So whether you need the right machine for an office kitchen, meeting room or cafeteria, here are a few tips to steer you in the right direction.
Choose your machine type
Decanter coffee machines allow you to set the amount of coffee brewed and can come with multiple warmers and digital capabilities. Thermal coffee machines are similar to decanter brewers, but their servers are generally stored away from the brewing device on racks containing up to six separate pots. Satellite coffee machines have quick-serve settings to deliver fresh, hot coffee with the pull of a handle. Pod machines, as made famous by George Clooney, make single cups of coffee by inserting a single coffee pod and are generally suited to small offices.
Choose your brewing capacity
How many coffee drinkers do you have on staff? How many cups do the serious coffee drinkers have per day? Do the rounds, get some rough hourly figures on your coffee-producing requirements with a focus on designated breaks, and multiply that by your kitchen cup size. There's your approximate brewing capacity. Normal commercial coffee machines make between 10 and 70 litres of coffee per hour. Pod machines can make up to 60 cups per hour.
Choose automatic or manual water
When it comes to water, commercial coffee machines come in two basic forms: automatic, where the machine is connected to a water source and refills itself; and manual, where the water compartment is topped up according to needs. Your choice will largely depend on the size of your staff. Large staff and you’ll want your water 'on tap.' Small staff and you might not want water sitting there any longer than it has to.
Choose your supplier
If you're still as mesmerised by the coffee machine options as you are the mindboggling variety of beans, your best bet is to go to a reputable commercial supplier and talk it through.
