Super automatic and bean to cup coffee machines are both popular choices for businesses wanting a great coffee experience for customers without the need for trained baristas or the expense of a traditional espresso machine.
Although both machines can appear similar on paper, they do differ and serve different needs depending on your business type and goals.
In this article, we’ll break down what each type of machine is, why you might choose one over the other, and which businesses they’re best suited for.
What’s the Difference Between a Bean-to-Cup and a Super Automatic Coffee Machine?
While both bean-to-cup and super automatic machines automate the coffee-making process, super automatics offer more advanced features.
Super automatic machines replicate the role of a trained barista, allowing users to automate brewing variables like grind size and water temperature to customise drinks, as well as being built for high volume use.
Bean-to-cup machines, in contrast, focus on convenience and consistency with preset options for standard drinks like lattes and cappuccinos without the option to customise drinks. They are typically better suited for moderate-traffic locations like food halls, visitor attractions, leisure centres or similar.
What Is a Super Automatic Coffee Machine?
A super automatic coffee machine is a high-end, fully automatic espresso machine designed to deliver barista-quality coffee with minimal user input.
These machines handle every step of the coffee-making process, from grinding the beans to brewing espresso and frothing milk, whilst constantly monitoring and tweaking the recipe and optimal flavour output.
How they Work
Super automatic machines are equipped with advanced technology that controls all aspects of the brewing process—grind size, water temperature, pressure, and milk frothing.
Some models even adjust automatically throughout the day to maintain consistency, whilst providing automated and intuitive cleaning and maintenance procedures to keep your machine in top working order.
Why Choose a Super Automatic Coffee Machine?
Super automatics are some of the most capable machines on the market, and come with a premium price tag because of it.
When you buy a super automatic machine, you’re investing in:
Consistent Coffee Quality
With automated brewing control, these machines are designed to produce high-quality espresso and milk-based drinks consistently, no matter who is operating them.
Ease of Use
Super automatic coffee machiness are incredibly user-friendly, requiring little to no training for staff. They are ideal for self-service settings or high-turnover environments, whilst also providing the tools for trained staff to serve high quality coffee drinks.
High Capacity
Perfect for busy outlets, these machines can handle a high volume of orders, making them suitable for high-traffic cafés, restaurants, or hotels. Super automatic machines can often brew over 100-500 coffees per hour, every hour.
Minimal Maintenance
Many super automatic models come with self-cleaning functions, making day-to-day upkeep easier than other machines. Alongside this, industry leading service plans and the modularity of the machines make repairs a seamless experience that has minimal disruption to your service.
Innovative Technology
Features like automated milk steaming and real-time adjustment capabilities (e.g., Eversys’ Extraction Time Control) ensure the highest coffee quality across multiple sites with minimal oversight.
Potential Downsides of a Super Automatic Machine
Though super-automatics are highly capable machines that can suit a wide range of outlets and industries, they may not be the correct choice for your business.
High Upfront Investment
These machines come with a premium price tag, so they may not be ideal for businesses with a smaller budget. However, businesses can avoid the high upfront cost of these machines by exploring different finance options such as leasing which allows you to make smaller monthly payments.
Less Craft Involvement
While the technology is impressive, super automatic machines do remove some of the artistry involved in traditional espresso making. However, if you’re comparing super automatics to bean-to-cup machines, they have the upper hand in allowing your staff to pour latte art and tweak recipes if needed.
Large Footprint
These machines tend to take up more space than typical bean to cup machines, so you’ll need to consider counter space availability.
Which Businesses are Super-Automatics for?
- High-volume coffee shops, conference centres, events, airports, food outlets and restaurants.
- Businesses that prioritise speed and consistency over manual craftsmanship.
- Outlets with high staff turnover or where minimal barista training is a priority.
What Is a Bean-to-Cup Machine?
A bean-to-cup machine is a fully automatic coffee machine focusing on convenience and ease of use, automating the process from grinding the beans to brewing the coffee. These machines can produce a wide range of standard coffee drinks (americanos, lattes, cappuccinos etc) at the push of a button with minimal interaction from the user.
However, compared to super-automatic machines, bean-to-cups lack the automated brewing technologies and, as such, typically come at a lower price point.
How It Works
Bean-to-cup machines are designed for simplicity. You load the coffee beans, choose your drink, and the machine does the rest, grinding, brewing, and even frothing milk, depending on the model.
Why Choose a Bean-to-Cup Machine?
Bean-to-cup machines are loved for their speed of service, ease of use and consistent efficient operation.
Great for Self-Service
These machines are ideal for locations where customers or staff need to prepare their own coffee quickly and easily.
Affordable Options
Bean-to-cup machines generally have a wide range of price points, making them accessible to businesses with varying budgets.
Ease of Operation
Minimal training is required, so your staff can easily operate the machine without barista-level expertise.
Fresh Coffee
These machines grind coffee beans on demand, ensuring the coffee is fresh for every cup.
Consistent Output
You can rely on bean-to-cup machines to produce the same quality of coffee consistently, day in and day out.
Potential Drawbacks of a Bean-to-Cup Machine
Limited Customisation
While these machines are great for consistency, they don’t allow for the level of customisation that a skilled barista or super automatic machine offers.
Cleaning Requirements
Bean-to-cup machines require daily cleaning, especially with milk systems, which can become clogged if not maintained properly.
Lower Drink Capacity
These machines often have a lower daily output compared to super automatics or traditional espresso machines, making them less suitable for very high-volume businesses.
Which Businesses are Bean-to-Cup Machines For?
- Offices, hotels, and conference rooms where staff or customers want self-service convenience.
- Cafés or smaller restaurants with moderate coffee demand.
- Businesses looking for an affordable, automated coffee solution that requires minimal training.
Key Considerations When Choosing Between a Super Automatic or Bean-to-Cup Machine
Now that you know about the differences between these two types of machines, let’s get into some of the reasons as to why you might want to choose one over the other.
Volume – Super automatic machines are built to handle higher volumes, making them ideal for busy outlets. Bean-to-cup machines are more suited for moderate traffic.
Customisation vs. Convenience – Super automatic machines offer more control over the brewing process, making them great for businesses that want to ensure high quality and customisation. Bean-to-cup machines are better for businesses that prioritise simplicity and speed.
Budget – Bean-to-cup machines generally have a lower upfront cost, while super automatics require a larger investment but offer more advanced features and higher capacity.
Maintenance – Super automatics often come with advanced cleaning systems, while bean-to-cup machines require more manual cleaning, especially for milk systems.
Our Top 3 Super-Automatic Machine Recommendations
Our Top 3 Bean-to-Cup Machine Recommendations