A commercial espresso machine and grinder are the most expensive things on a cafe bench, and most roasters will put them there for you. That is a real offer with real strings, and the strings are where cafes get caught. Here is how a machine on loan actually works, what it costs you inside the coffee price, when buying your own is the better deal, and the checklist to read before you sign either way. This is how King Carlos Coffee sets it up for the 80+ venues we supply.
Run a venue? See our wholesale coffee supply: 5 kg minimum, on-loan machines, $40 sample pack.
How a machine on loan works
The roaster owns the machine and grinder, installs them on your bench, and you pay for them inside the price of the coffee over a fixed term. No capital outlay on day one, and the roaster has an interest in keeping the gear running because their coffee goes through it. At King Carlos the loan covers a commercial machine and grinder, runs on a 12-month commitment, and is offered to venues that qualify on weekly volume. Our technicians cover NSW, VIC and QLD, same-day where possible.
The trade: your coffee price carries the equipment, and you are committed for the term. That is fair if the term is short and the coffee is right. It is expensive if the term is long and the coffee is not.
How buying your own works
You own the machine, you choose the brand, and your coffee is quoted without equipment in it. No term at all at King Carlos if you bring your own gear: order week to week and stop when you like. The cost is up front, and servicing is your call and your bill, though we still dial in and train on whatever is on the bench.
If you are buying, the install is not a plug-in job. A 2 group machine needs a 20A outlet, a 3 group a 32A supply, plus plumbed water at 3 to 7 bar with a 350 kPa limiting valve and a 50 mm waste. The full list is in our coffee machine installation checklist.
On loan or buy: the comparison
| Question | Machine on loan | Buy your own |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | None | Full machine and grinder price |
| Where the cost sits | Inside the coffee price | On your balance sheet |
| Term at King Carlos | 12 months | No term |
| Who owns the gear | The roaster | You |
| Choice of brand | From the roaster's partners | Yours |
| Dial-in and training | Included | Included at King Carlos |
| Best for | New sites, tight cash, venues that want one phone number | Established venues, owners who want the asset and the freedom |
The checklist a cafe signs
Eight things to have in writing before a loan machine goes on your bench, from any roaster:
- The term. In months, with the start date. Ours is 12.
- What the term covers. Machine only, or machine and grinder. Ours is both.
- The volume condition. The weekly kilos that qualify you, and what happens if you fall under for a month.
- Who services it and how often. A name and a schedule, not "support available".
- Who you ring when it dies at 8am. A number and a response time.
- What happens at the end of the term. Rolls on month to month, renews, or the gear comes out.
- What happens if you leave early. The exit cost, in dollars or kilos.
- The coffee quoted both ways. With equipment and without, so you can see what the loan is costing per kilo.
Item 8 is the one most cafes skip. Two quotes, one with the machine and one without, is the only way to know what the loan actually costs you. The same eight questions, with our answers, are on the wholesale coffee for cafes page.
When to take the loan
New site, cash tight, or you would rather have one phone number for coffee, machine and training. Twelve months is a fair term: long enough for the roaster to carry the gear, short enough that you are not married to it. Anything over 24 months, price the exit before you sign.
When to buy
You have the capital, you want a specific machine, or you want to be free to change roaster without a conversation about the bench. Buy the machine, quote the coffee without it, and keep every option open.
Common questions
Is a free coffee machine really free?
No. It is paid for inside the coffee price over the term. Ask for the coffee quoted with and without equipment to see the difference.
How long is the equipment commitment at King Carlos?
12 months, for a commercial machine and grinder on loan, for venues that qualify on weekly volume. Bring your own gear and there is no term.
Who fixes the machine if it breaks?
Ring us. Technicians in NSW, VIC and QLD, same-day where possible, and same-day emergency coffee supply in Sydney.
Can I switch roaster if the machine is on loan?
Inside the term, the machine belongs to the roaster, so switching means the gear comes out or an exit is agreed. Get the exit terms in writing before you sign, with any roaster.
Do you train on my own machine?
Yes. We dial in and train on whatever is on the bench, loan or owned, before your first delivery.
See what the loan would cost you
Build your wholesale plan in 60 seconds and tell us how you are set up for machines. We quote both ways. Or start with the $40 sample pack and taste it on your own machine first.
