Which commercial coffee machine would suit your business?

The aim of this section is to explain the differences between the different types of commercial coffee machine.

There are many different types of coffee machine available including traditional, bean to cup, pod, filter, instant. Each method has its own pros and cons and it is only by understanding these that you can make an informed choice.

 

We start off by looking at ways of making the best coffee possible.

 

Coffee type	Cost / cup (black coffee)	Comments
Fresh bean coffee	5 - 7p	Great value and produces the best quality drinks
Filter Coffee	6 - 8p	Good quality black and white coffee but not possible to make speciality coffees such as espresso, latte, cappuccino, etc
Coffee pods / capsules	17p upwards	Good quality drinks but expensive.
Freeze dried coffee	3 - 10p	Poor quality drinks - not recommended at any price

 

Secondly, you need know that the espresso is the base of all speciality coffees.

An espresso is a short, highly concentrated coffee drink produced by passing hot water under high pressure through ground coffee. It can be drank alone or blended with hot water, milk, and a variety of other ingredients / flavourings to produce a wide range of speciality coffees.

If you want to offer a speciality coffee menu featuring drinks such as Cappuccino, Latte, Americano, etc., you need a machine which is capable of producing an espresso, the key ingredient in all of these drinks.

You would also need a machine which is capable of steaming and foaming milk.

The only types of coffee machine capable of producing an espresso from fresh coffee beans and of steaming / foaming milk are traditional espresso machines and bean to cup machines.

 

So, if you want to make the best coffee possible you need either a traditional  espresso machine or a bean to cup machine, but what are the differences?

 

Traditional vs. Bean To Cup?

	Traditional	Bean to Cup
Example Images
Drink Quality	Excellent providing the operator (Barista) is well trained. When made correctly this is the best way to make coffee, better than bean to cup.	Excellent providing machine is cleaned and maintained. Close second to traditional.
Ease of Use	Basic Barista training is required. Once trained easy to operate.	Simple, press a button and the machine makes the coffee for you
Example: How to make a cappuccino or latte	Grind the coffee beans using a separate coffee grinder Dispense the coffee grounds from the grinder into a group handle Tamp (compress) the grounds to the required density Place the handle in machine Place a cup under the group handle Push the start button and out pours espresso into the cup Steam/froth milk in a jug using steam arm on the machine and then pour into the cup	Place a cup under the outlet Press the cappuccino or latte button The machine does the rest ** while the operator can be doing something else ** ie: the machine will grind the beans, compress the grinds, brew and pour the espresso, steam the milk and dispense it into the cup.
Consistency	Consistency is dependant on the skill of the Barista	Very consistent providing machine is cleaned and maintained.
Theatre / Style	A well trained Barista can entertain customers while preparing their drink as would a cocktail waiter. A beautiful well designed machine can enhance the customers experience.	There is no real theatrical value in bean to cup coffee production as they are much more functional.
Training	Barista training required It is important the Barista controls the coarseness / fineness of the ground coffee and that the correct amount of pressure is applied when tamping. There also skill involved in foaming milk correctly.	Staff training required for cleaning.
Cleaning	Simple backflush and wipe down at the end of the session Wipe / sterilise steam arms regularly during use	Cappuccino / milk system must be cleaned daily. Milk frothers and valves need soaking and cleaning regularly. Coffee clean required regularly
Suitable for Self Service?	No. Training is required to operate.	Yes. Easy to operate and some machines can even be fitted with coin mechanisms for self service drink vending.
Suitable for a Mobile Business?	Yes	Not generally. The number of small mechanical parts and electronics invoulved mean they can be more easily damaged.

 

5 Reasons to Choose Traditional

5 Reasons to Choose Bean to Cup

Coffee is your main product, ie: coffee shop You want to produce the best coffee possible Theatre and style is important to your business You have a busy site where multiple operators need to be able to use the machine at the same time. A traditional machine with 2, 3 or 4 groups would allow this. You have a mobile coffee business   View our Traditional Espresso Machines

Ease of use is important You have high staff turnover hence training is difficult. (often where coffee is not the main product, eg. pub restaurant, hotel bar) Machine is for an office Self service required, eg: convenience store, petrol station, staff canteen, waiting room Staff need to multi-task. eg: they could set the machine running to make a coffee while serving food or operating the till.   View our Bean to Cup Coffee Machines