SebaVending Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I have been considering adding a coffee machine to one of my locations and would like to see what manufacturers and models you guys suggest for someone who is just starting to delve into this realm. I have been looking around and found a Crane national cafe system 7 model #640 for $600. It is a refurbished unit and i would be buying from an appliance company. I know the 640 is "fresh brew" rather thank "freeze dry". The location I am considering already has a water line coming in and the location is VERY close so maintenance wouldn't be too much of an issue. Do you guys have any experience with this kind of machine? Do you suggest I take a different route? I know a lot of people recommend buying new machines when getting into the coffee vending business but I am not sure if I am willing to shell out that kind of cash until I have a little experience with these machines under my belt. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 You never want to buy any vending machine new unless it's absolutely necessary as they are very expensive, especially coffee machines. The Cafe 7 from Crane is a good machine when well maintained. I don't know if I would give any credence to an "appliance company" who is selling one as I woudn't expect that they would have any vending machine experience. The fresh brew version could be using filter paper for filtering the grounds out of the coffee or a filter screen. Some people swear by one or the other, but neither is a bad way to filter the coffee. The filter paper rolls aren't difficult to find but would be another expense for you. This machine should have coffee, perhaps also decaf - I can't remember, creamer, sugar, chocolate and a soluble coffee such as french vanilla. It should have a coin mech in it but the bill validator was optional. You are limited to 8.25 oz cups with this machine. Some Cafe 7's were on stands and some were countertop versions. The stand is best because you will have more room for spent grounds and waste water in the lower cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebaVending Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 ok great I will probably be going through with the purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venddoctor Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 The system 7 has 3 canisters, usually Fresh Brew, Decaf and a soluble such as Hot Chocolate. No cream or sugar is available so you need to provide it on way or the other. They can also be set up for 2 cup sizes. You need to check the top of the tank to see if it has been converted from the original all in one sensor, if you don't see a molded grey bracket with some switches on it you may want to pass. The original all in one sensor did not work well at all. You can convert a machine to the switch style but I recall it was pretty expensive in the day to do it, and I can only imagine it has gone up. When I was an operator we had 40 or so of these out most were free play where we sold the accounts the coffee. One we had had 300,000 vends on it. I am not a fan of the paperless brewer for these as the wiper arm doesn't work well. The few paperless ones we had were converted to paper brewers before to long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Vending Mechanic Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 The Cafe 7 is a single cup office coffee type machine. The brewer system is good, but the machine itself is crappy. National reused the brewer for their 677 series full sized coffee vending machines, and nailed it. One of the best full sized coffee machines ever. The Cafe 7's, not so much. Story time: I had to do a big set. ( Safeco Insurance ) Thirty five vending machines going in, plus seven of these Cafe 7 monsters. HQ sent me a pallet full of them. ( The Cafe 7's. ) They had been in the boneyard of the San Diego branch, sitting outside in the weather for a couple of years. I got a pallet full of worthless, crappy machines the day before I was supposed to set them at an account. They were all infested with cockroaches. I worked a little bit of magic, and got three of them up and running by the next day, and installed them. ( I should add that I had never seen nor worked on a Cafe 7. And they didn't come with a manual. ) The rest of them all had to wait a few weeks before install, as they were short on parts. I still wake up some mornings, drenched in sweat, gasping "I saw something move inside the machine!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris in bc Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 677..ultimate machine! 20oz cups help pay off the machine in less than a year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Vending Mechanic Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 677..ultimate machine! 20oz cups help pay off the machine in less than a year! Yep. 677 is a fine machine. Now if Cafection could just make a full sized vending machine with their brewer.... Perfection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris in bc Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 zero service calls on cafection! a full size machine would be awesome! Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuvvvv the fresh ground coffee! I build my own cabinets for the cafection machines, so a full size garbage can will fit inside....the same garbage can that the trash man picks up....I think 89 litres or something and always place a NEWCO dry dispenser beside them! buy your filter paper direct from cafection....way cheaper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Vending Mechanic Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 zero service calls on cafection! a full size machine would be awesome! Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuvvvv the fresh ground coffee! I build my own cabinets for the cafection machines, so a full size garbage can will fit inside....the same garbage can that the trash man picks up....I think 89 litres or something and always place a NEWCO dry dispenser beside them! buy your filter paper direct from cafection....way cheaper! Can you even buy your filter paper from Cafection anymore? I thought they no longer carried it. ( That's what I was told, anyway. Maybe you Canadialanders have a different thing going on? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I heard everything is different in Canada. They only have one road and no laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris in bc Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 one lonely road, a few laws, fewer cops! simple life here in BC....cross the border into Bellingham and load up on vanilla coke...NO vanilla or cherry coke sold in Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can buy any part direct from cafection! Toilet rolls (filter paper)are real cheap if you buy a case! I use cafection filter paper in my 673 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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