How do commercial coffee machines work?
How do commercial coffee machines work? It’s best to find out before diving into buying one for your workplace. Today we cover the different types of machines and how they work.
The basics – How do coffee machines work?
Practically all coffee machines, whether traditional or bean to cup, work in a similar way. Water goes in, coffee goes in, water is heated to the right temperature and is pushed through the coffee grounds to produce your delicious beverage. Although the essential process is the same, each type of commercial coffee machine works slightly differently. Some machines are more suitable for offices than others, which we discuss below.
Different types of commercial coffee machines and how they work
If you are looking for a machine for a coffee shop or the catering industry, flip to the section on Traditional Coffee Machines. If you are looking for a coffee machine for your office, skip to the Automatic Coffee Machine section.
Traditional Coffee Machines
Also known as an espresso machine, these types of machine provide countless beverage options and are a real workhorse for busy environments. A traditional, manual machine requires training. It has lots of moving parts which need to be operated manually and requires a level of skill to produce a quality drink. We wouldn’t recommend this product for an office as it would need a trained operator on hand to make all the drinks. These types of machines are for coffee shops and catering services.
Automatic Coffee Machines
There are three main types of automatic coffee machines that you will come across in the office. They are coffee pod systems, filter coffee makers and bean to cup office coffee machines.
Coffee Pod Systems
Coffee pod machines work by selecting your beverage of choice from a menu and then inserting pre-packaged ingredients into the machine. These machines are easy to maintain as they don’t require any real cleaning, except a wipe down of the exposed area. They are also considered relatively quiet compared to other machines. They are not recommended for busy offices however as they cannot keep up with demand. Whichever machine you buy, you are tied to that producer. This means you can’t go elsewhere for your coffee as competitors’ packages likely won’t fit the machine. If the manufacturer decides to close shop, you’ll be left with a defunct machine. Furthermore, they are consistently more expensive than other machine types on a cost per cup basis. Lastly, they are also incredibly unsustainable, as each individual pod is single-use plastic.
Filter Coffee
Filter Coffee Machines are a very traditional way of brewing coffee in the office. To operate the machine, you add ground coffee into a paper filter at the top of the machine and fill the water reservoir. When turned on, the water is heated up and passes through the coffee, through the paper filter and into the coffee pot below. It is cheap, quick and simple to use. You can source your coffee from anywhere and add it to the paper filter when you need to make a fresh pot. It’s a great option for a small office with just a few coffee drinkers. Though many offices employ a sign that says, ‘ if you kill the joe, you make some mo’, this doesn’t always work. If your staff are always using up the coffee but never refilling, it may be time to opt for a larger vending machine.
Bean to Cup Coffee Machines
Bean to cup coffee machines, sometimes referred to as vending coffee machines, are the best addition to a large office space. These machines require a little more maintenance than filter coffee and pod systems, but they produce superior drinks.
To make a drink, a user simply places their cup on the drip tray and selects the type of drink they want to have. The machine automatically selects the right quantities of coffee, water and milk if added. It then makes the drink as specified, heating to the right temperature and combining any extras.
To keep the machine in top condition, someone will need to maintain it weekly. They’ll need to top up the ingredient containers as well as emptying the drip tray and coffee ground bin. If the machine makes milk drinks like cappuccinos, it will have a cooler to store the milk. This will also need to be cleaned regularly to avoid spoilage.
The automatic features mean there is minimal training and staff get the drink they want every time. Most bean to cup machines have large capacities, so your staff never run out of joe!
Which type of office coffee machine should I get?
To sum up our article, we want to highlight the two main points about how coffee machines work. The first is what type of environment the machine is for.
- For a coffee shop or any other catering situation, a traditional manual machine is what you are looking for.
- For an office environment where workers need to help themselves, automatic machines are the right choice.
The second thing to consider for office coffee machines is the volume of use.
- If you hardly ever make coffee and it’s just for clients, a coffee pod system could be the simplest solution.
- A small office with less than 20 workers can easily use a filter coffee machine.
- A larger office of 20 or more workers, should look towards a fully automatic bean to cup coffee machine.
If you have 20 or more employees who love their coffee, it’s time to invest in an automatic coffee machine. Contact the Coffee Desk today to organise your free 7-day trial, click here to apply for your trial, or email james@thecoffeedesk.co.uk.
