Most first-time cafe owners budget for the espresso machine, then discover the other twenty line items one invoice at a time. This coffee shop equipment list is the complete version — what you actually need, what each tier costs at wholesale, and which pieces are worth buying together in one shipment. We supply espresso machines and grinders to shops in 40+ countries and build the roasters in our own factory, so the numbers below come from real orders, not template blog math.
The Core Coffee Station
| Item | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Espresso machine | 2-group for a standard shop; 1-group/compact for kiosks; bean-to-cup for self-service — full logic in the espresso machine buyer’s guide and the group-count comparison |
| Espresso grinder | 60mm+ burrs, stepless adjustment; a second single-doser for guest beans — see the grinder guide |
| Filter/batch setup | Batch brewer + dedicated filter grinder if drip is on the menu |
| Water treatment | Softener/filter sized to your hardness — the cheapest boiler insurance you can buy (why scale kills machines) |
| Smallwares | Tampers, pitchers, scales, knock box, cleaning chemicals — budget 2–3% of equipment spend |
Refrigeration, Ice & Back of House
- Under-counter fridge at the milk station + main fridge/freezer
- Ice machine (iced drinks routinely outsell hot in SEA, the Gulf and summer everywhere)
- Dishwasher or three-compartment sink per local code; POS, blenders and display case per your menu
These are commodity items best bought locally for service coverage — we say this as an equipment supplier: freight on a fridge rarely beats the local appliance market.
The Item That Changes Your Economics: A Roaster
Buying roasted beans costs $20–40/kg retail-grade; roasting your own puts green coffee at $4–12/kg through a machine that costs about $0.10/kg to run. A 1–3 kg machine fits behind the bar, becomes theater for customers, and typically pays itself back within a year at cafe volume. Sizing: how to choose a commercial coffee roaster; if in-house roasting grows into wholesale, the roastery equipment guide covers the production side.
Budget Tiers (Wholesale, Ex-Works)
| Tier | Coffee equipment | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Kiosk / cart | Compact 1-group + single grinder | $800 – $2,500 |
| Standard shop | 2-group semi-auto + espresso grinder + batch setup | $2,500 – $8,000 |
| Roastery cafe | Above + 1–3 kg roaster + retail grinder | $6,000 – $18,000 |
Ranges are market figures for the coffee-specific equipment only; final numbers depend on configuration — we quote exact pricing against your list within 24 hours.
Why One Shipment Beats Twenty Invoices
Espresso machines cube out before they weigh out — a machine, two grinders and a 2 kg roaster share a pallet happily, and per-unit freight drops hard. Most of our shop-opening customers order the coffee core in one consolidated shipment with matching voltage across every item (the silent killer of mixed sourcing — see the voltage requirements guide). Sourcing mechanics, payment terms and QC: buying wholesale from China.
FAQ
How much does coffee shop equipment cost in total?
Coffee-specific equipment runs $800–$2,500 for a kiosk, $2,500–$8,000 for a standard shop, and $6,000–$18,000 with an in-house roaster — wholesale ex-works, before local refrigeration and fit-out.
What equipment should I buy from China vs locally?
Coffee equipment (machine, grinders, roaster) ships well and saves 30–50% wholesale; refrigeration, ice and furniture are usually better bought locally for service coverage.
Can I get the machine, grinder and roaster in one order?
Yes — one consolidated shipment with matched voltage is exactly what we recommend and quote daily. Send your list for a single combined price with freight.
Is an in-house roaster worth it for a single cafe?
At typical cafe volume the margin difference between buying roasted and roasting green pays back a 1–3 kg machine within about a year — plus the retail-bag revenue it unlocks.
Get One Quote for the Whole List
Send your equipment list (or just your shop concept and city) — we reply within 24 hours with a combined wholesale quote, matched voltage, and freight to your port.
Last updated: July 29, 2026