BetterBusinessTools.co.uk is reader-supported. We occasionally use affiliate links from trusted partners when they fit naturally with our content. Find out more here.
Coffee…a little bean that is a big talking point in most offices across the globe. But why is coffee so important to businesses and their employees?
Over the past 10+ years, we have seen many small, specialist and artisan coffee shops popping up everywhere. We have also seen the big coffee businesses like Starbucks, Costa and Café Nero drastically increasing their footprint.
As younger generations are becoming increasingly aware of the quality of the food and drink they consume, this expectation is becoming apparent in the workplace. Ground coffee and single-serve coffee pods are becoming increasingly popular amongst those ages 16-36, with more of these joining the workforce every day.
No longer are employees satisfied with the standard big tub of freeze-dried, instant coffee. Great coffee is quickly becoming an employee perk that more businesses are using to help attract young talent into their ranks.
Facts and figures aside, who doesn’t want a great cup of coffee to sip or look forward to whilst clawing our way through our workload?
So, whether you run a big, bustling office or you are a solo home-worker, in this guide, we list some of the best office coffee machines on the market.
Best On a Budget: De'Longhi Dedica Style
We can tell you from personal experience that this coffee machine from De’Longhi is a great addition to any office space - as we have had ours for a couple of years now.
In terms of usability, it sits in the middle between quick and convenient coffee pods and a much more professional coffee machine that you may find in your typical coffee shops. You can customise the coffee experience with this machine from tamping your ground coffee to setting the temperature and length.
The steam-driven milk frother means you can get creative with your coffees making everything from flat whites to cappuccinos.
A big reason we purchased this machine was because of the lack of coffee pods, which at the time were made from widely non-recyclable plastic. Although there are now lots of non-plastic alternatives, we still love this machine for the amount of flexibility it gives us.
This is the perfect machine if you have a bit of a passion for coffee and want more flexibility.
At the time of writing, you can buy the De'Longhi Dedica Style on Amazon for £169.
Best for Speed & Quality: Nespresso Citiz and Milk Coffee Machine
If you want something that offers great coffee in less time then the Nespresso Citiz could be the right option for you.
This machine offers coffee pod compatibility, which ultimately makes getting a great coffee a much quicker process. This machine comes with a special attachment for creating hot milk for milk-based coffees (flat whites, cappuccinos etc).
Although many are wary of coffee-pod machines for environmental reasons, there are now great alternatives to the non-recyclable pods, such as these awesome compostable coffee pods from Grind.
The Nespresso Citiz is currently available for just £209.
Best in Class: DeLonghi Eletta Plus Fully Automatic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
Now we are getting fancy.
If you have a large office or if you just have a good amount of cash to splash on an awesome coffee machine, then the Delonghi Eletta Plus is the option for you. This machine weighs in at £429, which frankly isn’t that costly if you want to get great coffee to your team.
This machine is all singing and all dancing. It includes all the features of our previous two options as well as a built-in grinder and a one-touch coffee recipe option. Practically this means you can get the perfect flavour, strength, length and temperature rapidly.
The benefit of this machine is the quality and the fact that it is going to save your employees time on making out-of-this-world coffee. From personal experience, we can also tell you that DeLonghi’s customer service is impeccable, should you ever have an issue with the machine.
Grab yourself the king of office coffee machines now. You can purchase it here.
Best Instant Coffee: Nescafé Azera Americano Instant Coffee
Not every office has the space, budget or demand for a flashy coffee machine. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have fantastic coffee in your workplace.
The leading instant coffee makers have noticed how people are increasingly demanding quality, delicious coffee and have put some serious time into creating incredible, premium-tasting instant coffees. Having tried all the major brands (all in the name of research of course), we can tell you that Nescafe Azera hits the ball out of the park.
Grabbing yourself a big tin of this coffee is a great way to skyrocket the quality of coffee in your office, whilst limiting office spend.
A 500g time of this brown-nectar is just £25 on Amazon at the time of writing.
Best Coffee Without a Machine: The French Press
Another alternative to a flashy, but occasionally expensive coffee machine is the classic French Press. Sometimes it is difficult to beat one of the original ways of getting a fantastic cup of coffee, especially if you only have a small team to cater for.
The French Press offers easy, delicious coffee in a rather elegant way. Bodum makes some of the best and most affordable French Presses on the market and this 8-cup press (£30) means you have a reasonable capacity for office, home-office or meeting use.
Buying the Best Office Coffee Machine: Summary
The best office coffee machine isn't a title given to any one brand or model but instead depends widely on your needs and the overall demand for quality. In this guide, we have covered some of the best coffee machine options for all workplaces.
Not only is good coffee an attractive perk, but it can also boost employee moods, increase concentration and relieve drowsiness.
Bonus Tip: Amazon for Business
If you are ordering products like coffee machines or quality instant coffee from Amazon, you may consider using their exclusive service for businesses. This makes it easy to manage and account for purchases with things like invoices, VAT invoices and simple reconciliation.
Creating an Amazon for Business account is currently free and you can also receive other benefits like super-fast delivery by purchasing Business Prime (£80/year excl. VAT).