Electricity Basics For Espresso Machines and Coffee Grinders

Electricity and appliances operate according to specific formulas and calculations. Most espresso machines and grinders use AC (alternating current) power. There are two common types of AC power: single-phase and three-phase. In most cases, the majority of espresso machines are single-phase.

It helps determine how much energy appliances consume. The amount of energy used by all the items in a home or commercial setting is considered when designing and analyzing electrical systems. Knowing the amount of power that appliances require is crucial for electrical safety and ensuring circuits and wiring can handle the demands placed on them.

Power (measured in watts) is equal to the product of current (measured in amps) and voltage (measured in volts).

This relationship is often expressed as the formula:
P = A *  V, whereby
P is power,
A is amps, and
V is voltage.

In a lot of examples, you may see the A replaced with a Capital “i” (I which can be mistaken for a L in lower case). In some cases, power (P) may be replaced by Watts (W).

Here are some definitions to remember when purchasing espresso machines and espresso grinders as well as discussing your plans with an architect or licensed electrician:

Amps

Amps measure the flow of electricity as an electric current. You should think of electric current as the flow of water through a hosepipe. The more water flowing through the hosepipe, the stronger the current is.

Volts

Volts are the measurement used to determine how much force is needed to cause the electric current to flow. In keeping with the earlier example, you could think of volts as the water pressure in the hosepipe, which makes the water flow.

Power (Watts)

Power is Amps multiplied by Volts equals Watts.  Watts is the unit of measurement used to determine the amount of energy used/required to operate any electrical appliance. The higher the wattage is, the more power and output from the appliance. In terms of the hosepipe example, this would refer to the amount of water being released from the hosepipe.

Why Is this Important? Awareness for Planning

Higher wattage espresso machines will have faster recovery than lower wattage ones. However, the higher wattage will consumer more amps, which means higher bills and less availability of amps for other appliances in the facilities, including but not limited to one’s office space kitchen, cafe, food or coffee truck on a generator, or even one’s home kitchen or bar.

It is very important that you know what your TOTAL available  Power (wattage) is of all the outlets on the same circuit breaker at the location you are installing the espresso machine and espresso coffee grinders.  If there are any other appliances on the circuit where the espresso machine is going to be added, the wattage of those appliance(s) need to be deducted from the total wattage of the circuit to determine what wattage is actually available for the espresso machine and grinder(s).