demand for maximum flavor
- Intuitive interface: LCD display with grinding and extracting progress animations; The screen provides you all the precise information you need to make coffee exactly the way you like it every time
6. Bosch TQU60307 800 Series VeroCafe Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
- Brew it your way at the touch of a button: Whether you’re in the mood for a latte macchiato, cappuccino, or espresso, the Active Select display makes it easy to make any drink you like
- Customize your coffee: Adjust the strength and aroma of any coffee-based drink by choosing from one of the three different aroma profiles — mild, balanced, or distinctive
- Barista service at home: Use the Home Connect app to control your espresso machine from the couch or as you’re heading home, and discover 35+ delicious beverages
- Easy to maintain: The Calc’n Clean feature provides a step-by-step guide to easily clean and descale your espresso machine when needed, allowing for full-bodied flavor and optimal care
- PID Brew Boiler: A sized-just-right insulated brew boiler carefully balances quick heat times with thermal mass for shot stability.
- Second Steam Circuit: A discrete 1000W thermoblock brings on-demand steaming for the occasional cappuccino or latte.
- Shot Timer: The PID screen doubles as a shot timer to help you keep track of your shots.
- Pressure Gauge: The Mio’s brew pressure gauge makes dialing in and diagnosing shot quality easy.
- Adjustable OPV: An externally adjustable OPV lets more advanced users dial in pressure at the group.
8. Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
- Item Package Dimension: 17.64L x 16.99W x 10.24H inches
- Item Package Weight – 15.74 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity – 1
9. De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine
- No waiting time with Dual Heating System Allows you to brew coffee and espresso simultaneously.
- Italian 15 BAR pressure pump Experience authentic espressos brewed at the optimal pressure for rich flavor.
- Advanced Steam wand Choose micro-foam setting to steam milk for lattes or treat yourself to authentic cappuccinos with Cappuccino setting on the Advanced Steam Wand
- 24 Hour programmable timer and Digital Touchscreen Enjoy intuitive and enhanced experience with Digital Touchscreen and wake up to freshly brewed coffee with the digital timer.
- Bold Setting function Customize your preference of flavor and aroma for a rich, yet smooth coffee experience
- Spill proof carafe The innovative spill proof carafe allows you to pour your coffee with ease, so not a drop is wasted.
10. Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Evo Pro
- Solid Steel Housing, Made in Italy
- 9 Bar Espresso Extractions
- Stainless Steel 58mm Commercial Portafilter
- Commercial Three Way Solenoid Valve
- Commercial Steam Wand
