Guide to Buying or Renting Coffee Makers

The Beginners Guide to Everything About Buying or Renting Coffee Makers

‘It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.’ Thanks, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for that gem. The same resonates with coffee machines. “Just potatoes” would perhaps refer to one machine that you’ve been told (or learned) is capable of making any coffee drink. The world of coffee machines is a big, expensive, awe inspiring and really nice-smelling, and we’re here to be your guide through the galaxy of coffee makers.

h/t to expermarket for the great info in this article!

Office Coffee Makers USA

High-quality coffee is extremely accessible to the average consumer. As a result, if you serve coffee as part of your foodservice operation, you can’t afford to offer anything less than great-tasting blends of professional-grade coffee.

Whether you’re rounding out your office break room or supplying a commercial kitchen, you need to pick the coffee machine that suits the demand and personality of your particular environment.

Small Office Coffee Machines (5-20 Staff)

Unlike corporations that distribute work among hundreds of employees, colleagues in a boutique business rely on each other at every step. Just one person’s dip in productivity is felt throughout the office, so having coffee on demand is a must.

To help coffee drinkers work to their full potential, Bunn has created it’s Small Office Coffee Brewer Package. Featuring the VPR 12-cup pourover model, the package includes 2 decanters, paper filters, and 2 separate warmers, which means you’ll always have a fresh pot ready when needed.

For employees who prefer espresso, there’s no shortage of office espresso machines on the market too. Phillips, one of the world’s leading small coffee machine providers, makes a low-cost machine that perfectly suits a group of around 20 or less. The minuto is compact and easy to use.

Using Lavazza’s unique Espresso Point capsule technology, the user must simply insert a capsule of pre-measured coffee, twist, and brew. An accompanying steam wand means everyone in the office can enjoy cappuccinos or lattes too.

Medium Office Coffee Machines (20-50 Staff)

Medium-sized offices have a unique problem. They have a larger workforce and therefore need a coffee machine with a higher output. However, they don’t always have the space to accommodate larger models.

Fortunately, many companies make compact and easy-to-place machines that can also match the demand of groups of 20 to 50 people.

To add a touch of elegance to your coffee selection, consider the Zenius by Nespresso. A single-cup machine, the Zenius (read our review about that by clicking here) can deliver light, medium or strong doses of coffee depending on the user’s preference. At only 15 inches high, it will easily fit into your existing break room or kitchen.

However, if you have a little more real estate to work with and want to offer a wider selection from a familiar brand, Jura E6 or E8 is a good choice. Read more about this machine here.

Large Office Coffee Machines (50+ Staff)

For larger offices, selection and brew quality are just as important as keeping up with demand. For a group of 50 or more employees, that can be a sizeable task. However, no office is too big for consistent, on-demand coffee.

The Axiom-3 by Bunn is an automatic coffee brewer built for high-volume. Complete with three burners and a large, 200 ounce tank, you’ll never run out of coffee, even in peak times.

Bunn’s patented BrewLOGIC technology calculates flow rate and adjusts brewing time in order to meet the different coffee demands of different hours of the day.

To round out your coffee selection, consider adding a high-power espresso machine to the mix as well. DeLonghi’s Magnifica S Cappuccino ECAM machine delivers the performance of a fully automatic espresso machine at a fraction of the size. Read about the DeLonghi range of coffee machines here.

To streamline the process of production even more, it has a “single touch” hot milk system, which creates a latte or cappuccino at the touch of a button.

Commercial Coffee Makers

In commercial environments, you need a workhorse machine that’s small enough to seamlessly integrate with the food and drink preparation happening around it.

Jura Giga 5 – The Giga 5 by Jura offers a unique twist on the commercial coffee machine. Like other models in its category, it brews exceptional coffee on demand, but its sleek design and sophisticated features make it a good option for any establishment that wants to put their appliance on display.

The Giga 5 reduces the noise of grinding to near silence and has a pre-brew aroma system which allows for a number of pre-programmed coffee and espresso recipes. This machine also comes equipped with an internal rinsing and descaling program, guaranteeing the freshness of your water. For restaurants or other establishments that want to provide a high-end coffee experience, the Giga 5 is an excellent choice.

If you want to compare the Jura GIGA 5 or read more about Jura – check out these reads:

Types of Coffee Makers USA

To get an idea of which kind of machine you should choose, we’ve explained some benefits of each type:

Pour-over

Employees and servers like pour-over carafes for their convenience. If everyone in your office can agree on a roast, or your restaurant relies on servers to pour coffee table-side, then choose a machine that uses carafes.

Single-serve

The newest trend among coffee machines is the single-serve system. Whether the manufacturer calls them pods or capsules, the small vehicles of pre-measured coffee deliver a fast, tasty beverage to the individual.

From Illy to Nespresso, many big-name companies want to emphasize choice and efficiency when it comes to their office and commercial machines. Using small pods arguably makes the coffee experience easier and less wasteful.

Espresso machines

Increasingly, espresso machines work the same way as single-serve coffee machines. Using a pod, they can deliver the kind of strong coffee that espresso lovers expect.

Additionally, all of them come with a milk-heating and / or frothing option, with varying degrees of simplicity. Whether it’s an adjustable wand or a connected component, espresso machines can make everyone’s favorite lattes and cappuccinos.

Automatic Coffee Makers

Automatic machines are ideal for any business that needs to save time. Generally, they do the work for you. All you have to do is push a button or two, and the machine takes care of the brewing.

By contrast, semi-automatic machines require a little more action, while super-automatic models can perform intricate tasks with almost no involvement by you.

Coffee Maker Prices

Cheap Coffee Makers

Coffee machine prices typically vary depending on their capabilities. Utilitarian, semi-automatic office machines that make smaller batches of coffee are generally less expensive than more sophisticated machines. Small office coffee machines or subscription services start under $200.

Middle Range Coffee Makers

Machines that fall into the middle range come with enhanced features and greater output. Models in the mid-range typically offer greater beverage options, and produce a more refined cup of java overall.

Although they are built to serve approximately the same number of employees, prices on these machines range from a few hundred dollars for streamlined models, to nearly $ 4 000.00 for high-end, design-savvy machines.

High- End Coffee Makers

The next step up in price for coffee machines corresponds to more volume and even more options for your employees. For quantity, you can find simple pour-over machines that heat multiple carafes at once for as low as $ 400.00.

However, if you want some flexibility with drink options and coffee strength in addition to output, more dynamic machines run between $1 200.00 – $2 500.00.

Commercial Range Coffee Makers

Commercial machines need to be durable and perform a variety of jobs as well. From making multiple drinks at once to automatic grinding and milk frothing, they are essentially their own baristas. This means your servers can spend less time making coffee and more time talking to customers and preparing other food.

Commercial coffee makers start around $4 000.00, and run up to $ 12 000.00 for advanced models.