Coffee machines - what the warranty really tells you about quality!

There are many companies selling coffee machines and coffee vending machines, and for any prospective purchaser, selecting the right company can be as difficult a choice as selecting the right machine. The consequences of choosing the wrong company can be disasterous when it comes to service and maintenance issues. What if they don't exist any more? What if they don't keep spares? What if it takes a month to fix?...and what if they don't honour their warranty?

Sure, we all want value for our money, but often we equate "cheap" with good value, and so often in these cases "cheap" is exactly what we get. A cheap machine...not a "value for money" coffee machine. So what should you look for to avoid making a mistake?

I think one of the most important things to look at is the warranty. This can tell you a lot about the company selling you the machine, and it sure can tell you a lot about the coffee machine. Our industry standard is a one year warranty against defective parts and workmanship. The reason most companies don't have a blanket warranty is that your coffee machine has a whole host of parts that wear each time you use it, and that is as natural as buying clothes and having them wear a little each time they are washed. Eventually you'll have to throw the shirt or blouse away and in the same vein, you'll eventually have to service your coffee machine.

The issue then is how long the warranty is offered for. Good machines come with a one year warranty because the supplier believes they are offering a good quality coffee machine. Look out for anything less. There are good reasons for a six month warranty or even a 3 month warranty ...would a supplier be saying six months if the machine was seriously reliable? Nope...they are saying..."we cannot be sure it won't go wrong after six months and we're not paying if it does!"

It may also tell you something about the company. Does a company that is not willing to back its machines with a one year warranty stand out as one you have confidence in? You'll have to answer that one, but it sure doesn't give me any warm fuzzy feelings. It says to me "we have imported something cheap, low in quality and after six months, it's not our problem'.

Of course, the other thing it says to me is that if there are a good few faults, will the company a) honour its commitments b) be able to afford to repair my machine or worse still c) go out of business because all its money has to go into buying spares to fix the faults!

So look at the warranty conditions when buying coffee machines or coffee vending machines - it may just help you avoid a costy mistake!

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