Combining data-driven business solutions with sophisticated engineering, Henlo is South Africa’s first and only producer of premium espresso machines. Founded by Stellenbosch engineering graduate Henlo van der Westhuizen, Henlo has taken the industry by storm by integrating capacitive touch-controls with real-time telemetric feedback.

Despite having only opened their workshop doors four years ago, the engineers at Henlo have already updated their precision-crafted espresso machines. Their upgraded “S” range of both single (QS) and double-group head (RS) espresso machines has arrived with a host of improved features, and a sleek, customisable appearance to make your espresso experience impeccably convenient, and incredibly consistent thanks to smart metrics and a premium construction.

Henlo’s touchscreen control system gives baristas precise command over volumetrics, temperature, and pressure, while delivering intelligent, real-time feedback during every extraction. Each machine captures detailed shot telemetry, enabling café-owners and managers to remotely monitor quality and performance. Across the range, the same advanced controls are available on all models, presented through different screen configurations to suit single or multi-group setups, ensuring a consistent operating experience regardless of machine size. The result is a machine built for those who want the best coffee, every time, without unnecessary complexity.

Whether you are a home barista looking for all the insights you could possibly need, or the owner of a busy café requiring tighter control on each coffee served, Henlo’s intelligent espresso machines give you full oversight.

About Henlo espresso machines

Henlo espresso machines feature fully-saturated group heads, engineered to keep the group head and brew boiler at near-identical temperatures, maintaining exceptional thermal stability during both extraction and steaming. This compact configuration maximises heat retention and minimises the distance water travels before reaching the coffee, resulting in stable brewing conditions. Consistent temperatures lead directly to consistent extractions, producing even, balanced shots throughout service. 

Full volumetric control allows precise dosing for every cup, while variable pressure profiling gives baristas greater control over flavour development. A key advantage of this system is Henlo’s extremely soft pre-infusion phase, which gently introduces pressure at the start of extraction. By minimising puck disturbance, this approach significantly improves consistency across a wide range of tamping variability, reducing channelling and improving repeatability. Integrated interfaces allow temperatures to be set, espresso recipes to be loaded, and telemetric feedback to be reviewed while the machine manages execution, freeing baristas to focus on customers while maintaining reliable, data-driven consistency. 

The new Henlo S range is the result of thousands of shots’ worth of real-world testing and direct customer feedback. Compared to previous generations, the latest machines feature stainless steel on-head group boilers and a redesigned steam boiler for faster heat-up times and reduced recovery between shots. Improved responsiveness, faster and more intuitive touchscreens with intelligent, customisable software, along with reworked internals and detachable panels, enhance both usability and serviceability, ensuring long-term performance in demanding environments

About Henlo’s Barista Assist

At the core of its ethos, Henlo produces premium espresso makers that reject the mould of classic, mechanical café ‘workhorses’ and strive to help cafes make consistently great coffee. The engineers at Henlo have developed smarter features to drive excellence, such as Barista Assist, which tracks and determines the performance of each extraction against a baseline cup profile, before giving out a live score after each shot. 

To do this, Henlo espresso machines assess variables such as shot run time, temperature and pressure during the brew. They then offer the user corrective measures, such as whether to adjust tamp or grind size, and align with the pre-loaded baseline. This level of oversight allows baristas to fine-tune and repeat optimal processes, while also enabling cafe supervisors to inspect the performance of each shot pulled.

With their updated range of premium and smart espresso machines, designed and handmade locally, Henlo is looking to revolutionise the South African café industry.

Please note that the Henlo QS and RS is available to pre-order with delivery expected to start at the end of Q1 2026. Pre-orders include 1 year standard warranty and upgradable maintenance plan, matte black or matte white finish.

Henlo S espresso machine features

• Auto-startup
• Smart barista assist
• Live-shot scoring & feedback
• Responsive touchscreen dashboards
• Volumetric control
• Intelligent connectivity, web-based dashboard & telemetry (coming 2026)
• Detachable panels for easy maintenance
• Temperature-controlled, auto-shutoff & cold-touch steam wand
• Quiet operation
• Variable pressure profiling
• Volumetric hot water tap mixer
• Handmade in South Africa
• Standard 1 year maintenance plan. Please note, only valid with a proper water filtration system such as BWT. Excludes physical damage from misuse

Henlo S espresso machine specifications

Henlo’s optional features

Full customisation is available including your choice of wood, colours, artwork or branded body. Just ask for a quote.