German government spent €14,000 on a coffee machine
Auditors in the west German state of North Rhine-Westphalia were outraged this week when they uncovered the cost of the machine, which was installed at a police 'Innovation Lab' in Duisburg.
They also criticised authorities for buying two chairs that cost €6,000 each and spending €35,000 on renovations for a kitchen in the same building.
The state interior ministry, which oversees spending on police forces in Duisburg, said the costs were justified as the machine needed to be tailored to the discerning palette of its users.
A state interior ministry spokesman said the machine would be used by 'a wide variety of events and large groups of visitors... it is therefore a device that must meet gastronomic standards'.
The spokesman also argued that the coffee machine would need to serve up to 500 people per month, which apparently meant that a special and more expensive machine was required.
According to German newspaper Die Welt, the machine in question is a 'La Cimbali S20' coffee maker that was purchased in 2021.
The cost of €14,000 is slightly higher than the prices currently listed on German shopping websites for the same machine, which range from around €12-13,000 .
However, The Telegraph found that coffee machines suitable for offices and public functions can be purchased for less than €3,000 in Germany.
Electronics store BigGastro was this week offering an office coffee machine at a discounted price of €2769.99. Tchibo, a popular German coffee chain, offers an office-suitable machine for only €999.
According to the website of North Rhine-Westphalia state police, the Innovation Lab will allow police officers to 'develop solutions for future problems' and 'prepare the police for the challenges of tomorrow'.
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