Beverage Equipment

Q: What power supply do these units need?

Smaller units like blenders, single-group coffee machines and benchtop ice makers run from a standard 10-amp power point. Higher-output coffee machines and larger ice makers can require a dedicated 15-amp circuit or three-phase power. Confirm the amperage on the spec sheet and have an electrician verify your supply before delivery.

Q: How much ice does a venue actually need?

Allow for the iced drinks, cocktails and water service across your busiest day, then add a buffer for summer. Underestimating ice is a common beverage mistake — a unit that copes in winter can run dry by mid-afternoon in summer. Choosing the right type (cube, nugget or flake) matters too.

Beverage equipment for Australian cafes, bars, restaurants and quick-service venues — everything that pours, chills, brews, blends or freezes a drink, gathered in one place. This hub spans espresso and filter coffee, refrigerated drink and juice dispensers, upright drink fridges, ice makers and bar blenders, so you can scope a full front-of-house drinks station from a single range. New venue fit-out or replacing a single tired unit, start with the sub-categories below and drill into the one that matches your service.

Who this gear is for

If you sell drinks, you run drinks equipment — and the right kit is what keeps a service fast and a margin healthy. Cafes lean on coffee machines and grinders; pubs, clubs and RSLs need cold drinks merchandised and ice on tap; juice bars and smoothie counters live and die by their blenders and juicers; caterers and function venues pull beverages from refrigerated dispensers through a long event. Across all of them the brief is the same: hold the product at the right temperature, serve it fast through the rush, and don't break down mid-shift.

What's in scope

Beverage equipment is a broad category. Here's how the range breaks down, and where to go next for each.

Coffee machines and grinders

The heart of any cafe or coffee-led venue. Browse commercial coffee machines for traditional espresso, automatic and pod systems sized from single-group counter units up to high-volume multi-group machines. A consistent grind matters as much as the machine itself, so pair your choice with a matched grinder for repeatable shots through service.

Drink and juice dispensers

For self-serve and high-turnover counters, refrigerated drink dispensers hold juice, cordial and cold beverages at safe temperature while merchandising them in clear bowls — the workhorse of buffets, function rooms and quick-service venues. They keep product cold and visible without tying up a staff member to pour.

Drink fridges and bar refrigeration

To merchandise bottles and cans, an upright display fridge puts cold stock behind glass where customers can see it and staff can restock fast. These are the glass-door units you see lining the wall of a bottle shop, servo or cafe drinks wall — built to recover temperature quickly every time the door opens.

Ice makers

Cold drinks need ice, and a venue that buys bagged ice is paying a premium every week. A commercial ice maker produces cube, nugget or flake ice on site, sized to your daily kilo demand — the single biggest beverage cost most operators forget to plan for until summer hits.

Blenders, juicers and bar tools

Smoothies, frappes, cocktails and fresh juice all run through a bar blender or juicer. Our commercial bar blenders handle ice and frozen fruit shift after shift, where a domestic unit would burn out — the difference between a kitchen-grade motor and a benchtop one shows up fast in a busy juice bar.

How to choose your drinks equipment in three steps

Outfitting a drinks station can feel like a dozen separate decisions. It comes down to three questions, in order.

Step 1 — Map your drinks menu to the gear

Start from what you actually sell. Espresso-based menu means a coffee machine and grinder; bottled and canned drinks mean a display fridge; smoothies and fresh juice mean a blender and juicer; almost every venue needs ice. List your drink lines first, then match each one to a category above — it stops you buying kit you won't use and missing kit you will.

Step 2 — Size to your peak, not your average

Every unit in this range is rated by throughput — cups per hour, litres held, kilos of ice per day. Size to your busiest trading window, not your daily total. A machine that keeps up at the breakfast rush will coast the rest of the day; one sized to the daily average will fall behind exactly when it costs you sales.

Step 3 — Check power, plumbing and footprint

Before you buy, confirm the unit fits your space and your services. Many ice makers and some coffee machines need a water connection and drainage; high-output machines may need a dedicated 15-amp or three-phase supply rather than a standard 10-amp outlet. Measure the counter or floor space and allow the ventilation clearance on the spec sheet so the unit runs efficiently in a hot kitchen.

Want help narrowing the field on coffee specifically? Our commercial coffee machine buying guide walks through group size, boiler type and the volume questions that decide which machine suits your venue.

Popular picks: two proven starting points from this range are the Musso L1 Mini ice cream machine for venues adding a frozen-dessert line, and the AG 220L twin glass-door bar fridge for merchandising cold drinks behind the counter.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as commercial beverage equipment?

Commercial beverage equipment is any kitchen-grade appliance that prepares, chills, dispenses or holds drinks for service — coffee machines and grinders, refrigerated drink and juice dispensers, upright drink fridges, ice makers, and bar blenders and juicers. The defining difference from domestic gear is duty cycle: commercial units are built to run all day, every trading day, without burning out.

What drinks gear does a new cafe need?

A typical cafe fit-out starts with a coffee machine and a matched grinder, an ice maker for cold drinks, an upright drink fridge to merchandise bottled lines, and a blender if smoothies or frappes are on the menu. Map the list to your drinks menu first — there's no point buying a juicer if you don't sell fresh juice, and no point skipping an ice maker if you do iced coffee through summer.

How do I size drinks equipment for my venue?

Size every unit to your busiest trading window rather than your daily average. Coffee machines are rated by group count and cups per hour, ice makers by kilos produced per 24 hours, and drink fridges by litres or bottle capacity. Estimate peak demand — the breakfast rush, the post-match crowd, the lunch run — and choose capacity at or just above that number so the gear keeps pace when it matters.

Does this equipment need plumbing?

Some of it does. Most commercial ice makers and many coffee machines need a cold-water connection and a drain, so plan plumbing into the install. Drink fridges, dispensers and blenders generally just plug in. Always check the individual product's spec sheet for water, drainage and electrical requirements before you commit to a position in the venue.

What power supply do these units need?

Smaller units — blenders, single-group coffee machines, benchtop ice makers — run from a standard 10-amp power point. Higher-output coffee machines and larger ice makers can require a dedicated 15-amp circuit or three-phase power. Confirm the amperage on the spec sheet and have an electrician verify your supply before delivery, especially in an older venue.

How much ice does a venue actually need?

As a rough guide, allow for the iced drinks, cocktails and water service across your busiest day, then add a buffer for summer. Underestimating ice is one of the most common beverage mistakes — a unit that copes in winter can run dry by mid-afternoon in February. Choosing the right type (cube, nugget or flake) matters too, so size and style together against how you'll use it.

Do you deliver across Australia?

Yes. Commercial Kitchen Store ships nationwide, and Australian-based phone support is available on 1300 111 901 if you need help matching equipment to your venue and volume.