Is there space in my office kitchen for a coffee machine?

Are you thinking about providing your team with a quality coffee experience at work? Perhaps your team has grown and an office kettle just doesn’t cut it. Did you know that one of the office perks that people value the most is getting good coffee at work? In fact, most offices are fuelled by the stuff!

Research shows that 75 per cent of workers feel high-quality coffee in the office shows their well-being matters to their employer. Coffee is generally a great way to keep your team hydrated and happy. It’s also proven to offer many different health benefits as well.

It can increase energy, improve focus, support heart health, boost your metabolism and balance blood sugar levels. Plus it can help to boost productivity, increase creativity and improve focus. So if you’re looking to provide your team with great coffee at work, you’re going to need a coffee machine.

There are lots of different types of machines on the market and you’ll need to decide what’s right for you. You’ll want to consider everything from technology to flavour and capacity to affordability. First off, you’ll need to decide what type of machine and consider the space you have.

Types of coffee machines

Filter coffee

One of the most basic and affordable coffee machines is a filter or pour-over coffee machine. They’re a good option for small kitchens as they don’t take up too much space. Hot water filters through the coffee grounds and they make a pot of coffee at a time. This is great so you can just go up and pour your coffee whenever.

However, it won’t taste as good as freshly ground coffee, especially if it’s been sitting around for a couple of hours. Note that whatever coffee machine you opt for that you’ll need a commercial version. A domestic coffee machine is designed for home use only, and caters for a very small number of people. Domestic machines will not be able to keep up with the demands of a bustling, busy office.

Coffee pod machine

Next up to consider is a coffee pod machine. You’ll probably be familiar with these and maybe even have one at home. Coffee pods contain ground and roasted coffee. They can be stored for up to nine months giving them a long shelf life. The main benefits of coffee pods are that they’re easy to use. They’re also easy to clean and allow you to offer a number of different drinks.

The downside of coffee pod machines is that they’re expensive. Each cup costs up to 30p. Coffee pod machines are good for lesser-used areas. These areas include places like receptions, where guests will just have the occasional cup. They’re not as good for office kitchens.

Commercial coffee pod machines are similar in style to domestic versions made by brands like Nespresso and Krups. For a workplace kitchen, the machine that will function the best and provide the freshest tasting coffee, is a bean-to-cup machine. These are also the most popular choice for offices.

Bean to cup machine

Bean-to-cup simply describes the coffee-making process from how the coffee is ground, pressed and brewed fresh – all at the touch of a button. These machines have internal grinders, so they grind the beans and then hot water is forced through the ground coffee at high pressure, resulting in a perfect cup of coffee. We like to think of a bean-to-cup machine as a bit like a coffee machine and barista all in one.

They’re a good choice for offices because they’re so easy to use and maintain. They also offer a wide variety of coffee drinks and unlike other brewing methods, bean-to-cup machines produce consistently good coffee. This is because they’re pre-set to deliver a specified amount of coffee and milk to make the drinks required. However, there are some considerations especially if you have a small office.

Is a bean-to-cup machine suitable for a small kitchen?

Like all machines, bean-to-cup coffee machines come in all different sizes. You can start small with something that will cater for a few people and the larger you go, generally the more people the machine will be able to cater for. Some machines can cater for around 200 people. However, if you’ve got concerns about the size of your office kitchen, there are some things you need to know.

Firstly there are lots of fairly compact bean-to-cup machines that will cater for small offices. However, some bean-to-cup machines will need to be installed by professionals and connected to a mains water supply. With this in mind, you’ll ideally want to have your coffee machine near to a water source.

You will need counter space for your machine so be sure to measure the area where you think the machine will fit best. If you’re partnering with an office coffee machine supplier, they will help you figure out the best place to install it.

One key thing to remember is that coffee machines tend to have bean hoppers on top. This is where you’ll pour in your coffee beans, and you’ll probably be doing this at least once a day, depending on how much coffee your office consumes. With this in mind, you’ll need space above the machine so it’s easy and convenient to keep it topped up.

If space is very limited, or if there isn’t scope to connect it to a water source, there are also hand fill bean-to-cup coffee machines. This means that you’ll just want to keep the machine topped up manually with water, so it’s slightly less convenient for users but a good option when the water source is unavailable.

With all the machines available, they’ll need some kind of maintenance and cleaning, especially if you’re making drinks that use granulated, fresh milk or alt-milks. The great thing with bean-to-cup machines is that most of the cleaning process is automated so it doesn’t take long out of your busy day.

Get in touch – we’re here to help

So if you’re looking for a premium bean-to-cup coffee machine that pours the perfect coffee every time, look no further. We have a wide range of machines to suit every office size, budget and unique requirements. Our team will come out and do a free consultation so if you’re not sure what machine is right for your small kitchen, we can help.

Simply contact our team if you have any queries and we’d be delighted to help.