Choosing whether to repair or replace your coffee machine is a big decision. There’s a huge range of coffee machines available in the market today so it’s important you know what to look out for when there’s signs something’s not quite right with your machine.

If we compare this to other electrical items we purchase – or even our cars, warning lights are often the first sign something is wrong. But with a coffee machine, how do you tell the difference between equipment that needs replacing versus repair? The lifespan of a coffee machine varies according to the brand, quality of the coffee machine, use, preventative maintenance, quality of parts and labour and so on.

As a rule of thumb, between 5-7 years is the lifecycle for a high-end machine and 5 years for a lower budget machine. To find out how old your machine is, check the label on the side of the machine, which may show the build date. Or note down the serial number and check with your supplier.

Some sure signs your coffee machine needs attention are:

• There are puddles or drips in places. Usually, this is a sign that your seals have become brittle and are no longer working as required. If one leaks, usually most are worn.
• There is a lack of steam pressure. This means the boiler and components are overfilling and parts are not working correctly requiring further inspection.
• There’s a burnt taste in the coffee. This is caused by water scaling in the lines. Overtime, the heat exchange blocks up with build-up of scaling and the coffee becomes burnt with hot water.
• The steam and/or hot water tastes off, or has a bad smell. This is a super easy indication that once again that scale in the boiler and lines are to blame.

Ultimately, how does your coffee taste? Having good beans and good milk are a must, but if you have both of those things and notice the coffee is still not tasting great, then there’s another issue.

So, if you notice any of these signs, then you need to consider whether to replace parts or take the decision to go for a brand new machine.

The advantages of repairing your machine:

• The machine may simply require affordable parts and can easily be repaired
• More cost effective as you don’t need to invest in a replacement machine
• You know and love your coffee machine!
• It’s an easy decision – as a repair is a much easier decision than researching the market for a new coffee machine that meets your needs.

The disadvantages of repairing a machine:

• Parts may be no longer be available and non-genuine replacement parts may have to be used
• It may be difficult to replace new parts on an old worn out machine.
• Can be expensive and not economically viable in the long term
• It may solve the immediate problem and get your machine working again – but may not be a permanent solution.
• Depending on the problem, the repair may have a knock on effect on the performance of other parts.

However, before you get to replacement stage, there are some important things to consider if you want to help extend the life of a coffee machine.

• Install a good quality water filter. Water filters are used to prevent unwanted particles from entering the machine. By installing filters, less unwanted material will flow through the water lines, thus decreasing the likeliness of scale in the machine, which overtime can take over the machine and ruin it
• Maintenance! By undertaking planned preventative maintenance, you can prevent costly equipment failures and extend the life of your coffee equipment. At Café Origin, our preventative maintenance calls identify unviable parts, such as seals and boilers etc, which due to natural wear and tea, could lead to reduced efficiency of your machine and larger repairs, if left unchecked. The last thing you want is an emergency breakdown to throw you out of business for days, if not weeks. Preventative maintenance is your best bet to keeping your machine in healthy working order.
• Replace old parts and follow manufacture specs. Using genuine spares that have been rigorously tested as opposed to a cheaper, often far inferior product.
• Check your water pressure and drainage. Making sure water is flowing properly and always install water filters to optimise your coffee equipment and deliver the very best coffee.
• When replacing one component, think what else could be done at this point to avoid additional trips to a technician and additional costs down the track.

At Café Origin, we offer a range of planned maintenance contracts which can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Our engineers provide advice on the most appropriate levels of planned maintenance depending on the type and age of equipment installed and patterns of use.

Of course, repair is one option, but what if you decide to take the leap and replace your coffee machine altogether. So what are the benefits of replacing a coffee machine?

• You will have a warranty in place, so should there be anything wrong in the early stages of the machine’s life, any costly issues will be covered by the manufacturer.
• You can be safe in the knowledge that your machine can be serviced and supported with manufacturer guaranteed parts. Its worth remembering engineers are not always familiar with older models and their intricacies.
• Parts are easy to locate and technicians are trained. For every new machine and model, technicians and service providers have learnt the ins and outs of the machines to help their customers maximise their usage. Pick their brains and be a sponge for information so you can utilise the machine to its full capacity. And for whatever reason, if a part needed replacing, the newer the model the easier it would be to locate a replacement, unlike older parts.
• The cleanliness of internals. Observe how lovely and clean the machine is – now try to keep it this way. A healthy machine is a happy machine, and this is the chance to treat it right from the start before dirt and scale start causing problems. This can be monitored with a regular preventative maintenance schedule, but the last thing you want to do is follow any bad habits from your last machine. Use this clean slate to look after your machine from the get-go.
• Increased features and performance. The great thing about buying a new coffee machine is that they’re constantly updated. Newer machine offer features that are invaluable to managing workload, service and volume, such as telemetry, Bluetooth options, improved steam capacity, greater temperature control, greater consistency, warranty, aesthetics, improved functions – the list goes on. Old machines often have none of this.

The disadvantages of replacing a coffee machine:

• Making the right decision. With so many options in the market and often, lots of ‘hard sell’ it can feel like an overwhelming and lengthy decision. Making the decision to buy a new machine is one thing – finding the ‘right one’ is another thing! It can be difficult to road test machines to see how they fit and perform in your environment, although some suppliers will help you with this and can offer machines on a trial or a ‘no-risk’ arrangement.
• You and your team have to learn about new equipment and new functions. Training a new staff member on any machine is time consuming to begin with, but if you purchase some from scratch it means you will have to become a pro on the machine yourself before teaching others.
• It can be a costly exercise. Certainly, investment into a new machine is an investment. The good news is , there are options to purchase, lease or rent and be enjoying a new machine for as little as £3 per day.

So, if you choose to continue to repair and replace broken or worn parts, remember to ask yourself, will I be jumping into the problem treadmill with one issue creating another? And remember, planned preventative maintenance is always going to be better and more cost effective, than emergency call outs!

Or if you choose to let go of your tried and tested machine for a new machine, be sure to try and test the machine before you commit. And remember, there are lots of options to buy, rent or lease – so don’t be afraid of making the investment! Visit our website and look at the range of Packages and Payment available from Cafe Origin