Automatic Espresso Machines for Cafes and Coffeeshops

It’s a gilded age for flat-bottom coffee drippers, and in this comparison guide, guest reviewer Michael Butterworth walks you through four of today's top contenders: the Kalita Wave, notNeutral Gino, Blue Bottle Dripper, and December Dripper.

When coffee professionals from all over gather each year for the annual Specialty Coffee Expo, you know it's going to be a whirlwind of a weekend. Sample bags of beans are doled out to prospective clients, business cards are shoved deftly into new hands, smiles abound and the coffee flows more freely than the water does (seriously, it's sometimes tough to stay hydrated at these things!). There are a half dozen parties every night, the local coffee shops put on special menus and polish up their service, and every Airbnb in the area will suddenly find itself laden with grinders and brewing wares. It's a phenomenal sight to behold and such a thrill to take part in - every year we leave impressed, exhausted, and excited for the weeks to come.