Making the most of commercial coffee brewers may require taking a calculated risk to maximize the equipment purchase. Offer free coffee as a marketing strategy to boost sales and drive new business. Provide complimentary coffee to new customers with a product purchase or repeat business. Gather valuable customer feedback for future product investments such as organic, iced or flavored coffees with the free offer. Offset the cost of the free coffee by limiting the offer to a set time or day to cover the initial investment expense. Track the expenses carefully, when using commercial coffee brewers to generate add-on sales.

Another strategy for making the most of commercial coffee brewers is location. Place the coffee brewing machine near the counter to encourage impulse sales. Freshly brewed coffee in a highly visible area increases the opportunity to up sell to customers and for feedback participation.

Coffee brewing machines are an excellent resource to improve sales, consider the following:

1. Encourage impulse sales using commercial coffee brewers.

2. Compare the investment cost of the industrial coffee machine against the expenses associated with free coffee offers.

3. Monitor and limit coffee giveaways to ensure cost benefit savings.

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Generate add-on sales using industrial coffee machines

Commercial coffee makers are easy to use and time savers when serving coffee to your customers. An accessible industrial coffee brewer makes up selling easier and more efficient. The aroma of coffee in your establishment can lead to more coffee sales.

I recommend: Crest Kitchen Solutions has a low profile design that is perfect for an impulse item selling point. Abe of Maine offers programmable industrial coffee makers for economical yet efficient in impulse coffee sales.

Provide faster service with a commercial coffee brewer

Make use of commercial coffee makers for fast brewing to provide quick service for initial purchases and refills. Deliver speedy service in your establishment, which leads to customer satisfaction and the ability for more sales.

I recommend: Kitchen Supply Direct has automatic brewers with multiple pot capabilities so you always have enough coffee on hand. Illy USA only offers thermal brewers that are insulated to keep coffee hot and fresh four hours at time.

Place an industrial coffee machine in a highly visible area

Consider placing an industrial coffee machine near your register. Make it easier for the employees to up sell coffee. This is especially effective at various businesses such as doughnut shops, a delicateness and sandwich shops. Train the employees to offer a cup of coffee to go with purchases in order to boost sales.

I recommend: My Chef Store has smaller, more compact machines that you can place anywhere. Flavia offers compact and stylish coffee brewers that fit almost anywhere. These are specifically designed for close quarters.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Expand the use of an industrial coffee machine as a marketing tool. Offer a easy to complete feedback form with the free coffee. Be sure to include a place for an email address or cell phone number on the customer form.
• •  Keep extra industrial coffee pots at your disposal for peak selling times.

Commercial coffee brewers come in a huge range of styles and sizes, and with a dizzying array of possible features, but all of them perform the same basic function: brewing coffee. If you're familiar with a home coffee maker, a commercial coffee maker works essentially the same way, but with more automatic regulations and features for back-to-back brewing.

When you start shopping for an industrial coffee machine, make sure that you know the volume of coffee you'll need to make in a given amount of time. One industrial coffee machine may not be able to handle your entire volume of coffee, so you may need to get several commercial coffee makers and a thermal dispenser for serving.

1. Compare brands and products to get an idea of what industrial coffee pots are available.

2. Shop with well-known brands for industrial coffee brewers and commercial coffee supplies.

3. Remember to look for grinders and thermal dispensers if you won't just be brewing and serving from the pot.

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Compare brands and products when shopping for industrial coffee makers

Industrial coffee makers are easy to find online, which makes comparison shopping a simple matter. Comparison sites allow you to look at different brands and different products, so that you can get an idea of what types of industrial coffee machines are available from which manufacturers.

I recommend: Use a comparison shopping tool to get an idea of the products you're interested in, but shop for industrial coffee makers with the manufacturer directly. Shopping with the manufacturer allows you to look at other industrial coffee supplies and get product support information.

Shop for commercial coffee brewers from well known commercial brands

In commercial restaurant equipment and supply, several brands are well known for providing the highest quality products with the features needed most by commercial users. Get industrial coffee pots from the best-known manufacturers to avoid getting a brewer that functions like your household coffee pot.

I recommend: Check out brands like Bunn, which do business in industrial coffee machines worldwide. These companies constantly innovate and update their equipment, and have features like warming burners and multiple pots for restaurant needs.

Make sure your industrial coffee machine has all the functions you need

Not all commercial coffee machines perform every function you need. If you want to grind your own coffee, but can't find a commercial coffee brewing machine that grinds for you, you'll need to get a separate grinder. If you have large volume coffee needs but can't find a commercial automatic coffee maker with a large enough cup volume, find a thermal dispenser for easy coffee serving in large volumes.

I recommend: Instead of searching for the perfect machine, get a quality coffee brewer you know will last. Purchase a commercial grinder and large thermal dispensers separately, because while you'll always want to make coffee, your grinding and serving needs may vary and change over time.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Restaurants and coffee shops are popular among a wide range of people, but if your customers tend to be concerned with the environment you may want to invest in some environmentally friendly supplies for your commercial coffee brewers, like reusable filters or organic coffee grounds. If you can't switch over entirely, advertise your limited eco-friendly options.

Industrial coffee makers are an essential part of the budget for businesses that serve coffee. Rigorous budgeting addresses expenses that effect pricing and costs of commercial coffee brewers. Control costs by purchasing mini-brewers for smaller clientele and a larger multiple burner commercial coffee machine for businesses that sell coffee in multiple shifts. Consider pre-owned equipment in order to save on the initial investment or a replacement commercial automatic coffee maker.

Factor the costs of industrial coffee supplies for your commercial coffee brewer to provide an accurate financial outlook. Review the cost associated with basic supplies such as extra industrial coffee pots, cleaning supplies and filters. Manage pricing and costs of commercial coffee brewers by buying coffee beans in bulk and grind the beans in-house. Curtail built in costs with the proper equipment and supplies.

1. Compare costs from different vendors when searching for a commercial coffee machine.

2. Consider purchasing commercial coffee supplies and equipment with the same supplier.

3. Find industrial coffee machine vendors that offer free or discount deals on shipping.

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Browse pricing on quality industrial coffee machines

Shop around before deciding to purchase expensive coffee dispensing equipment. Find coffee brewing machines for the best price within budget. The size of a commercial coffee brewer matters. A brewer with six decanter warmers can cost over $1000. If you have a smaller business, consider a single brewer for half the price.

I recommend: Restaurant Source offers many varieties of commercial coffee dispensers and brewers at discounted prices. The Blender Place has a commercial division of Hamilton Beach products that has sales items including industrial coffee machines.

Get commercial coffee machine supplies all in one place

Placing an order for equipment and supplies has its advantages. The vendor may offer special discounts on larger orders of supplies and equipment. Avoid the hassles of trying to match the accessories for your commercial coffee machines.

I recommend: Affiliated Equipment offers up to 50% discount for purchases of industrial coffee machine accessories and coffee machines all in one place. Negotiate pricing directly with the vendor for accessories and equipment at Bravilor Bonamat Group.

Find free or discounted shipping for commercial coffee makers

Save on shipping expenses with bulk orders of beans, filers or cleaning supplies. Many vendors offer free or discounted shipping with orders. Shipping costs can escalate your budget and lead you to spend more than planned. Make sure and search for shipping deals.

I recommend: The Beverage Factory provides discount shopping by brand or category and extra saving along with free shipping on selected coffee makers. Coffee Makers offers low cost shipping as little as $7.00 on their industrial coffee machines.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Find out about warranty information on industrial coffee machines before ordering equipment for the business.

Commercial coffee and espresso machines have become key ingredients to a successful food service business for many people, but learning the terms you need to navigate the many types of coffee brewers available is no easy task. Because coffee brewing has a long and international history, there are many terms reflecting the various ways coffee can be brewed and served. Successful coffee shops generally offer a number of options for not only the type of coffee being served, but also the brewing style used to make it.

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Espresso

Espresso is the name for a type of coffee prepared by boiling water at hot temperatures and brewing the coffee by shooting steam through fine grounds. Espresso is an Italian term, but the brewing technique has become ubiquitous in coffee shops around the world because of the rich and unique flavor of espresso.

I recommend: 1st in Coffee offers an informative explanation of the process of espresso brewing and its history.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is a type of espresso drink that can also be made using commercial espresso machines by combining espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk to create a light, sweet coffee beverage. Because of the strength of espresso, cappuccino is a popular way of preparing espresso, served hot or on ice.

I recommend: CoffeeGeek.com provides a definition for cappuccino in its detailed espresso terms glossary.

Carafe

A carafe typically refers to a glass container with a flared lip for pouring, and may also be referred to as a decanter when built with a lid. In coffee brewing, the carafe is the glass pitcher used with drip methods of brewing to collect coffee and then serve. Carafes are also commonly used with other types of beverages.

I recommend: Find an extensive definition of carafe at wiseGEEK.

Percolator

A percolator is an older method for brewing coffee that involves forcing boiling water up and over coffee grounds so that the coffee is brewed by the boiling water circulating throughout the grounds. In percolation, the coffee grounds serve as a porous substance through which the water passes, and a percolator allows the brewing coffee to recirculate through the coffee grounds as part of the brewing method.

I recommend: Read more about the percolator as a coffee brewing method from Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop.

Drip station

A drip station is a contemporary device for single-cup coffee brewing that uses the drip method, common in coffee machines for home and commercial use. A drip station provides space for several single cups to be brewed through a drip at the same time. This method has become increasingly popular among small, boutique coffee shops as an ecologically friendly alternative to more standard brewing methods.

I recommend: Viva Barista provides a useful overview of the drip station as a method for single-cup coffee brewing.

Airpot

An airpot is a type of container for storing and serving coffee that uses a spigot directly from the pot. Airpots typically hold several cups of coffee and offer easy transporting and storage, as well as the ability to serve coffee without pouring using the air pumped spigot device.

I recommend: The Coffee Brewers offers a concise definition of airpot brewers.