Choosing a coffee machine · 12 April 2023

How to choose a professional coffee machine for business

What to consider when choosing a professional coffee machine for your business.

Franke A600 coffee machine in a hotel lobby

It would be hard today to find a venue where you cannot order a good cup of coffee. Without exaggeration, this aromatic and bracing drink is the heart of most coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and more. And it is the coffee machine that plays the key role in a business growing successfully.

If you are facing the need to buy a professional coffee machine for the first time and do not know what to look at, do not worry. We have put together a detailed article on how to avoid getting the purchase wrong. We hope you find it useful and interesting.

A coffee machine for business: how to choose

It is no secret that the range of coffee equipment is so large that settling on one particular model is very difficult. A purchase this serious therefore has to be approached with a list of requirements, and with a good many other factors in mind as well.

Scale of the business

This is probably the first point to start from when choosing a coffee machine. If you work in hospitality, or plan to install coffee equipment at a filling station or in a supermarket, a machine with limited functionality will hardly suit you. A fully automatic or super-automatic one is what you need. There is also no sense in hiring a professional barista, since the machine does everything itself to a high standard and can serve a large number of visitors in a short time. In short, nobody goes without good coffee.

Range of coffee drinks

Some people love espresso, some a cappuccino, and some cannot resist a cup of hot chocolate at all. In that case a more versatile coffee machine is essential.

Surprise your customers with a wide range of coffee-based drinks and more. That lets you meet everyone's requirements, and lifts footfall at your venue.

Functionality

More functions mean more possibilities. A versatile machine is more convenient and quicker to work with. A steam system for dense latte or cappuccino foam, automatic syrup dosing, a milk cooler and hot water for tea and other drinks all make excellent additions to a coffee machine.

Do not limit yourself to the standard functions. It is better to look straight away at a model with extended capabilities, so that you do not have to build it up later.

Output

The higher the output, the more drinks you can make in a given period. It is also important that the machine does not run at the limit of its capabilities, since that can lead to rapid wear of components and repairs afterwards. Coffee equipment therefore has to be chosen with enough output to avoid queues and delays in service. To do that, account for the number of visitors during the peak hour and look at the specification of the machine that interests you. Manufacturers always state the daily coffee output. As a rule that figure ranges from 80 to 300+ cups.

Operation and upkeep

A simple, intuitive interface is another of the key parameters. Your staff should find their way around all the machine's functions quickly, and spend as little time as possible looking after it.

If the machine is installed in a self-service area, visitors also have to find it convenient to use. Nobody wants to spend extra time working out all the buttons just to order a coffee.

Build quality

For a coffee machine to run without trouble and serve you as long as possible, you have to choose proven manufacturers only. High-quality components and assembly, resistance to various kinds of damage and reliable operation are exactly the characteristics to weigh up when buying.

Professional Franke coffee machines — the ideal solution for your business

The Swiss company Franke is the world leader in manufacturing high-quality professional coffee machines. They combine stylish design, innovative technology, reliability, ergonomics and ease of use perfectly. The machines also carry a large number of automated functions, which considerably simplifies operating them.

The model range is quite wide, which in turn lets you choose the output you need along with a matching set of options, meeting the needs of absolutely any business. For small coffee shops, for instance, these models suit:

Franke A300;
Franke A400.

Venues with large numbers of visitors will need higher-output machines:

Franke A600;
Franke A800;
Franke A1000.

It is also worth remembering that you always have the option of extending what the machine does by connecting add-on units. And that is very convenient indeed.

So if you need a professional, reliable and well-built coffee machine, Franke is the optimal choice.