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Any advice or recommendations for a coffee vending machine?


bela korpo

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Hi All,

 

My customer just asked for a coffee vending machine.  I heard in general that coffee vending machines are things to stay away from due to numerous things that can go wrong.  Any stories or recommendations?  I am currently looking at AP213 and AP223....

 

Also, is there any gourmet coffee vending machines?

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You need to realize that any coffee machine is going to require much more maintenance than just about any other machine you get.  It's a wet machine, so you have to be vigilant about errant water leaks.  The machines also require proper sanitation techniques to keep them clean.  In full size machines the AP213 is a good choice and much less complicated than an AP223.  For your first machine you want to keep it simple unless you have a really good repair tech on hand to fix anything that goes wrong.  There are people who prefer the National machines as well but usually when you need a machine there aren't too many to choose from.

 

The gourmet machines you refer to aren't full size machines and aren't bankable with other vending machines.  Most are countertop machines with few selection in them and they are much more expensive to purchase and operate.

 

Your choice should be based on anticipated sales volume, machine investment, and what problem you're trying to solve for your customer.

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The AP 213 is so old now, that I really wouldn't suggest them at all. ( And the AP 223 is a buggy, annoying piece of Gopher. I wouldn't suggest them, either. ) Go National, all the way. 630 series or newer. ( 63x, 65x, 67x. Where the x is a 3 for a pre ground machine and a 7 for a machine with grinders. There is also a freeze dried option, I don't recall which x that is, but avoid freeze dried. )

But, how good of a customer is this? You might be better off supplying them with a pourover coffee machine and can of Folgers. Coffee vending machines are time expensive. You MUST do a good job cleaning them. And there is more to them mechanically than a snack or soda machine.

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I know the AP213s inside and out and because there is still parts support for them there's really, in my opinion, no reason to not use them.  I will add though that if you aren't really ready to be in the full line vending business then you probably don't want to mess with a single coffee or cold/frozen food machine.  After having used and now serviced them all in all my years in business none of them scare me, not that any did.  When I did my first coffee, food and even cup soda machines they were certainly foreign to me, but if you're mechanically inclined they shouldn't be intimidating in any way.  However, I realize that I might have been unusual in my interest of what made my machines tick.  I guess that's why I didn't need anyone to repair my machines and why I'm good at what I do now.

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Does the customer want a countertop machine or full size coffee machine similar in appearance to a snack vending machine?

 

An example of a very reliable countertop coffee machine would be a CAFECTION brand coffee machine. An example of a very reliable full size coffee machine would be a Crane National 633 ( contains loose ground) or 653 (contains  loose ground )  , 673 ( contains loose ground). These full size machines vend 2 types of loose ground coffee, store the cups inside the machine along with , lightener, sugar and even sell hot choc, French vanilla and 2 other cappuccino products. Parts are readily available along with tech support ( that is important)

 

I have quite a few 673s along with a few 633s, have very few problems, coffee tastes great cause I grind my own coffee. I vend Starbucks and Guatemalan fresh ground coffee and nobody complains! Change your internal or external water filter every 4 months and watch the money train roll in!

 

I do not have any experience with AP 213 or 223 coffee machines.

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I had an AP 213 once and was constantly servicing it, granted I only paid a few hundred dollars for it.  I then started using the National machines and have never looked back.  I have a GPL 630, National 653 and two National 673's.  I really love how they work.  They seem much easier to program than the AP's.  I would say if you can afford it go for a GPL or National.  However, if the account is not that good you may want to go with the AP to save some money.

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  • 2 months later...

yes Cafection are good machines but they are also a lot of maintenance.For someone who's starting I would suggest a crane system 7/executive or even Flavia..it makes so-so coffee but it is easy to maintain.

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  • 3 months later...

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