Coffee question

[SkydiverBC]

I spent the day browsing new equipment and focusing on coffee machines as I may be adding that to my accounts. I really liked the looks of the VOCE by Crane. The USI Geneva also looked good, but more complicated for the customer to operate. Does anyone have these? They look pretty simple to operate and cleaning should be simple enough. I like the profit margins compared to table top units that have more expensive product costs.

Any advice regarding Crane vs USI?

[kiwi]

I really liked the looks of the VOCE by Crane.

 

I think the VOCE is only available in a 220-240vac model.....

[AZVendor]

It doesn't appear that the Voce is available in North America.  The only links to it are European and I would suspect if brought to North America it would have all European parts in it.  I would also stay away from the USI Geneva machine as they don't build all the parts for it.  The machine is primarily an Italian design and this makes all the parts outrageously expensive.  It's also a pretty cheesy machine and prone to overheating which blows the valves out of the tank. 

 

Your best bet, if purchasing new, is one of the current North American offerings from Crane or AP (which is really just a Crane machine now).  Their Hot Drink Center II is a top notch machine and is available in freeze dried, loose ground or fresh ground, or a combination of those.  The model numbers are 673, 675, and 677.

[kiwi]

I would also stay away from the USI Geneva machine as they don't build all the parts for it.  The machine is primarily an Italian design and this makes all the parts outrageously expensive.  It's also a pretty cheesy machine and prone to overheating which blows the valves out of the tank. 

 

 

I believe the USI Geneva was actually manufactured by company called Coffetek Ltd (also known as Wittern UK Ltd) is based in Portishead, Bristol which is in the UK.

 

I don't have any Geneva models but I do have a few other models manufactured by the same company which I find very reliable. They also manufactured Hot Beverage Machines for Crane & AP in the UK. These machine were basically exactly the same apart from the having different front doors designs on them to differentiate the different brands.

 

Azkoyen Vending acquired them in 2008 so I am not sure if they still have a similar relationship with USI...... 

I like the profit margins compared to table top units that have more expensive product costs.

 

 

I don't totally understand what you mean by this?

[SkydiverBC]

I was meaning units that use pods or packets that cost 50 or 60 cents and can be pilfered for home use versus a full size machine that costs less than 20 cents a cup.

The VOCE was on display and for sale at a supplier in Vancouver.

[AZVendor]

If you are seriously interested in the VOCE then make sure they can support it with parts.  Call Crane and check with their parts department to see if they stock a complete inventory for this model.  You don't want to be stuck waiting for parts from Europe when your machine goes down.

 

You can also get snack machine inserts that allow you to sell the pods from a snack selection so you can control the inventory.  That might be a solution for you.

[SkydiverBC]

Many of these newer coffee machine use a self cleaning filter system rather than a paper filter. I was speaking with ChrisinBC and he feels the non-paper system leave a few coffee grounds in the finished product and customers get annoyed. Does anyone have experience with this and are coffee grounds making it into the coffee cup?

[AZVendor]

I don't believe the filter screens that don't use paper are that prone to grounds in the coffee.  You just need to rinse off your brewer periodically to ensure there isn't any build up of grounds around the brew area and filter.