How to Choose the Best Coffee Machine: 5 Steps to Making Your Best Choice

Good thinking – you! I get a feeling of pride whenever I see someone putting in that little bit of extra effort before committing to anything specific – especially a coffee machine. Considering all the factors below will surely steer you in the right direction, or at least put you on the right track to choosing your best fit.

This lovely little UK based website, which.co.uk has an incredible guide on buying the right coffee machine. It’s a bit of an extensive read, but offers a great insight into what considerations to take before taking the plunge (10 points for a bad pun?) We will summarise the steps you should take when considering your machine:

Where will you be using the machine?

Consider the amount of people who will be using the machine on a daily basis and factor in these variables accordingly:

Water tank capacity

Product requirements – will the product cost be heavy or minimal with the machine? If you’re in an office, a capsule coffee machine may work out costing more than a Bean-to-Cup machine; similarly, a Bean-to-Cup machine may waste away and become underutilised if you plan to use it at home.

Ease of use: a Bean-to-Cup machine usually requires at least slight training, and even professionals need a few minutes to adjust to the settings. This could spell disaster if you plan on using it in a reception area or car dealership, as many “new” people are exposed to the machine each day. If you are in a factory, for example, look for a machine that has product control, i.e. physically lockable compartments to curb theft and abuse of the product.

What coffee can your machine make?

Home-oriented coffee machines, including your cheaper models, are usually limited to making Espresso. So, if you prefer your Cappuccino’s, Latte’s or Flat Whites, you’d either need to find a coffee machine with a built-in or attachable milk frother. This can affect the pricing quite a bit, too. Consider the limitations of each machine VS what you want from it. A staff kitchen, a hotel or even a boardroom may want to use a smaller Bean-to-Cup machine, as the same people will operate it daily, they enjoy quality, freshly ground coffee and you can trust them to use the fresh milk and sugar responsibly (most Bean-to-Cup machines do not have internal cannisters for these two ingredients – keep that in mind, too).

Coffee Machine Ease of Use

Consider the majority of people who will be using the machine. Would you be able to operate it without prior instructions? Will they?

Coffee Machine Prices

This is two-fold: Is the machine you want in your price range? Buying a Bean-to-Cup machine will work out exorbitantly costly for a factory or a home, but a Vending Machine or Filter Coffee machine may be the perfect appliance for these environments. The second factor of price is the product: vending machines use powdered milk and instant coffee, Bean-to-Cup machines use fresh whole coffee beans, capsule machines use capsules etc. Think of the product price VS consumption, and what components you will need to provide separately. They all add up in the long run.

Coffee Machines: Renting VS Buying

Not often a consideration we pay enough attention to: rentals usually include a support / maintenance programme and sometimes coffee product. Buying might be cheaper in the long run. We have a handy article you may want to read to consider this factor more in-depth.

Features

If you live in an area with hard water, consider getting a machine that uses a filter to increase the longevity of your machine. A larger drip tray and tank may prove useful in larger spaces, and automatic off-timers can prove handy in a home.

Now that you have the basic consideration guidelines, narrow your choices down to maybe 3 or 4 machines and search for reviews about those machines. Weigh up their own set of pro’s and con’s as experienced by people who have used the machine themselves – and from there decide what your best fit is.

When that machine finally arrives – you will appreciate it so much more and also be empowered in knowing you have researched it sufficiently and that you have made the right choice.

Lastly; enjoy that well deserved cuppa!