Faema Espresso Machines for Commercial Cafes and Bars

Faema builds for bars that pull shots all day and still open again tomorrow. The range splits two ways: a heat exchanger, where one boiler handles brewing and steaming, or a dedicated boiler per group when each needs to hold its own temperature. That second option earns its keep if you run different roasts or a long milk queue. Pick the Faema espresso machine that matches your busiest hour and it will still suit you in five years.

Which Faema Espresso Machine Fits Your Bar's Volume and Boiler Needs?

Every Faema on this page sits in one of two boiler families, and knowing which one you need cuts the range in half straight away. The E61 Legend, E98 UP, Prestige and President Thermosifonic all run a single boiler with a heat exchanger and thermosiphon circulation. The President GTI and E71E Vivaio give each group head its own boiler instead, which is what you want if your bar pulls more than one coffee at a time, or needs every group holding the same profile through a rush.

At the simple end, the E61 Legend is a manual-lever machine built around Faema's own 58mm E61 group, where thermosiphon circulation holds the group at brew temperature with no electronics to manage. It suits a bar that wants direct control over pre-infusion and does not need per-group temperature profiles, and it comes in one- or two-group formats, so it is sized for lower peak volume or a single dedicated bar. Pair it with commercial coffee grinders matched to the same volume.

Step up to the E98 UP or the Prestige and the thermosiphon principle stays, but you gain electronic dosing, digital programming and a much larger boiler, up to 17 litres on the E98 UP's three-group build, that recovers faster under back-to-back shots. That is roughly the practical ceiling for a heat exchanger on a busy two- or three-group bar. If that matches your counter, our 3 group commercial espresso machines and broader commercial espresso machines collections let you compare Faema against other brands at the same group count.

At the top, the E71E Vivaio adds a touchscreen and GTi infusion control on that independent-boiler base. Cafes wanting fewer manual steps at the same volume, or a self-serve counter, are usually better matched to our super automatic coffee machines, and home buyers should start at our Faema home espresso machines collection rather than this commercial range. Whichever model you run, keep Faema espresso machine parts like group gaskets and seals on hand rather than sourcing them after a machine goes down mid-shift.

FAQ

Is Faema a reliable brand for a commercial espresso machine?

Yes. Faema's commercial lineup has a strong reputation for durability and consistent extraction, and it's common to find decades-old Faema machines still running daily behind a bar. The thermosiphon and independent-boiler designs across the current range are built for continuous commercial use rather than intermittent brewing, so day-to-day reliability under real bar volume is a genuine strength of the brand.

How many groups do I need for my cafe?

It depends more on your peak hour than your total daily count. A single group usually covers under 60 to 80 drinks a day, two groups is the standard workhorse for roughly 100 to 300 drinks, and three groups suits a sustained 50-plus drinks an hour during rush. Faema's E61 Legend and Prestige Compact cover the smaller end, while the E98 UP, President, and E71E Vivaio scale up from there.

Do Faema machines take standard 58mm portafilters and baskets?

Yes, on the traditional commercial range. Faema's E61 group is the 58mm design that became the industry standard, so baskets, tampers and distribution tools sized for 58mm fit without adapters. That matters more than it sounds: it means your existing tamper and any aftermarket precision baskets carry straight over rather than needing Faema-specific parts.

Is Faema comparable to La Marzocco?

They're both well-regarded Italian commercial brands, and buyers cross-shop them often, especially at the multi-boiler tier where Faema's President GTI and E71E sit alongside La Marzocco's higher-end machines. For most bars, the real difference comes down to control layout and which brand's technicians are easiest to reach in your area, rather than a gap in build quality, since both are built for continuous commercial use.

Can I get parts and service for a Faema machine in the US?

Yes. Faema has an established US parts and service network: independent distributors stock OEM parts like gaskets, group seals, and boiler components, and factory-trained technicians service Faema equipment outside of Italy. It's not as thin a support network as some buyers assume going in, which is a common concern worth clearing up before committing to a European commercial brand.

What water does a Faema machine need?

Treated, and to a spec rather than a guess. Faema publishes a water hardness range for its commercial machines, broadly in line with the 50 to 150 ppm most manufacturers ask for, and scale is what shortens boiler and heat-exchanger life fastest. Test your supply, then fit filtration sized to the machine rather than assuming a domestic cartridge will keep up.

Are Faema espresso machines made in Italy?

Yes, Faema designs and manufactures its espresso machines in Italy. That holds across the current traditional lineup carried here, from the E61 Legend through the E71E Vivaio, all of which are built and shipped from Faema's Italian production. It's also why components like group heads and boilers stay consistent across the range, since they come from the same manufacturing process rather than being sourced from different suppliers by model.

What's the difference between the Faema E98 UP and the E71E Vivaio?

Both are multi-group commercial machines, but the E98 UP runs on a single thermosiphon heat exchanger with a larger boiler for steady, straightforward operation, while the E71E Vivaio adds an independent boiler per group plus a touchscreen and GTi infusion control for finer, per-group temperature and timing adjustments. The E71E is the more capable machine; the E98 UP is simpler to run and maintain.

Faema builds for bars that pull shots all day and still open again tomorrow. The range splits two ways: a heat exchanger, where one boiler handles brewing and steaming, or a dedicated boiler per group when each needs to hold its own temperature. That second option earns its keep if you run different roasts or a long milk queue. Pick the Faema espresso machine that matches your busiest hour and it will still suit you in five years.

Which Faema Espresso Machine Fits Your Bar's Volume and Boiler Needs?

Every Faema on this page sits in one of two boiler families, and knowing which one you need cuts the range in half straight away. The E61 Legend, E98 UP, Prestige and President Thermosifonic all run a single boiler with a heat exchanger and thermosiphon circulation. The President GTI and E71E Vivaio give each group head its own boiler instead, which is what you want if your bar pulls more than one coffee at a time, or needs every group holding the same profile through a rush.

At the simple end, the E61 Legend is a manual-lever machine built around Faema's own 58mm E61 group, where thermosiphon circulation holds the group at brew temperature with no electronics to manage. It suits a bar that wants direct control over pre-infusion and does not need per-group temperature profiles, and it comes in one- or two-group formats, so it is sized for lower peak volume or a single dedicated bar. Pair it with commercial coffee grinders matched to the same volume.

Step up to the E98 UP or the Prestige and the thermosiphon principle stays, but you gain electronic dosing, digital programming and a much larger boiler, up to 17 litres on the E98 UP's three-group build, that recovers faster under back-to-back shots. That is roughly the practical ceiling for a heat exchanger on a busy two- or three-group bar. If that matches your counter, our 3 group commercial espresso machines and broader commercial espresso machines collections let you compare Faema against other brands at the same group count.

At the top, the E71E Vivaio adds a touchscreen and GTi infusion control on that independent-boiler base. Cafes wanting fewer manual steps at the same volume, or a self-serve counter, are usually better matched to our super automatic coffee machines, and home buyers should start at our Faema home espresso machines collection rather than this commercial range. Whichever model you run, keep Faema espresso machine parts like group gaskets and seals on hand rather than sourcing them after a machine goes down mid-shift.

FAQ

Is Faema a reliable brand for a commercial espresso machine?

Yes. Faema's commercial lineup has a strong reputation for durability and consistent extraction, and it's common to find decades-old Faema machines still running daily behind a bar. The thermosiphon and independent-boiler designs across the current range are built for continuous commercial use rather than intermittent brewing, so day-to-day reliability under real bar volume is a genuine strength of the brand.

How many groups do I need for my cafe?

It depends more on your peak hour than your total daily count. A single group usually covers under 60 to 80 drinks a day, two groups is the standard workhorse for roughly 100 to 300 drinks, and three groups suits a sustained 50-plus drinks an hour during rush. Faema's E61 Legend and Prestige Compact cover the smaller end, while the E98 UP, President, and E71E Vivaio scale up from there.

Do Faema machines take standard 58mm portafilters and baskets?

Yes, on the traditional commercial range. Faema's E61 group is the 58mm design that became the industry standard, so baskets, tampers and distribution tools sized for 58mm fit without adapters. That matters more than it sounds: it means your existing tamper and any aftermarket precision baskets carry straight over rather than needing Faema-specific parts.

Is Faema comparable to La Marzocco?

They're both well-regarded Italian commercial brands, and buyers cross-shop them often, especially at the multi-boiler tier where Faema's President GTI and E71E sit alongside La Marzocco's higher-end machines. For most bars, the real difference comes down to control layout and which brand's technicians are easiest to reach in your area, rather than a gap in build quality, since both are built for continuous commercial use.

Can I get parts and service for a Faema machine in the US?

Yes. Faema has an established US parts and service network: independent distributors stock OEM parts like gaskets, group seals, and boiler components, and factory-trained technicians service Faema equipment outside of Italy. It's not as thin a support network as some buyers assume going in, which is a common concern worth clearing up before committing to a European commercial brand.

What water does a Faema machine need?

Treated, and to a spec rather than a guess. Faema publishes a water hardness range for its commercial machines, broadly in line with the 50 to 150 ppm most manufacturers ask for, and scale is what shortens boiler and heat-exchanger life fastest. Test your supply, then fit filtration sized to the machine rather than assuming a domestic cartridge will keep up.

Are Faema espresso machines made in Italy?

Yes, Faema designs and manufactures its espresso machines in Italy. That holds across the current traditional lineup carried here, from the E61 Legend through the E71E Vivaio, all of which are built and shipped from Faema's Italian production. It's also why components like group heads and boilers stay consistent across the range, since they come from the same manufacturing process rather than being sourced from different suppliers by model.

What's the difference between the Faema E98 UP and the E71E Vivaio?

Both are multi-group commercial machines, but the E98 UP runs on a single thermosiphon heat exchanger with a larger boiler for steady, straightforward operation, while the E71E Vivaio adds an independent boiler per group plus a touchscreen and GTi infusion control for finer, per-group temperature and timing adjustments. The E71E is the more capable machine; the E98 UP is simpler to run and maintain.