Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers
Thermal carafe coffee makers can be used in restaurants, hotels, cafes, and diners to keep coffee hot and ready to serve during peak breakfast hours or the afternoon slowdown. Because thermal carafes are similar to glass decanters, they can also be used to provide coffee at self-service beverage stations set up in offices, event centers, and at catered events. More
Common Questions About Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers
What is a thermal carafe?
Thermal carafes look like stainless steel versions of glass decanters that customers are accustomed to seeing in diners and cafes. Unlike glass decanters, these insulated serving vessels are designed to keep coffee hot after being brewed. Because the coffee doesn't stay warm via a burner, operators don't have to worry about the taste of the coffee being negatively affected. Exact holding times vary between manufacturers, but metal carafes are generally expected to hold coffee at an acceptable serving temperature – that is, above 155 degrees Fahrenheit – for a couple of hours. This enables employees to serve hot, fresh-tasting coffee without constantly brewing new pots between peaks in service.
How does a thermal carafe coffee maker work?
Like decanter-style brewers, this type of coffee machine is available in two styles: automatic and pourover. Automatic units are plumbed and, as their name suggests, automatically add water for each brew cycle. Pourover units, on the other hand, are not plumbed and require that employees manually add water to the reservoir. Although this means pourover-style thermal coffee makers need more manual labor throughout the course of service, their lack of plumbing makes them portable throughout a facility, which is great for offices, hotels, event centers, catering companies, and other businesses that may need to set up temporary coffee stations.
What differentiates commercial thermal coffee makers from other types of brewers is that they are designed to brew coffee into a thermal carafe, rather than a glass decanter or large airpot. Because they look similar to decanters and can be easier to use than airpots that have a push-down button, thermal carafes are a great choice for self-service coffee stations at catered events, banquets, or meeting rooms, as well as restaurants and other foodservice businesses that refill coffee cups at the table.
Thermal carafes may be sold separately from the coffee machine you purchase, so be sure to look through any accessories your product includes before purchasing.
Which commercial thermal coffee maker do I need?
Which thermal carafe coffee maker is right for your business will depend on several operational factors. These include how much coffee you need to brew and serve each hour, whether your unit should be plumbed or portable, what level of programmability you desire, and what special features may be beneficial to your operation. Generally, pourover thermal coffee makers are less expensive than automatic units, and those without special brewing features cost less than highly programmable units. Thermal carafe coffee makers may include several operational features such as an energy-saving mode, illuminated system indicators, large water tanks on pourover units to facilitate high production capacities, and custom temperature settings for the water used to brew each batch.