4 Steps To Receiving Your Commercial Espresso Machine

Hi, I’m Matt with Prima Coffee and today we're going to be talking through the keys to preparing for and smoothly receiving your commercial espresso machine. For this video, we're going to be talking about four basic steps: determining water filtration needs, prepping your space, inspecting the delivery condition and understanding startup and operation of your machine.

First, determining water filtration needs the most important step that you can take to ensuring the life and longevity, as well as the beverage quality of your espresso machine, is ensuring you are using the appropriate water filtration. To help ensure that you have the right water treatment. We offer the OptiPure Water test kit. Please follow the link in the comments to find out more about that test kit.

The second step is preparing your space. Once you have determined your water treatment needs, it is time to start thinking about preparing your bar. Construction and build outs already experience a lot of delays. So we want to do everything we can to make sure the delivery and installation of your espresso machine does not cause any avoidable delays. First, you will need to have your countertops pre drilled with holes to run your espresso machines, water drain and electric. Depending on your local codes, you will need one or two holes for these lines. Some machines have more flexibility in drain, water, and electrical placement than others. Please consult your machine's manual cut sheets or contact Prima’s customer service if you have any questions. Remember, it is always best to measure twice and to cut once. Second, you'll need to prepare your water and drain line. Before installing, you will need to have a designated filter line run to the cabinet below your espresso machine. Please be sure to have an accessible water shut off valve installed on this line. This will enable you or the technician to more easily install or service the machine. For most machines you will need a 3/8 male compression fitting to connect to the flexible braided water line that comes with most espresso machines. For drainage, you will need a three inch open drain with a p-trap placed in the cabinet below the espresso machine. This will allow you to drop the drain line directly into the drain. Third is electrical. Generally, most commercial espresso machines are going to need an outlet that is rated for up to 240 volts and 30 to 50 amps. Your machine will not come with a plug, but rather with bare wires. So the technician installing will need to connect a plug that is appropriate to your machine and the outlet. The outlet needs to be within five feet of your machine and can be placed in the cabinet below the espresso machine or above the counter where the espresso machine is being installed, depending on bar placement. If you are placing your machine's utilities below the counter, be sure to plan easy access to those for future servicing needs. Again, please refer to your manual, spec sheets, or call the Prima sales and customer service team to confirm your exact electrical needs.

The third step is inspecting the delivery condition. Depending on the machine, your location and availability of a technician, Prima will either ship the machine directly to you or arrange to have the installing tech company receive the machine. If you are receiving the machine, there are some key steps to follow to ensure a smooth experience. First, never sign for the machine's delivery until you have thoroughly inspected the package. Most machines travel a long way to get to you, so we want to ensure nothing has been damaged along the way. It is extremely important to note that by signing the delivery receipt, you are also accepting the product in the physical condition in which it has arrived. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to inspect this shipment for damage or shortage before you sign. If external damage or shortage is discovered after signing for the delivery, Prima no longer has the ability to file a claim with the carrier. In this case, the customer will be responsible for pursuing damage claims with the carrier. Please understand that the likelihood of receiving a shipment with damaged or missing product is low, but we want you to be fully prepared. How to check for Damage closely inspect the outer packaging for scuffs, dents and tears. If any damage to the exterior packaging is discovered pointed out to the driver and note it on the delivery receipt. If the packaging is damaged, the driver should allow you to remove the exterior packaging to inspect the contents for damage or shortage. If damage to the exterior packaging is discovered and the driver does not allow you to remove the exterior packaging To check the contents, call Prima immediately and do not sign the delivery receipt until Prima gives you the go ahead. In the event that items are damaged or missing, call Prima immediately before signing the delivery receipt. In many cases, light damage like a scratch or dent is repairable and the contents can be signed for and accepted in their current condition, but only after noting the damage in detail on the delivery receipt. If the contents are severely damaged and beyond simple repair, tell the driver you cannot accept it and refuse the shipment. In the case that some items are missing, simply note what is missing on the delivery receipt and accept the shipment. Once these steps are followed and Prima has confirmed the details with the carrier the items will be repaired or replaced at no cost to you. We encourage you to contact our customer service team at (888) 837-7892 or email sales@prima-coffee.com if you have questions regarding delivery procedures or any issues arise at the time of delivery.

The fourth step is understanding the startup and operation of your machine. We always encourage the professional installation and startup of commercial espresso machines. However, if you're going to be handling the startup and programming of your machine, it is critical that you review and follow all startup manuals and guides. If your machine is damaged due to improper startup or installation, it can void your warranty coverage. If anything at all, is unclear or confusing. Please do not hesitate to reach out to customer service. I hope this has been a helpful overview as you prepare to receive your new espresso machine. Cheers!