Office Appliances: What's Worth Buying (and Skipping) for Your Workplace

There's no such thing as a universal office appliance package. A 12-person startup in a shared workspace needs completely different equipment than a 40-person company with a gym, a full kitchen, and a wellness room. I know because I've bought for both kinds of offices.

I'm the office administrator for a mid-sized company. I handle all purchasing, roughly $180K a year across 8 vendors, and I report to both operations and finance. When employees ask me "should we buy this?" my first response is always to ask what their office actually looks like. Because the right answer for one workplace is the wrong answer for another.

So instead of pretending there's a one-size-fits-all list, here are the five appliance questions I get asked most often, with the advice that applies depending on your situation.

1. Should We Buy a Samsung Self Clean Washer for the Office?

If your office has a gym, a shower, or a regular towel program, yes. If none of those apply, skip it.

We bought a Samsung self clean washer when we converted our basement into a small gym and locker room in 2022. Employees use it for workout towels, and we stopped paying a linen service that had been charging us $240 a month. The washer paid for itself in about seven months. That's the kind of math finance appreciates.

The self clean cycle is not a gimmick. It runs a drum sanitization process—soaking, pulsation, and high-speed spinning—to clean the inside without harsh chemicals. When you're washing sweaty towels every week, that matters. I don't have hard data on how Samsung's cleaning cycle compares to other brands, but after four years of running this machine, the drum doesn't have the mildew smell I dealt with in our previous washer. That alone prevents the complaints I used to get.

Your scenario: If employees exercise on-site or you supply linens, this washer is worth every dollar. If nobody sweats at your office, it's just a large expensive box taking up space.

2. Is a Samsung Mini Split the Answer for Spaces Your HVAC Can't Handle?

We faced this in 2023 when we turned a storage room into a quiet workspace. The central HVAC thermostat was on the other side of the floor, and the room hit 84°F in summer. Our options were extending the ductwork (expensive and disruptive) or installing a ductless mini split.

We went with a Samsung mini split, and I was surprised at how smooth the installation was. A contractor mounted the indoor unit, ran the line set, and finished in one afternoon. Two years later, the room sits at a consistent 72°F through both summer and winter.

One thing to check before you order: your lease. I know more than one office manager who skipped that step and ended up with a landlord who didn't allow mini split installations. (Should mention: we got ours approved in writing before signing.) It's a 10-minute email that saves a world of pain.

That said, our situation was specific—one awkward room on a concrete floor where running ductwork wasn't practical. If your building has accessible ceiling plenums and the budget allows, a ducted solution might serve you better. The right answer depends on the building, not on what's popular.

Your scenario: If you have a room that central HVAC doesn't condition properly, a mini split is a practical fix. If your current system works fine, don't fix what isn't broken.

3. Is a 2-Burner Induction Cooktop Enough for an Office Kitchen?

For most offices, yes. For offices where someone cooks full meals on a regular basis, no.

We bought a Samsung induction cooktop 2-burner portable unit for our break room kitchen instead of installing a full range. It's been one of the best purchasing decisions I've made as a buyer. Here's why:

• Induction heats the pan directly, so water boils in about half the time of our old electric coil cooktop.
• No open flame and no glowing hot coils. Our safety officer didn't blink during inspection.
• The glass surface cools quickly after cooking, and spills wipe off instead of baking on.

The "2" matters. A two-burner unit covers reheating leftovers, boiling water for tea or pasta, and making one actual dish without crowding the counter. We have a microwave, a kettle, and this cooktop, and employees rarely wait for any of them.

But if your office runs a weekly team lunch and someone is actually cooking meals, get a full induction range. The portable 2-burner will feel inadequate fast. And if you're tempted by gas: before you go down that path, check your ventilation requirements. Dodged a bullet there myself—the hood alone would have cost triple the cooktop.

Your scenario: Light meal prep and reheating? The 2-burner induction cooktop is plenty. Regular cooking operation? Step up to a full range.

4. What's the Best Italian Coffee Maker?

This is the question I get asked more than any other, and I have to give you an annoying answer: it depends on what "best" means to you.

Italian coffee makers generally fall into three categories:

• Moka pot (the classic stovetop Bialetti)—makes strong, rich coffee for a few people. Around $40.
• Espresso machine—makes actual espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos. Several hundred dollars.
• Bean-to-cup automatic—grinds, brews, and dispenses at the touch of one button. $1,000 and up.

Here's where I'll be honest about my boundaries: I'm an office administrator, not a barista. What I know comes from watching what employees actually use. In 2022 we bought a semi-automatic espresso machine because multiple people swore they'd use it daily. By the third week, it sat unused because nobody wanted to clean the portafilter and milk frother. We replaced it with a $40 moka pot that gets used every single day.

If I remember correctly, the espresso machine was around $450 including accessories. The moka pot was maybe $45. One of those purchases was a lesson. The other makes coffee.

I'd rather work with a specialist who knows their limits than a generalist who overpromises—and that applies to coffee makers too. The vendor who says "this isn't our strength" is more trustworthy than the one who swears everything is easy.

The best Italian coffee maker for your office depends on one question: is there a specific person who will actually maintain it? If yes, get the espresso machine. If no, save your budget and get the moka pot.

5. Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar?

I added water flossers to our wellness room last year, and an employee asked me this directly. I'm not a dentist, and I'll say that plainly. But I did the research before buying, because any appliance I put in this office has to do what it claims.

The short answer: no, a water flosser cannot remove tartar once it has formed. Tartar is hardened plaque, and removing it requires professional scaling by a dentist or hygienist. What a water flosser can do is remove plaque and food debris from areas where string floss doesn't reach easily—which helps prevent tartar from forming in the first place.

It's a preventive tool, not a removal tool. Per FTC advertising guidelines, product claims need to be truthful and substantiated, but I've learned to take any claim that implies "you can skip professional care" with a grain of salt.

My advice to our team: use the water flosser if you want, but don't cancel your dental cleanings. And if you're unsure whether it's right for you, ask your dentist—that's what I'd do.

How to Know Which Scenario You're In

If you're still not sure where your office fits, here's a quick checklist:

1. Do employees work out or shower at the office? If yes, buy the Samsung self clean washer.
2. Is there a room that's always too hot or too cold? If yes, look into a Samsung mini split.
3. Does anyone cook actual food at work? If yes, the 2-burner induction cooktop handles most needs. If it's serious cooking, get a full range.
4. Is there one person who will maintain a coffee machine? If yes, get the espresso machine. If no, the moka pot wins.
5. Are you buying wellness items like a water flosser? Treat them as preventive tools, not replacements for professional care.

The pattern in every section is the same: match the purchase to your actual situation, not to a trend or a brochure. That's the advice I wish someone had given me when I first took over purchasing. It would have saved us that $450 espresso machine and a very awkward conversation with my VP.