Office Coffee Machine Buyer’s Guide 2024

Modern coffee solutions for the office

Are you considering upgrading your coffee stations with more delicious, self-service options?

Selecta's unrivalled range of coffee machines suits offices of all shapes and sizes. However, choosing the most suitable coffee machine is a balancing act for your business and employees. Choosing one that's both practical and desirable within your business is essential to reaping the rewards of new machines.

Understanding your needs

When selecting the best coffee machine, it's vital to balance the company's needs with employees' desires.

Business needs

Size:
Whether it's a small office with fewer staff or a corporation with thousands, drinks capacity matters. Larger units can dispense around 500 coffees before they need refilling.

However, the space it occupies also needs to be considered. For companies with limited floor space, smaller units are a better option. Larger units with additional features can occupy larger offices with more open space. 

Cost:
Larger machines with additional features are more expensive – so businesses should look at balancing initial purchase price against perceived employee buy-in to gauge what they should invest in.

Reputability:
Businesses must consider the reputation of the vendor. It's best to only buy coffee machines from a brand you can trust.

Support:
Whether it's teething problems after the initial setup or technical issues further down the line, businesses must consider what services a vendor offers in response to a mechanical fault. 

For example, do they offer round-the-clock technical and mechanical assistance? Are the machines inherently reliable? What kind of warranty is the business entitled to? 

Ease of maintenance:
It's worth considering how easy a coffee machine is to fix, clean, set up or move. Larger commercial coffee machines may produce better quality coffee in more varieties but are tricky to clean or transport if needed. 

Employee needs

Features:
Coffee machines with additional features to quickly produce the best coffee are more desirable than cheaper, basic ones. For example, office coffee machines might have touchscreen interfaces, advanced filtration systems and brew strength regulators for the perfect coffee.

Selection of drinks on offer:
When it comes to coffee, everyone has a preference, so it's no surprise that employees want variety in their choices. Coffee machines that can make different types of coffee like a cappuccino, americano, black or flat white – or even blend from the bean to the cup – are more desirable than machines with fewer options.

Hygiene and cleanliness:
If employees use coffee machines regularly, there's an expectation that they're clean. Outdated equipment is tricky to clean. While ruining the taste of the coffee, it can also be dangerous. If the responsibility falls to them to clean the machines, it needs to be simple to do or have self-cleaning capabilities.

Ease of use:
Employees don't want to faff around in the workplace – they want to get their coffee and go. They need an easy-to-use interface that helps them choose what they want quickly without fiddling with archaic keypads and enduring long wait times. 

Benefits of coffee machines for businesses

There are many benefits for businesses and staff when considering coffee machines, including: 

  • Boosting employee engagement and satisfaction 

  • Increasing productivity 

  • Creates a more pleasurable work experience 

If you're interested in upgrading to a state-of-the-art coffee machine and reaping the rewards, browse our extensive selection to find one that suits you best and enquire today so we can help get you started. 

Costs

Before putting pen to paper and signing up for new coffee machines, businesses must understand the potential costs of running one or multiple coffee machines. 

Some prices to bear in mind are: 

  • Initial installation costs 

  • Cost of the machines themselves 

  • Energy costs 

  • Maintenance and repair costs 

  • Product price and restocking overheads 

Costs also vary depending on whether a business rents, leases or purchases a coffee machine. 

If you're interested in exploring Selecta's range of machines, make contactsan enquiry today – we're happy to help you get started. 

Types of coffee machines

Coffee machines come in many shapes, styles and sizes that fit any workspace.

From large, free-standing coffee units that occupy corridors and medium counter options for kiosks to small compact machines for barista bars – there's a size and design for every business.

Our office coffee machines

What to look for in a coffee machine supplier

When evaluating and choosing the right coffee machine supplier, there are a lot of boxes to tick.

Although cost should be considered, it isn't the be all and end all. Make sure you pick a vendor that:

You trust:

Before approaching a coffee machine supplier directly, take the time and research their service line, read reviews and look at any credentials that prove your services are coming from a reputable brand.









That's attentive:

Coffee machines need regular cleaning and restocking – just like any other food or beverage vendor. Vendors that offer local help are ideal as maintenance, repair and restocking services are readily available.








Has an environmental focus:

As businesses and staff become more environmentally conscious, they seek vendors who share their desires to be green.

Vendors that offer energy-efficient machines and ethically-sourced coffee beans are the preferred choice for many businesses because they're more environmentally beneficial and add variety to their range of drinks.

Offers specialist guidance:

Modern machines can track popular coffees and other hot drinks – letting businesses know what they need to stock in the future.

It's crucial to select a vendor that can provide statistical insights on their coffee stations to make them more profitable.