In a small shared office, start by considering how many drinks need to be prepared at once and who will take care of maintenance. A filter coffee machine works well for serving a group; for individual drinks, a bean-to-cup or capsule machine suits a different way of working, while a manual espresso machine relies on users sharing the preparation tasks. Then check the supply requirements and capacity of the model you’re considering, rather than relying on headcount alone.
If several colleagues have the same coffee at the same time, making a pot cuts down on individual preparations. Melitta, for example, offers filter coffee machines that make 8 or 10 cups per cycle, depending on the model.
Bean-to-cup and capsule machines let people make a drink when they want one. In a shared setting, you’ll also need to organise refilling, waste disposal and cleaning. The capacities quoted by JURA and Nespresso Professional vary across their ranges.
A ground coffee espresso machine requires users to know how to prepare and clean the portafilter. De’Longhi describes the process, including filling and tamping the coffee before locking the portafilter into place.
For a shared office, first decide whether you need a pot of coffee or drinks made one at a time. Then consider which tasks your team can realistically take on.
Choose this if : several people drink the same coffee during a break or meeting.
Bear in mind : making coffee for a group is less suited to people wanting a different drink each time.
Consider this if : people regularly want individual drinks throughout the day and you can assign someone to handle maintenance.
Bear in mind : automated preparation doesn’t eliminate the need to refill, empty and clean the machine.
Consider this if : everyone needs to be able to make their own drink easily.
Bear in mind : your team will depend on the compatible consumables for the machine you choose.
Choose this if : your team wants to handle the preparation themselves and can agree on a shared routine.
Bear in mind : every drink requires the portafilter to be handled and then cleaned.
| What matters | What to check | Best for which coffee drinkers? |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks and busy periods | Count the drinks needed each day and those wanted at the same time. Compare the capacity per preparation or the capacity quoted for the model. | When several colleagues want the same coffee during a meeting, avoiding queues and refills becomes a priority; around 29% of consumers put these busy service periods first. |
| Shared use and maintenance | Identify the parts that need filling or emptying, and assign someone or set up a rota for cleaning. | If nobody should have to rely on an experienced user to make a drink, tasks that are easy to share matter more; this is the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Consumables and supplies | Check the required format, its availability and any services included with the option you choose. | To keep coffee flowing all week, some teams mainly want to be able to restock coffee, filters or capsules easily; around 21% of consumers prioritise supply. |
| Choice of drinks | List the drinks people want and decide whether one shared preparation is enough or whether they need to choose each time. | When colleagues want different drinks, offering the right choice takes priority over making a pot for everyone; this variety is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
Two teams of the same size may need different numbers of drinks, especially during meetings. The capacities published by Melitta, JURA and Nespresso Professional apply to their own models or ranges, not to a universal office headcount threshold.
Track drinks over a representative week and note when several people make one at the same time.
Making a drink may take very little effort, but refilling, emptying and cleaning still need to be organised.
Check that the parts requiring attention are easy to access, and assign daily and regular tasks.
These tasks also take up your team’s time.
Filters, coffee, capsules and maintenance requirements vary by system. Some services also include delivery or collection arrangements.
For each option, draw up a list of the supplies and services you’ll need over the same period of use.
If noise matters in your workplace, a marketing claim won’t let you compare machines under identical conditions.
Ask how the noise level was measured and, if it’s a deciding factor, arrange a demonstration.
Melitta’s filter coffee range includes models advertised as making 8 or 10 cups per preparation.
JURA positions its professional bean-to-cup range for locations using 10 to 200 cups a day. This range doesn’t apply to every model or other brands.
The brand offers solutions for businesses and lists some configurations for up to 50 coffees a day.
De’Longhi offers automatic bean-to-cup machines and manual espresso machines for ground coffee.
These models cover filter coffee for serving a group and individual drinks made with Vertuo capsules. Compare how they work with your office’s habits before choosing a machine.
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For an office that wants to make filter coffee for a group. Before setting it up in a shared space, check the capacity per preparation, the space available and the cleaning tasks involved.
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For serving the same coffee to several colleagues during a break. Confirm the exact capacity of the variant you choose and decide who’ll clean the machine after use.
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For individual drinks, with five cup sizes listed for this variant. Check the supply of Vertuo capsules and make sure the daily capacity suits the pace of your office.
Headcount alone isn’t enough to decide: count the drinks needed each day and those wanted at the same time. Melitta lists 8 or 10 cups per preparation for some filter models; JURA positions its professional bean-to-cup range for 10 to 200 cups a day, while Nespresso Professional lists configurations for up to 50 coffees a day. These figures apply to the specific offerings mentioned and don’t set a threshold for switching from one system to another.
Before buying, assign responsibility for refilling the water, disposing of filters or coffee grounds, emptying the trays and carrying out regular cleaning. Check that the parts you need to remove are easy to access: Melitta mentions removable parts on some models, while JURA describes a removable drip tray for its GIGA X8.
For the same period of use, list the coffee or compatible capsules, required filters, cleaning products and any delivery, collection or maintenance services. If you choose a capsule system, pay particular attention to the availability of the format you need.