The Best Commercial Batch Coffee Makers for Coffee Shops for 2024

What’s the best commercial batch coffee maker on the market? Well, it depends. That’s because your business is unique—a coffee truck in Portland has different needs from a suave cafe in Austin. And with so many batch brewers to choose from, what’s a business owner to do?

Save yourself hours of poring over spec sheets and calling up sales reps—we’ve done the hard work for you. This article is all about the best batch brewer for your coffee situation. Read on to find out:

• Why size matters when it comes to batch brewing
• The best batch brewer for every type of coffee business out there
• Exactly how many spouts your batch brewer needs

First things first—here are a few things you should bear in mind before you buy.

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4 Things To Know Before Buying Your First Batch Brewer

Picking the right commercial batch coffee brewer for your business isn’t easy. Here’s what you need to know before you write that check:

1. Brewing Capacity: How much coffee do you need brewed at one time? Some models have a single brewer; some have more. Dive into your business data and figure out your daily needs before purchasing.
2. Controls and Settings: Some batch brewers have multiple, customizable recipes. Others have just basic functionality. The right one for you will depend on your offerings—are you running a bare-bones office coffee program or a fancy joint with a menu of single-origin beans?
3. Size: How much counter real estate will it take up? If you’re running a cafe, you can fit a larger machine—as opposed to on coffee trucks and catering carts where space is at a premium.
4. Hot Water Spout: Does it have a hot water spout? This is essential if you also offer tea or manual brewing on your menu.

Next up: The best commercial batch coffee makers on the market.

The 7 Best Commercial Batch Coffee Makers

1. Best For Overall Value: Fetco Double 3L XTS Coffee Brewer

The Fetco Double 3L XTS Touchscreen Series Airpot Coffee Brewer is a great option for high-volume coffee shops and cafes that go through a lot of coffee The dual brewers are designed for fast refills and brewing, and the large boiler means you can brew back-to-back batches all day long.

It comes with an intuitive touchscreen display and has vacuum-lined pump lever airpots that allow you to turn any remote location into a java hotspot. The recipes are highly programmable—you can duplicate profiles and parameters on single machines or transfer them via an SD card.

The Fetco Double 3L XTS comes with proprietary Cascading Spray Dome (CSD) technology. This means water flows over the outer edge of the dome, not through drain holes as is more common. It helps prevent and eliminate lime head build-up in the spray head—meaning less servicing and better-tasting coffee.

“This brewer is a truly great addition to any coffee shop, even third wave. Our shop has a steady flow of customers so it's nice to have a double brewer that not only can keep up with demand but can brew splendid coffee. We've already had a number of customers notice the difference in body and extraction. Highly recommended.” —Jeffery D.

2. Best For Mobile Coffee Bar Or Coffee Truck: Fetco CBS-1221

Another offering by batch brewing giants Fetco, the CBS-1221 is ideal for mobile coffee bars and trucks. With a 2.66-gallon capacity, it can make 112 eight-ounce cups of coffee in a single hour with a six-minute brew cycle, perfect for serving at events.

It has three programmable batch buttons that can be adjusted independently for more control over your menu, and it comes in two voltage modes: 120V single or 120/200-240V dual available. This means it can be used both on the road or in a more permanent location.

Like most Fetco models, it comes with CSD technology to reduce service time and promote a more even extraction. All in all, a great choice for mobile businesses.

3. Best For Small Spaces: Fetco CBS-2141 STX Single Station

Third on the list is the Fetco CBS-2141 STX Single Station. With a slim footprint, this doesn’t take up much counter space at all—making it suitable for businesses where space is at a premium, like bakery cafes, restaurant kitchens, and convenience stores. 

This model has a one-gallon capacity and CSD technology (see above). It can duplicate batch profiles and parameters easily, and transfer the information to other Fetco brewers via SD card.

The touchscreen interface grants you a great overview of the brewing process—everything from programming and diagnostics to detailed insights into the brewing cycle. Plus, the screen can be customized to your company's brand.

This model has some other unique features, such as brew basket sensors that stop the brew cycle automatically if you take out the basket, and a manual water tap that dispenses hot water away from the steam and brew basket.

4. Best For High-Volume: Wilbur Curtis G3 Twin 1.5 Gallon 

The Wilbur Curtis G3 Twin 1.5 Gallon is another excellent high-volume commercial batch brewer, built to meet the needs of demanding cafe environments. 

It’s G3 Digital Control Module gives you full control over all brewing aspects (which are displayed in real time). It comes with programmable recipes to ensure consistency across your menu, and the recipes are also customizable so you can get the most out of your artisan beans.

The stainless steel vacuum-sealed servers keep coffee hotter for longer and are easy to clean. The Wilbur Curtis G3 also includes boosted performance over 220V/single-phase models. All in all, a great choice of machine for high-volume businesses or those with a specialized coffee menu.

5. Best For Automated Pour-Over: Marco SP9 Twin

The Marco SP9 Twin is a single-serve filter coffee brewing system with two brewers that mimic pour over brewing. If you’re running a small coffee boutique that takes pride in serving pour over coffee, but need to increase your brewing capacity and efficiency, this brewer is a great way to do that.

The Marco SP9 Twin has a reputation in the coffee industry for precision brew quality. It has a tiny footprint and a great design that customers and baristas will appreciate. It’s a great machine and by far the best choice for coffee shop owners looking for the best batch brewer for handling automated pour-over.

6. Best Machine For Retailers Wanting To Add Coffee Service: Fetco CBS-1221 (Dual Voltage)

The Fetco CBS-1221 is a no-frills, but reliable batch brewer that can make up to 112 eight-ounce cups per hour. It comes with a large 2.66-gallon tank which means it can handle a large amount of volume for retail shops that want to add either free or paid coffee service and might expect rushes from time to time.

It also has some unique features like:

• Dual voltage settings making it flexible enough to fit into a food truck
• Three programmable batch buttons
• CSD technology

The USB port is used to upload new recipes to the machine, and there's no recipe tweaking available on the device itself, making it a great fit for spaces where you don't plan on "dialing in" or changing coffees often.

7. Best For The Office: Wilbur Curtis G3 Single

The Wilbur Curtis G3 Single is our pick for office environments. Perfect for small spaces, this commercial batch brewer by Wilbur Curtis is a simple to operate and reliable machine.

• Two pre-set buttons allowing you to brew 1-2 gallons at a time
• Control over time, volume, temperature, and other brewing operating functions
• 220V/single-phase power that allows use in coffee trucks

It also has a hot water tap so you can add tea to the menu. The modern design, small footprint, and low profile mean that it can fit in the tightest of spaces—from food truck or office to boardroom or bakery. All in all, a solid option on and off the road for your batch brewer.

Breakdown Of Commercial Batch Brewers For Cafes

Want A Personalized Commercial Batch Brewer Recommendation?

Whether you’re running a coffee cart or coffee shop, or just need a quality batch brewer for the office, the machines highlighted above are all excellent choices. We personally vetted each of these brewers to ensure the build and performance standards will fulfill your coffee-brewing needs—wherever you serve your coffee.

But choosing a batch coffee maker is only half the battle. Presentation is also a large part of perceived taste, so don’t skimp on it. At Espresso Parts, we stock a great line of porcelain, demitasse, and standard coffee cups that will elevate your customers' drinking experience. Check them out here.

Have any questions or comments about buying a commercial batch brewer (or anything at all). We’ve been supplying coffee equipment to businesses of all sizes for thirty years. Call us at 800-459-5594 or complete the form below to inquire about wholesale pricing, and we’ll get back to you ASAP.