For a small shared space where people make coffee throughout the day, a bean-to-cup machine could be a good fit if the team organises refilling and cleaning. Capsules, on the other hand, need regular stock checks and a plan for used pods. Filter coffee works well when serving a group, provided you check the installation requirements of your chosen model. If milk-based drinks, breakdowns or maintenance can’t be left to one person, look into a professional machine and check exactly what the contract covers.
Drinks are made at different times throughout the day. So you’ll need to decide who refills the water, empties the coffee grounds and keeps an eye on maintenance alerts, rather than leaving these jobs to whoever happens to be available. The JURA WE6 manual, for example, sets out daily and regular maintenance tasks.
A meeting or drop-in session can concentrate demand into a short time slot. Work out how many drinks you’ll need during these busy periods: serving a group with filter coffee and making individual cups to order place very different demands on throughput.
A wider range of drinks means deciding who will clean the parts that come into contact with milk. Franke Coffee Systems provides cleaning routines for its machines and related equipment, but it’s up to each venue to organise them.
Start by looking at when several people are likely to want a drink at once. Then weigh up each option against the maintenance involved and what your premises can accommodate.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Throughput | Keep track of the drinks people want during your busiest period and across the day. JURA recommends a maximum of 30 preparations a day for the WE6; Bravilor Bonamat states that the B5 W L/R 400V makes 5 L in 10 minutes. These figures describe different types of service. | During meetings, I need to serve several people almost at the same time. A daily capacity figure alone isn’t enough to tell me how long people will have to wait. |
| Type of service | Consider whether you need individual cups, several litres at a time or milk-based drinks. Check the recipes and capacity for the exact variant, rather than relying on information about the product range as a whole. | If everyone helps themselves at their own pace, I want a machine that’s easy to use without someone in charge being on hand all the time. For serving a group, I mainly need a volume of coffee ready at the right time. |
| Maintenance | Check the manual for instructions on refilling, emptying the grounds, descaling and, if applicable, cleaning the milk system. Decide who will take care of each task and who can step in when they’re away. | I want a routine the team can realistically stick to. An automatic programme won’t empty the container or assign responsibility. |
| Installation | Check the requirements for the water supply, power and available space for the specific variant. Bravilor Bonamat states that the B5 W L/R requires a 3/4 water connection and is available in 230 V or 400 V versions. The INRS advises that machines must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. | Before choosing a plumbed-in model, I need to know whether my premises can accommodate it without having to improvise the connection. |
| Supplies | Plan where to store beans, filters or capsules and how to restock them. For Nespresso capsules, check your local recycling guidance or whether there’s a collection point nearby. | Consumables need to be available even when the person who usually places the order is away. |
| Noise and repairs | If keeping things quiet is important, ask for a demonstration or a noise reading for the exact model under relevant conditions. For a shared service, get the response times, any loan machine and the tasks you’re responsible for confirmed in writing. | I don’t want a breakdown to disrupt the service for long, or to find out after installation that making coffee disturbs the neighbouring workspace. |
A small team meeting at a set time may need more drinks at once than a larger office where people make coffee at different times. JURA’s daily recommendation for the WE6 and Bravilor Bonamat’s stated litre output for the B5 W L/R describe different types of use.
For a week, note how many drinks are needed during busy periods, the daily total and how much filter coffee you’d like to serve.
An unsuitable water connection or power supply could prevent you from installing the variant you’ve chosen. The Bravilor Bonamat B5 W L/R requires a mains water connection, and its electrical versions are different.
Ask for the technical specifications for the exact variant, and have the location and connections checked before you commit.
Cleaning programmes don’t remove the need to carry out the tasks listed in the manual or keep the coffee area tidy. JURA sets out daily tasks for the WE6, while Franke Coffee Systems publishes cleaning procedures for its equipment.
Assign maintenance to one person and a back-up, and keep compatible cleaning products and instructions easy to find.
Used capsules, filters, cleaning products and repairs all need to be organised differently depending on the solution. A cleaning function on its own doesn’t include a commitment to carry out repairs.
Compare options for the same volume of drinks and ask exactly what each maintenance or collection service covers.
These ranges show different ways to serve coffee in shared settings. Their features apply only to the specific models and configurations mentioned.
JURA positions the WE6 as a bean-to-cup automatic machine for offices, workshops and other professional spaces, with a recommended maximum of 30 preparations a day.
The capsule range may suit offices that would rather organise capsule orders than manage coffee beans.
Its high-volume filter coffee machines are worth considering when you’re serving a group rather than making one cup at a time.
Franke offers professional automatic machines for spaces planning a wider drinks menu and a more extensive maintenance routine.
This bean-to-cup machine could suit a small space where drinks are made individually. Before choosing it for regular shared use, consider how it will handle busy periods and how maintenance will be organised.
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For a small shared space looking to make bean-to-cup coffee and milk-based drinks, check that the machine can keep up at busy times. Assign someone to restock and clean it, and find out about the model’s noise levels and repair arrangements.
No. Having a coffee machine doesn’t in itself mean the area needs to be disinfected every time. The INRS says that surfaces with a low risk of contamination should be cleaned daily using usual cleaning products. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions separately for internal parts and milk equipment.
Before ordering, check the connections, power supply and space requirements for the exact variant. Bravilor Bonamat states that the B5 W L/R requires a 3/4 water connection and comes in 230 V and 400 V versions. The INRS advises that machines must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
No. Nespresso France advises checking your local recycling guidance and, if you’re unsure, suggests other collection options, including drop-off points. Decide who will be responsible for disposing of capsules in your shared space.
Compare the options for the same volume of drinks and period of use. Ask for details of the consumables, cleaning products, tasks your team will need to handle, repair response times and whether a replacement machine will be provided. A cleaning programme alone doesn’t define the service included in the contract.