Coffee & water calculators
What are you trying to work out?
Work out demand, compare running costs or plan your ingredient orders. Choose a tool below and enter your figures. Need help with the result? Talk it through with our team.
Open now: Peak demandRather talk it through? Contact us →
Coffee, water & workplace calculators
Use the numbers before you buy anything.
Use your own figures to compare coffee usage, ingredient demand, water costs and workplace equipment routes. The results help narrow the right option; final equipment, installation and commercial details are confirmed against the actual site and current product information.
Free, staff-funded or paid coffee
Can your coffee setup help fund itself?
Start with an illustrative case, then replace every assumption with your own figures. See the staff price, running costs, upgrade reserve and what is left.
Illustrative inputs — not Café Perfection prices or a quotation.Try a staff-price example
Equipment, care & your next machine
Do not count the same equipment cost as both an upfront purchase and a monthly rental. Include every relevant cost. Zero costs are assumptions to check, not a promise of free equipment or service.
Payment fees & tax assumptions
The model assumes one payment per charged drink. Replace fees with the written tariff. For top-ups, allowances or bundled transactions, agree a different model.
0% is an example, not a tax ruling. Enter the applicable rate. Enter costs after any VAT you can recover; otherwise include that VAT in the costs. Confirm treatment with your accountant.
Your illustrative monthly picture
Remaining monthly contribution—Enter valid figures to calculate.
- Monthly drinks
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- Staff payments received
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- Less entered sales VAT
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- Less drink ingredients & consumables
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- Less payment fees
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- Less fixed & other monthly costs
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- Less target upgrade reserve
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- Staff price to cover costs & reserve
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- Daily drinks to cover costs & reserve
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- At 25% lower usage
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- Upfront cost recovery after reserve
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- Monthly reserve funded by drink contributions
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- Reserve funded over 12 identical months
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- Time to the replacement savings target
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- Potential staff saving per comparable drink
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- Remaining contribution over 12 identical months
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Same staff price, fixed costs and reserve; not a forecast. Only for a drink they would otherwise buy.
Illustration, not guaranteed profit. The remainder is after the entered sales VAT, costs and reserve, but before any other unentered costs, finance effects or business taxes. Annual figures assume 12 identical months. Reserve is a target; a shortfall means it is not self-funded. Cost-covering price is a planning figure, not a recommended retail price.
Smart equipment shortlistProducts matched to the entered demand
Demand planning
Peak demand
Turn headcount into a peak-hour demand figure that can be checked against verified equipment throughput.
What to do with the demand figureSize around the busiest realistic period, not headcount alone.
Compare the calculated peak-hour demand with verified manufacturer throughput, recovery and drink-build times. Then allow for queues, cleaning, refilling and the fact that demand rarely arrives perfectly evenly.
Try a busier peak and a shorter peak window too, rather than relying on one estimate.Smart equipment shortlistProducts matched to peak demand
Use this demand figure to compare against verified manufacturer throughput and recovery data. It does not state that any specific machine can meet the calculated demand.
Hydration comparison
Bottled vs mains
Compare entered bottled-water costs with an entered mains-fed route before site suitability is considered.
What this comparison does not showCost is only one part of the water decision.
Use the difference alongside plumbing availability, bottle storage and lifting, peak dispense demand, filtration, hygiene, service access and the outputs you want such as chilled or sparkling water.
A cheaper entered route can still be the wrong operational fit for the site.Smart water shortlistSystems matched to output, connection and demand
Enter your real bottle, rental/purchase, filter, service, water and installation costs. Site suitability, bottle handling, drainage, capacity and hygiene requirements should also influence the decision.
Coffee route comparison
Instant vs bean-to-cup
Compare the entered monthly economics of an instant route and a bean-to-cup route at the same estimated drink volume.
What to considerDo not let a small cost difference decide the machine class.
After comparing the entered costs, score the two routes against drink quality, menu range, peak speed, cleaning burden, milk handling, waste, service and what users will realistically maintain.
If the economics are close, operational fit and drink experience usually deserve more weight in the shortlist.Suggested equipmentProducts that fit the route and demand
Cost alone does not decide the right route. Compare drink quality, menu range, cleaning, speed, reliability, service, waste and the actual equipment configuration alongside the figures entered here.
Replenishment
Ingredient usage
Estimate monthly ingredient weight and packs from the verified dose you enter.
Replenishment planningTurn consumption into a reorder rhythm, not a guess.
Start from the verified dose, then compare the calculated monthly requirement with real order history. Add a sensible buffer for delivery lead time, recipe variation and wastage rather than simply ordering the exact mathematical minimum.
Review the estimate after the first few real delivery cycles and adjust it to actual consumption.Relevant productsProducts matching the ingredient type
Use the verified product or machine dose for grams per serve. Allow separately for priming, cleaning, recipe variation, staff use and wastage if relevant.
Time scenario
Workplace productivity
Explore the time that could remain on site when employees replace an external drinks trip with an on-site drink.
Use this carefullyValidate the behaviour before valuing the time.
Observe how often people actually leave site for drinks, how long those trips take and whether an on-site offer would genuinely replace them. The time value is an opportunity-size scenario, not a guaranteed productivity saving.
For a business case, separate time retained on site from any claim about profit or output.Scenario only, not a profit forecast. It assumes every entered trip is actually replaced and that retained time has the hourly value entered. Breaks, wellbeing, behaviour, payroll and productivity effects vary by workplace.
Staff proposition
Employee benefit
Compare an entered external drink price with a free or subsidised workplace drink.
Compare three policiesFree, subsidised and paid drinks solve different problems.
Run the calculator more than once: a free-vend case, a partial staff contribution and a paid-vend case. Compare the employer cost with the employee saving and the experience you want to create.
Payment hardware, transaction fees and any employment/tax treatment sit outside this simple model.Illustration only. This is not tax, payroll or employment-benefit advice. Use comparable drinks and your real costs, participation and operating days; confirm any tax treatment with a qualified adviser.
Costs & installation
Compare costs before you choose.
Transparent assumptionsClear, explainable guidanceResults feed a project briefPlanning inputs stay on this device
Compare renting with buying, estimate the cost of each cup and check what your installation needs. You can also plan water systems and equipment across several sites.
Commercial route
Rental vs purchase
Put both routes against the same period and entered service costs. This is a simple ownership comparison, not finance advice or a quotation.
Drink economics
True cost per cup
Build a transparent ingredient-level estimate. Use the same VAT basis for every figure and enter the dose your actual recipe or machine uses.
Before the brochure
Installation readiness check
Check the basics before choosing your machine. Leave electrical, plumbing and internal equipment work to a suitably qualified professional.
Hydration route
Mains-fed, bottled, tap or sparkling?
Use operational fit first. The result is a route to investigate, not an automatic product specification.
Estate planning
Multi-site requirement builder
Turn a vague estate conversation into a structured starting brief. Site-by-site demand still needs validating before equipment is standardised.
Commercial project brief
Keep your project details together.
The brief includes only tools you have actually used. Copy it, print it or send it with a Café Perfection enquiry so the next conversation starts with the useful details.
No tool results yet. Use one of the commercial planning tools above and the brief will build itself.
0 tools completed
A better-stocked drinks cupboard
Plan the next order. Not another cupboard full.
Plan several ingredients together for home or work. Choose how many days you need, enter the dose you actually use and deduct what is already in the cupboard.
Enable JavaScript or reload the page to use the stock planner. You can also browse ingredients or ask us about quantities.
A saved stock plan is available on this device.
Your stock estimate
Buy what you need. Keep the rest in the cupboard.
Selected product subtotal
Prices are the current displayed product prices when this page loads. Delivery, discounts and any tax adjustments are confirmed at checkout. No bundle discount, automatic order or subscription is created. Milk, cups, cleaning products and other supplies are excluded unless you add them as separate rows.
Before adding, we check your basket and only top up the selected one-time products to the planned quantities. Subscription items are not counted.
Check the maths and keep a copy
Saved plans stay on this browser for up to 30 days. No name, email or payment details are saved by this planner. Saved plans use the product details shown on this page; reload the page for the latest prices and availability.
Ordering for a team or unsure about a dose?
Send the estimate with your question. We can check pack sizes, ingredients and the right supply arrangement.
Contact us without the estimateHow to use the tools
Compare a realistic case before you commit.
Start with the scenario you genuinely expect, then test a busier, quieter or higher-cost case. That makes it easier to see which requirements really affect the decision.
1 · Expected
Run the scenario you genuinely expect
Use realistic participation, drinks, costs and operating days. Include quieter days as well as busy ones.
2 · Cautious
Run a weaker-demand or higher-cost case
Reduce participation or increase a key cost and see whether the conclusion changes. A decision that only works in the best case is fragile.
3 · Operational
Consider the everyday work
Queues, cleaning, bottle handling, milk care, service access, refill time and user behaviour can matter more than a small monthly cost difference.
4 · Verify
Replace assumptions with current information before ordering
Use current product specifications, real supplier/service costs, payment fees and site information when the decision moves from planning into procurement.
Complete-system snapshot
Compare one product from each equipment route.
Use this starter comparison to see how a coffee machine, water cooler and hot-water system differ at a glance. For a like-for-like decision, compare products from the same category and confirm the current specification, installation and support requirements.
Comparison field
Coffee
Apex 24 Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
Water
AA First ArcticChill 108 Water Cooler
Hot water
AA First 1000C Water Boiler
Type
Coffee Machine
Water Coolers
Boilers
Current store price
£3,995.00
£699.00
£999.00
Best for
Offices
Hospitality
Customer-facing workplaces
Hospitality
Customer-facing workplaces
Busy workplaces
Gyms and leisure
Education and healthcare
Bottle-filling stations
Gyms and leisure
Education and healthcare
Bottle-filling stations
Busy office kitchens
Hospitality
High-demand staff areas
Hospitality
High-demand staff areas
Verified specifications
Ask us for the current specification
Chilled output: 35 L/h
Dispense height: 29cm
Floor-standing: 1140 × 340 × 340mm
Tabletop: 445 × 340 × 340mm
Tabletop approx. weight: 20kg
Cooling power: 95W
Supply: 220–240V
Refrigerant: R600a
Dispense height: 29cm
Floor-standing: 1140 × 340 × 340mm
Tabletop: 445 × 340 × 340mm
Tabletop approx. weight: 20kg
Cooling power: 95W
Supply: 220–240V
Refrigerant: R600a
Hot output: 31 L/h
Rapid draw-off: 5L
Up to 186 cups/hour
Dispense height: 16.5cm
Dimensions: 440 × 218 × 465mm
Approx. weight: 9.7kg
Rapid draw-off: 5L
Up to 186 cups/hour
Dispense height: 16.5cm
Dimensions: 440 × 218 × 465mm
Approx. weight: 9.7kg
Installation
Confirm exact site requirements
Requires potable mains water, suitable isolation and filtration. Confirm drainage/overflow requirements at survey.
Requires potable mains water, isolation and scale control appropriate to local water hardness.
Service & care
Confirm the service route for this configuration
Routine sanitisation and filter changes required. Contactless and Klaran UVC upgrades available for enhanced hygiene.
Descale/filter service according to hardness and usage. No-touch adaptor compatibility can support hygiene-led sites.
Next step
Check the exact configuration, capacity, utilities, installation, availability and service requirements with Café Perfection before committing.
Use the numbers
Turn the result into a practical next step.
Use the result to narrow the route, then check the actual product, installation and support requirements before ordering.
Brief
Build the requirement
Use the Solution Builder to turn the numbers into a clearer home or workplace coffee, water or complete-setup route.
- Home or workplace
- Drink priorities
- Daily demand
- Water and plumbing
- Buying or support route
Coffee
Compare coffee routes
Move from the cost model into the real equipment range and compare systems against the demand you calculated.
- Bean-to-cup
- Commercial coffee systems
- Purchase or quote-led rental
- Ingredients & service
Water
Check the hydration route
Use the cost comparison alongside plumbing, storage, handling, hygiene and actual peak demand.
- Mains-fed
- Bottled
- Tabletop & floorstanding
- Service & filtration
Site
Turn estimates into a real specification
Send Café Perfection the numbers plus the site details so equipment and installation can be checked properly.
- Site review
- Utilities
- Equipment shortlist
- Commercial route
- Service plan
Final equipment, installation and service requirements depend on site conditions, verified manufacturer data and the agreed scope.
Useful before you choose
A complete setup starts with a clear brief
Connect equipment, supplies and care around the same requirement.
Choose the experience
Decide who the drinks are for, what they need and when demand is busiest. Separate staff provision, customer hospitality and paid service.
Check the complete system
List the equipment, selected options, utilities and installation requirements. Taps, chillers, milk systems and payment equipment need explicit matching.
Plan beyond installation
Allow for ingredients, cleaning, replenishment, filtration and maintenance. Identify who owns each task and what the agreement includes.
Do I need to know the exact model first?
No. Start with demand, menu, postcode and available space. The Solution Builder can help structure the discussion and flag information that still needs confirming.
What should I take to the approval meeting?
Your requirements, product overviews, written configuration and quotation, plus a running-cost model with visible assumptions.
More information
Interactive planning tools for workplace coffee, hydration, demand and ingredient usage. Results are indicative planning estimates and should be checked against the chosen equipment, product dosing and site requirements.