How to Upkeep Your Office Coffee Machine

Why is regular maintenance important? 

When you brew coffee at home, maintenance is minimal. You probably use your setup once in the morning or maybe twice a day if you're working from home. Perhaps you even enjoy a cup of decaf to unwind late in the day. Either way, the usage of the office machine is much less than that of any other. Also, at home, it's just you and your family using your coffee maker, but in offices partnered with Crafty, upwards of 50+ people rely on their trusty coffee machines throughout the day. That’s a ton of traffic!

Keeping up with the upkeep of your office coffee machine has many benefits. Here's a closer look at five of them:

💦 Improved Water Quality:
Regular maintenance ensures that the water flowing through your coffee machine is as pure as a mountain stream. (Or, as close as you can possibly get.) Clean water also leads to a cleaner, crisper coffee taste.

🧫  Prevented Limescale Buildup:
Pesky minerals like calcium and magnesium in your water can wreak havoc on a coffee machine over time. Regular maintenance works like a shield against limescale buildup, preventing machine clogs and subpar brews.

🧼 Increased Hygiene Levels:
Keeping your coffee machine squeaky clean prevents bacteria and mold from crashing your caffeine party.

🪠 Decreased Clog Risk:
Office coffee machines come in all shapes and sizes, including pod machines and those with power mix-ins. Regular maintenance keeps the machine’s intricate components free from nasty clogs that can disrupt your employees’ morning rituals.

🏆 Prolonged Machine Life:
When you show your coffee machine some love, it returns the favor with a longer lifespan. Regular maintenance means less frequent repairs and replacements, which also saves your office money in the long run.

So, what's Crafty doing to ensure these caffeine companions keep brewing excellence, day in and day out? Keep reading!

How does Crafty upkeep your equipment? 

At Crafty, we're all about ensuring your investment in high-quality office kitchen equipment pays off. Think of it this way: We want your office coffee machine, whether rental or owned, to run as efficiently as the day it first arrived so your employees don't have to experience a dreaded disruption in their daily caffeine fix. 

It's like cleaning your house. If you do a daily reset of all your main living spaces, keeping things generally picked up, then when it's time to do a deep clean on the weekend (or, let's be real, maybe once a month?), the deep clean isn't all that bad. The same principle applies to your office coffee maker. 

Plus, we know what we're doing. Think of it like this — if someone were to tell you to descale your office coffee maker, you'd probably feel a lot like Moira Rose following a recipe…. "You just, you know, you descale it!" 

But don’t worry, we’ve got you. Let’s break down what we do to keep your office machine in tip-top shape.

Step 1: Lightly clean inside the machine

We wipe down the machine with a wet cloth or brush to keep coffee residue and oils at bay. This prevents them from taking a toll on your coffee's flavor and ensures a pleasant taste every time you brew.  

We also make sure that our regular cleaning works its magic by preventing clogs, ensuring the smooth flow of that precious liquid gold. Accumulated coffee residues in the brew group, grinder, and drip tray can spell trouble, so we get them squeaky clean.

A well-maintained coffee machine is a healthy coffee machine, and regular cleaning keeps your brewing environment free from lurking bacteria and mold — rest assured that your office brew is safe to be enjoyed by all!

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Maintenance is your machine's BFF. Proper care can and will extend its lifespan and help you save on repair and replacement costs.

Step 2: Descale the machine

To complete this crucial step, we follow the manufacturer's instructions to keep those sneaky minerals from water (like calcium and magnesium) in check. Limescale (aka the villain in our coffee story) can obstruct water flow, leading to weak, under-extracted coffee. Keeping limescale at bay means your office can enjoy a bold and robust cup of java each and every day.

What's more, limescale buildup can lead to machine damage and expensive repairs. Regular descaling ensures your coffee machine stays in tip-top shape while avoiding malfunction. And, because nobody wants a nasty brew, descaling ensures the taste and aroma of your office's coffee is always top-notch.

Step 3: Replace the water filters

Consistent tasting coffee is the goal, right? Well, water filters help you achieve it by removing impurities and unwanted flavors from the water. And we're here to make sure those water filters are swapped in and out with expert efficiency. In your office, consistency is king. Filtered water ensures every cup tastes the same, so your employees are always satisfied.

Step 4: Check the grinder

The grinder's proper calibration and regular cleaning ensure a uniform grind size — a must for a perfect cup. Again, consistency is the goal, and a well-maintained grinder delivers it, no matter your preferred brewing method. In fact, a clogged grinder is the nemesis of a smooth coffee-making process. So, we help you keep it clean to avoid disruption and inconsistency. Your grinder's condition significantly impacts the coffee's flavor. Maintain it, and your coffee machine will thank you with a delicious brew.

Step 5: Monitor the brewing temperature and pressure

Brewing at the right temperature and under the appropriate pressure is your ticket to a balanced and rich coffee flavor. Consistency is paramount. (Do we sound like a broken record yet?! Maybe so, but it's that important.) Monitoring temperature and pressure ensures every cup tastes the same, a non-negotiable factor in the office where 65% of employees expect high-quality coffee. We help your machine avoid under-extraction (which would make a weak and insipid brew) or over-extraction (a bitter and overbearing taste) by maintaining the optimal conditions.

Step 6: Keep the surrounding area clean

We wipe down countertops regularly, removing spills and keeping the area free from coffee grounds and other debris is part of regular coffee machine upkeep. Coffee isn't just about the machine; it's about the entire coffee experience. Keeping the area around your office coffee maker clean ensures a tidy workspace where everyone can enjoy a cup.

What tools should you keep on hand? 

There are a few tricks of the trade to know when it comes to regular coffee machine maintenance, and keeping the right tools around is one of the top ones we here at Crafty live by. Here's a look at all the necessary tools we use to keep your office's coffee kingdom in impeccable shape.

• Cleaning brushes: This one's a no-brainer. Brushes can reach and scrub different parts of the machine, such as the group heads, steam wands, and nozzles.
• Microfiber cloths: These soft, lint-free cloths can be used to wipe down surfaces without leaving any streaks or residue behind.
• Cleaning solutions or tablets: We know the importance of using the right tools for the job, and that’s where specialized cleaning solutions and tablets come in. They're designed specifically to remove coffee oils and residues from the machine's internal components. You should always take care to choose products that are compatible with the specific type of coffee machine you are cleaning.
• Descaling solution: What's descaling again? Just kidding! A descaling solution removes mineral buildup and limescale from the internal parts of the coffee machine. 
• Water filters: Having spare water filters available to swap out when needed will ensure that the water quality remains optimal and the coffee machine functions at its best.
• Picks and dental tools: They're not just for dentists! These small tools can be used to reach and clean tight spaces or hard-to-reach areas where residue and debris may accumulate. (It's another one of those tricks of the trade we mentioned.)
• Detergent or soap: Mild detergent or soap can be used to clean removable parts, such as drip trays, water reservoirs, and other detachable components. If you're doing this between our visits, ensure these parts are thoroughly rinsed and dried before reassembly.

How much time do you save by Crafty doing this for you? 

We did the legwork to find out exactly how much time workplace managers spent on equipment maintenance both before and after signing up for our services.

Before Crafty:

• Weekly: 10 hours 
• Monthly: 40 hours
• Yearly: 480 hours

After Crafty:

• Weekly: 2.5 hours
• Monthly: 10 hours
• Yearly: 120 hours

Do you like math? We do! Let's do some together, shall we? 

Here's how much time Crafty saved workplace managers on average:

• Weekly: 7.5 hours
• Monthly: 30 hours
• Yearly: 360 hours

Can you imagine getting 360 hours of your work time back per year? Just think of all that you could accomplish!

Of course, the time you save depends on your service level. Here at Crafty, we have options to fit your team's needs and your budget. While each option gives you a different array of benefits, you really can't go wrong either way:

• Concierge: You want it all? You got it! Daily. Literally every day. From start to finish, we've got your back, taking care of orders, deliveries, inventory management, substantial restocks, equipment maintenance, food and beverage program needs, and coffee machine upkeep. Your office's culinary and caffeine dreams? We'll make them a reality with daily support.
• Delivery+: Get a customized experience with everything your office needs and nothing it doesn't. During each visit, our Crafty experts roll up their sleeves to handle your orders, monitor inventory, finesse the merchandising, and more so you can breathe easily.