Water quality in vending machines matters too
Vending machines are designed to prepare hot beverages on the spot. In just a few seconds, they can serve customers a steaming, freshly made cup of their favourite drink—espresso, tea, cappuccino, chocolate and more—but none of this would be possible without water, the common ingredient in all these preparations, used both to brew coffee and to reconstitute milk or cocoa powders and granules.
Let us look at the characteristics that water for vending machines should have and why it is so important for preparing drinks and maintaining vending machines.
The importance of water in vending machines
Hot beverages are the stars of vending. In offices, airports, railway stations, healthcare facilities and universities, beverage machines attract users because of their practicality and convenience. Their operation is becoming increasingly sophisticated and their range ever broader, although the real difference between machines lies in the quality of the beverages they offer.
This is thanks to technical improvements in vending machines, but above all to the gradual introduction of higher-quality ingredients for preparing beverages and operators’ growing attention to one common and indispensable element in all these preparations: water.
How do you make the best vending-machine coffee?
The best vending-machine coffee requires quality coffee beans, a vending machine in perfect working order with the right programming, maintenance and hygiene, and water suitable for preparing hot beverages such as coffee, chocolate, tea and milkshakes.
The main ingredient in a cup of coffee is water. In fact, water is the only medium capable of extracting the components of the coffee bean and turning them into a rich, enjoyable beverage.
Despite water’s crucial role in preparing coffee, it does not always receive enough attention. Even excellent beans can often produce a poor result in the cup because the water used to make the coffee is of insufficient quality.
How does water affect the taste of coffee and other hot beverages from vending machines?
In a vending machine, water dilutes the components of ground coffee and milk or cocoa powders and granules to prepare the beverages dispensed by the machine.
As with any coffee preparation, water makes up between 95% and 98% of the cup. The water in a vending machine must therefore be high quality if we want good coffee.
Likewise, cocoa and powdered or granulated milk preparations for hot beverages require balanced, high-quality water that does not neutralise the product’s original characteristics, but instead brings them to their full potential.
Because of the treatments applied to mains water, it is not suitable for meeting these objectives. Only filtered water has the necessary characteristics to guarantee good vending-machine coffee without off-flavours, unwanted aromas or an appearance distorted by the preparation water.
A more profitable business
The BRITA water filter for vending machines guarantees better-quality beverages and a longer service life for the equipment.
Why install a water filter in a vending machine?
Water used for beverages in vending machines must not transfer unwanted tastes or aromas, such as chlorine, to the preparations. It must also meet specific mineralisation and acidity requirements to ensure that the components of the ground coffee dissolve correctly and give the beverage the taste, consistency and final appearance of a perfect cup.
Too little or too much mineralisation and acidity in unfiltered tap water negatively affects the quality of hot vending beverages and has serious consequences for the maintenance and operation of vending machines.
Will a water filter give my coffee better flavour and crema?
A water filter counteracts the high mineral concentrations in hard water that prevent coffee’s aroma and flavour from developing fully. It also regulates the composition of soft water rich in undesirable substances that can produce bitter, astringent coffee without aroma or crema. Preparing a good cup of coffee requires both good beans and quality water free from unwanted tastes and odours.
What is the best water filter for a vending machine?
In vending machines, professional water filtration systems go a step beyond traditional water softeners, which are useful only for masking certain characteristics of mains water but are completely unable to filter it—an essential operation if we want to ensure that the beverages’ original flavour and creaminess are not altered.
The best choice for your machines
Professional water filtration systems have therefore established themselves as the best option for both the quality of the resulting product and equipment maintenance.
A good example is BRITA’s PURITY filter range, which improves water quality for preparing hot beverages in vending machines while also significantly extending the machines’ service life.
Why choose BRITA® water for vending machines?
- Easy installation
- Designed for easy maintenance and use.
- Exceptional quality
- Components specifically designed to give each filter multiple functions.
- Proven technology
- Proven quality: excellent product safety and durability.
- Exquisite coffee
- Who does not enjoy a good coffee? The secret ingredient is great-tasting water.
- Satisfied customers
- Offer them the water they enjoy most, at a price they will love.
- Real savings
- The recipe for success: protect your equipment and reduce breakdowns.
- A trusted partner
- Always by your side to meet your needs.
What do I need to install a water filter in a vending machine?
BRITA’s PURITY C filtration products have been specifically designed for use in hospitality, vending machines and bakery equipment.
These BRITA PURITY C water filter models incorporate IntelliBypass technology, which ensures consistent water quality throughout the filter’s service life.
If you are considering installing a professional water filtration system in your vending machine, contact us and we will help you make the best choice.
Choose the experts
The PURITY C filter system is suitable for any installation, regardless of the composition of the mains supply. These filters remove all elements that can negatively affect the beverage’s aroma and flavour, and different models are available to suit each requirement:
PURITY C Finest: ideal for optimising any espresso preparation. Softening technology.
PURITY C50 Fresh: specially designed for use with hot water. Activated carbon filtration.
PURITY C Quell ST: for high flow rates. Decarbonisation filtration.
