A vending machine is essentially a self-service automated store, usually found in a convenience store, that sells a wide variety of consumer products, including food, drinks, and cigarettes.  There are many types of vending machines. For example, there are coin-operated machines that accept coins or credit cards and dispense change. Automatic stores use a variety of methods to determine what products are needed most and then sell them to customers through a system of computer-controlled mechanical arms.  There are also self-service machines, which require little to no interaction from the consumer, and product-dispensing machines, which offer the consumer a greater selection of products to choose from. According to ResearchAndMarket, India’s vending machine market is predicted to develop at a 14.9 per cent CAGR from 2020 to 2026, and we are expecting it to touch $1 billion in 2025. 

Let’s get to the types of vending machines. 

Coffee Vending Machine: 

Coffee vending machines are self-service machines that dispense hot or cold beverages. Most coffee vending machines dispense coffee, although some also offer tea, hot chocolate, iced coffee, and iced tea with lemon.  The most common place to find a coffee vending machine is inside a convenience store or gas station. 

You must have seen this machine in your office. CCD is the biggest player in these types of vending machines. During the fiscal year 2021, around 36 thousand Cafe Coffee Day vending machines were operational in India.

If we talk about the consumption of coffee only in India, then it is 1 lakh 21 thousand kilos. 

Coil or Spiral Vending Machine: 

A coil vending machine is one which is operated by a rod (coil) wound around a cylinder with a series of evenly spaced holes, instead of the more traditional method of a chain. This type of machine is also known for its ability to automatically make changes. The advantages of coil vending machines are that they are smaller and less expensive than traditional vending machines. This machine also has the capability of dispensing all manner of items such as snacks, fast food items, coffee, or even soft drinks. Snack and beverage coil vending machines account for around 88 per cent of the market. The corporate sector accounts for the majority of food and beverage vending machines. 

Elevator Vending Machine: 

Another type of vending machine, the elevator vending machine, is used to dispense snacks and drinks in a quick and hassle-free way. The first elevator vending machine was created in 1984 by Alexander Turek in Ekaterinburg, Russia. This was a time when people were uneasy about interacting with machines, so the use of the elevator vending machine was initially limited.

You’ve probably seen that things fall from the top of most vending machines and must be picked up. If you are selling electrical goods or a bottle of wine, it may break during the distribution process. This vending machine has an elevator placed within, and this raised component will safely rise and dispense your goods for you. Objects such as groceries, vegetables, and fragile items can be stored there.

Conveyor Belt Vending Machine: 

A conveyor belt vending machine is a vending machine that uses a series of plastic or metal belts to pull products through a machine. Vending machines make use of powered equipment and software to store, manage, and dispense items, usually for a small profit. Conveyor belt vending machines have a motor that runs a conveyor belt, which pulls the product through the machine. 

Generally, this type of vending machine is a little costlier than a coil vending machine, since gears are conveyor belts operating this. This type of vending machine is used for those products which can’t fit inside the coil vending machine. 

Screen Vending Machine: 

Some people call this type of machine a “smart vending machine” since it has a touch screen and a user-friendly interface. 

A big is there on the face of vending machines where you can navigate in between the products and choose them to buy. The material of this screen is completely opaque, so you can’t see inside the vending machine. 

This type of vending machine is mostly used for consumable products like pizza, ramen, and so on. The main purpose of this vending machine is to show mouth-watering visuals and images of the meal to create more curiosity in the consumer’s mind. 

The first screen vending machine in the world, the ScreenCandy Vending Machine, was installed at the ScreenCandy offices in Santa Monica, California. It’s a small metal box with a touchscreen display, optical character recognition software, and a speaker are included. Users can draw on the screen or type in a message, and the machine will print out a physical poster of their design. The machine is accessible only by appointment, and it’s only been tested with a small group of people so far, but the company plans to build more so that it can expand its services and reach a wider audience.

Single & Multi Door Vending Machine: 

This type of vending machine is used for frozen products, Its temperature varies from 4 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius, The main difference between a single door and a multidoor is of shelves. A multidoor vending machine has different shelves which have different temperatures. To use this machine first you need to connect your wallet with the vending machine, and then the machine will be unlocked for you. Now you can take products based on your choice and money will be deducted from your vending machine with the help of a camera and vending machine.

Refrigerator Vending Machine: 

These types of vending machines act like a refrigerator. This machine has a refrigerator in-built so that it can keep the items cold. These devices are often used to maintain goods such as fruit drinks, sodas, and so on at the proper temperature so that the drink may be enjoyed at its optimal temperature. This machine has the capability to keep the item at a low temperature, and this temperature varies from 4 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. 

According to the Freedonia Group, global demand for refrigerated vending machines is expected to rise at a less than 1.0 per cent annual pace to $1.6 billion by 2024.

Reverse Vending Machine: 

This type of vending machine is used to collect plastic bottles, tins, cans etc. The main objective of this machine is used to collect all plastic bottles around its surroundings. This machine offers rewards coupons in the exchange of empty plastic bottles, cans, tins, etc. This machine crushes the bottles into small pieces so that they can’t be reused again by sellers. To use this machine first you need to insert the plastic bottle into the receiving hole then the machine reader scanner scans the bottle and confirms the material of the bottle, after confirming the plastic it crushes it into small pieces and then the machine prints the coupons or discount ticket.

Every year India generates about 62 metric tonnes of plastic waste.

In 2020, The market cap of reverse vending machines is 373 million USD and it is expected that it will reach 736.9 million USD by the year 2030.

Ticket Vending Machine: 

Any vending machine is said to be a ticket vending machine, which can vend a ticket for your travels. These types of machines are placed in airports, stations, etc. To use this machine, you just have to enter your travel destination by using the touch screen panel of the vending machine and pay for the ticket. 

The Delhi metro is the 11th longest network in the world. With 286 stations, the Delhi metro has 800+ ticket vending machines in operation. 

Final Words

Each type of vending machine is different in operational ways, and there are different ways to use each of them. 

We hope that you have enjoyed learning about the different types of vending machines. If you have any questions, please feel free to write in the comment section. 

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