Two roasters reveal why they upgraded to the Pilot, Barista Attitude’s first single-boiler espresso machine.
When the engineers at Barista Attitude gathered to develop the Italian brand’s first single-boiler machine, their aim was to create a model that baristas could easily navigate to produce quality espresso. Like a pilot at the controls of a plane, the barista was to take the reins of the machine to land smooth and consistent coffee.
The Pilot was specifically developed for countries where milk-based coffees take the lead. Since it was launched in Australia in 2023 by independent distributor Coffee Works Express (CWE), it’s received widespread recognition for its ability to deliver high-flying drinks with minimal staff training.
For Giuseppe Anapo, Director and Roast Master at Simply Beans in Logan City, Queensland, it was the Pilot’s balance of being user friendly while still delivering all the technical needs required of a specialty venue with exacting standards that inspired him to install the machine at his espresso bar.
“As far as I’m concerned, you can’t beat Italian espresso machines. They have a history of being workhorses, yet still manage to keep up to date with the latest groundbreaking technology,” says Giuseppe.
“I’m a technical person – graphs, extraction times, water pressure, and temperature times are vital for our operation. What blew me away with the Pilot was that the barista has all those functionalities available at the touch of a button.”
With a roastery producing a wide range of specialty blends and globetrotting single origins, the Simply Beans espresso bar focuses on giving coffee enthusiasts a versatile menu to choose from. For Giuseppe and team, taste and flavour are paramount.
“Taste is king here. Over the years, I’ve found extraction on certain machines can look good, but the taste isn’t quite right. With the Pilot, we can produce great tasting coffee very easily,” he says.
“Unlike some other brands of this calibre, the machine is very user friendly. After spending a short amount of time training my team, they’ve been blown away with how simple it is to navigate. Everything is at our fingers tips: with a few tweaks here and there, you get great espresso every time.”
The Pilot blends the best technology from Barista Attitude’s previous Storm and Tempesta models, with users able to manipulate different flavour profiles using the pre-infusion function. However, being a single-boiler model, the user also has the option to simply adjust and monitor a single temperature if they desire.
Giuseppe says that until the Pilot was installed in early 2024, the espresso bar had relied on multi-boiler machines.
“There is a place for multi-boilers, but they’re not the be all and end all. The single-boiler machine more than fulfils our needs and we couldn’t be happier with it,” he says.
Another roaster that’s reaping the rewards of the Pilot is Roasting Warehouse. The Melbourne brand has recently installed the machine at a handful of its wholesale customers in Victoria and will soon also introduce a Pilot to its café and retail spaces in Melbourne, South Fremantle, Brisbane, and Athens, Greece.
“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with the team at CWE spanning more than 20 years. They introduced us to the Pilot and we were impressed by its functionality and durability, but above all the fantastic flavour that comes out of the machine,” says Giovanni Ienari, Operations Manager at Roasting Warehouse.
Giovanni believes the Pilot’s ability to produce consistent quality at high volume makes it the ideal machine for venues offering an elevated experience.
“I would recommend it for venues doing 40 to 50 kilograms of coffee each week. It’s perfect for cafés that take pride in their output and deliver a quality experience from start to finish,” he says.
“We always suggest that our high-volume customers doing 30 kilograms or more opt for a high-end machine like the Barista Attitude Pilot.”
Alongside its ability to produce high-level taste and flavour, he says the design also adds to the machine’s appeal.
“The Pilot stands out from the crowd. The look of the machine instantly grabs your attention. It’s also durable. When using it, you can feel the weight of the machine,” he says.
Both Giovanni and Giuseppe highlight the support CWE has provided over the years, not just recommending the best equipment for their venues but also the maintenance and service the team provide to ensure espresso machines and grinders are producing the best possible coffee.
“Since we installed the Pilot last year, I haven’t had to fix anything. The electronic and hydraulics don’t let you down. Even if they did, I know the servicing team at CWE would help us out in no time,” says Giuseppe.
“The team are so open and happy to share information. They believe in the equipment they provide us, and that’s hugely important to the service they deliver. They don’t let you down.”
Giovanni adds that the training provided by CWE technicians is extremely valuable when getting to know a new product or product upgrade.
“The CWE technician will call us and take us through any updates,” he says. “Whether it’s changes to the motherboard or upgrading our recipes, they’ll always guide us through it.”
For more information on the Pilot, get in touch with Australian distributor cwe.com.au
This article appears in the February/March 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
