Plumbed-in espresso machine: never fill the tank again

Morning, the kitchen is still quiet. You lock in the portafilter and the machine is simply ready: no tank to pull out, no jug to hold under the tap. It stands firmly in its place like in a small bar, a hose runs out of sight into the worktop, and the kitchen feels calm and tidy. For many, this is the loveliest step after the first machine: the espresso machine as a fixed part of the kitchen, a little luxury you feel every day. Where should yours stand if it may stay for good?

In short: A plumbed-in espresso machine draws its water straight from the mains. You never fill the tank again, and your kitchen keeps a clean line. Plumbing in works above all with machines that have a rotary pump, and many can be switched between tank and mains water. You need a water connection with a shut-off valve, a pressure reducer depending on your line pressure and the manufacturer’s specification, a water filter and, if you like, a drain connection. A qualified professional makes the connection, and our own workshop takes care of servicing and maintenance. That is how we advise at Coffee Coaching Club.

La Marzocco Linea Mini R in matte black with an espresso grinder on a bright kitchen counter with white tiles, above it a wooden shelf with glasses

Fixed in the kitchen: comfort every morning

With a mains water connection, the espresso machine becomes part of the kitchen. You no longer refill a tank, not even when friends are over and one cup follows the next. The hose disappears behind the machine into the worktop or the cupboard, and all you see is the machine itself: stainless steel, colour, wood. If the machine has a drain connection and you connect it, the water from the drip tray drains away directly too. It looks loveliest when machine and grinder get their place together. Setting up a coffee corner shows ideas for this, and design espresso machines colours and looks.

La Marzocco Linea Micra in white on a bright kitchen counter right next to the sink, behind it dark green tiles and a wooden shelf

Which machines can be plumbed in

The difference usually lies in the pump. A rotary pump runs quietly and can draw its water straight from the mains, which is why most plumbed-in machines have one. Many of them can be switched between tank and mains water.

Rocket Giotto FAST in black on a wooden worktop in warm light, in front of it a portafilter with freshly ground coffee

In our range, machines from La Marzocco, Rocket, ECM, Profitec, Lelit, Bezzera, Victoria Arduino and Arkel, for example, can be plumbed in, as dual boilers, as heat exchangers and as lever machines. At Rocket, it is the models with a rotary pump; at La Marzocco, there is a separate plumb-in kit for each machine line. Jackson, our AI advisor, tells you around the clock whether your dream machine can be plumbed in. By type, you will find all models among the dual boiler espresso machines, the heat exchanger espresso machines and the lever espresso machines.

Profitec Pro 800 lever machine with walnut handles on a white plinth in front of a green wall, beside it bird-of-paradise flowers in a vase

Tank or mains water: your choice

Many machines with a rotary pump can be switched over, some with a switch on the housing, others in the menu. So you can set up the machine freely at first and plumb it in later, for example when the kitchen is renovated. Most machines with a vibration pump are built for the tank and stand freely wherever there is a socket. Both are lovely; it depends on your kitchen.

Arkel Tide in black from the side, with a wooden handle on the steam valve and the switches for mains water and ECO on the side panel

What the connection needs

Behind the machine, little is needed, and every part has its place:

  • Water connection with shut-off valve: a cold water connection nearby, plus a shut-off valve within easy reach. ECM and Profitec, for example, recommend this in their user manuals.
  • Pressure reducer, depending on line pressure: How much pressure may reach the machine is set by the manufacturer. ECM and Profitec state a maximum of 2 bar in the manuals for their dual boilers and a pressure reducer above that; La Marzocco states 45 to 80 psi in an installation guide, around 3 to 5.5 bar. What counts is the manual for your machine.
  • Water filter: According to La Marzocco, a filter is part of a plumbed-in setup; ECM and Profitec recommend one against limescale. It sits in the line before the machine.
  • Hose or plumb-in kit: Many machines come with the inlet hose; for La Marzocco, there is a separate kit for each machine line. You will find matching parts under La Marzocco accessories and spare parts and Rocket accessories and spare parts.
  • Drain, if you like: Many machines can also be connected to the drain, according to ECM via a hose with a continuous slope to the siphon. Without a drain, you empty the drip tray as usual.

La Marzocco plumb-in kit with braided inlet hose, yellow drain hose and fittings

Water: the filter in the line

On mains water, every espresso gets the same water. In our experience, that makes dialling in easier: the water stays the same, and you only play with grind size and dose. We grind fine, start at 14.5 grams and work our way up from there, usually to 17 grams, at a ratio below 1:2.

So that the water suits machine and taste, a filter sits in the line, for example BRITA PURITY C. The cartridge reduces carbonate hardness; you set the bypass on the filter head, and with the iQ filter head this happens automatically after a measurement of the raw water. You will find filter heads and cartridges in the BRITA collection. Our recommendation: change the cartridge after half of its stated lifespan.

BRITA PURITY C iQ filter head on a C500 iQ Quell ST cartridge, behind it a laptop showing the BRITA iQ portal

Which hardness your machine likes is stated in its manual. You will find an overview by brand and the way to your water values in our help page water and descaling, and why magnesium, calcium and bicarbonate matter in a dual boiler in water chemistry for dual boilers.

Installation: a job for a professional

A qualified professional connects the machine to the water supply, as the manufacturers specify, for example ECM and Profitec in their user manuals. The professional measures the line pressure, fits the shut-off valve, pressure reducer and filter, and lays the hose so that it rests calmly and without tension behind the machine. If your machine needs a plumb-in kit, our workshop will do the conversion on request. It is most relaxed to plan everything together with the kitchen: water, socket and drain right where the machine is to stand.

Stainless steel La Marzocco GS3 on a concrete and wood counter, cups on top, beside it two black milk jugs and a knock box

At a glance

Part or type What makes it lovely Right for you if
Rotary pump runs quietly and draws water straight from the mains your machine is to become a fixed part of the kitchen
Switchable between tank and mains water set it up freely first, plumb it in later you want to keep both options open
Shut-off valve turn the water on and off with one twist you plumb in the machine
Pressure reducer keeps the pressure within the range the manufacturer states your line pressure is above the manufacturer’s specification
Water filter in the line the right water for taste and machine you plumb in the machine
Drain connection water from the drip tray drains away directly there is a drain nearby
Plumb-in kit conversion matched to the machine line your La Marzocco is to run on mains water
Tank machine stands freely wherever there is a socket you want to stay flexible

A machine for many years

A plumbed-in machine stays in its place for many years, which is why the nicest way to begin is straight away with your dream machine. So that it runs like on the first day, our own service workshop takes care of servicing, maintenance and repairs. For the next step, upgrading your espresso machine helps; for your first machine, espresso machine for beginners; for your team at the office, coffee machine for the office.

If you buy a new machine and a new grinder together, we add up to CHF 150 in shop credit* with the bundle bonus. Our machine advisor shows you machines that suit you, and Jackson, our AI advisor, answers your questions around the clock.

A hand on the portafilter of the Eureka Costanza R with wooden side panels, two espresso cups below, beside it a Eureka grinder with coffee beans

You can also find us in person

In Bern at Gerberngasse 44 and in Zurich Oerlikon at Hagenholzstrasse 50b, many machines are set up and in operation, and in the café they make coffee for our guests all day long. Drop by for an espresso and see the machines live. If you would like to experience several machines and grinders side by side, there is the espresso machine and grinder comparison.

Bar in the Bern café with coffee grinders, bean shelf and sofa by the window

Frequently asked questions

Which espresso machines can be connected to the water supply?

Above all, machines with a rotary pump, and many of them can be switched between tank and mains water. In our range, these include machines from La Marzocco, Rocket, ECM, Profitec, Lelit, Bezzera, Victoria Arduino and Arkel. For La Marzocco, there is a separate plumb-in kit for each machine line.

What do I need to plumb in an espresso machine?

A cold water connection with a shut-off valve within easy reach, a pressure reducer depending on your line pressure and the manufacturer’s specification, a water filter in the line and the right hose or a plumb-in kit. You can add a drain connection, so the water from the drip tray drains away directly.

Do I need a pressure reducer?

That depends on the pressure in your line and on the manufacturer’s specification. ECM and Profitec state a maximum of 2 bar in the manuals for their dual boilers and a pressure reducer above that; La Marzocco states 45 to 80 psi in an installation guide, around 3 to 5.5 bar. The professional measures the pressure on site and fits the pressure reducer to suit your machine.

Which water filter suits a plumbed-in machine?

A filter that sits in the line before the machine, for example BRITA PURITY C with filter head and cartridge. The cartridge reduces carbonate hardness; you set the bypass on the filter head, or the iQ filter head adjusts it automatically. Our recommendation: change the cartridge after half of its stated lifespan.

Do I also need a drain connection?

You decide: without a drain, you empty the drip tray as usual; with a drain, the water flows through a hose with a slope directly into the drain. Many machines and plumb-in kits are prepared for this.

Can I switch between tank and mains water?

With many machines with a rotary pump, yes, via a switch or in the menu. So you start with the tank and plumb in the machine later, for example when the kitchen is renovated.

Who connects the machine to the water supply?

A qualified professional, as the manufacturers specify in their manuals. If your machine needs a plumb-in kit, our workshop will do the conversion on request, and our own workshop also takes care of servicing and maintenance.

Does espresso taste different on mains water?

The taste depends on the water itself. With filtered water at the hardness your manufacturer states, your espresso tastes just as it does from the tank, and in our experience dialling in becomes easier because every shot gets the same water.

* Bundle bonus: when you buy a new espresso machine and a new coffee grinder in one order paid by advance payment; amount depending on the purchase value; valid for 60 days. You will find all the conditions on the bundle bonus page.

Written by Yalcin Akpinar, qualified food chemist and coffee roaster at Coffee Coaching Club. Updated: October 2026.