What’s the best office coffee machine on the market?

Here at FreshGround, we understand how important it is to start off the working day with a good cup of coffee. Research has shown that 65% of UK office workers drink around 2 – 3 cups of coffee a day, and 80% believe that coffee is vital to their productivity and well-being.

With such a high demand for coffee and the many benefits of providing a high-quality barista-style coffee experience at work, we explore why your business should invest in a coffee machine. We’ll also help you find the best coffee machine on the market that meets the specific needs of your team.

What’s best for you and your team?

In our 40 years of experience in the office coffee business, we believe that bean-to-cup machines are the best option for offices as they provide a consistently high-quality coffee experience. They create a positive impression on guests, clients, and employees and they can even help to attract and retain talent. Overall, a good quality coffee machine can enhance your workplace culture and contribute to a positive and engaging work environment.

What different types of coffee machines are there?

There are lots of different types of coffee machines on the market. We’ll explain the most popular types that you’ll likely be familiar with and which one works best in today’s office.

Espresso machine:

An espresso machine is designed to produce a concentrated shot of coffee in a small serving size. It uses a high-pressure brewing process to extract the coffee and create a thick, creamy layer of crema on top. Its delicious and smooth taste makes it a favourite for coffee connoisseurs who enjoy a simple and bold coffee taste.

Filter coffee machine:

These were particularly popular in offices in the ’80s and ’90s and they do make a fairly good quality coffee. They use pre-ground coffee to produce large volumes of coffee quickly and easily. They’re good for some offices with small to medium numbers of employees who need a constant supply of coffee.  However, if you leave the coffee sitting around too long, it’ll go cold and be over-brewed. In this case, you may end up with a bitter, poor-tasting coffee unless you keep a close eye on it.

Also, it uses pre-ground coffee so it likely won’t taste as good as if you’re using freshly ground coffee beans. That’s because, once the coffee is ground, it can lose up to 60% of its flavour within just 15 minutes. The grinding exposes the coffee beans to air, causing the essential oils and aromas to evaporate really quickly which affects the taste and aroma. Not what you want from your office coffee experience!

Coffee pod machine:

Pod machines use pre-packaged coffee pods to produce a wide range of drinks. They’re quick and convenient and you can dispose of the pods easily – most pods are now also recyclable. They can be bought fairly cheaply for around £50 – £300 but many of them are best suited for individual use at home, and not ideal for offices. Although some pod machines are designed for commercial use, the coffee won’t taste as flavourful as that of freshly ground.

French press or cafetiere:

The French press, also known as a press pot or cafetiere, is a manual coffee brewing method that involves steeping coarsely ground coffee in hot water.  To use, press the plunger to filter the coffee and extract the flavour. Most households will have one of these as they’re easy to use, affordable, and make a good-tasting coffee. However, they’re more suited to personal use as they only brew around 4 – 6 cups of coffee. Unless you work in a very small team of one or two coffee drinkers, this method of coffee brewing is not convenient for the office kitchen.

Bean-to-cup machine:

Bean-to-cup machines grind fresh coffee beans to produce a wide range of coffee-based drinks, including espresso, Americano, cappuccino, latte and even hot chocolate. They’re ideal for offices where employees appreciate coffee made from freshly ground beans.

Even though bean-to-cup machines tend to be fairly expensive to purchase outright, in the long run, it’s actually a more cost-effective option than you’d think. They produce very little waste and require minimal maintenance, saving you money on coffee filters, coffee pods, cleaning supplies, and other accessories. Also, it’s worth pointing out that most customers don’t purchase a bean-to-cup machine outright for the office.

In fact, most will opt for either leasing or renting a commercial machine. Our contracts start from just 3 months and our customers can upgrade anytime. Alternatively, we offer a free loan agreement where customers will set up a repeat coffee and consumables order and they can rent the machine for free.

There are lots of quality bean-to-cup machines from brands like Jura, Egro, Seimens, Melitta, Franke and WMF, so just be sure to do your research to ensure you get the right machine for you and your team.

Get in touch with our team

In conclusion, if you invest in a premium quality bean to cup machine you can expect great tasting coffee, reliability, consistency and a barista-style coffee experience at work. Check out our range of bean to cup machines and simply get in touch if you need any advice.