The world has moved away from instant coffee in office pause areas, and indeed, even filter coffee machines are now few and far between. The fact is that office staff increasingly want coffee that matches their experience in the coffee shop environment. Espresso based coffee is the new normal for most professionals and so it is not surprising that most of the enquiries we receive for office coffee machines are for automatic machines that use fresh milk and grind coffee on demand.
That is not to exclude the bean-to-cup coffee vending machines. These typically create the same espresso coffee, straight from coffee beans, that the automatic machines do, but here you are predominantly looking at machines that use powdered milk and probably have canisters for sugar and hot chocolate too. The manufacturers of these machines have also seen the rise of fresh milk consumption and created coffee vending machines that use fresh milk and we’ll discuss those in a separate post.
So what are office environments typically looking for in an automatic coffee machine?
Small offices of up to 10 staff members probably make 10 to 20 cups a day and so the capacity of a machine that would suit their needs, is fairly small. The challenge in such an office has been the trade-off between using a domestic machine (which may be limited in capacity) and a commercial machine that comes with adequate capacity, but at a cost that just does not make sense for a small office. We have dealt with many customers that continually have to have their machine serviced because of the strain placed on a small domestic type of machine. Make no mistake, these are reputable brands, but its like using a rowing boat to cross the English channel… it can be done, but it isn’t a great idea.
With the development of technology over the past 5 years, there are now small, compact, and affordable coffee machines that can serve such a need.
Most manufacturers, no matter where they operate from, are increasingly turning to China for the manufacture of their coffee machines. Recently we discovered that even Cimbali, a renowned Italian coffee machine maker, has outsourced manufacture of their automatic coffee machine to a very well-run Chinese company.
Our Dr Coffee C12 coffee machine offers a bean hopper that holds 350g (enough for 25 coffees) and comes with a 4l tank that will provide a similar number of coffees.
So one fill in the morning, and the machine is set for the day. The great news is that it is an affordable option for the small office and can produce espresso, americano, cappuccino and latte coffee drinks at the touch of a screen.
The digital interface on all the Dr Coffee machines is amazing, allowing sight of the different beverages and of course, easy selection of the one you want. In addition, you can modify the constituents of your drink as it is being made, so strong coffee for that wake-up feeling and milder coffer when you just want a smooth, easy going coffee. Very soon, coffee machines with pushbuttons will be to offices, what typewriters are to computers (and I am sure some of you will be asking “what is a typewriter?” which just makes the point!).
For the medium sized office, you need more capacity, not only in the size of the water tank and bean hopper (to avoid having to refill and clean out the waste drawers more than a couple of times a day), but also in the ability of the machine to deliver without experiencing abnormal stress. After all, if you are buying a coffee machine, you not only want it to last, but you also do not want it in the workshop for frequent servicing.
Here our Dr Coffee Coffee Break coffee machine is the answer. With up to an 8l water tank and a 1kg bean hopper capacity, you can make 45 cups from a single fill. Now here, a mid-sized office of say 30 staff will look to make 30 to 60 cups a day typically, so a fill in the morning and one at lunch time will get you through the day very easily. What is also a real advantage with this particular machine is that you can choose to have two different types of fresh milk too – so a cow milk and an almond or soy milk for the lactose intolerant or vegan staff members.
Moving on up to a busy pause area, or where the office manager is happy to offer a hot chocolate option, or even a hot chocolate and a flavoured latte (like hazelnut or vanilla), we have the Dr Coffee Coffee Zone coffee machine.
Capable of serving 200 cups a day, this machine will offer offices, or divisions of 100 staff, their daily coffee and hot chocolate choices.
Of course, we also place these machines in canteens associated with company kitchens and fast-food outlets and hotels. Here the versatility of the machine is amazing and using a digital touch screen, many different types of drink can be served.
We find that even with a slightly higher price tag, the Coffee Zone is preferred for exactly this reason. Office managers are aware of how important it is to attract staff to the office, and to keep them happy through out the day too. Great hot drink choices can certainly help that happen.
So whether you are a small office or a corporation, there is an option for you that is fit for purpose and economical. If you are still a little confused about what to get, read our article on “How many cups of coffee can a coffee machine make in a day” to get more insights on what you need.
If buying a coffee machine is a little daunting or will involve a lot of paperwork and motivations, then also consider renting a coffee machine. We offer both options and the advantage of renting is that you can expense the provision of office coffee as an operational expense. Also, renting relieves you of all maintenance and servicing headaches because we cover all of that – a single budgeted amount is billed for each month.
We believe that office coffee machines are affordable and advantageous to companies, and we believe it because our client base keeps on expanding as companies make the shift to high quality office coffee. Perhaps think about how this might benefit the staff in your office.