Coffee is truly the only thing that can get office workers through a ceaseless day at work. To start off or to conclude a hectic day of work, there is nothing better than a quick-fix mug of freshly brewed coffee. As a manager, you must understand the importance and need of a hot cup of coffee during work.
A good coffee maker is an excellent investment for an office because it enhances the workers’ productivity. After all, what can be a better solution to a drowsy and sleep-ridden brain than a strong cup of great-tasting coffee? But no one wants to take the duty of brewing coffee manually for everyone when he is exhausted to the bone himself. The ideal solution is a coffee maker!
A coffee maker in the workplace is indeed a great idea. Research has proven that doing so minimizes work stress, leads to a positive mindset, and gives workers’ minds a boost. Overall employee satisfaction will also certainly be improved.
If you are responsible for selecting the coffee maker for your office, it is established that the decision is a crucial one that will have a significant impact on everyone else. It is not only your life at stake! Without a doubt, it is also a hefty investment, and you certainly don’t want to land yourself an inadequate or useless coffee maker. So, have a look at some of the best coffee makers for offices in the market today to make your decision easier.
Best 8 Coffee Machines For Offices
When you decide which coffee maker your office needs, your decision will have a major impact on many others. It is also the office budget that you are investing, so there is no doubt that the decision is a crucial one.
There are many factors to be considered before you can reach a clever choice of a coffee maker that meets your office requirements. We have collected some of the best coffee machines in the market just for you so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of shortlisting.
1. Ninja CE251 Programmable Brewer
The Ninja CE251 programmable brewer is a coffee maker that combines flavor and quality with modern technology that guarantees efficient brewing. Coffee lovers must understand the importance of a steaming hot mug. Cold coffee just ruins the enjoyment. This coffee maker promises a perfectly hot brewing technology with an advanced boiler.
Its adjustable warming plate maintains the perfect heat for up to 4 hours. The heat is evenly distributed, so there is no risk of the coffee burning or the lousy flavor. After two hours, the power will shut off automatically, so no energy is wasted either.
The best part is that every cup will be as flavorful and hot as every other because of its clover straw circulating the coffee during brewing. In an office setting, this is crucial because you don’t want your employees fighting over who gets the first mug.
Advance brewing with up to 24 hours delay is also possible. This means that you can program your coffee maker before you close your office to start brewing the next morning. To further add to the convenience, your workers can even pull out the carafe to pour themselves a cup with the mid-brew pause.
Maintenance is indeed a hassle, but this coffee maker has a removable water reservoir so that you can easily and quickly fill it without spilling and creating a mess.
The coffee maker has two brew strengths, classic and rich. It also allows small batch settings, preparing a smaller than the full carafe volume that is as good as any other. The full carafe can serve up to 12 people in one go, so it is ideal for an office setting.
2. Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee-On-Demand 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
This metal and plastic electronic coffee maker is another one of the best there are in the market. The coffee maker has an excellent finish, aesthetic design, and a robust interior built. In addition, its hassle-free maintenance procedure ensures that you always have the machine in operating condition and is never out of order for too long.
The machine is super easy to set up and start, so all office workers can learn how to operate it in no time. All you need to do is open the lid, add coffee to the filter tray, close it and start the procedure with a simple button. Then hold the cup under the dispenser and release the button.
What makes this coffee maker unique is its coffee gauge that indicates the number of cups left in the machine. In addition, the water reservoir is marked so you can easily note the number of coffee cups left. It also has a clock display and an indicator that will indicate when the interior needs cleaning.
Another exciting feature is the higher number of programmable settings and brewing modes. For example, you can make 1 to 4 cups or set it to a full carafe that will make 12 cups. Then, on a less busy day with few office workers, you can brew a smaller number of coffee cups so that they stay fresh.
It has auto-shutoff settings that turn it off automatically after a period of inactivity. It also includes a unique Coffee on Demand feature that brews coffee cup by cup so that every cup is perfectly hot and fresh. This machine offers excellent value for its price and is certainly worth every penny.
3. Cuisinart DGB-800 Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew
This professional-grade coffee maker makes excellent tasting coffee with a number of unique features that make it much more convenient than usual. Its professional style burr grinder will provide perfect uniform consistency. You can choose between various flavor strengths ranging from regular and bold to extra-bold strengths.
Its 12 cup glass carafe will let you brew enough coffee in one round for all your employees or colleagues, or at least those working in one shift. In a nutshell, its carafe volume is enough to ensure that no one has to wait too long and not so much that the coffee doesn’t stay fresh.
It has a half-pound bean hopper that has a sealed lid to guarantee that the beans always stay fresh as new. Its automatic grind feature gives pre-ground coffee, and its auto rinse feature ensures that the grounds are used efficiently and all enter the brew basket.
An exciting feature of this coffee maker is its extra-large LCD screen that displays all operations, including its 24-hour brew start and auto-shut-off.
You can choose the flavor strength; regular, bold, or extra-bold, whichever pleases your palate. It weighs 15 pounds and is the perfect size and volume for an office setting. Its reservoir can hold up to 96 ounces of water.
4. Mr. Coffee Espresso And Cappuccino Maker
This fantastic espresso and cappuccino maker is at a much lower price than most other coffee makers with similar features. This 3 in 1 espresso maker can brew cappuccino, espresso, and lattes. With its single touch panel, you can brew any of the drink selections.
Its reservoirs for milk and water are removable and thus very easy to fill and clean. The reservoirs, however, should not be washed with a dishwasher. The automatic milk frother makes it entirely automated, with very minimal manual work needed.
The coffee maker makes rich and flavourful espresso with its 15 Bar Pump system. It makes decent espresso, good enough to please the palate and satisfy the needs of tired office workers. Most of the parts of the machine are dishwasher-safe, allowing for easy and inexpensive cleaning.
It has a frothing tube located to the right of the brew head that froths the milk by swiveling in it. As a result, it makes smooth and foamy coffee, just the way most users prefer it.
The only drawback with this coffee maker is the apparently poor build quality. Still, it is good enough considering its low price. The coffee maker is suitable for a workplace setting, but if you are using an office budget, you might want to invest a little more in getting a longer-lasting and more durable product.
5. Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker
Hamilton Beach 2-Way coffee maker combines excellent taste with modern technology to provide maximum convenience to its users. It has a unique 2-way brew feature that lets you either make a single cup or a full pot. So the person leaving the office in the last if desires a dose of caffeine can brew himself a single cup.
The coffee maker is not compatible with K-cup. However, it brews flavorful beverages with ground coffee beans. All you need to do is add your favorite coffee type using the mesh scoop and start the automatic brewing process with a single press.
Its two-hour automatic shutoff feature will ease your mind that even if you forget to turn it off, it will not keep running and add to your bill. Instead, after 2 hours of inactivity, it will turn off automatically.
The best part is that you can program the coffee maker to start the brewing process when your office opens. It will provide a wake-up dose of caffeine without needing any extra effort from your employees when they are already barely awake. In addition, you can time the coffee maker 24 hours in advance.
Moreover, you get to choose whether you want Regular or Bold coffee. So whether your taste buds require simplicity or if you want a flavorful and potent dose of caffeine, this coffee maker has got you covered. Its auto-pause feature lets you snatch a quick-fix mug even before the brewing process is complete.
6. Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker, Black
Mr. Coffee 12-Cup coffee maker is an excellent choice with all the necessary features and yet less expensive than other similar products in the market. In addition, it is effortless to set up and use the machine. All you have to do is set it up, switch it on, and start the brewing.
Its auto-pause feature lets you snag a cup even before the brewing is finished. This is a fantastic thing if you lack patience when it comes to coffee! It is understandable. It has a 2-hour warming plate that keeps your coffee hot as new.
Its reservoir has a dual water window that lets you see exactly when it fills to the brim so that you do not have to worry about overflowing. In addition, its filter basket can be lifted and removed from the machine for easy and hassle-free cleaning.
It has a power on/off indicator light to let you know when you have forgotten to turn off the machine. In an office setting with all the hustle and bustle, this is a handy feature.
The coffee maker weighs only 3.6 pounds, and the cord length is 26 inches; this makes it easy to set up as you would not have trouble finding a switchboard nearby. In addition, the coffee maker brews 12 cups in one carafe-full, so it is perfect for your office setting.
7. Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker, Silver
This coffee maker combines all the necessary features that make a good coffee maker. It has an automatic warm function which will maintain proper heat and keep your coffee hot for hours. However, it does not have an auto-shutoff feature, so you need to power it off manually every time.
The best part is that it is lightweight, portable, and compact. You will have little trouble finding sufficient space for it and can store it easily as well. In addition, its filter cone is very simple to use; it sits inside the decanter.
Its precise temperature makes sure that it is flavorful and hot, the perfect combination. It has an 850 watts boiler that maintains a consistent temperature at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and you might already know that consistency is the key to the perfect tasting coffee.
Made of hard plastic, this coffee maker is durable and high-quality. Also, it includes a measuring spoon that you can use to add the perfect quantity of coffee grounds for your beverage.
This coffee machine is relatively inexpensive compared to other products in the market, so most likely, anyone and everyone can afford it!
8. Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker
Cuisinart DGB-900BC, a stainless steel coffee maker with a double-wall insulated thermal carafe, is another one of the many great options in the market. This coffee maker can brew up to 12 cups of coffee, with every other cup as hot as the last because of the thermal carafe.
You will get the best and most flavorful cup with this coffee maker. Its permanent gold filter and the charcoal water filter will filter out only the freshest flavor from the beans. Moreover, you get to select the strength and grind of the coffee with its strength selector and grind control features.
Suppose you don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up the coffee maker early in the morning when your eyes are barely open. In that case, you can program this coffee maker 24 hours in advance.
After 24 hours of inactivity, its auto-shutoff feature will automatically power off the machine to not burden your electricity bill unnecessarily.
The product includes an instruction manual and a measuring scoop. The measuring scoop will let you create the best and most accurate flavored coffee.
Factors To Consider While Choosing A Coffee Maker For Office
Coffee makers differ significantly in terms of their functions, specifications, and settings. When you are looking for a coffee machine for your office space, consider the following factors in terms of the demands of your employees:
Reservoir Size
Office use definitely requires a large reservoir size if you wish to accommodate all employees and not leave any grumpy, dissatisfied, and drowsy workers! The reservoir size determines the size of the cup to be used and the number of cups that can be made in one go. Some models allow the user to select the cup size to be used (6, 8, or 10 ounces).
Cleaning Mechanism
Maintenance will be an essential consideration when you get an office coffee maker because most of the time, staff will be using the machine that demands ease. A coffee maker that will be used very frequently should be easy to maintain. Some coffee makers have removable components that allow much easier cleaning and maintenance. Another particularly useful feature in office coffee makers is the alarm or indication when the coffee maker needs cleaning.
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Auto Shut-Off
This feature shuts off the machine automatically after a certain period of inactivity. It will cut down on your expenses, energy bills and prevent overheating of the machine.
Cup Warmer
What can be better than steaming hot coffee in a steaming hot cup at the end of an exhausting day at work? Some coffee makers include a cup warmer.
The Number Of Programmable Options
While for home use, even fewer programmable settings are sufficient. However, for offices, coffee makers with an array of programmed settings are more suitable. Because everyone person may want to have a different cup of coffee from others. In a nutshell, the more the users, the more the setting should be to match everyone’s needs and taste.
Boiler System/Temperature Control
An espresso machine includes a boiler system that can either be single or dual-heating. This difference affects how long it takes for the boiler to heat up once you have started it. The efficient type for an office with many employees is the dual-boiler system that takes less time.
Hot Plate Or Thermal Carafe
While both are simply different ways of heating the carafe, closer inspection reveals a difference in flavor. A hot plate usually doesn’t result in a great taste because the heating or “cooking” continues even when the brewing is over.
Space Usage
Offices usually don’t have enough idle space that you can fit in a coffee maker once you have bought it. You must decide in advance where you can fit a machine in the office setting and what size is perfect. Keep in mind the coffee machine should not hinder accessibility to other components of the workspace. A coffee maker with a large reservoir will surely take up more space than others, but it’s essential as well to serve all the people at work. Hence, office coffee makers do take up space.
Specifications
When looking through your available options, consider specific features of each product as well. These can include its capacity, interface input, carafe type, built-in frother, permanent filter, types of coffee that can be brewed, etc. Go over these features wisely if you do not want to land your office a coffee maker that does not meet all requirements.
Difference Between Coffee Makers For Office And Home
You do not want to land your office a coffee maker that only brews one cup at a time, do you? The primary factor that distinguishes a home coffee maker from one suitable for the office is the volume of coffee that it can make in one go. The water tank should handle as much coffee as the office needs for one round of employees.
On the other hand, the machine you are considering is either automatic or manual is another vital consideration. Some manual coffee machines are pretty easy to operate, while others require attention to detail. Most automatic coffee makers are very simple to understand and explicitly designed for newbies who do not want to go into coffee-making complications. An office coffee maker should be easy to operate.
Pros And Cons Of Buying Coffee Makers For Office Settings
Office coffee makers are bound to improve worker productivity. If you are a true coffee lover, you must certainly understand how hard or perhaps, nearly impossible it would be to get through an exhausting day at work without a shot of caffeine. An automatic or semi-automatic coffee maker will be the perfect solution. It will even eliminate the need for manual work.
However, it is not without drawbacks either. Adding a coffee maker to the workplace setting will increase employee costs if it involves payments. If kept free of charge for the employees, the price of the machine and its maintenance will add to the budget of the office manager. Maintenance and clean-up of the machine is another task that will add to the cost and effort required.
How A Coffee Machine Works?
1. Drip Coffee Makers
A drip coffee maker is a smart device that makes use of a reservoir that holds the water, a tube leading from the reservoir to the drip area, and a showerhead that sprays hot water over the coffee grounds. The user pours cold water into the reservoir, from where it flows through the heating element where it gets boiled. The heating element starts when the switch is turned on. The water then flows through a tube and is dispensed evenly over the coffee grounds.
2. Espresso Machines
The espresso machine, on the other hand, makes use of pressure to do the extraction from the coffee grounds. Like with the drip coffee maker, a reservoir stores the water until it is needed. The pump pressurizes the water to push it through the coffee grounds. For making drinks like lattes, in machines that do not automatically froth the milk, a steam wand is used instead to do the frothing manually.
Types Of Coffee Machines
To be honest, the world of coffee makers has expanded to such an extent that today there are so many types of coffee makers that it is impossible to discuss them all in-depth. From automatic to stovetop coffee makers, from espresso machines to cold brew coffee makers, there are just too many options. However, some of the most popular varieties that you can choose among include the following:
1. Filter/Drip Coffee Machines
Filter coffee machines are a common type of coffee maker used in the United States because it brews only American or Black coffee. This coffee is perhaps the most simple and most hassle-free, freshly brewed instant coffee that you can get for starting off your day with a dose of caffeine. This requires pre-ground coffee beans placed on the filter paper. Hot water drips over the beans and into the pot. Employees can decide to add milk or sugar if they prefer. A drawback of this coffee machine is the limited number of coffee cups it can brew in a go. If you have many employees, another pot may need to be brewed, which causes delay.
2. Free Standing Coffee Machines
The free-standing coffee machine is the perfect solution for crowded places like offices or business centers. Buying this coffee maker is relatively more expensive than alternative options, but maintenance and use are not. The coffee maker can also be rented or leased if the buying cost is too much to afford.
3. Bean To Cup Coffee Machines
These are particularly popular options for office use as they are super user-friendly and easy to understand. All that the user has to do is place their mug and press the button. The rest the coffee maker will do! It is specifically designed for brewing a large volume in one go in a short time. It is time-saving and efficient, perfect for a busy workplace.
4. Espresso Machines
Espresso machines rely on high pressure to make strong black coffee, popularly known as espresso. This is done by passing steam through dark-roasted beans. Espresso machines can brew a range of espressos, including cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, and mochas, depending on the machine’s functions.
You can find most of these varieties in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and super-automatic types that differ in terms of the amount of work that needs to be done manually and what the machine can do.
FAQs
Q1. What is a drip coffee maker?
A drip coffee maker makes pour-over coffee by dripping water from the heating element evenly over the coffee grounds.
Q2. Does the type of coffee maker make a difference in the taste of the coffee?
Yes, indeed. Various coffee makers make use of different methods for brewing your coffee and have different extraction abilities. The better and more effective the extraction, the better taste your coffee will have.
Q3. If there is no selector on the coffee maker, how should I adjust the cup size?
In coffee makers that do not have a selector, you can fill the reservoir with only as much water as you need for your cup. This strategy, however, won’t be practical for offices because the reservoir should always be full.
Q4. What are soft pods?
Soft pods are paper-covered disks of coffee beans that are designed for use in one coffee mug. These are sealed in separate wrappers to keep them fresh. Most coffee makers are designed to be able to use soft pods.
Q5. What kind of beverages can most coffee makers dispense?
There are numerous different kinds of coffees that coffee makers make, depending on the number and types of programmed settings. Some of these include Mochaccino, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte, Espresso, English Coffees, Americanos, and French vanilla.
Q6. How should you clean a coffee maker without using vinegar?
If you want to avoid using vinegar, you can purchase a universal descaling solution, mix it with water and run it through the machine. Alternatively, you can use a solution containing one part lemon and one part water.
Q7. How should I unclog an office coffee maker?
A clogged coffee maker can be a result of a number of problems. The easiest and most effective solution is to run the machine with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Fill the tank with the solution and run the machine as usual. Then, rinse with water.
Q8. How do you use an office coffee maker?
While the process largely depends on the type of machine being used, most coffee makers require you to put one to two tablespoons of ground coffee in the coffee grounds in the filter basket, place it back in the machine, and turn the machine on.
Q9. Do finely ground coffee beans make more robust coffee?
Yes, it is true, in terms of caffeination, that a finer ground will give stronger coffee than coarse ground beans.
Q10. What is the best grind of coffee?
While it largely depends on individual preference, a medium-coarse grind generally gives smoother and better-tasting coffee than other grinds.