Researching a Coffee Vending Machine can be a confusing and daunting task with an array of terms used to describe the myriad of feature. To help unravel the mystery of Coffee Vending Machines we have created the glossary below which will hopefully assist understand these simple, yet complex beasts.
Dimensions (Height x Weight x Depth)
The maximum amount of space that your Coffee Vending Machine physically consumes. When considering your space requirements it is also important to be aware of whether the machine requires additional room at the top – to fill beans or water – or sides – to fill vending consumables or clean the machine.
Number of selections
This is the number of pre-programmed options available on the machine. Your Coffee Vending Machine provider will programme your drinks selections to your desired requirements. Don’t forget that you may want to allocate preselections for hot water and hot milk in addition to your preferred beverages.
Numbers of pre selections
The preselections are buttons that are programmed to determine an option to use with your selection. For example, your Coffee Vending Machine may have 2 preselections for cups size – big cup and small cup. This would be selected prior to choosing your beverage.
Fresh bean or Bean to cup
Fresh bean Vending Machines store coffee beans that are automatically ground, dosed, tamped and extracted after make a coffee selection. While most fresh bean machines only provide for one type of bean, more sophisticated models may provide 2 bean hoppers so that the users can chose the option of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee drinks.
Coffee beans capacity
This is the physical holding capacity of the bean hopper, usually in grams. Many Coffee Vending Machines may also have the option of expanding the bean capacity.
Number of instant powder canisters
Instant powder canisters store and dispense dry vending powders that may be used in your beverage. In dry milk machine at least 1 canister must be allocated for milk powders or granules.
Instant powders can include instant coffee, specialty flavoured coffees, hot chocolate powders, chai, instant tea and soups. While the choices of beverages may seem unlimited in machines with a large number of canisters, for higher volume applications multiple canisters may also be used for the same powder to increase the time between restocking.
Additionally, multiple canisters may share the same mixing bowls – see next point – and care must be taken not to share mixing bowls between b flavoured powders – spring onion soup – with more delicate drinks such as Chai.
Mixing Bowl
The mixing bowl is where the action happens in your Coffee Vending Machine. When you choose a selection that uses a powder canister, the powder/s are dispensed into a mixing bowl, hot water is added to dissolve the powered then the solution is extracted into the cup. For example, in a machine where we may have a drinking chocolate, the selection of this drink would dispense hot chocolate powder and maybe even milk powder in to a mixing bowl, which is then combined with water and dispensed.
The mixing bowl / dried canister combinations are important factors for determining the number of drink varieties available from your machine.
Cup size fitting
The gap between your dispensing head and cup surface, cup holder or drip tray will determine what sized cups can be used with your machine. Some Coffee Vending Machines will have adjustable height cup holders and some will even have sufficient room for a coffee carafe or jug, while others may only be able to accommodate certain cup sizes.
Autonomous water tank
Coffee Vending Machines that are not located near a water supply or that need to be moved around may need an autonomous or internal water tank. In some cases this could be a gravity fed tank. In other cases, this could be a large water tank in the base stand of the machine with a small pump.
Water tank capacity
The water capacity of your water tank, usually measured in litres.
Mains water connection
A mains water connection will mean that you do not need to fill your Coffee Vending Machine with water. The setup will usually require a water filter, pressure reducer and stop valve or tap.
Payment system
Payment systems can be added to some Coffee Vending Machines. These systems can accommodate coins, or notes, or swipe cards, or a combination of the above.
Base cabinet
You Coffee Vending Machine may be bench top mounted or you may choose a free standing machine. Your free standing machine may require a base cabinet. Base cabinets can accommodate waste (water and ground coffee) or water can be plumbed to your drainage system. Base cabinets may also be able to accommodate spare consumables such as coffee, vending powders, cups, sugars, and stirrers.
Cup sensor
Cup sensors significantly reduce the amount of wet waste created by your Coffee Vending Machine. The machine will only dispense when the cup sensor detects your cup and as soon as a cup is removed, the machine will cease dispensing product.
Fresh milk system
Fresh milk systems have a separate milk boiler and frother unit. When using a fresh milk system, thought also needs to be given to milk refrigeration. In some vending machines milk refrigeration is internal where as in others a separate milk fridge or cooler may be required.
This information provided courtesty of Coffee Shrine. Read the orignal article here.
The Lab Cafe (Neutral Bay), Sydney, Australia
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:37:17 PST
Location: Sydney, Australia
Great little cafe! Super friendly staff and great coffee and quick friendly service! Perfect place for a morning coffee
Il Cafe Latte, New York, United States
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:25:42 PST
Location: New York, United States
With a name like this you would expect them to make a good latte. I ordered two to go. One regular, one decaf, they were both terrible. Undrinkable. We poured both down the sink. Waste of time and money. Soapy was what sprang to mind on first sip. On second sip it was burnt and soapy.
On the up side, their cold apple pie was good.
It's a shame the coffee was...
Aslan Coffee, Sydney, Australia
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:06:54 PST
Location: Sydney, Australia
Only recently discovered this local cafe, great little find. Leans toward take-away in style, but there's seating for 10 or 12 inside, and there's a couple of tables on the footpath too. Coffee is good, food excellent, especially considering the prices. Just had a very substantial Tuna Avocado wrap for $7, it was delicious and really filling...I'm stuffed. Will be here...
Hermitage Rd., Hitchin, United Kingdom
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:55:29 PST
Location: Hitchin, United Kingdom
New cafe in town. Has a restaurant upstairs, but I haven't tried that yet. That also uses their own Has Bean coffee blend.
Coffee has been consistently great and the recent addition of a filter option has added another element to the place. Being new, it's certainly evolving and Marc is trying new things regularly.
And it's 2 minutes walk from home. ...
Off to a Flying Start
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:24:33 PST
It’s no secret to any of you loyal readers that I have a bit of a thing for Bali. Over the last five years we have developed a wonderful partnership with the coffee farmers of Kintamani. By paying them a great price for their coffee and helping them fund some special projects it’s fair to say we’ve made a solid contribution to the relationship. However I’ve always wondered how we can make a...
Sayle: A Solo Show by James Eisen
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST
James Eisen invokes the arbitrariness of nature with a seemingly ad-hoc assemblage zebra skin, concrete, epoxy, polyurethane, plastic sheets, wood, wire and clay.
[Click here to to view this content at Broadsheet Melbourne.]
Hell of the North Opens in Fitzroy
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST
One half of the Rose Street Artists’ Market has joined forces with a shmick sommelier have taken on what was the Lambs Go Bar to bring some hell to the north.
[Click here to to view this content at Broadsheet Melbourne.]
Get Your Hot Soupy Ramen
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST
A new hotspot in the city for ramen junkies to get their fix.
[Click here to to view this content at Broadsheet Melbourne.]
Massive Wieners – Put Them Between Some Buns
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST
Dirty jokes aside, sausages are the flavour of the day at this hot new dog stand in Prahran.
[Click here to to view this content at Broadsheet Melbourne.]
Atwater's Belvedere Square, Baltimore, United States
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:03:43 PST
Location: Baltimore, United States
Great coffee from Counter Culture Coffee
Grind Cafe Noosa, Noosa, Australia
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:20:25 PST
Location: Noosa, Australia
Excellent Coffee and very personal service. We will definitely be going back.
The Borough Barista, London, United Kingdom
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:43:24 PST
Location: London, United Kingdom
Quietly tucked away in a super quaint strip of shops, just north of the Oxford St and Marble Arch corner, I always enjoy my perfectly made Flat White. The charming interior feels like sitting in your own flat, so it's always good for a catch up with friends or a bit of chilled ME time. Great pastries too!! Best cafe in this part of London!!
EspressoLab (Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:09:36 PST
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Not really a cafe per say but place for coffee lovers and baristas to hang out. They also are a micro roaster.
7 days 7 coffees mk 2 day 1
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:01:22 PST
After the 7 days 7 coffees thing I’m not put off
Always innovating I have a new idea of 7 coffees in 7 days now (its all a bit crazy but I want to get these coffees on the site for you all to enjoy). So a new challenge starts today (sucker for punishment). We really have so many great coffees to share with you.
So this is an african and a rare one at that. Enough of me read on ……..
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Daily Shot Of Coffee Guide To Coffee
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:01 PST
You may have noticed something a little different here. Gone is the annoying pop-up asking you to subscribe to the newsletter. While it was effective in getting everyone’s attention, even I have to admit it was pretty damn annoying. It’s replaced by a less annoying subscription box on the side bar (subscribe now and test it out )
Along with the new way to subscribe to the newsletter, I created...
Talking Coffee: Gevalia Coffee Bean Chat Today
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:43:38 PST
Quick note that I’m going to be hosting the Gevalia Coffee Bean Chat on Facebook today (Thursday Feb 9) at 10am EST. It would be awesome if you stopped by and chatted, asked some questions or just said hello! It should be fun.
To join the chat, you just have to Like their page, then click the link to the Bean Chat on the left sidebar. If you have any problems, let me know.
See you...
Red Rock Coffee, Sedona, AZ, United States
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:16:38 PST
Location: Sedona, AZ, United States
Located in a non-descript building with large windows overlooking the... parking lot (sigh), Red Rock Coffee serves Fire Creek Coffee from Cave Creek, AZ - although they're going to be opening their own roastery next door soon. The shop has a neighborhood feel to it, with the same faces in the same chairs on the same days every week - and a smattering of...
Conroy Bradley Pistol Club, Newcastle, Australia
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:42:42 PST
Location: Newcastle, Australia
New espresso bar in an old Newcastle city bakehouse, the coffee is from a well known busy cafe in Melbourne "Proud Mary".
I had my usual double shot latte which was right up there with the standards of top quality espresso.. Nick the owner/operator does an exceptionally good job, as expected having a history in working with coffee in Melbourne and previous work for...
Zwart, Antwerp, Belgium
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:12:59 PST
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
good cafe
Aux Cafe, Tábor, Czech Republic
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:05:49 PST
Location: Tábor, Czech Republic
Moc dobra kava pripravovana na kavovaru Faema.Moznost i pripravy pres Chemex.Momentalne k ochutnani kava Doubleshot-kava Columbia jednodruhova a kava Salvador & Brazil smes.Prijemne prostredi,certifikovany barista a spoustu kvalitniho alkoholu napriklad 70 druhu ruma..whisky,Calvados,Absinthe..
Tags: coffee, coffee vending machines, office coffee machines
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Useful Facts about Coffee Vending Machines | Coffee News | Love Of Coffee | Australia’s Coffee Culture…
Researching a Coffee Vending Machine can be a confusing and daunting task with an array of terms used to describe the myriad of feature. To help unravel the mystery of Coffee Vending Machines we have created the glossary below which will hopefully assi…
Useful Facts about Coffee Vending Machines…
Researching a Coffee Vending Machine can be a confusing and daunting task with an array of terms used to describe the myriad of feature. To help unrav……