Coffee is great and I’ve played with many a mechanisms for getting it into my belly. Whether that be a press, pot, and even an espresso machine once upon a time. Of course traveling to the local Starbucks makes it easy too. Something I only discovered through a work placement however was that of the coffee vending machines. I’ve only seen two in my day, but there are a few different types available. Most of the machines only dispense coffee, although sometimes coffee is dispensed alongside a number of other products in a full-line vending machine.

Coffee vending machines vs regular coffee makers

The big question that first must be answered is what is the difference between coffee vending machines and regular coffee makers or other complex commercial coffee machines?

The fact is in terms of how the coffee is made, the process is basically identical. The difference comes from selection and preparation. With a normal coffee maker, the user must decide what coffee they want and then proceed to make. Someone might start by grinding whole beans and then adding ground coffee to the machine. The coffee machine would then get turned on and run hot water through the system.

For coffee vending machines however, once the user decides what they want to drink, they just insert an empty mug and press a button that corresponds to their selection. They typically have a choice between different types of coffee, tea or even chocolate milk. The machine then takes care of the amount of coffee and water needed and pours out exactly one cup.

Table top coffee vending machines and other options

As mentioned earlier, there are a number of different vending machines available for coffee. The following is a short list of the many options currently found out there on the market today.

Table Top units: These often have around 8 selections of various hot beverages. Usually 4 types of coffee, 2 types of tea, hot chocolate and plain hot water. These sit on top of the counter and can either be plumbed directly into the water supply or have a tank. Plumbing would be recommended as a tank would take up a lot of space and be hassle to fill if many people are using it throughout the day.

Floor units: Floor unit coffee vending machines are exactly the same thing as a table top unit, but on a bigger scale. They offer a greater selection (at least ten hot beverages) and look like a typical vending machine. One of these bad boys could make approximately 550 – 650 cups each day.

Capsule units: These have become very popular and common lately, especially for individual consumers with Tassimo and Keurig. These machines still offer the same concept as a typical coffee vending machine in the sense that nothing needs to be measured or prepared. The user simply picks a ‘pod’ or ‘capsule’ of the desired hot drink and inserts it into the machine. With the press of a button, the machine makes a cup of whatever capsule was inserted. Delicious. The larger machines can be plumbed; however, the smaller at-home ones typically just have a small water tank attached.

Each machine functions relatively the same way, it just depends on how many cups per day are needed. All of these would also provide the option of supplying just hot water as well.

Where can I find coffee vending machines for sale

The smaller, personal use vending machines can be found at any large retailer either in-store or online. In terms of having someone service a small or large vending machine, there are many companies that offer vending services. The services are primarily for businesses, but could likely get one in your home if you felt so inclined.

Any large city would have a number of vendors available to service any company’s coffee vending machines. Typically the organization could supply the vending machine for a fee or rental rate and re-stock every week or month. After a few weeks, the vending companies will know exactly how often and how much coffee they should be bringing in. Luckily, unlike many consumable goods, coffee can last for quite some time, which reduces waste. It would be beneficial to ask around to other corporations and see who they use for their services. Recommendations are a great way to source a reliable coffee vendor.

By www.palimoco.com