Brewing success: The ultimate coffee machine guide for coworking spaces

Coworking spaces continue to redefine how we work, and it’s important that they meet the needs and expectations of the modern employee. In the past coffee quality was often not as important as the caffeine boost it gave, but nowadays we expect a first-class coffee experience at work and most progressive offices offer premium coffee as standard. When it’s done well, the humble office coffee machine can help boost productivity, creativity and wellbeing; help with relationship building; and create memorable experiences for your members. In fact, recent research by McKinsey & Company found that 85% of employees feel that access to quality coffee at work increases productivity and improves morale.

A strong coffee culture is the heartbeat of dynamic work environments, helping to bring colleagues together to connect and idea share over a coffee. Coworking spaces often use clever interior design and premium coffee machines as a way of taking coffee culture to the next level, recognising that the coffee experience is perfect for combining the collaboration and communication that Millennials and Generation Z crave, whilst providing an enhancement to the overall workplace experience. With strong competition in the coworking world, can you really afford to be left behind by offering a bad coffee experience?

Coworking spaces are known for bridging the gap between corporate environments and hospitality design. They have everything you’d expect from the office - fast wifi, meeting rooms and hot desks - but with added amenities and luxuries you might find in a hotel, such as gyms, comfortable seating areas, and even concierges. Choosing a coffee machines can feel like a minefield but, for coworking providers, finding a hassle-free coffee solution that is easy to use, offers a wide menu of drinks, and that can flex to high demand is key to success. Some of the biggest factors to consider are:

Ease of use - It’s unlikely you’ll have a barista on-site so you need to ensure your coffee machine is simple and intuitive to use. How easy is it to operate and choose a drink? If your offering is one that members will pay for, make sure the payment is seamless. A super automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine that delivers barista-quality coffee at the touch of a button would be a good choice for a self-service coffee area.

Beverage choice - We all have different tastes, so with lots of people to cater for your coffee machine should have a drinks menu that offers something for everyone. Particularly important is ensuring you have options for those with dietary requirements. Many modern coffee machines can now offer decaf beans and dairy-free milk alternatives for those who are vegan or have intolerances. It doesn’t need to be available on every machine in the space, but ensuring there are options for all of your members can really help you stand out from the crowd.

Efficient operation - How long does it take for a drink to be made? No one wants to be waiting in a queue for their caffeine kick, so opt for a machine that can quickly dispense a beverage. Similarly, ensure the ongoing maintenance and cleaning won’t take it out of action for long throughout the day.

High performance - How many people will be using the machine per day? Can it consistently and reliably keep up with demand? Daily output will depend on where your coffee machine is located, but ensure you choose a machine that has a capacity suitable for the space and number of members using it.

Design - When you’re making a significant investment to design a space that matches your brand and your culture, the last thing you want is to have to hide away a bulky tabletop coffee machine. Instead, a stylishly-designed coffee machine could become a focal point in the space, offering a memorable experience without compromising on aesthetics.

Sustainability - It’s often overlooked, but if sustainability is on your agenda it should extend to the appliances in your space, including the coffee machine. Look into how your coffee machine was made, and whether its inbuilt obsolescence means you’ll need to be replacing it in a matter of years. A coffee machine that was built to last will not only be better for the planet, but also your pocket. Finally, a coffee machine is only as good as the drinks it serves, so it’s important to consider the coffee and milk that you use. Ensure it has been sustainably and ethically sourced.

Coffee is more than just a drink; it's a catalyst for connection, a driver of creativity, and a source of energy, and your coworking space would be incomplete without a premium coffee machine. That’s where TopBrewer comes in, setting the standard for coffee experiences in coworking spaces.

Coffee breaks have a way of sparking conversations, building connections and encouraging conversation, and TopBrewer’s flexible and unique design gives architects and designers freedom to create human-centric, collaborative environments with the coffee machine at the heart of the space. Its intuitive app control allows users to tailor their coffee to their own preferences to meet their exact taste, meaning that everyone can enjoy their favourite coffee in the office.

TopBrewer was built with longevity in mind, and its energy-efficient operation and future proof, tech-driven design align perfectly with the values of forward-thinking coworking spaces, meaning that you’re not only transforming your coffee experience but also contributing to a greener future.

To take your experience to the next level, TopBrewer can be integrated with the leading coworking platform, Nexudus. The TopBrewer integration with Nexudus is a first for the coffee industry and allows coworking communities all over the world to enjoy a seamless, premium and connected coffee experience, without the hassle of cash or card payments, and with the benefit of allowing you to manage everything from one central location.