Choosing The Best Commercial Coffee Maker

If you’ve already begun your search for a commercial coffee maker, there’s no doubt you’ve already caught a glimpse of the staggering number of different options available.

In terms of size, affordability, and functionality, the number of options makes finding the perfect machine a challenge. However as coffee can serve as the lifeblood of your office, putting the time into the search will be well worth it.

The following guide, however, may help to save you some time and narrow down your search, as we’ll take a look at the most important factors to consider, from capacity, to flavour, to technology, when choosing your machine.

How much coffee do you need to make each day?

The first and most important question you need to ask yourself is how much coffee you think you will be making each day. This will help you narrow things down immensely.

Regular coffee makers aren’t built for heavy use, so if you’re going to be brewing coffee all day long it will be in your best interest in the long run to invest in a commercial machine.

Even if it’s not for a cafe or restaurant, but somewhere like an office kitchen or common room, you are still going to want to get something that’s built to last so that your machine doesn’t wear out every few years.

Another aspect to consider is the brewing size of your machine: long lineups or waiting times to get your cup of coffee is something that nobody wants in any context.

Running costs

The costs of running your machine will also be an important factor to consider.

Accordingly it is worth putting some time into considering how much energy your machine is going to consume, as these costs can add up over the years. It is also worth trying to figure out how much each cup of coffee is going to cost, as well as how much you will likely need to spend on maintaining and repairing the machine.

Generally speaking, pod machines or any other machines that need special supplies will cost a lot more to run than machines that only require beans.

Also remember that the machine that is most affordable to buy initially may also be the cheapest to run, and may end up actually being a much more expensive machine in the long run.

What kinds of coffee?

Commercial coffee makers are able to brew everything from simple filtered coffee to specialist brews. If you’re trying to decided on a machine for the office, it is always a good idea to ask your employees about their preferences.

Filter coffee machines

Every kind of machine will have its pros and cons.

The pros of a filter machine are that they are typically more affordable than others, and also let you brew multiple batches at once, as you can store hot coffee in an urn for hours. Machines like the Bunn ICB also allow you to serve people in multiple rooms at once.

Pod machines

Commercial pod machines are very similar looking to the home versions you are probably familiar with, only they are build to be more heavy duty and able to stand up to more frequent use.

The pros with these machines are that they are easy to use and maintain while letting your offer a variety of different drinks.

The cons are that they are expensive and will cost you far more per cup than any other machine. For this reason, these machines are ideal for areas without much traffic, like a reception area, where guests will only have an occasional cup.

Bean to cup machines

Automated bean to cup machines will let you offer barista-quality espresso based drinks without needing an actual barista.

These machines store coffee beans and grind them for every cup, so your coffee will never get stale, and you can brew a cup simply by pressing a button.

Another benefit of these machines is that they are generally speaking the most economical in terms of cost per cup. These machines are also the only variety that can serve drinks that use foamed or steamed milk.

Because both coffee machines and serving situations are so varied, than is never one simple answer to the question “what is the best commercial coffee machine?”.

In every case, it will take some time and consideration to find a machine that is ideal for your own purposes. For more information, please explore our website or contact a member of our time for advice today.