As we begin to welcome back our workforces to the office after the global Covid19 pandemic, now is the perfect time to invest in an office coffee machine.
There are plenty of great benefits to having an espresso machine in your office. Of course, when your employees can access a quality coffee when they need it most, they’ll feel more awake, alert, and energised. Office coffee machines can also provide some great physical and mental health benefits that improve morale and boost productivity throughout the workplace!
But if your team is made up of tens rather than hundreds of employees, you’ll need to find the best espresso machine designed for smaller offices. Tastes and budgets can vary, so how do you know which is the right one for your office when there are so many competing on the market?
That’s where this article can help! First, we’ll teach you everything you should consider when choosing a commercial espresso machine. Then, since some espresso machines are simply better than others, we’ll set you on the right track with our pick of the 5 best espresso machines for small offices. Don’t forget to check out our range of Refurbished Coffee Machines, which are also available for Lease, Rent or Buy!
What To Consider When Choosing the Best Espresso Machine for Small Office Spaces
Not all espresso machines will suit your office or will be able to efficiently cater to your employees. You should bear the following in mind when choosing a commercial espresso machine, to make sure it’s the right one for your office and the team.
Which Type of Coffee Machine Is Best for Your Office?
This is one of the first and most important decisions you need to make when choosing the best espresso maker for your office. There are different types of coffee machines, and each has pros and cons to consider.
Barista Machines – Whilst it’s undeniable that barista machines using coffee grounds produce the freshest, most authentic coffee taste, they’re not the most convenient to use in a small office. Your employees would need to grind their own coffee and froth their own milk, and there’s a lot of opportunities for mistakes leading to bad coffee or worse, accidents and burns. They’re also noisy which isn’t ideal for the rest of your team trying to concentrate!
Coffee Pod Machines – Automatic espresso machines that use pods are super-convenient. Just pop the pod into the coffee maker, push a button, and let the machine take care of all the rest. They’re great for workers who aren’t familiar with using more traditional coffee machines. Because pods can make a wide variety of coffees, from simple espresso to latte or cappuccino, there’s something to suit every taste!
Bean To Cup Coffee Machines – These have been commonly used in offices for decades, and it’s the kind of machine that a lot of people would envisage when thinking about an office coffee machine. They’re simple to use, produce good quality coffees, and can even be fitted to make hot chocolates or teas. They’re usually not the most compact model though and need to be maintained regularly.
Filter Coffee Machines – Filter coffee is enduringly popular amongst office workers thanks to its quick caffeine kick and rich, smooth taste. Once one batch has been made it can be enough to last for hours depending on the size of your team. Filter machines are relatively cheap and simple to use, but they can be a pain to manually refill multiple times a day.
Tank Capacity
It’s impossible to make a good coffee without hot water. Whatever the type, strength, or flavour that is dispensed, all coffee machines need a water supply to brew coffee with. Some machines can be attached directly to your office plumbing and don’t need to be refilled, but an espresso maker with a water tank is a more common and affordable option.
It’s important to choose a coffee machine with a water tank that’s the right size for your office. A machine with a larger tank won’t need to be refilled as often, which is useful during especially busy periods.
Batch And Serving Size
Commercial espresso machines can usually either make 1 or 2 cups at a time and some can brew a whole batch at once. When your office team is on the smaller side, it’s unlikely you’ll have more than a handful of people wanting to use the coffee machine at the same time. One that can brew a whole batch could be a good choice if you want your workers to be able to grab a quick coffee before they settle back into their work.
Single or double serving machines may take a little longer to make each coffee, but they produce coffee that’s fresher than batch brews. That extra kick can be a big part of keeping your employees happy and energised.
Top 5 Espresso Machines for Small Offices
Now that you’ve got some idea of what type of coffee machine might be best for your small office, let’s take a look at our pick of the 5 best models available today:
Jura JX8 (click here for more info)
This fully automatic, bean-to-cup machine can create quality, espresso-based coffee drinks at just the touch of a button.
Jura is a Swiss company with almost a century of quality design and engineering experience. As you’d expect from a company with such strong credentials, the JX8 is simple to use, easy to maintain and, most importantly, creates a quality cup of coffee every time.
The Jura JX8 can even froth the milk needed to create a wide range of tasty and energising barista-grade drinks. From cappuccinos and lattes, and from flat whites to mochas, there’s something for all tastes, keeping everybody in your office happy.
The JX8 is equipped to make up to 80 cups of coffee per day, a perfect number for a smaller office team. Whereas other bean-to-cup machines can be difficult to clean, the JX8 just needs a few minutes at the end of the day to have the milk system rinsed out. No more staying behind at the end of the day when you could be on your way home!
Jura WE8 (click here for more info)
The WE8 is another model from Jura that’s as popular as it is efficient. With 12 customisable coffee specialities to choose from, there’s something for every coffee aficionado in the office!
The key highlight of this machine is the inclusion of an Aroma G3 grinder. Not only is this grinder quick at getting the coffee out, but it will do so while preserving the authentic aroma and taste of the coffee. Your team will never go back to instant coffee once they’ve tried the quality brews that this machine can make.
Integrated smart technology allows users to connect to the machine via their smartphones and order ahead of time from their desks. There’ll be no more reduced productivity from long queues for a coffee break and your team can be away from their desk for a matter of mere seconds.
To top it off, this machine is super-quiet and won’t become a distraction for you or anyone else in your office when it’s being used.
Matrix Mini Magnum (click here for more info)
In a particularly fast-paced office environment, not everybody has the time to grind coffee beans or froth the milk every time they want a caffeine kick. The Matrix Mini Magnum is a simple but versatile machine that can make 8 different types of coffee at the push of a button, and in under 15 seconds too!
This machine can have water fed in through an external tank or can be hooked up to the office water supply. It houses 3 canisters with a footprint of just 16.5 cm, so placement in even the most compact of offices shouldn’t be an issue.
Ascaso Baby T (click here for more info)
Barcelona-born company Ascaso know a thing or two about quality coffee. They’re a major brand in the world of home and office coffee machines and the Barista T model has won awards around the world for its design and high performance.
The Baby T uses the same design and technology that drives the Barista T and fits it in a smaller body that’s perfect for small offices.
This machine has high thermal stability and is exceptionally energy-efficient, so you don’t need to worry about overheating or massive power consumption. Using minimal amounts of stainless steel, the coffee that reaches the cup is cleaner and preserves all of its taste, aroma, and kick.
The Baby T runs on the office water supply so every coffee is as good as the last and made using fresh, filtered water.
WMF 1100 (click here for more info)
WMF is known for high-quality German engineering that they pour into every machine they produce. At the push of a button, you and your colleagues can create their own personalised, barista-standard coffees. The milk foamer ensures premium consistency and high quality with every coffee it makes.
For the office chocoholics, the WMF 1100 can also produce first-rate hot chocolates using the same simple button press as used when making coffees.
The patented Click&Clean system means the machine can quickly and effectively be cleaned with, you guessed it, a simple button press! The SteamJet can clean cups in a matter of seconds, so you and your team don’t have to spend time scrubbing mugs at the office sink.
At Logic Vending, we’ve built and earned our reputation as the UK’s leading supplier of office coffee machines. If there’s anything you’d like to learn that we haven’t covered in this article, just fill out this contact form or give us a call! One of our specialist advisers will look forward to helping you find your perfect small office espresso machine!