How To Choose A Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

Posted by Catherine Gray on 02-Aug-2022 14:29:15

If you’re considering a new coffee offering in the office or want to show your appreciation to staff by investing in a bean to cup coffee machine, you’re in the right place.

Choosing a bean to cup coffee machine is a big decision that could involve a significant investment if you’re buying or a long term commitment if you’re leasing.

Either way, you want to buy the right machine for the job with drink choices that will satisfy the majority of  people in your workplace.

Which is where this guide comes in.

Rather than suggest several bean to cup coffee machines for you to choose from, we’ll outline some of the key considerations you need to make.

First, let’s cover the basics, what exactly is a bean to cup coffee machine?

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What is a bean to cup coffee machine?

A bean-to-cup machine can create a range of delicious speciality coffees and other hot drinks automatically.

The  machine takes roasted coffee beans, measures and grinds them, then makes an espresso, which is the base for the majority of speciality coffees. Next it gets to work on the milk, which will be steamed, textured or foamed depending on the drink. It does this day in, day out, consistently. 

Some bean to cup machines then come with options, such as hot chocolate, oat milk or other instant options. Which extends the drink range. They can also give you the option to use a steam arm to manually create the milk, if desired. 

With a quality machine, professionally set up and using the freshest of ingredients you can expect your bean to cup machine to deliver great tasting drinks to match those on the high street. It’s your very own office Barista.

How to select the best bean to cup coffee machine

We would recommend considering the following when making your decision:

The number of drinks you’ll need per day

The number of drinks you’ll need your bean to cup coffee machine to make per day is a key consideration.

Not everyone drinks coffee and some people will drink far more than others. We imagin

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e you have a good idea already how many drinks your staff make each day, so that’s a good baseline to use.

Many coffee machines wi

ll have an average daily capacity, often expressed as ‘Up to XX cups of coffee per day’. Use that when deciding which machine to get. If you are looking for a reliable machine that lasts, then don't be tempted to push the drink volume. Far better in the long run to have the flexibility to serve more drinks if needed and keep your machine working happily, rather than feeling completely overloaded at the end of everyday.

 

The type and variety of drinks you want to offer

There are lots of types of coffee. There’s espresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, americano, cortado, mocha latte, iced coffee, iced latte, cold brew, frappe, frappuccino, ristretto and others.

If you are looking for an extensive coffee range you can find a bean to cup machine to prepare all the drinks for you.

As we’ve become seasoned coffee drinkers, we have developed our own specific coffee bean tastes in terms of whether we prefer beans from a particular coffee region, or a specific bean type. And of course some prefer decaf coffee, if not all the time, perhaps at times when we want to restrict our caffeine intake. 

Some bean to cup machines can deal with this by offering twin and even three grinder options, so it can offer the full drinks range using different beans. 

It’s not all about coffee either, even though that’s the main drink a bean to cup coffee machine is designed to serve. We certainly shouldn't forget the tea drinkers. With a steam boiler and sufficient water capacity you may be able to use your coffee machine for tea. Whilst with instant options you can offer hot chocolate, creme brulee and other drinks.

s1-collectionEase of use

Some bean to cup coffee machines can be complicated. We get that. Which is why ease of use should be high on the agenda when looking for machines.

Not everyone in the workplace will be comfortable with technology or want to have to press a series of buttons just to get a coffee.

The simpler and more intuitive a coffee machine is to use, the more people will use it and the happier they will be.

Design

Considerations in terms of space, utilities available, and location are critical. But looks are also important. 

Some bean to cup coffee machines are compact and minimalist, while others have more of a retro feel  and stand out a little more.

If you’ve just had a new office fit-out you want to make sure the design of the machine is in keeping with your new look. 

Some prefer a more subtle design that’s unobtrusive and easy to clean. Others don’t mind a more complex machine that stands out a little more. Some suppliers can offer you a bespoke solution, so you can create your very own look.

 

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Touchless and app ordering

Touchless coffee machines and machines offering app-based ordering solutions have become very popular in the post-covid workplace. They not only offer a modern way to order your coffee, they also have obvious hygiene benefits.

Brand and price

Now more than ever, you really do get what you pay for. A coffee machine is usually a long term purchase so buying quality is usually the better investment to ensure long term drink quality and machine operating efficiency.

There are some brands known for delivering quality bean to cup coffee machines. Brands like Rex Royal, Jura, Coffetek, Franke and others.

They may come at a premium, but they will include better build quality, more stainless steel components, self-cleaning systems and the reliability you need to deliver delicious coffee every day.

You can buy a bean to cup coffee machine or lease one. Both work very well for different companies and offer different benefits.

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Servicing and maintenance

Many bean to cup coffee machines will have a self-cleaning function to perform day-to-day cleaning, but will require some manual cleaning like any coffee machine will.

How much cleaning and how often varies by machine.

Lease a bean to cup coffee machine and you’ll probably get servicing and maintenance included. 

Buy a bean to cup coffee machine and you should add servicing and maintenance as an extra package for complete peace of mind.

Service packages often include filter changes and maintenance as well as repairs. 

However you approach servicing and maintenance, prevention is always better than cure, and a well-maintained machine will last longer, so it’s always worth the investment.

Coffee supplier

Your coffee machine is only as good as the quality of the coffee you put in it. You could buy the most expensive bean to cup coffee machine possible, but if you put cheap, or stale coffee beans in it, that investment will be for naught.

Any investment, whether bought or leased should be paired with good quality, fresh coffee beans.

They don’t have to be super expensive, just good quality… and did we say fresh?!  So, just because you’re buying good quality coffee, doesn’t mean you’ll be paying over the odds for it. Certainly not if you work with the right coffee supplier!

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Choosing your bean to cup coffee machine

Those are what we consider the prime considerations for selecting a bean to cup coffee machine.

Whether you’re planning to lease or buy, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to selecting a machine.

It isn’t all about the machine either. There’s the coffee you use and the partner you work with to service and maintain it and deliver the coffee and other drinks you’ll use.

Hopefully now, you’ll have a much clearer idea of the considerations and the type of machine you’ll need. If so, contact one of our team and we’ll be happy to help with your selection!

Topics: coffee machines, bean to cup, bean to cup machine, best coffee machines

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