When businesses start looking for a new workplace coffee machine, they often ask questions like:
- Which machine makes the best coffee?
- Should we choose bean-to-cup or pod?
- How much does it cost?
They’re all good questions.
But there’s one question that’s even more important:
How many drinks will your workplace make each day?
Understanding your daily drinks volume is one of the easiest ways to choose the right workplace coffee machine—and avoid paying for features you don’t need or buying a machine that can’t keep up.
⭐ At a Glance
|
Feature |
Details |
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Best for |
Businesses choosing a new office coffee machine |
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Key consideration |
Daily drinks volume rather than employee numbers alone |
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Suitable for |
Offices, warehouses, factories, schools, healthcare and commercial workplaces |
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Helps you decide |
The right machine capacity, running costs and future scalability |
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Ideal if you want |
To avoid buying a machine that's either too small or larger than you need |
What Is Drinks Volume?
Drinks volume simply means the number of hot drinks your workplace is likely to make each day.
That includes:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Hot chocolate
- Specialty drinks
Knowing this figure helps suppliers recommend equipment that’s designed for your level of demand.
How to Estimate Your Daily Drinks Volume
One of the easiest ways to narrow down the right office coffee machine is to estimate how many drinks your workplace serves each day. While every business is different, a simple calculation can provide a useful starting point.
Step 1: Count the number of regular users
Think beyond your employee headcount. Consider hybrid workers, shift patterns, visitors, contractors and anyone else who regularly uses your drinks station.
Step 2: Estimate average drinks per person
Most employees enjoy between two and four hot drinks throughout the working day. Some workplaces may consume significantly more, particularly where tea is popular or staff work long shifts.
Step 3: Include visitors and meeting rooms
If you regularly welcome customers, suppliers or interview candidates, remember to include those drinks as well. Reception areas and meeting rooms can significantly increase your daily drink requirements.
If you’re unsure where your business fits, don’t worry. Our experienced team can help you estimate your expected drinks volume and recommend a machine that’s perfectly matched to your workplace.
Why Does Drinks Volume Matter?
Commercial coffee machines are designed for different workloads.
Some are perfect for smaller offices making 20 drinks a day.
Others are built to serve hundreds of drinks across busy workplaces, warehouses or manufacturing facilities.
Choosing the wrong machine can lead to:
- Longer waiting times
- More frequent maintenance
- Increased wear and tear
- Higher running costs
- A disappointing experience for employees
Matching the machine to your drinks volume helps ensure consistent performance throughout the working day.
Low Drinks Volume
Smaller workplaces often prioritise simplicity and drink variety.
If your team only prepares a relatively small number of drinks each day, a compact machine may be the ideal solution.
These workplaces often benefit from:
- Easy operation
- Low maintenance
- Premium coffee
- Tea and speciality drink options
Medium Drinks Volume
As workplaces grow, demand increases.
A machine serving 60–100 drinks every day needs greater capacity, faster preparation times and easier refilling.
At this stage, reliability becomes just as important as drink quality.
High Drinks Volume
Busy workplaces require equipment that’s built for continuous use.
Warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centres and larger offices often need machines capable of serving hundreds of drinks every day without compromising performance.
Choosing a machine designed for high-volume environments helps reduce downtime and keeps employees refreshed during busy periods.
It’s Not Just About Employee Numbers
A common misconception is that the number of employees determines the machine you need.
In reality, what matters is how many drinks are made.
For example:
- A team of 20 dedicated coffee drinkers may need a larger machine than an office of 40 where many employees rarely drink hot beverages.
- Visitor numbers, shift patterns and meeting facilities can also increase demand.
That’s why drinks volume is such an important part of the conversation.
Common Mistakes When Choosing an Office Coffee Machine
Choosing a workplace coffee machine isn’t just about selecting the model with the most features. Here are some of the most common mistakes businesses make.
Buying based on employee numbers alone
A company with 50 employees doesn’t necessarily make the same number of drinks as another business with the same workforce. Working patterns, shift systems and drink preferences all affect daily usage.
Forgetting about visitors
Reception areas, customer meetings and training sessions can add dozens of extra drinks each day. Make sure your machine can comfortably handle both employees and guests.
Choosing today’s capacity instead of tomorrow’s
If your business is growing, it’s often worth selecting a machine with enough capacity to meet your future needs rather than replacing it sooner than expected.
Buying a machine that’s too large
Bigger isn’t always better. An oversized machine may cost more to purchase, occupy unnecessary space and include features you simply won’t use.
Focusing only on the coffee
Many workplaces serve almost as much tea as coffee. Choosing a machine that caters for everyone helps ensure your investment delivers maximum value.
We’ll Help You Find the Right Fit
At Office Barista, one of the first things we’ll ask is how many drinks your workplace expects to make each day.
From there, we can recommend the solution that’s right for your business.
Whether that’s:
- A bean-to-cup coffee machine for freshly ground coffee
- A FLAVIA drinks system offering Lavazza coffee and Twinings tea
- A KLIX hot drinks machine for busy industrial environments
Our recommendation is based on your workplace—not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Quick Capacity Guide
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Estimated Daily Drinks |
Recommended Solution |
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Up to 40 drinks |
Compact office coffee machine or FLAVIA system |
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40 to100 drinks |
Mid-capacity bean-to-cup or FLAVIA Creation 600 |
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100 to 250 drinks |
Commercial bean-to-cup machine |
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250+ drinks |
High-capacity commercial coffee solution |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is daily drinks volume?
Daily drinks volume is the estimated number of hot drinks your workplace prepares during a typical working day. It helps determine the size and capacity of the coffee machine that’s best suited to your business.
Does the number of employees determine the right coffee machine?
Not always. Employee numbers are only one part of the picture. Visitor numbers, hybrid working, shift patterns and the average number of drinks each person consumes all influence the machine capacity you’ll need.
Can an office coffee machine be too large?
Yes. While choosing a slightly larger machine can allow for future growth, an oversized machine may take up unnecessary space and increase costs without providing additional value.
Why is drinks volume more important than machine size?
A coffee machine’s capacity determines how many drinks it can prepare efficiently throughout the day. Choosing the correct capacity helps ensure reliable performance, reduces waiting times and avoids placing unnecessary strain on the machine.
What happens if I choose a machine that’s too small?
A machine that’s regularly pushed beyond its recommended daily capacity may require more maintenance, experience increased wear and provide a less consistent experience for employees.
How can Office Barista help me choose the right capacity?
Our team will consider your employee numbers, working patterns, visitor numbers and expected daily drink volume before recommending the most suitable machine for your business. This helps ensure you invest in a solution that meets your needs today and continues to perform as your business grows.
Final Thoughts
When choosing a workplace hot drinks machine, don’t start with the machine.
Start with the drinks.
Understanding how many hot drinks your workplace serves each day is the simplest way to choose equipment that delivers reliable performance, great coffee and long-term value.
Get the drinks volume right, and choosing the right machine becomes much easier.
