Hot beverage vending machines can add value to many types of businesses. Whether they are thinking about coffee, soup, tea or cocoa, when business owners research hot beverage vending machines, pricing and costs are at the forefront of their mind.

Before purchasing a vending machine for hot beverages, a business owner needs to take stock of their space and what types of customers they expect to have. Retail owners, for example, will look for different types of machines than a business owner looking to install a vending machine for employees.

Some things to consider before purchasing hot beverage vending machines are:

1. The size. Where will you put the machine? Hot beverage vending machines come in several sizes, so it's important to look at your business space to determine how big or small you want to go.

2. The type. Some vending machines for hot beverages require customers to pay at a register after they have poured their drink. Others make the drink after a customer has paid.

3. The beverages. What types of beverages will you serve? While coffee is always a popular option, some customers may appreciate flavored coffees, teas or hot chocolate.

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Look for refurbished hot beverage vending machines to save money

It's not necessary to purchase a new machine to get a good return on your investment. Companies often guarantee that a refurbished machine will work just as well as a new machine, but comes with a much lower price tag.

I recommend: Vendors Equipment offers a small sized hot beverage coffee vending machine for just over $1,000. USEDvending.com sells used equipment and offers a hot beverage vending machine for $1,500. Remember that supply for used equipment comes and goes, so it's a good idea to constantly keep an eye out.

Consider leasing hot beverage vending machines

New business owners may not have the cash needed to purchase a hot beverage machine for their company. If this is the case, you should think about leasing a machine. For a low monthly payment, you could start making money with your machine.

I recommend: The Hanna Group gives an example of a $30,000 piece of equipment leasing for $63 per month. Monthly fees range depending on the initial price of the equipment. The Vendor's Purchasing Agent Network offers a coffee and cold snack combo machine for $190 per month.

Research the hot beverage vending machines pricing and costs for new machines

Many owners simply prefer to purchase new vending machines. An advantage of this is that a new machine typically comes with a warranty.

I recommend: If you have a membership to Sam's Club, you can purchase a freeze dried coffee vending machine for a little more than $5,000. Living Comforts offers an espresso machine that is ideal for use in an office for your employees.

Most people only notice hot beverage vending machines when they want something from them, but there is a lot know as a business owner when you're considering having them around to earn some extra money each month.

Here are some things to consider before purchasing a hot beverage vending machine:

1. Do you want to own the vending machine yourself or work with a vendor? You might be able to make more money by buying your own vending machine, but unless you're a mechanic, you're going to need someone to service it when problems arise.

2. Decide what kind of hot beverage machines are you thinking of having. You can purchase coffee vending machines, hot chocolate vending machines or a combination of both, which also sells soup and tea.

3. If you have budgetary concerns, think about purchasing a refurbished or used hot beverage machine.

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Work with a vendor or buy your own hot beverage machine

If you decide to work with a vendor, find out what kind of service is available for your hot beverage machines. If you opt to buy your own hot beverage machine, be aware of the problems that may arise and what you'll need to do to remedy the problem.

I recommend: American Vending & Coffee offers a full range of services on a hot chocolate vending machine, a hot coffee machine or a combination of both. Buy your own hot coffee vending machine from Vencoa Vending Machines. It also has information on its website to help you learn about financing a vending machine.

Buy refurbished coffee and hot chocolate vending machines

If it's too expensive for you to purchase a brand-new hot beverage vending machine, consider buying a refurbished or used one from an authorized dealer. You can great deals by buying a used or refurbished machine and still get a quality product that will please your customers.

I recommend: Buy a refurbished hot beverage machine from The Vending Depot. It has both hot coffee machines and hot chocolate vending machines available. UsedVending.com is another great source for a used or refurbished hot beverage machine.

Find hot beverage vending machine repair services to help you when things go wrong

The ability to find have on hand the names and numbers of vending machine repair services can make the difference between you losing money because of having a broken down machine or not. If you're the do-it-yourself type, you're still going to need the name of a company that sells vending machine parts so that you can easily fix your machines if issues arise.

I recommend: Visit VendingConnection.com to find information on vending machine service professionals and providers across the United States. A&M Equipment Sales sells parts for your hot beverage vending machines. You can buy new and refurbished machines here as well.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Having a vending machine for your employees in a break room or lunch area as well as for customers is a great way to make extra money for your business, no matter what it is.
• •  Consider having a hot beverage machine that sells items like hot soups or teas along with hot chocolate and coffee.

Hot beverage vending machines come in all sizes and configurations to fit within any snack room area of a school, hospital or business. Coffee, cappuccino, lattes, teas, hot chocolate and even soup can be made for on-the-go employees or for customers who are waiting for services. Choose hot beverage vending machines that offer features such as freeze-dried or fresh-brewed drinks, as well as multiple vending options like coffee blends, tea flavors and soup varieties. Other features to evaluate include cup sizes, and coin changers for customers or employees who need exact change. Some other popular specifications for hot beverage vending machines include an easy user interface, energy efficiency, standard water filtration requirements, one-touch service and automatic, door-opening delivery.

Find information and steps for hot beverage machines installation and maintenance from product manuals. Some manufacturers offer technical or customer assistance if you need help installing your hot beverage vending machines. Maintenance and repair services should also be on standby in case of machine malfunction. Therefore, options for hot beverage vending machines installation and maintenance include:

1. Studying manufacturer's product manuals related to hot beverage vending machines.

2. Troubleshooting hot beverage vending machines installation issues.

3. Working with hot beverage vending machines maintenance services.

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Read manuals of hot beverage vending machines

The first step toward hot beverage vending machines installation and maintenance is to follow product manual instructions.

I recommend: Basic set-up and installation information for hot beverage vending machines can be found at Outlook Management Services. Vendnet provides a listing of hot beverage vending machines parts and service manuals. Coffee Shrine features downloadable coffee and cappuccino vending machines.

Contact technical assistance for help with hot beverage vending machines

Technical assistance or customer service is available for product setup advice and for troubleshooting installation issues with your hot beverage vending machine.

I recommend: Consult with VendingMachinesWorldwide by telephone or email for installation questions. Customer service representatives are also available at Ideal Vending Machines and Coffee Service. Vendors Equipment also offers ways for contacting customer service.

Search for manufacturers or other resources for hot beverage vending machines maintenance

Seek solutions for hot beverage vending machines installation and maintenance. Service options range from cleaning to preventative maintenance to parts replacement.

I recommend: Vencoa Vending Machines offers preventative maintenance tips that keep hot beverage vending machines running. Freeco Vending Services offers 24-hour, seven-day-a-week maintenance for problems such as clogs, product jams and machine breakdowns. Companies such as Atlanta Vending have full-service preventative maintenance programs for their clients. Repair and parts and model replacement options are available at Empire Equipment.

Whether you’re offering hot beverages like coffee and cocoa to your employees in the break room or marketing drinks to customers through vending machines, learning key terminology will enable you to choose the equipment with the right features. Studying terms like “drip method brewing,” and “bill validator” and “CombiSnack” will not only help you pick a hot beverage vending machine that outputs the type and amount of product you want, but will also allow you to discuss upgrades, parts replacements or troubleshooting with machine vendors to keep the equipment in top shape.

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Drip method brewing

Give your customers the best tasting coffee by purchasing a hot beverage vending machine that uses a drip method brewing process. The system also features bean grinders to produce fresh, restaurant-style coffee.

I recommend: Discover more benefits of drip method brewing and see a selection of vending machines that use the feature through American Vending Online.

CombiSnack

Increase your product offerings without using more floor space with a CombiSnack unit that offers both hot beverages and cold snacks. While the hot beverage portion offers fresh-brewed coffee, the cold portion will accommodate everything from soda cans to bagged snacks.

I recommend: See a CombiSnack unit and learn about additional features and specifications through The Vendor’s Purchasing Agent Network.

Dual strength

Allow customers to customize their brew with a dual strength feature that provides a stronger cup of coffee. The ability to enhance the robust flavor of the coffee may attract customers who ordinarily consider vending machine coffee to watery and weak.

I recommend: See a selection of hot beverage vending machines with double strength features and other additions like mug sensors and individual pricing through Embassy Vending.

Multiple pricing

Look for vending machine units that feature a multiple pricing option that allows you to tailor rates based on the beverage. Also called individual pricing, the feature will allow you to make more money on specialty beverages like hot mochas or soups.

I recommend: Find hot vending machine models that offer multiple pricing options through Vendors Equipment.

Bill validator

Reduce fraud from customers trying to use counterfeit bills or slugs instead of coins to pay for hot beverages. Retrofit your hot beverage vending machines with a new bill validator or coin acceptor to increase the unit's security level.

I recommend: Discover dollar bill validators, along with a selection of coin acceptors, through the Vending World website.

ePort

If you'd rather eliminate the ability to accept dollar bills and coins altogether, consider equipping your hot beverage machines with ePort systems that require the use of credit and debit cards for payment. The cashless system also tracks sales figures to simplify accounting.

I recommend: USA Technologies offers an ePort payment system that you can retrofit to your current hot beverage vending machines.