Baristas everywhere eagerly anticipated the release of the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave, an espresso machine created with both showmanship and speed in mind.
At a glance, it’s easy to see why anyone would be drawn to this machine. It’s polished and refined with a gracefully curving silhouette that resembles its namesake, a crashing wave.
It’s unmistakably a powerful machine, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for every business. This Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave review will help you determine if it’s right for yours by diving into a deep discussion of its features.
These are the topics we’ll cover:
- Important Aurelia Wave features and how they impact you.
- The various configurations the Aurelia Wave is available in and their differences.
- A brief background on Nuova Simonelli and why you should trust them.
- Other espresso machines that may be comparable to the Aurelia Wave.
- The best settings for this machine.
- How much the machines mentioned in this review cost.
Let’s jump right into it…
Quick Summary
The Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave made a gigantic splash in the espresso machine community with all its technological innovations. Aside from its inarguably gorgeous design, it introduces a bevy of brilliant features like LED lighting, self-cleaning, and multiple group heads. Regardless of which configuration you choose, the Aurelia Wave is also a blazingly fast machine that will be able to sweep through lines of customer orders like a tsunami.
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Key Features and Why They’re Important
Semiautomatic or Automatic Type
The Aurelia Wave comes in a few different configurations. While we intend to discuss all the variations in more detail later in this review, it’s important to mention that those configurations come in both automatic and semiautomatic types.
Your espresso machine’s basic type, whether it’s automatic or semiautomatic, will have the single greatest impact on its day-to-day use. To demonstrate this, we’ll cover what the differences are between these types.
A semiautomatic machine is usually a seasoned barista’s choice. It gives you far more control over the brew cycle by allowing you to both start and stop it at whichever times you feel are appropriate.
An automatic machine, on the other hand, does the timing for you. Whether it’s through weighing the espresso or timing the duration of the cycle, an automatic espresso machine will end extraction for you at the right time after you start it.
Automatic espresso machines are obviously easier to use, which makes them more suitable for beginners. If you’re a specialty coffee shop or bar, though, you may appreciate the flexibility and challenge of a semiautomatic one.
Cool Touch Steam Wands
You might be surprised to hear that’s there a little bit of danger involved in using the average espresso machine. Any time you have a piece of equipment that has to reach high temperatures in the regular course of use, you can see how it might get a little risky.
Steam wands are one of the riskiest parts on an espresso machine. The super-hot steam rushing through them makes it all too easy to burn yourself on one.
Nuova Simonelli, who often works alongside baristas to produce user-friendly machines, is aware of this. That’s why the Aurelia Wave’s configurations all have cool-touch steam wands. No matter how long you use the machine for, the steam wands will not burn you.
An additional benefit to this is that milk doesn’t get crusted onto the ends of the wands, as they keep cool at all times. This will make your baristas’ lives so much simpler.
Read Also: Best Commercial Espresso Machines
Automatic Cleaning
Nobody likes the cleanup associated with the end of a shift. Tired baristas just want to get home as soon as they can rather than spending time tidying up an espresso machine.
Here’s another reason why baristas love the Aurelia Wave: it has an automated cleaning design. After a long, hard day behind the counter, baristas can tell the machine which group head to clean and it will take care of the mess for them.
Built-In LED Lights
Baristas need to be able to see what they’re doing. If you want each drink you hand to customers to be of a quality you can be proud of, then you have to ensure your team has enough lighting to monitor the espresso.
The Aurelia Wave’s LED lights will help you with that. Because the machine has lights built right into it, you could dim the lights in your business and your employees would still be able to whip up a delicious shot of espresso.
Further Reading: Best Italian Commercial Espresso Machine
Reflective Backplate
The backplate above the Aurelia Wave’s drip tray is highly reflective. Of course, this helps tie together its overall polished appearance, but it also means the backplate doubles as a mirror.
As we mentioned in the previous section, your baristas need to be able to see what they’re doing. If they had to crouch down to get a good look at the espresso, it would be inconvenient and uncomfortable. The Aurelia Wave’s backplate prevents them from having to do this by making it possible to watch the espresso from all angles.
Raised Group Heads
Most businesses that sell coffee and espresso have a range of cup sizes on the menu. If your establishment also has multiple cup sizes, you’d be interested in an espresso machine’s ability to accommodate those sizes.
The Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave’s method of accommodating cups of all sizes is to have raised group heads. Basically, the brew groups of the machine rest higher up from the drip tray than on many competitor models.
Because of this, your baristas will be able to slide taller cups underneath the brew groups. That will save them time, since they won’t have to transfer espresso to another cup whenever someone orders a large drink.
Additional Resource: Best Plumbed Espresso Machines with Water Line Hookup
Energy Efficiency
Like many other companies, Nuova Simonelli has become increasingly environmentally conscious. This is an excellent thing when it comes to the design of their espresso machines, including the Aurelia Wave.
Because of their environmental awareness, the Aurelia Wave configurations have all been designed with energy-saving options. Aside from the environmentally friendly quality of these options, an energy-saving feature can help reduce the cost of operating the machines by consuming less energy.
Soft Infusion System
The Aurelia Wave’s soft infusion system will be a hidden trick up your sleeve when it comes to preparing flavorful drinks. Customers won’t be able to see it happening, but they’ll certainly taste the difference.
So, what is the soft infusion system? Basically, it’s just another term for pre-infusion, which is a quick process that happens right before extraction. Prior to brewing, the Aurelia Wave will run a gentle stream of water through your espresso grounds, settling them and smoothing out any channels.
As a result, water is able to reach all coffee particles during the extraction. The flavor at the end is out of this world.
Multiple Group Heads
Your espresso machine’s output is limited by the number of brew groups it has. A greater amount of brew groups translates to the ability to brew more shots of espresso at once.
Every single iteration of the Aurelia Wave has multiple group heads. Available in either two- or three-group versions, the configurations of this cutting-edge espresso machine are all blindingly fast.
Read Also: Best 3 Group Commercial Espresso Machines
Different Configurations
The star of this review, the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave Volumetric is the configuration we chose for the image at the top of the post. If you’re concerned about getting an espresso machine that beginners can learn to use quickly, this may be the one for you.
As an automatic machine, it will handle dosing the espresso properly for you when you start the brew cycle. Because baristas aren’t timing it themselves, each shot is consistent across the board.
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You’ll get the cream of the crop if you choose the T3 configuration for the Aurelia Wave. This espresso machine comes with a range of features designed to make it even more high-tech than its counterparts.
For starters, consider its pulse jet technology. As the name implies, this system makes it possible for baristas to start and stop the coffee flow at any time. Since it gives them more control, your especially creative baristas will be able to use it to experiment with new flavors.
The T3 in the machine’s name also indicates another of its cutting-edge features. T3 technology is designed to put control of the internal temperatures into your baristas’ hands. They’ll be able to tweak the temperature of every single boiler and group head with this design.
Here are a couple other highlights from the T3:
- A touchscreen display that will feel like home for tech-savvy baristas.
- A remote control interface that makes it possible for you to access extraction profiles and the cleaning system from a distance.
- Timers built into each group head so you can pull each shot for the perfect amount of time.
- An auto-purge system that will automatically clean each group head after pulling shots.
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Do you like the look of the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave T3’s features, but find the price a little too steep? The Aurelia Wave Digit could be a better fit for you. It has many of the same high-tech qualities, but at a slightly reduced price.
As an example, it has smart water technology that notifies baristas whenever there’s a change in water quality. Water is a key ingredient to making good espresso, so this information is invaluable.
It also has a touchscreen display panel that cleans up its overall appearance while simultaneously being a cinch to operate.
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Not only is the Aurelia Wave Semiautomatic the most inexpensive version of the Aurelia Wave, but it’s also the most flexible. That’s because it’s the only version that’s a semiautomatic espresso machine.
As a reminder, remember that semiautomatic espresso machines give baristas the ability to choose when the extraction step begins and ends. That means they can pull shots as long or short as they want, an option that will highlight any seasoned barista’s skills.
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Comparable Alternatives
There’s something about the angular sides of the Unic Stella 3 Group Volumetric machine that calls to mind classic days in old-fashioned diners and cafes. Don’t let the boxy shape trick you, though – this machine is easily high-tech enough to be included on this list.
For one thing, it has three group heads to triple its output. You could comfortably have multiple baristas working on the machine at once to increase productivity.
Plus, it has attractive adjustable LED lighting built into it. Because you can tweak the color and strength of the lighting, you can use it to provide workspace illumination or as décor.
Here are a few other notable Unic Stella features:
- A full-color LCD touchscreen for effortless operation.
- An extra-large cup warmer on top that doubles as storage for your mugs.
- The ability to program the duration and pressure of the machine’s pre-infusion.
- Durable stainless steel construction.
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Are you looking for an espresso machine with a refined and modern flair? The Victoria Arduino Eagle One is one of Victoria Arduino’s most recent models, and it definitely fits the bill.
Everything about the machine is built to combine technology and beauty. It has ghost displays built onto each group head so as not to detract from its overall appearance and an optimized engine that reduces its energy consumption.
Additionally, you can purchase it in two- or three-group configurations. Multiple group heads allow this machine to truly soar above its competition.
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About the Brand
Nuova Simonelli is a manufacturer steeped in tradition and history. In fact, they’ve been around since 1936 – almost a full century!
Despite their long-lasting roots, though, they’re not stuck in the past. This company is well-known for their use of the best technology in the industry, which is clearly demonstrated by the Aurelia Wave.
In short, Nuova Simonelli is a brand you can depend upon. Whenever you see a machine with their name branded on it, rest assured it’s a quality model.
Ideal Machine Applications
In general, all configurations of the Aurelia Wave are created to shine in commercial settings. Any one of them would be great in medium to large businesses.
There are various reasons to pick one configuration over the others, though. As an example, the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Wave Semiautomatic may be the best pick for specialty coffee shops that want to give their best baristas control to experiment.
Those looking for the easiest-to-learn espresso machines would probably benefit from choosing the Aurelia Wave Digit or the Aurelia Wave Volumetric. Both are extremely user-friendly.
Finally, the T3’s bundle of high-tech features makes it perfect for coffee shops that want to truly set themselves apart. Specialty coffee shops, for example, could also benefit from this one due to qualities like its Pulse Jet tech.
What Customers Say
Currently, we don’t have any feedback from our customers on any of the Aurelia Wave configurations.
However, other Nuova Simonelli machines have always been popular in our store. Given that they consistently receive positive feedback, we trust that the Aurelia Wave machines are also high in quality.
Pricing Information
Majesty Coffee’s goal is to bring you the best espresso machines in the world, including these Nuova Simonelli models, at the most reasonable prices online. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the prices of all the Aurelia Wave configurations we mentioned in this review.
The Aurelia Wave Volumetric goes for $10,400-12,240, the Aurelia Wave Semiautomatic for $8,190-9,540, the Aurelia Wave Digit for $14,500-17,050 and the Aurelia Wave T3 for $18,500-20,500. Prices vary depending on the number of group heads you select.
You can also find the Unic Stella 3 Group Volumetric in our store for $15,726 and the Victoria Arduino Eagle One for $16,650-19,350.
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Tony Barlow, with over a decade of experience in the coffee industry, is the go-to technical sales expert at Majesty Coffee. He's passionate about helping businesses find the right espresso equipment for their needs.
