Coffee Machines

Buying portafilter and coffee machines in Switzerland – curated by roastery experts

You want to buy a portafilter machine and you are looking for clear facts instead of pages of marketing copy? Here you will find machines that we know from daily practice as a coffee roastery and barista specialist. We do not sell boxes, we sell tools for an espresso with a dense body and clean aromatics.

Why buy your setup from the Coffee Coaching Club

Because we understand what happens in the cup. We judge equipment not by glossy brochures, but by extraction quality in everyday use. Our range covers icons such as La Marzocco, Rocket Espresso, ECM, Profitec, Torre, Arkel as well as Flair Espresso as manual lever machines (exclusive Swiss importer). What is listed here has passed our practical filter.

You order directly online and receive your machine throughout Switzerland and to Liechtenstein in 2 to 4 working days. For high-value machines from the La Marzocco Linea Micra or Mini R class upwards, we recommend Click and Collect in one of our showrooms – we put the machine into operation together with you. When you buy a new espresso machine from CHF 1500, an introductory course is included: around 60 minutes in which we go through extraction philosophy together and build up your personal espresso ritual, which afterwards takes around 5 minutes. Financing via Heylight is possible.

The machine categories in focus

System comparison at a glance

Brew groups – E61, saturated, saturated group

The brew group determines temperature stability during extraction and therefore a large part of what ends up in the cup. With an E61 brew group (standard on Rocket, ECM, Profitec and many Bezzera models), hot water circulates through a heavy, preheated metal head. That works reliably after around 20 minutes of heat-up time, but it takes thermal discipline.

With a saturated group (La Marzocco, Arkel, Rocket R Nine One), brew boiler and brew head merge into one directly heated block. It reacts faster to temperature changes, and the first shot in the morning has the same character as the third. In our roastery we observe that saturated groups deliver a more refined flavour picture – others see it differently, and that is fine.

Roastery knowledge – what really shapes your cup

In our courses we see every day where potential is given away. The most expensive machine will not take you further if the foundation is not right. The taste of espresso stands and falls with the water. Hardness and mineralisation in Zurich or Bern directly influence how lively the aromas come across. More on this in our coffee water guide and with the mineralisation drops from Apax Labs (exclusive Swiss importer).

The second factor is the ground coffee. A good portafilter machine mercilessly exposes the weaknesses of your grinder. Plan your budget so that you also invest in a precise coffee grinder – for body and texture it is often more decisive than the machine itself.

And the beans: industrial coffee works mechanically in any portafilter. If you want to experience what a dense body and chocolatey nuances taste like, start with freshly roasted beans. Our own roasts – Cozy Chocolate, Nutty Delight, Wild Peach, Bright Cassis – are tuned for exactly that.

Honest words – what you should know before buying

Here are a few facts from practice, without the advertising filter:

• Single boiler and light roasts: if you mainly want to brew very light, fruity roasts with precise temperature control, a single boiler without PID control reaches its limits.
• E61 patience: a massive E61 brew group needs its 20 minutes to warm through. If you want to pull an espresso after 3 minutes in the morning, work with a timer or choose a machine with fast heating (e.g. Profitec FAST E61, La Marzocco with saturated group).
• Flair and cappuccino: Flair builds espresso tools, not steam boilers. For steaming milk you need an external solution – for example the Flair Wizard Steamer or a Subminimal NanoFoamer (exclusive Swiss importer).
• Daily care: a portafilter machine asks for a daily backflush without detergent and, roughly every 50 shots, one with detergent (around 5 minutes). Clean brew group, clean taste.
• Logistics for high-value machines: from the La Marzocco Mini R class upwards we recommend Click and Collect or personal delivery with a handover. When you buy a new machine from CHF 1500, an introductory course is included.
• Ordering the La Marzocco Linea Micra: we order the Linea Micra personally with you, not as a direct online purchase. Colour, configuration and delivery are clarified beforehand. Contact: [email protected].

Frequently asked questions

Which coffee grinder suits my new machine?

Without a good grind there is no dense extraction. For a good mid-range you will find options in our grinder collection. With dual boilers or La Marzocco, a stepless grinder with large burrs is worth it. Personal advice: [email protected].

What is the difference between single boiler, heat exchanger and dual boiler?

A single boiler has one boiler for both – brewing and steaming take turns, with a short wait. A heat-exchanger machine has one large boiler that supplies brew water through a heat exchanger – brewing and steaming are possible at the same time. A dual boiler has two completely separate boilers with individual temperature control – maximum stability. More on this in our heating system guide.

What is a saturated group?

Brew boiler and brew head merge into one directly heated block – instead of circulating hot water through a cold metal head as with E61. It reacts faster to temperature changes, and the first shot in the morning has the same character as the third. La Marzocco Linea Micra, Mini R and GS3 use saturated groups, as do the Arkel Coast and Tide and the Rocket R Nine One.

Do I need brew-by-weight?

On the La Marzocco Linea Mini R, a compatible Acaia Lunar (USB-C, serial number AL008+) can be upgraded to a brew-by-weight scale via a Connected Scale licence since March 2026. The Mini R then stops automatically at the programmed target weight. Not essential, but convenient.

Can I see the machines live beforehand?

Yes. In the showrooms in Zurich (Hagenholzstrasse 50b, 180 m²) and Bern (Gerberngasse 44, 60 m²) we have many models powered up. Since not every machine is set up at the same time, drop us a line beforehand. If you'd like to test several espresso machines directly side by side, there's our Espresso Machine and Grinder Comparison for that.

How long does delivery take?

2 to 4 working days throughout Switzerland and to Liechtenstein. For high-value machines we recommend Click and Collect in Bern or Zurich. When you buy a new machine from CHF 1500, an introductory course (around 60 min) is included.

Do you offer financing?

Yes. In the checkout process we offer a financing option via Heylight for eligible products.

Completing the setup

• Coffee grinders – the heart of texture and aroma
• Barista tools and tampers – clean puck prep without channeling
• Acaia Lunar or Pearl – espresso scale with app and flow rate display
• Normcore – affordable tampers, WDT tools, scales (exclusive Swiss importer)
• Airscape – airtight bean storage
• Apax Labs – mineralisation drops for precise coffee water
• Fresh roasts – Cozy Chocolate and Nutty Delight suit around 80 % of all setups; Wild Peach and Bright Cassis for lighter specialty profiles
• Cleaning products – coffee oil remover for a clean brew group