What exactly is a semi-commercial espresso machine?
For the purposes of this discussion, I will classify the manually operated machines that fall into the $800+ category. They would include, for example, Pasquini’s “Livia 90” and the “Oscar,” from Simonelli. The outstanding features of these machines include separated boiler and heat exchanger for the production of steam and brewing water, separate hot water delivery and steam delivery wands, and possibly the use of a commercially rated, rotary vane pump. What I will not consider a semi-commercial machine are those super-automatic machines that may fall in to a similar price category. Also, identifiably different is that these machines may or may not be commercial rated by an agency (such as CSA, CUL, or CE). Semi-commercial machines have the look and feel, and often the same parts, as their single-group commercial siblings. And like their commercial counterparts, they may be even so robust as to operate 24/7, not having the need to be disconnected from their power source at the end of
