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6 tips to get the best out of your automatic bean to cup office coffee machine

Who doesn’t love a delicious cup of coffee to start the office day? Or one at 10 am, 1 pm or 3 pm for that matter. Australians love their coffee and they expect a quality cup wherever they are. Office automatic coffee machines sometimes get a bad rap because they are not properly cared for or the beans are not stored correctly which can result in a less than perfect experience. We want to ensure you enjoy the best possible coffee every time so we have put together a list of 6 tips to ensure you get the most out of your office automatic bean to cup coffee machine.

Lavazza’s National Training Manager, John Kozsik, talks us through the secrets to getting the best coffee from your in-house machine.

1. Start with quality coffee

The number one rule of a great cup, whether beans or capsules, is to buy quality coffee. If you try to cut corners with the cheapest supplies, your office staff are much more likely to duck out for a cup somewhere else. 

2. Give your quality coffee a good home

Once you buy the best coffee, you need to store it properly.  Coffee starts to lose its freshness once it’s roasted, and air, water and light will further affect its lifespan and flavour. 

Beans and ground coffee are best kept in an airtight container, in a cool, dark cupboard. Avoid storing your coffee in the fridge or freezer.  Remember, like a sponge, coffee can absorb moisture and different aromas, so make sure you use an airtight container without fail.

3. Invest in a great office coffee machine

Everyone has different coffee preferences, but a great coffee machine is the one thing all office coffee lovers want. A lot will depend on the size of the office and the number of coffee lovers, but a great automatic coffee machine for the office is easy to use, has simple controls and offers different coffee recipes, so there is something for everyone. Ideally, it will be easy to clean too.

4. Respect the bean with a clean machine

It isn’t exciting, and it’s unlikely anyone will volunteer straight up, but keeping the coffee machine clean will allow the office team to enjoy the coffee at its best. 

John says a clean machine is critical. “Coffee is like a sponge - it soaks up everything. If your coffee is passing through a clean machine, then it isn’t picking up anything dirty that might impact the taste or quality.” 

The general rule is that if there is fresh milk involved then the coffee machine is going to need daily cleaning to ensure both quality and hygiene.

5. Lighten the load on the hopper 

You know how it goes. The bean hopper gets crammed full of coffee in the morning and might sit there all day, or longer. Just as a clean machine makes a difference, the coffee is better when it’s fresh, too. 

Coffee loses its flavour quickly when it’s exposed to air, humidity and other things in the atmosphere. The longer it’s exposed, the less enjoyable it becomes. 

There’s no need to refill the hopper before each coffee is made, but for best and tastiest results, try to only keep the hopper filled with around 3-4 hours worth of coffee to ensure the blend doesn’t lose its magic.

6. The case for a cup less full

Great coffee is about quality. “Many coffee machines are optimised to deliver an excellent espresso-sized brew, so a standard cup is generally better than a big mug,” says John. It might mean more trips to the coffee machine, but it will be worth the effort. 

This is true for single or double-shot caffeinators, but for those insisting on triple-shotting their soup-bowl-sized coffee cup, they’ll enjoy better flavour if they can resist filling it to the top. 

Premium automatic coffee machines for the office

Capsules or beans, a great coffee machine will keep all the coffee lovers at your workplace satisfied. Download Lavazza’s e-book for office managers for advice on delivering great coffee and more to your office.

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