Productivity and efficiency are key components of any small business. For many, the secret to this productivity is coffee. According to PBS, the world drinks around 2.25 million cups of coffee a day, and it is the second-highest traded commodity after oil. Whether you serve coffee at your small shop or utilize a coffee maker for your office, the benefits of adding coffee to your business workplace can easily outweigh the costs.
If you’re a business owner, you might already be aware of these benefits yourself. Why not have a caffeinated, focused staff to accomplish all your daily goals? Having coffee makers for businesses can eliminate the need to take time out of your work schedule for coffee runs, effectively improving workplace efficiency. More coffee drinkers are entering the workforce than ever before, and business owners are taking note of its many benefits:
To brew coffee, the average coffee maker wattage hovers around 750 to 1200 watts a day. According to the Energy.gov appliance energy calculator, an energy saving coffee maker using 365 kWh annually can cost you $43.80 per year, or $3.65 a month.
This is still less expensive when compared to buying coffee from local cafes, where one can expect to drop $5 – $25 per week on purchases alone (excluding tips). For this reason, having coffee makers for businesses could save you some serious money: we’re talking up to $1,200 a year.
If a coffee maker is something that your business is looking to buy, a commercial coffee maker might be best to take into consideration if you have 40-50 employees. Compared to personal coffee makers, commercial coffee makers are better equipped to handle heavy use and accommodate increased demand.
Choosing the best commercial coffee maker can be daunting. Most types of coffee makers in the US are either auto-drip, single-serve, or personalized espresso machines. Drip coffee makers are by far one of the most popular types of coffee makers out there, being able to brew 6-12 cups at a time. They’re great for coffee lovers, but for those looking for 1-2 cups at a time may be more interested in single serve coffee makers. These coffee makers can be power hogs that can impact your energy bill in unexpected ways.
When compared to low energy coffee makers, standard drip coffee makers have several advantages and disadvantages.
When compared to low energy coffee makers, single serve coffee makers also have several advantages and disadvantages.
When considering the best types of coffee makers for businesses, you could save on future energy expenses by looking for the ENERGY STAR logo. The logo means that the machine meets energy efficiency requirements, and may include the following features:
As the world slowly shifts to make environmentally conscious decisions, the prevalence of low energy commercial coffee makers will increase. It’s not difficult to make the switch, especially now that ENERGY STAR has recommendations for energy efficient commercial coffee maker types.
In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency released its updated ENERGY STAR recommendations for types of coffee makers. This was in effort to guide consumers toward energy saving coffee makers, and, for those looking to save energy, an ENERGY STAR coffee maker may be the best. Commercial coffee maker recommendations are also included in the changes for those with larger businesses.
Some of these requirements include a limit on coffee maker wattage. For an ENERGY STAR coffee maker to be idle and ready-to-brew, it must use less than or equal to 65 watts/gal. With heavy-use commercial coffee makers, the rate of energy consumption must be less than or equal to 280 watts/gal.
These regulations are aimed at saving money, saving energy, and saving the environment. According to its website, ENERGY STAR has helped businesses save $362 billion on utility bills, and has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 billion metric tons within the past two decades. Just by using the best commercial coffee maker, you could save about $100 a year when compared to standard models, and increase your energy savings by 35%!
Minimizing negative effects to the environment goes beyond selecting an energy saving coffee maker. To leave a positive impact on your business, and the world, consider the following:
If some of your employees dislike the taste of coffee, or a coffee maker just isn’t feasible, then there are other options to give employees that caffeine boost. Consider offering tea, as the amount of caffeine is less. For those who dislike hot beverages, consider leaving out energy bars. These both can aid employees in boosting productivity and focus if they can’t drink coffee.
Cold brew coffee is an iced coffee made by steeping grounds in cold water for 16-24 hours. While the process may be time consuming, the wait may be worth it. Cold brew coffee is made with a higher coffee to water ratio, possibly meaning that a single serving can contain more caffeine than your regular cup of hot coffee.
Due to the simple process of cold brew, some cold brew coffee makers don’t ever need electricity to operate. This could be an energy-free coffee solution where you never even need to plug-in to get your daily caffeine fix.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and for good reason. If you think that coffee makers for businesses may be what your small business needs, then hopefully this helped. For more energy-friendly tips, check out our guide on how to shop for the best energy efficient office equipment.
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Great article which I found really useful, particularly the tips around coffee makers for businesses – being honest I had not considered the amount of electricity my coffee maker consumes! Thanks for sharing, Mark.
Choosing the right type of Coffee maker for our business is one of the important task. I was worried about how to choose the best coffee maker for my coffee shop, but after reading your amazing article helped me a lot. Recently I bought a new coffee maker and I am so happy that it’s working properly because of your amazing and easy tips while purchasing. Thanks a lot for sharing..!