Office Coffee Machine: Four Things to Consider Before Choosing One

Providing coffee to your employees in the office can be a great little perk at work to keep everybody motivated and at their best. Deciding which coffee machine to go for in the office can be a bit of a minefield, with so many different options to choose from.

The device used to make your drink will directly affect how the coffee tastes, so it’s definitely worth weighing up all the different options before deciding which is the most suitable for your workplace. Filter coffee machines, bean to cup, pod, and barista coffee machines tend to be the most popular options for the office.

Read on for our top tips for how to choose the best office coffee machine.

#1. Consider Coffee Consumption

The first factor that you’ll need to take into consideration before choosing your office coffee machine is just how much everybody is drinking. You will need to make sure that the coffee machine that you choose will meet everybody’s needs, as the last thing that you want is for it to break down under the pressure after just a few weeks.

Consider how many people work at your office and just how many of them drink coffee on a regular basis; a small espresso coffee machine will work great for smaller offices, whilst those with a larger workforce may require a little more investment.

What’s the Best Office Coffee Machine? This is one of our top picks:

#2. Think About Environmental Impact

If like many businesses today yours is trying to go greener, then it’s vital to think about the impact on the environment that the coffee machine you choose will have. Look out for models that are environmentally friendly and use up as little energy as possible whilst still being able to produce a great brew.

In this case, you may want to stay away from a Keurig machine that creates a lot of plastic waste.

For example, bean to cup machines are a great choice since they tend to offer energy saving options for when they are not in use, whilst filter coffee makers are typically only turned on when they are brewing up a pot. That’s why you may want to check out this one from Mr. Coffee:

Compare Various Kinds of Coffee Machines

To see how they stack up against each other: drip machines, Keurig, French Press, etc., please check out this comparison chart below:

#3. How Long will it Last?

In many cases, buying a coffee machine for the office can be a large investment, so you will want to ensure that the one you choose is built to last. It’s a good idea to do your research beforehand; read reviews and check out previous buyer ratings to ensure that you have the best chance of making an informed decision.

You don’t want a cheap machine that will need replacing after a year or two. So, make sure that you get yours from a trusted brand and opt for a well-built, high-quality model.

Don’t forget to also check out warranty options for both parts and labor. Many will come with one year’s warranty as standard plus the option to pay for additional cover.

#4. How Convenient is it to Use?

Last but not least, choose a coffee machine that is easy to care for. Cleaning a coffee machine is an additional task that nobody wants, so make sure that you pick one which can be easily looked after. Make sure it’s convenient to use, too – your staff might need some training to use a barista machine, for example.

Another factor to consider is whether the staff in the office can easily make another pot for example. If they take the last cup, will simple instructions be able to guide them how to brew a fresh pot in under a minute? If you can answer yes to that question, you may have a winner.

However, if not, the person in charge of the machine might be in for a huge headache!

Learn More about the Best Office Coffee Makers

#5: Look Beyond the Initial Price

While one machine may seem cheaper initially than some of the other options, it may not in fact be. For example, if you get the Keurig style coffee makers, you’ll constantly be buying pods. Sure, your employees may actually love this, but your bottom line certainly won’t.

Or, you may consider a glass French press which can be found for under $10 in some cases. So cheap, right? Except that they break very easily, and the filters need to be replaced so you’ll often find that you have to replace it quite often. Not such a deal in the end.

In general, the best value office coffee machine are the drip coffee makers. They are very durable and can’t last for at least a year or two, even with heavy, daily use. They also make a good amount of coffee for the amount of beans that you have to use.

Do You Have any Recommendations for a Coffee Machine for My Office? 

In general, a drip coffee machine will be your best bet for the office. This style of coffee maker has a lot of things going for it:

• Affordably priced
• Makes a large quantity of coffee
• Relatively few coffee beans are required (needs to be ground to use)
• Keeps the coffee warm
• Is easy to use and employees can easily brew another pot
• Doesn’t require many materials (only filters, but even these are optional)

However, the negative is that these drip coffee makers don’t produce the most delicious tasting coffee. This is especially true if the coffee sits for an hour or even more.

That said, people who are true coffee aficionados will probably not drink any coffee on offer in an office and will go to Starbucks. So, worry not because a drip machine will keep the vast majority of the masses reasonably happy!

What’s your Top Pick for Drip Coffee Maker?

There are a number of options you may want to consider. Here are some of our favourites that are ideal for office use:

What about Office Coffee Machine Rentals?

If you have more money than time and want a total package solution, then you may want to consider a rental service for your office coffee maker. The way it works is that the company usually provides the machine, along with all the beans and other equipment. They may also provide a selection of teas, hot chocolate and even snacks.

It’s a hassle-free solution if you’re short of time and don’t want to waste time and energy making sure that you have enough coffee or creamer in your office kitchen cupboard.

However, the downside is that this service is quite expensive. In our experience, we find it best to designate an administrative person the duty of being in charge of the coffee machine with regards to ordering more supplies, etc. Just be sure that they themselves are a coffee drinker for best results! It’s often a natural fit for the person who orders other office supplies like paper and ink for the printers because you can often get coffee supplies from the same delivery service.

Keurig Coffee Vending Machines for the Office

If you like the Keurig style of coffee makers, but are worried about how much it costs to maintain a supply of the pods, this may be a nice solution for you. It’s kind of a win-win.

Your employees get a choice of delicious flavoured coffee and teas to choose from for a reasonable price ($.50). You don’t have to splash out a ton of cash, apart from the Keurig machine and the initial investment of this pod vending machine.

Check it out on Amazon. Click the link below to check for the lowest prices and don’t forget to see if this product is eligible for free shipping with a Prime membership:

Have your Say about Choosing an Office Coffee Machine

Did these tips help you find the perfect workplace coffee machine? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below with any questions or comments that you might have.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. It’ll help other coffee enthusiasts, like yourself find this useful resource.

Last update on 2021-04-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API