Why pay a barista $5 for a flat white when you can make it yourself for $15,000?

Coffee aficionados are investing in high-end equipment, including commercial espresso machines, to produce a professional-quality cuppa without leaving their house.

Perth’s wealthy are sparing no expense when fitting out their kitchens with top-of-the-range machines, according to coffee experts. Catherine Natale, from Northbridge Coffee Roasters, said there was “a lot of money in Perth”.

“Some of the serious coffee machine fit-outs we’ve done are in the tens of thousands of dollars, ” she said. The most expensive machine sold by them was a “hand-forged” La Marzocco from Tuscany worth $20,000.

A “seriously good cup of coffee” is a priority for chef Chris Taylor, who had an espresso machine installed in his home kitchen eight years ago. “The benches were specifically designed to fit it in, ” he said.

Coffee fans on a budget could still make a decent brew, with machines starting from $700, but they should also buy a good grinder.

“The machine’s only as good as the coffee grinder, so if you buy an expensive machine and a bad grinder, you’re wasting your money, ” Five Senses Coffee’s Jeremy Hulsdunk said.

 

© The West Australian

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