Plumbed-In vs Tank-Fed Coffee Machine: Which Does Your Café Need?
Last updated: October 2026
In 30 seconds:
- A tank-fed coffee machine has its own 3L water tank. You fill it with a jug and plug it into a 13A socket. No plumber needed.
- A plumbed-in machine is connected to a 15mm cold water supply. It never runs out of water, so it suits a steady queue.
- Tank-fed Fracino machines start from £1,150 (Piccino). Electric plumbed-in 2-group machines start from £2,380 (Bambino).
- Pick tank-fed for a kiosk, office or quiet café. Pick plumbed-in once you serve all day and refilling becomes a job.
- The costly mistake is ordering a plumbed machine before the water, waste and power are ready at the counter.
Where does the water come from? It sounds like a plumber’s question. In fact it decides which coffee machine you can buy, where it can sit and how busy you can get.
For a UK café with a steady queue, a plumbed-in machine is the standard choice. For a kiosk, a small counter or anywhere without a water feed, a tank-fed machine is the accepted answer. This guide shows you which side of that line you are on.
Plumbed-in vs tank-fed at a glance
| Tank-fed | Plumbed-in | |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Built-in 3L tank, filled by hand | 15mm cold mains supply |
| Power | 13A plug | 20A supply for most 2-group machines |
| Fracino models | Piccino, Cherub, Classico, Little Gem | Bambino, Contempo, Romano |
| Price | From £1,150 | From £2,380 (2-group) |
| Best for | Kiosks, offices, salons, quiet cafés | Cafés, coffee shops and restaurants with a queue |
| Moving it | Unplug, lift, done | Needs disconnecting from the water |
How a tank-fed coffee machine works
A tank-fed machine carries its own water. You lift the lid and pour fresh, cold water into the tank, or take the tank out and fill it at a sink.
The machine pumps water from the tank into its boiler. When the tank runs low, it tells you. The Fracino manual says the machines sound an alarm if the tank runs empty, and the Little Gem has a low-level warning light.
Quick specs: Fracino Cherub CHE1 (tank-fed)
- Water tank: 3L
- Power: 2.85kW, 13A plug
- Size: 380mm high, 360mm wide, 460mm deep
- Weight: 18kg
- Price: from £1,240. See the Fracino Cherub CHE1
The other tank-fed singles work the same way. The Piccino has a 3L tank and is the smallest, from £1,150. The Classico has a 3L tank and is rated for 50 to 70 coffees a day, from £1,380. The Little Gem is the biggest of the four, from £1,740 for the semi-automatic.
For the full picture on the entry machine, read our Fracino Cherub CHE1 review.
How a plumbed-in coffee machine works
A plumbed-in machine is fed straight from the cold mains. Water tops up the boiler on its own as you work. You never stop service to refill a tank.
Fracino says the Bambino, Contempo and Romano all require a mains water supply. The manual stresses they need a constant water supply while they are switched on.
Quick specs: Fracino Contempo CON2E (plumbed-in)
- Groups: 2
- Boiler: 14L
- Power: 4kW at 20A as standard
- Water in: 15mm cold supply with a 3/4″ washing machine isolator valve
- Waste: 1 1/2″ standpipe within 1 metre of the machine
- Size: 575mm high, 580mm wide, 500mm deep, 55kg
- Price: from £2,900. See the Fracino Contempo CON2E
The Bambino 2-group is our lowest-priced electric plumbed-in 2-group, from £2,380. The Romano 2-group sits at the top, from £4,570.
Plumbed-in singles exist too. The Bambino 1-group starts from £1,870 and the Contempo CON1 from £1,940. They suit a café that has water at the counter but only needs one group.
Which one does your café need?
Choose tank-fed if:
- There is no cold water pipe near the counter, and running one would be costly.
- You serve a modest number of drinks, such as an office, salon, deli or farm shop.
- You may move the machine, for example between a counter and an event room.
- You only have a normal 13A socket.
Choose plumbed-in if:
- You trade all day with a steady queue.
- Staff would be refilling a 3L tank again and again in a rush.
- You want a 2-group or bigger machine. Every electric Fracino 2-group in our range is plumbed-in.
- The counter is fixed and you can get water and waste to it.
The honest rule is simple. Once refilling the tank becomes a regular job at busy times, you have outgrown tank-fed. If you are unsure how many groups you need, our guide to what size coffee machine your coffee shop needs walks you through it.
What you need before a plumbed-in machine arrives
Fracino lists the services a plumbed-in machine needs. Have them in place before delivery day.
- Water in: a 15mm cold water supply with a 3/4″ standard washing machine isolator valve.
- Water pressure: the manual gives a maximum inlet pressure of 0.1 to 0.6 MPa. That is roughly 1 to 6 bar (our conversion).
- Waste: a 1 1/2″ minimum standpipe for the flexi hose. Fracino highly recommends a mains waste; a bucket or similar container will do if there is none.
- Position: water and waste directly beneath the machine, within one metre.
- Power: 2.7kW on 13A for a 1-group, 4.0kW on a 20A single-phase supply for a standard 2-group. The power point should sit directly behind the machine.
Hard water matters on a plumbed machine too. Our coffee machine water filter and softener guide explains how to protect the boiler from limescale.
What you need for a tank-fed machine
- A 13A socket. The Cherub and Classico are rated 2.85kW, the Little Gem 2.7kW.
- A jug or a sink nearby for refills.
- Fresh water filters. Fracino supplies a filter with tank machines and recommends a new one every 2 months, sooner with heavy use.
- A few minutes each day to clean the tank with mild detergent and warm water. Never put the tank in a dishwasher.
The middle ground: plumbed-in, but on a 13A plug
Some cafés have water at the counter but no spare 20A circuit. There are two plumbed-in answers.
- Bambino 2-group: Fracino lists it on a standard 13 amp supply. It has a 10L boiler and makes 40 to 50L of hot water an hour. From £2,380.
- Contempo 2-group on the 13A option: Fracino offers a 2.85kW element for a standard three-pin plug. It must be asked for when you order, as it is fitted at the factory.
The trade-off is recovery. A smaller element heats water more slowly than the standard 4kW, so it suits a steady flow better than a big rush.
The biggest mistake: buying the machine before the counter is ready
It is an easy trap to fall into. Someone orders a plumbed-in 2-group, then finds there is no cold feed, no waste and no 20A supply at the counter.
Now they need a plumber and an electrician before they can serve a drink. Opening day slips. Book both trades first, then order the machine.
The second mistake is running a machine without water. Fracino warns that running a plumbed machine with no water supply can damage it and void the warranty. On a tank machine, running the tank dry can damage the pump.
Want to see every model side by side? Our commercial coffee machines buying guide compares the full Fracino range. Orders over £1,000 can be spread with lease finance.
Plumbed-in vs tank-fed: your questions answered
What is the difference between a plumbed-in and a tank-fed coffee machine?
A tank-fed machine takes water from a built-in tank that you fill by hand. A plumbed-in machine is connected to a cold mains water pipe and fills itself. Tank-fed suits low volume and any spot with a socket. Plumbed-in suits a busy café.
Do I need a plumber to install a commercial coffee machine?
Only for a plumbed-in machine. It needs a 15mm cold water supply with a 3/4″ isolator valve, plus a waste standpipe within one metre. A tank-fed machine like the Cherub needs no plumber, just a 13A socket.
Can a tank-fed coffee machine cope with a busy café?
Not for long. The Fracino tank-fed singles have a 3L tank and one group. Fracino rates the Classico for 50 to 70 coffees a day. If you serve a steady queue all day, a plumbed-in 2-group will save you constant refills.
Which Fracino coffee machines are tank-fed?
The Piccino, Cherub, Classico and Little Gem are tank-fed. They run from a 13A plug with no plumbing. The Bambino, Contempo and Romano need a mains water supply.
Can I use a bucket instead of a waste pipe?
Yes, as a fallback. Fracino highly recommends a mains waste outlet, but says a bucket or similar container is enough if one is not available. Empty it often, as it fills with drip water and backflush water during the day.
What water pressure does a plumbed-in coffee machine need?
The Fracino manual gives a maximum inlet water pressure of 0.1 to 0.6 MPa, which is roughly 1 to 6 bar. If your mains pressure is higher, ask a plumber to fit a pressure-reducing valve.
Can I get a plumbed-in 2-group machine that runs on a 13A plug?
Yes. The Bambino 2-group runs on a standard 13 amp supply. The Contempo 2-group can be ordered with a 2.85kW element for a three-pin plug. Both still need a cold water feed.
What happens if a plumbed-in machine loses its water supply?
Switch it off. Fracino says these machines must have a constant water supply while they are on. Running one without water can damage the machine and void the warranty.