Coffee Art: barista espresso, at the touch of a button

Caffeine launches Schaerer’s latest automatic coffee service machines into UK

As customers become increasingly discerning, operators are having to both expand their coffee menu and focus on quality, at a time when skilled staff are in short supply. Now coffee machines specialist Caffeine Ltd has launched the Schaerer Coffee Art range of bean-to-cup espresso machines, designed to deliver the best quality coffee at the touch of a button. According to Caffeine Ltd , the Swiss-manufactured Coffee Art machines make a coffee as close to a barista-brewed espresso as a push-button machine can get. In fact, the company says its Supersteam wand actually foams milk better than a barista, thanks to its consistency and ability to be finely tuned to different drinks’ requirements.

Alongside its capacity to bring out the best flavours, a key feature of the Coffee Art design is the variety of drinks it can make. The flagship Coffee Art Plus Supersteam model has a touchscreen control panel, which can be programmed to make, if necessary, dozens of different drink variations – even cold drinks, if used in combination with auxiliary equipment from the Coffee Art range.

The Coffee Art Plus Supersteam is a three-phase unit manufactured in stainless steel featuring a stylishly ridged body, which is available in either bright Costa Rica Silver or Kenya Black. The compact design, measuring 420mm (w) x 538mm (d) x 668mm (h), means a complete coffee service system is available even in coffee shops, restaurants, bars and hotels with very limited space.

The unit is fast, too. It has three boilers, one each for the coffee brewer, steam wand and hot water, all of which can operate simultaneously. In fact, the Coffee Art Plus Supersteam can dispense up to 350 beverages per hour.

The Supersteam wand automatically foams the milk, exactly as required – the operator can adjust this, depending on the type of drink being made. The wand is made of PEEK (polyetheretherketone), which doesn’t get hot and, since milk won’t dry on its surface, it’s quick and easy to clean.

A huge range of optional extras means each machine can be tailored to the site’s requirements. There is also a wide selection of auxiliary equipment, so that machines can be linked to other equipment in a variety of different configurations to make, for example, cold drinks in addition to hot ones.

The unit is easy to look after with features such as the automatic cleaning programme, which is fully HACCP compliant. The operator follows the instructions and animated images on the touchscreen to set the machine into action.

“Schaerer’s advanced engineering delivers a brilliant combination of quality espresso and ease of operation,” says Justin Stockwell, managing director of Caffeine Ltd. “What really sets the Supersteam model apart is its ability to deliver not just great coffee but also great milk foam, automatically. The sheer variety of drinks Coffee Art can deliver makes it the ideal coffee service solution.”

Schaerer Coffee Art machines start from £8,500, excluding VAT. The price includes delivery, installation, a 10 litre water filter and 12 months parts and labour warranty.

Caffeine Ltd is one of the UK’s leading coffee machines specialists, distributing brands including Schaerer and Gaggia. The company also offers a comprehensive choice of coffee service accessories. For more information visit caffeineonline.co.uk.