How does an automatic coffee machine differ from a semi-automatic?

Choosing a professional coffee machine can turn out to be far from the simplest task, especially if you are not yet familiar with the types and models. As a rule the main difference is the set of functions built into a given machine. Here the choice depends entirely on your needs and your budget.

Manufacturers today offer two main types of professional coffee machine:

• fully automatic;
• semi-automatic.

What is distinctive about each, and which suits you better? Let us work through it together, using Swiss-made Franke machines as the example.

Fully automatic coffee machine: the essentials

You will find these machines in cafés, restaurants, hotels, offices, filling stations and beyond. There is a good reason for that: this smart machine takes on every part of making a coffee drink. All that is left for you is to settle on the coffee and press the right button on the large digital screen.

The machine is capable of fully replacing a professional barista and will make you good coffee time after time. It comes with a range of smart systems that considerably extend what it can do:

1. Intelligent bean-processing technology.
2. The ability to create drinks to your own recipes.
3. Modern digital telemetry solutions for remote monitoring and record-keeping.
4. The innovative Franke FoamMaster™ system, which produces remarkable foam for coffee drinks.
5. Cold drinks with the Iced Coffee Module.
6. Automatic cleaning and self-diagnostics, which keep the machine in perfect condition.

The fully automatic range from the Swiss brand Franke is wide, so you will certainly find a machine capable of meeting all your needs.

Semi-automatic Franke coffee machine: what you need to know

Despite the name, these models give away little to the fully automatic ones, because the manufacturer has given them the same feature set. The only difference is the absence of the smart milk systems. To produce dense foam for coffee drinks there is a steam wand. That is the one function you will have to perform by hand; everything else is still done by the machine. Such a machine does of course cost a little less, and if the need arises you can always extend what it does by connecting add-on units.

The difference between a fully automatic and a semi-automatic coffee machine is not large. Either way, in choosing a Franke you gain a number of advantages:

• stylish, modern design that complements any interior;
• high quality and reliability;
• a large number of good coffee drinks;
• ease of use;
• quiet, uninterrupted operation;
• low power consumption;
• high output;
• smart technology.

Choose only quality coffee machines, so that you can treat yourself and your guests to aromatic and genuinely good coffee.

Models covered here

A300 FM

Compact machine for an office or a lower-volume venue.

up to 120 cups/day

Specifications ›

A400 FM

Versatile machine for a café with medium volume.

up to 200 cups/day

Specifications ›