Have you been thinking about adding a coffee machine to your office break room? If yes, then chances are you’ve been daydreaming about the benefits of coffee machines or choosing a coffee machine that perfectly caters to your staff and all their Java needs.
But a coffee machine for a business is a big investment, and one that is guaranteed to impact the daily lives and habits of your workforce. So it goes without saying that this is not a purchase decision you’d want to make blindly.
Thankfully, you don’t need to be a caffeine connoisseur to figure out what the best office coffee machine is for your unique workplace. But if you do need a little extra guidance in designing your daily grind, then we’re here to help.
How To Choose A Coffee Machine:
Today, we’ll be outlining 8 key considerations to make when choosing a coffee machine for your office space.
- Calculate the ideal production volume of your coffee machine
- Choose which brewing methods you’d like to invest in
- Think about the types of coffee consumables you’d like to use
- Factor in the purchase or rental costs of your coffee machine
- Factor in the environmental impact of your coffee machine
- Consider maintenance and cleaning requirements
- Consider the style and aesthetics of your office space
- Ask your staff what kind of coffee machine they would like
Read on to ensure that you can make an educated decision on how to choose a coffee machine and when it finally comes time to hit ‘Order’ on your ideal coffee machine.
Calculate the ideal production volume of your coffee machine
The first step in how to choose a coffee machine for your office space is to simply determine how much coffee you’d be looking to produce every day. This can be done by simply outlining the size of your workforce, as well as making volume calculations based on how much coffee you can expect your staff to drink every day.
If you know you have a team of absolute coffee fanatics on your hands who are guaranteed to have at least a morning and mid-afternoon cup and then some, then you can multiply your total number of staff by 2 or 3 to get your estimated daily production volume. From there, all you need to do is choose an office coffee machine that can cater to these production needs.
If you calculate that you’ll need a larger volume of coffee, then it’s highly likely that a bulk brewing filter coffee machine or an automatic coffee machine will be the best fit for your office space.
Choose which brewing methods you’d like to invest in
What if you don’t like filtered coffee? After all, some coffee drinkers just prefer the finer and more precise grind of commercial espresso coffee machines over the smooth, uniform taste of filter coffee. If this is the case for your office, then you should absolutely choose an office coffee machine that uses a brewing method that your team is guaranteed to enjoy the most.
Of course, if there’s no general consensus for one type of coffee machine over another, then you could easily just choose two different types of coffee machines to give your staff the freedom of choice. We recommend installing these two machines side by side in your office break room to encourage staff to enjoy the brews of their choice in a shared space.
After all, one of the most vital benefits of coffee machines in your office is that they bring people together, regardless of what department they work in or what kind of coffee they like best.
Think about the types of coffee consumables you’d like to use
There’s more to choosing a coffee machine than just coffee taste testing or identifying your favourite brewing method alone. You also want to make sure that the machine you select is easy to use. If it’s not convenient, then what’s stopping your staff from just leaving the office to stroll over to your local coffee shop?
With this in mind, it’s imperative that business owners think about the types of coffee consumables that they’d ideally like to use with their coffee machine. Do you want to use whole beans that are precision ground coffee by your machine? Or do you prefer the ease and convenience of coffee capsules, perfectly fitted to your capsule coffee machine?
Answering these questions can naturally also help you in your quest to select the right coffee machine for your office space.
Factor in the purchase or rental costs of your coffee machine
Money isn’t everything, but it certainly does matter if you’re a small to medium-sized enterprise or are operating on a minimal budget for your office improvement initiatives. If this is the case for your business, then you’ll naturally want to factor in purchase or rental costs when choosing a coffee machine for your office space.
Consult with your supervisor or branch manager to determine what your budget will be for securing your coffee machine. Then, all that’s left to do is find machines that fit these financial stipulations.
But don’t forget to factor in the costs of your coffee ancillaries and vending essentials too! You don’t want to spend your entire budget on a coffee machine just to find that you have no funding left over to purchase good-quality coffee beans.
Factor in the environmental impact of your coffee machine
If your office has made a pledge to offer its support in reaching the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals or is participating in any other local environmental initiatives, then it’s highly likely that the environmental impact of your shortlisted coffee machines will also be a factor that’s worth considering.
And remember too, to factor in the environmental impact of your coffee consumables or products. Whilst capsules can produce a bit of plastic waste, coffee grinds in a filter machine or cold brew system are much easier to dispose of. In fact, if your office has its own veggie patch or edible rooftop garden, you can even repurpose used coffee grounds into nutrient-rich compost. Talk about reducing your environmental impact!
Consider maintenance and cleaning requirements
How often do you have a cleaner come into your office? What current responsibilities fall to your office manager? Most importantly, do you foresee your workforce cleaning its new coffee machine regularly, or would you prefer to secure a machine that can largely take care of itself?
Answering all of these questions can help you determine whether you should opt for a mains-connected coffee machine or a tank-based machine, bearing in mind that tanks will need to be cleaned out more frequently to ensure that your coffee is produced to a high standard and is free of contaminants.
Remember too, that coffee machines that are connected up to your plumbing mains will still need to be cleaned out regularly and in accordance with that machine’s recommended maintenance schedule. You’ll be able to find all maintenance information in the manual for your shortlisted coffee machines, with some maintenance information also outlined right here on our machine listings at Corporate Coffee Solutions.
Consider the style and aesthetics of your office space
Although this one may not feel like that much of a concern for most of us, choosing a coffee machine that complements the wider design style or aesthetics of your office space can still be a factor worth considering if you’re still feeling a little bit lost in your purchasing decision.
Are you after a sleek and stainless steel coffee machine that’s sure to look right at home in your contemporary modern break room space? Or are you more of a fan of the rustic style, and are looking to secure a classical Italian espresso machine that’s sure to bring a little touch of European flair to your office kitchen?
In answering these questions, you’ll increase your chances of being able to find a coffee machine that not only brews everyone’s favourite cup but will also be sure to look a treat in any photographs that you take for your office newsletter or for your company website.
Ask your staff what kind of coffee machine they would like
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that nobody else in your corporate team is expecting you to know how to choose a coffee machine all on your own. After all, this investment is going to be used by virtually everyone in your office space, so it only makes sense to seek input from your fellow coworkers and colleagues when writing up your shortlist of office coffee machines.
We recommend pitching some of the outlined benefits of coffee machines in a general meeting one day before opening the floor up to your wider team. This provides them with the opportunity to share what kind of specifications or brewing modes they’d like to see from their ideal coffee machine. From here, all that’s left to do is use this information to finetune your shortlist even further until you’ve landed on the perfect coffee machine to suit your company’s needs.
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Choosing A Coffee Machine For Your Workspace
Choosing a coffee machine that is right for your workspace may take a little more planning than you may have originally thought. But so long as you follow the tips we’ve outlined above and ensure that all perspectives have been taken into account, you should find yourself with the perfect coffee machine sitting in your office break room in next to no time at all.Have any more questions about our range or benefits of coffee machines here at Corporate Coffee Solutions? Simply contact our team today to inquire about securing any of our coffee machines or products for your office space. We’re here to help!
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