A good coffee maker is an essential piece of equipment in the office environment. The challenge is which of the many to choose from. So one has to ask what coffee maker will suit the needs of our office?
There is a list of questions, conditions and pre-requisites which must be answered and met before the final decision is made about the purchase of this machine. Familiarize yourself with the benefits and drawbacks of the available coffee machines and what your needs are and this will make your decision much easier.
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It is really important to buy a coffee machine which is of good quality. It’s worth paying the extra for this feature?
If budgets are tight, the cost of the machine is a factor as well as the cost of running the machine.
One has to look at the number of people who will be using the machine on a daily basis. Too small and it will result in reduced productivity in the workplace as people queue for their caffeine fix. How many people in your office drink coffee often? Water-tank capacity is important when you are purchasing a coffee machine for your office. It is important to know how many cups it can brew at once.
If there are is a large workforce, it should be durable and be able to withstand multiple usages every day.
Uncomplicated – ideally, it should be easy to use.
Will it need to be constantly maintained due to over-use or bad quality?
Once a company has established its needs, the next decision to make is what type of machine and with what type of features? Here are several options:
If you love the smell and taste of freshly-ground beans, then consider a coffee machine that will not need a separate grinder for the beans.
The advantage of this type of machine is you get that great aroma and taste straight from the machine to your nose and palate. Furthermore, buying whole beans is cheaper than buying pre-ground coffee. However, it does take a little longer to process the coffee, which could impact employer productivity.
Filter or drip coffee maker: This is the most popular coffee maker for a company with a small staff complement.
It is inexpensive to purchase and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to use it. The see-through glass coffee dispenser keeps your coffee piping hot all day. You can buy the ground coffee in bulk, but it does require filter paper which is an added cost. However, if it is left on overnight, you could come in the next morning to see a burnt-out carafe.
A pod-based machine is incredibly convenient and easy to use.
It easily caters to a larger office staff complement. It quite simply is coffee on tap and serving yourself a cup takes less than half a minute. Please remember to have spare pods on hand, However, these are expensive and more importantly, environmentally damaging.
A Barista-grade machine is a very fancy, semi-automatic espresso machine that gives you amazing coffee. However, it is not user-friendly and staff will have to be trained to use it which will cost time and money. Purchasing this type of machine is not a good idea for a large, multi-employee environment.
If there are several caffeine lovers in your office, it will be better to invest in a commercial-grade coffee machine. Even the entry-level models can brew multiple gallons of coffee per hour.
There are hybrid machines that will enable your staff to make fresh, drip coffee or pod-based coffee giving you maximum versatility in a single appliance. Once again, there are drawbacks to this type of machine.
Espresso machines are more suited to very small staff complements.
The espresso speed is important in influencing the quality of the coffee. Be careful of the kind of quality espresso machine you buy if speed is important to you with regard to brewing and additional dripping time.
There are coffee machines that come with all sorts of optional extras such as a grinder, allowing you to adjust the grind according to the type of beans and the drink you want. They also come with a milk frother, jugs, cups, and spoons. All these things add to your coffee-making experience but will take more than a sizable chunk out of your budget.
There are even some modern units that are application-driven. Just install it on your smartphone or tablet and you can place an order before arriving at the office. Now that’s very cool.
Once you know what type of machine you want, you have to look for some specific qualities in them to get the perfect one. Go through this checklist of features found in best quality office coffee machines to narrow down your options and make your shopping experience better
Is style in addition to function important to you? Do you value an aesthetically-pleasing machine that comes in a variety of colors and finishes? Do you want it to match your office décor? Then there are many machines which will fill this requirement.
Do you want a high-tech machine with digital displays which are admittedly a nice-to-have? Do you want a machine that will dispense not only coffee, but hot chocolate and just plain hot water for tea?
It cannot be stressed enough that the number of employees in a company is a big consideration and will impact on your choice. When there is a large staff, the coffee machine should have a large water tank capable of serving the needs of multiple staff members in quick succession, without the need to refill the tank.
Productivity will be lost as people loiter waiting for the tank to be refilled and heated to the required temperature.
Do you want to serve your employees with a range of coffees like cappuccino, latte, Americano, and others? Some high-end units are capable of brewing these high-end, high-quality coffees, but they are very expensive.
Cost, of course, will play a very important part in your decision about the kind of coffee machine you purchase. You will have a budget and you need to balance your needs, wants and budget to get the best possible and most suitable machine.
With all the information we have given you, we hope that you will have fun in your quest for the coffee machine that suits your office environment, your needs and your budget.