Getting the best commercial coffee machine for your business or office is something that every business owner or office manager wants to do, however it can be a difficult decision to make due to the many coffee machine types on offer and technical jargon around them. At The Coffee Lady, our aim is to make great coffee, easy! Here are five questions to consider before making a decision.
How Much Do Commercial Coffee Machines Cost?
For better or for worse, commercial coffee machines come in all shapes and sizes and the costs can vary depending on the function of the coffee machine, the quality and so on. Simply put – getting the best commercial coffee machine will depend on your budget.
However it is also important to remember that commercial coffee machines are not always bean to cup machines, there are also a range of coffee machines that offer instant coffee and also fresh filter coffee which may be perfect for your needs and will be considerably lower cost, lower maintenance but still easy to use.
How Often Will It Get Used?
When searching for the right commercial coffee machine, it’s so important to consider how much it will get used. If it’s used constantly, then you should invest in a better quality, high volume coffee machine. If it’s not going to be used often, you may consider a filter or instant coffee machine option due to lower cost and less cleaning.
It’s important to try to work out how many cups per day you will need from the coffee machine – this will be a guide for any supplier as to what type of coffee machine is most suitable, and also what price range is best.
Who Will Be Making Coffees?
Knowing how user friendly a coffee machine is should also be important for you to consider. If your coffee machine will be customer-facing and complimentary, you may need a simplified drinks menu and a smaller serving size.
If your coffee machine is for your workplace, does the coffee machine offer my employee favourites? An automatic coffee machine for the office might be ideal if you need a coffee machine to just keep churning out regular cups of coffee all day, but if you only have 10 employees then this can be costly and a filter coffee machine may be more suitable.
Do Your Employees Know How To Clean a Coffee Machine?
Along with using the coffee machine to make drinks, do your employees also know how to clean the coffee machine? And are they happy with the level of maintenance involved?
Most likely, someone will become responsible for cleaning the coffee machine. For Bean to Cup coffee machines, this can take 20-30 minutes each morning or evening. For Instant or Filter coffee machines, this could reduce down to 10 minutes, once per week.
It is important to consider how easy the coffee machine will integrate into your workplace. If it’s an inconvenience it will not be cared for properly, which will lead to service issues and further costs down the line.