The real ROI of a commercial coffee machine in your workplace
Lily Hedley | October 21, 2025
Research and industry data keep showing that putting money into good quality coffee for the workplace pays off in a big way.
For a modest investment, employers can earn better engagement, improved focus and mood, and a stronger sense of loyalty. These translate into tangible benefits, from faster daily output to thousands of pounds saved per employee in turnover costs.
Productivity
- 67% of UK employees agree they feel more productive after a coffee break.
- Over one-third of employees say they’ve solved a difficult problem during a coffee break.
- 82% of respondents agreed that having coffee at work improves their morale.
Engagement
- 75% of UK employees agree that having high quality coffee available in their office would suggest their employer cares about their wellbeing at least to some extent.
- 72% of those who take coffee breaks with their manager say coffee breaks have helped them develop a stronger working relationship
Retention
- 68% of UK workers would recommend an employer as a good place to work based on having high-quality coffee.
- By contrast, a survey found nearly one-third of employees would consider leaving a job that doesn’t even offer basic comforts like on-site coffee or snacks.
Collaboration
- Coffee breaks helped 81% of UK employees surveyed build stronger relationships with their colleagues.
- 76% of UK employees agree coffee breaks are a good way to collaborate with people across different teams.
Hopefully these stats can help speed up and bolster the decision-making process for your workplace’s coffee.
Claiming business expenses
In case you aren’t already aware, your office coffee machines are a tax deductible business expense! You’d be surprised how many of our customers weren’t aware of this when they first reached out to us.
Renting a coffee machine qualifies for corporation tax relief, as it comes under capital allowance for ‘plant and machinery’.
This means the upfront cost can be deducted from your taxable profits, reducing the effective cost to the business.
Furthermore, when you choose to rent a coffee machine, you don’t pay VAT.
Extending machine lifespan with servicing
One way you can maximise your return on investment is by taking proper care of your coffee machine.
If you purchase out right, then proper maintenance and cleaning is in your best interest to keep you coffee flowing for longer. You can do this yourself, with proper cleaning products and by replacing parts and repairing it yourself. Or you can outsource the more complicated maintenance to a service provider, one that is experienced working on that particular model.
If you rent your office coffee machine, the supplier will usually offer a servicing agreement as part of the package.
You can usually opt for different levels of servicing depending on the needs of your business. More comprehensive servicing will likely give you better peace of mind, but a more basic plan will cost less. So, make sure you consider the trade-offs.
If you want an example of coffee machine service plans, you can read the FreshGround service page.