So you’ve decided to get a coffee machine for your business. That’s an easy decision to make - you know a decent coffee machine will keep staff and visitors happy. Then you look at the types of commercial coffee machines available, and realise that your simple decision opens up a potentially perplexing array of options. Don’t panic. And don’t reach for the jar of cheap instant just yet. We’re about to make it all much clearer.
First off, where’s your coffee machine going to live, and who’s it going to serve? Do you want a coffee machine for your office, for use by staff and clients? Perhaps you run a petrol station or a fitness centre – or any other kind of public-facing facility – and you’re looking for a coffee vending machine that’s minimal maintenance but makes customers and visitors extremely happy. If you’re looking for a commercial coffee machine for cafes or restaurants, you’ll benefit most from giving the authentic barista service. We explain the differences below.
Instant coffee machine – for offices, retail outlets and service stations
Minimal fuss, maximum choice. Instant coffee machines reverse the view you’ve always had of instant coffee. There’s no grinder, because the beans are already converted to instant coffee, but the taste is still top-notch. Depending on the model you choose, you’re still getting a great range of drinks, from a strong black coffee through latte, espresso, cappuccino and mocha and even hot chocolate. Depending on the model, you can have several cup sizes and even automatically dispense decaf, sugar and instant tea.
You can choose a coin-operated coffee machine to serve the public in a petrol station, shopping centre or gym and turn a healthy profit – or set a low-level fee to cover your costs and provide staff with heavily discounted coffee at work. All these machines are self-service and low-maintenance, which means minimal effort for you.
All of the instant coffee machines you can lease from Nationwide Coffee can dispense up to 300 cups of great-tasting java an hour. Explore the instant range here, and look out for our current offers.
Bean to cup coffee machines – for offices, showrooms, cafes and restaurants
A bean to cup machine is simple enough to be completely self-service where your coffee is free for customers, but professional enough to use in catering establishments offering high-end drinks. If you’re running a car showroom or a beauty salon, for instance, a bean to cup machine gives your customers that sense of being valued and looked after. In an office, your staff know you’ve put thought into their hot beverage experience. In your coffee shop or catering business, you’ve got a much greater range of drinks to offer customers, including on-trend coffees like latte macchiato and ristretto.
All bean to cup machines automatically grind the coffee – all your team needs to do is refill. Our range includes everything from small machines serving up to 75 cups a day, one at a time, to large, professional catering coffee machines capable of creating two drinks at once and up to 250 a day.
It’s all about the experience you want to offer – because within your package from Nationwide, you’ll receive full training so you, your staff and your customers get the very best from your machine. You can find out more here.
Espresso machines – for high-end commercial environments, cafes and catering businesses
Espresso machines allow you to offer the full barista experience. Handcrafted drinks made by durable, stylish machines. Our range includes everything from small machines you’d be as happy with in your kitchen at home as you would at work, through to larger coffee makers to serve three drinks at once for speedy service throughout a busy day in a large café.
So, as you’d expect, you can choose between budget, mid-range and premium machines. They require an external grinder, and come with a full barista kit (plus staff training, of course), including frothing jug, thermometer to get the perfect temperature, tamping mat, chocolate duster, shot glasses, spatula and more.
Of course, once you’ve chosen the right sort of coffee machine for your business, you still need to choose the ideal model. That’s where we come in – if you’d like a no-obligation chat about how your business can benefit most, please do get in touch.