How to Choose the Right Coffee Machine for Your Pub

Coffee has become an increasingly important part of the pub experience. Whether customers are finishing a meal, meeting during the day or choosing a non-alcoholic drink, a well-made coffee can increase spend while giving them another reason to stay.

However, choosing the right coffee machine for a pub is not simply a matter of selecting the largest or most expensive model. The right setup depends on your expected demand, available space, staff experience, drinks menu and how quickly orders need to be prepared.

In this guide, we compare the main types of pub coffee machines and explain what to consider before buying, leasing or renting your equipment.

Why Is Good Coffee Important in a Pub?

Pubs now serve customers across a much wider range of occasions. Alongside traditional evening trade, many venues offer lunch, dinner, private functions, Sunday roasts and daytime meetings.

A strong coffee menu can help a pub:

• Increase average spend after a meal
• Serve customers who are not drinking alcohol
• Attract daytime meetings and casual visitors
• Improve the overall dining experience
• Offer coffee alongside desserts, cakes and afternoon menus
• Provide a more complete service during weddings and private events

The machine must still be practical for a busy hospitality environment. Bar staff may need to prepare coffee while simultaneously serving drinks, taking food orders and dealing with customers. Speed and simplicity can therefore be just as important as the size of the drinks menu.

Which Type of Coffee Machine Is Best for a Pub?

Most pubs will choose between a bean-to-cup coffee machine and a traditional espresso machine. Both can produce excellent coffee, but they suit different styles of service.

Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines for Pubs

A commercial bean-to-cup machine grinds whole coffee beans and prepares each drink automatically. Depending on the model, it can also dispense fresh milk, powdered milk or hot chocolate.

Drinks such as espresso, Americano, cappuccino, latte and flat white can be selected from a touchscreen or button menu.

A bean-to-cup machine is often the most practical choice for a pub because it provides:

• Simple operation
• Consistent drink quality
• Fast preparation
• Reduced staff training requirements
• A compact, self-contained coffee station
• Less reliance on specialist barista skills

This can be especially useful when several team members need to serve coffee across different shifts. Once the drinks are programmed correctly, staff can produce consistent results without manually grinding, dosing and steaming milk for every order.

Explore our commercial bean-to-cup coffee machines.

Traditional Espresso Machines for Pubs

A traditional espresso machine gives the operator more control over extraction, milk texturing and presentation. It can also create a visible, premium coffee experience behind the bar.

This type of pub coffee machine may be suitable when:

• Coffee is an important part of your food and drinks offer
• You have relatively high coffee demand
• Trained staff or baristas are available
• You want greater control over each drink
• Customers can see the coffee preparation area
• Your pub has a restaurant or café-style daytime offer

A traditional setup normally requires an espresso machine, at least one grinder and suitable space for preparing and cleaning equipment. Staff will also need training to grind coffee, prepare espresso and texture milk correctly.

For pubs where counter space is limited, a compact two-group machine can provide traditional coffee preparation without dominating the bar. The Crem EX2 Compact, for example, is designed for hospitality settings where space is at a premium.

View our traditional espresso machines.

Bean-to-Cup or Traditional: Which Should You Choose?

The decision should be based on how coffee fits into your wider pub operation.

Neither option is automatically better. A quality-focused gastropub may benefit from a traditional machine, while a busy local pub may achieve more consistent results from a fully automatic bean-to-cup system.

How Many Coffees Will Your Pub Serve?

Capacity is one of the most important considerations when choosing a coffee machine for a pub.

Rather than estimating demand across an entire week, think about your busiest service period. A pub may sell relatively few coffees during weekday evenings but experience concentrated demand after Sunday lunch, during a wedding or at the end of a large group booking.

Consider:

• Your average number of coffees per day
• Peak demand after lunch or dinner
• The number of covers in your restaurant
• Private functions and weddings
• Seasonal changes in demand
• Whether customers order drinks individually or as a group
• The proportion of milk-based drinks

A machine that is too small may slow service or require frequent refilling. An unnecessarily large system, however, could take up valuable space and cost more than the business needs.

Our commercial coffee machine range can be filtered by expected daily cup volume, helping pubs compare machines for lower, medium and higher-demand locations.

Should a Pub Coffee Machine Be Plumbed In?

Both plumbed and manually filled commercial coffee machines are available.

Plumbed Coffee Machines

A plumbed coffee machine connects directly to the mains water supply. This reduces the need for staff to refill a water tank and can be particularly useful in a busy pub.

A plumbed system may be preferable when:

• Coffee demand is consistent or high
• The machine will have a permanent position
• A suitable water connection is available
• You want to minimise interruptions during service

A suitable water filter will normally be recommended to protect the equipment and support consistent drink quality.

Non-Plumbed Coffee Machines

A non-plumbed machine uses a refillable water tank. It offers greater flexibility and may be easier to install where a mains connection is unavailable.

This can suit:

• Smaller pubs
• Lower-volume coffee service
• Temporary coffee stations
• Listed or older buildings where plumbing changes are difficult
• Venues that may need to reposition the machine

The trade-off is that staff must monitor and refill the water tank, particularly during busy periods.

Fresh Milk or Powdered Milk?

The milk system affects drink quality, cleaning and day-to-day operation.

Fresh-milk systems can produce a premium latte or cappuccino experience and are often preferred by food-led pubs. They require correct refrigeration, daily cleaning and careful milk handling.

Powdered-milk systems can simplify storage and operation. They may suit pubs where coffee demand is lower, milk drinks are ordered less frequently or ease of maintenance is the main priority.

When comparing the two, consider the quality of experience you want to offer as well as the cleaning routine your team can realistically maintain.

What Drinks Should Be on a Pub Coffee Menu?

A pub does not necessarily need an enormous coffee menu. A concise selection of familiar drinks will often be more effective.

A practical menu could include:

• Espresso
• Americano
• Cappuccino
• Latte
• Flat white
• Decaffeinated coffee
• Hot chocolate
• Tea and speciality teas

Depending on the machine, decaffeinated coffee may be supplied through a second bean hopper or added as pre-ground coffee. If decaf is important to your customers, make sure the proposed machine can handle it efficiently without slowing service.

You should also consider cup sizes and glassware before programming recipes. Consistent cup sizes help control ingredient costs and make the finished drinks look more professional.

Buying, Leasing or Renting a Pub Coffee Machine

The best way to fund a pub coffee machine will depend on available capital, cash flow and long-term plans.

Buying outright gives the business ownership of the equipment but requires a larger initial investment.

Leasing can spread the cost over an agreed term, making it easier to access suitable commercial equipment without paying the full purchase price at the outset.

Pub coffee machine rental may also appeal to businesses looking for a managed arrangement or greater flexibility. The exact responsibilities for servicing, maintenance and consumables will depend on the agreement, so these should always be checked before signing.

When comparing purchase, lease and rental options, look beyond the headline payment. Ask what is included, such as:

• Delivery and installation
• Staff training
• Warranty cover
• Planned servicing
• Breakdown support
• Water filtration
• Cleaning products
• Coffee and other ingredients

Read more about commercial coffee machine rental and leasing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your Machine

1. How many coffees do you expect to serve each day?
2. When is your busiest period for coffee orders?
3. Do you want fresh or powdered milk?
4. Is a mains water connection available?
5. How much counter space do you have?
6. Will several staff members use the machine?
7. Do you have time to provide barista training?
8. Do you need regular and decaffeinated coffee?
9. Which drinks do you want to include on the menu?
10. Would you prefer to buy, lease or rent the machine?

Photographs and measurements of the proposed installation area can also help a supplier identify potential issues with space, plumbing or electrical access.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the right coffee machine for my pub?

Start with your expected daily and peak-time drink volumes, available space, staff experience and preferred menu. A bean-to-cup machine generally suits pubs prioritising speed and consistency, while a traditional espresso machine suits venues wanting a more hands-on, barista-led coffee service.

Are automatic coffee machines in pubs plumbed in?

Automatic pub coffee machines can be either plumbed or manually filled. Plumbed machines are convenient for regular or higher demand, while non-plumbed models provide more flexibility where a suitable water connection is unavailable.

Can I rent a coffee machine for my pub?

Commercial coffee machines may be available through rental or lease arrangements, subject to the supplier and equipment selected. Compare the agreement length, servicing responsibilities, breakdown support and any included products before deciding.

Does a pub need a bean-to-cup or traditional coffee machine?

A bean-to-cup machine is generally easier for a mixed team to operate consistently during busy bar service. A traditional machine may be more suitable for a food-led venue with trained staff and a stronger focus on the theatre and craft of coffee preparation.

Find the Right Coffee Machine for Your Pub

The best pub coffee machine is one that fits naturally into your service. It should produce the drinks your customers want, cope with busy periods and remain straightforward for staff to clean and operate.

Caffia Coffee Group supplies commercial coffee machines, freshly roasted coffee, installation, training and ongoing support to hospitality businesses across the UK. Our range includes bean-to-cup and traditional espresso machines for different drink volumes, menus, spaces and budgets.

Explore our commercial coffee machines or contact our team to discuss the right coffee setup for your pub.