Choosing coffee for the office starts with a practical question: how many drinks are made on a normal day, and who looks after the machine? Whole beans, capsules and pods can suit different routines. Your comparison should include the equipment, daily work and actual consumption.
Compare the routine, not just the pack price
| Format | What to assess | Question to ask before deciding |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-bean coffee | Equipment with suitable grinding, adjustment and cleaning arrangements. | Who refills the coffee and carries out the daily maintenance specified in the manual? |
| Capsules | Compatibility, number of servings and handling used packaging. | How many capsules are used per drink? |
| ESE pods | A compatible machine and storage for the pods. | Does the equipment explicitly accept 44 mm ESE pods? |
If several people use the machine at the same time, include that busy period in your assessment. A low daily average can conceal a break when the whole team wants coffee within a few minutes.
Estimate consumption using your team's figures
You can make an initial estimate as follows:
People who drink coffee × drinks per person per day × days of use = drinks per month.
For example, 8 people × 2 drinks × 22 days equals 352 drinks per month. This is a worked example, not a forecast for your business. Adjust it for office attendance, visitors and drinks that use more than one serving.
For whole-bean coffee, the quantity depends on the dose programmed into the machine. If the actual dose were 8 g, those 352 drinks would use 2.816 kg before waste and adjustment losses. Replace 8 g with your equipment's actual dose; do not use the example as a recommended machine setting.
What to ask for in a proposal
- The machine model and capacity for your busiest periods.
- The coffee, format and quantities included in the quote.
- The price, applicable VAT, delivery and any fixed charges.
- Installation, cleaning, support and maintenance arrangements.
- Any minimum consumption, commitment period and termination terms.
- Responsibilities in the event of a breakdown and the arrangements during repairs.
Having these details in writing helps you compare proposals that may look similar at first. A machine included with a coffee supply agreement and a standalone rental may have different conditions; read the specific proposal.
A tasting with simple criteria
Ask your team to try the coffee black and, where relevant, with milk. Record their preferences without expecting a universal verdict. As well as taste, consider the time needed to prepare drinks, refill the machine and clean it. Your chosen option needs to work in your team's daily routine.
Next step
Explore Aroma Port's coffee solutions for businesses. If you are comparing equipment and arrangements, also visit our coffee machine rental for businesses page.
To request a useful proposal, tell us your location, approximate number of users, expected consumption and any equipment you already have. The applicable conditions are those in the proposal you receive, not the calculation examples in this guide.
Already using a brand or machine?
Include this in your office coffee enquiry. If the team uses Delta, Nicola, Sical or NESCAFÉ, state the complete product and format; for capsules, include the system. Our guide to comparing coffee brands helps describe what you want to keep or change. Then use the cost-per-cup calculation to compare proposals at the same consumption level.