If you're running a busy café in 2026, one thing is clear:

Speed, consistency, and innovation aren't optional anymore. They're expected. 

To thrive in a challenging market, we believe that volume fixes everything. That is, more drinks out the door per day. While flavour is still the ultimate key to draw someone in, and keep them coming back for more, there's something that sets some cafes apart.

Being set up to serve flavourful beverages at scale. Flavour at speed so your customers aren't waiting. Flavour served consistently so you become a trusted stop in your customer busy day.

Over the past months, Zest has had the privilege to work with two brands helping cafe owners and F & B chains serve flavour at scale. We'd like to introduce you to FloSmart and Six Simple Machines.

Both brands build equipment to dispense liquid, allowing venues to serve drinks fast and more consistently. But they solve different problems. 

This guide breaks down:

• Key differences
• Real-world pro's & cons
• Which system suits your venue best
• And Zest's findings from MICE2026

 

WHAT IS FLOSMART?

FloSmart is a precision liquid dispensing system designed to automate cold beverage service at scale. Designed and built by Keelan Hartnett & his father, FloSmart aims to increase your revnue though improving effecieny in cold drink service. For the in depth specs and resource, visit their website.

https://flo-smart.com/

 

WHAT IS SIX SIMPLE MACHINES? (FREEPOUR BATCH)

Freepour Batch is part of the Six Simple Machines ecosystem. Designed to create a customer-facing, high-quality batch beverage experience. Visit their website to explore full range and tech specs.

https://sixsimplemachines.com.au/

 

TECHNICAL DIFFERENCES (AT A GLANCE)

Before diving into pros and cons, it’s worth understanding how these two systems fundamentally operate.

Because while they may look similar on the surface being liquid dispensing taps, they are built very differently.

• Dispensing method
  FloSmart dispenses by volume (mL)
  Six Simple Machines dispenses by time (e.g. 3 seconds)
  
• Drink type capability
  FloSmart is built for cold beverages only
  Six Simple Machines supports both hot and cold drinks
  
• Customer-facing experience
  FloSmart has no customer-facing screen
  Six Simple Machines includes a built-in screen for menu display and POS messaging
  
• Liquid sourcing
  FloSmart can draw from almost any vessel, including bladders stored up to 40 metres away (via chilled lines)
  Six Simple Machines draws from Airpot-style thermoses located directly under the taps
  
• Dispense control per tap
  FloSmart allows multiple preset volumes per tap (e.g. 3 drink sizes)
  Six Simple Machines operates on a single programmed time per tap
  
• Payment integration
  FloSmart does not integrate with payment systems
  Six Simple Machines can integrate with POS systems (e.g. Square), enabling self-serve and self-pay models

These differences are not inherently “better or worse”. They simply reflect what each system is designed to do.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

FloSmart - Key Strengths
1. Remote liquid sourcing (up to 40 meters away)
FloSmart can draw from bladders stored up to 40 meters away. This means: no clutter on the bar, less space required for fridge under the counter, bulk prep in the kitchen.

2. Chilled lines = consistent quality
Even across long distances, the system maintains the temperature of the liquid. This ensures both food safety and flavour preservation.

3. High-speed, repeatable service
Push a button = same drink every time. Flavour consistency across staff, shifts and busy periods. 

4. Flexible liquid compatibility
Flosmart works with multiple liquid sources and formats, not locked into one system. Cold Brew Concentrate attachments available to draw directly from your suppliers Cold Brew Concentrate products.

5. Accurate!
FloSmart is accurate to the mL. With Flosmart, your COGS will be bulletproof. 

 

FloSmart -  Cons
1. No integrated customer-facing screen
Flowsmart does not have built-in POS storytelling. It's not part of your marketing, just a tool for scale. You will still be reliant on traditional POS marketing.

2. Not designed for hot beverages
Flosmart is primarily a cold drink system, limiting menu versatility compared to other hybrid systems.

3. Not compatible with thick liquids
There is a certain thickness of liquid which FloSmart cannot process. However, the team are working on technical improvements to allow syrups to flow through the machine.

 

SSM Freepour Batch - Key Strengths
1. Built-in marketing screen
This is where SSM shines, with the option for manual or digital signage directly above the tap. This allows cafe owners to display drink menus or the particular origin being served. Immediately, your customer understands what is being offered while also increasing perceived value.

2. Self-serve & self-pay capability
The Freepour Batch machine can be connected with your Square terminal to allow customers to self serve, reducing labour and opens new service models!

3. Handles hot AND cold drinks
Built for hot batch brew with the insulated Airpots that are built into the system. Being a insulated Airpot, it also supports keeping cold beverages cold.

4. Premium presentation = vibe/brand building
While the screens predominantly act as POS marketing, the Freepour batch is designed to be a feature piece, not just a tool. Adds theatre to your space.

5. More taps = more beverages
The SSM Freepour batch is available in 1, 2, 4, and 6 tap models. The most in the FloSmart unit is 4 taps.

 

SSM Freepour Batch -  Cons
1. Higher upfront investment
Generally, SSM will be a larger investment than FloSmart units. More tech involved in the screen results in a higher price tag.

2. Requires internal canister system
Liquids must be poured into the provided Airpots as the system doesn't have the ability to draw directly from external bladders. This means more manual handling and less flexible in large-scale setups.

3. Demands space under your bar
With the Airpot system, there is no ability to draw from a location away from your bar. The airpots must be connected directly under the bar.

4. Dispenses via time
Once you have a recipe set in mLs. you will still need to go through a process of trial and error to match time to your desired weight.

5. Airpot restrict volume that can be pre-batched
The airpots are 5L which equels approx 50 drinks (depending on your recipes). Thus, you will be re-filling/re-mixing your drink every 50 orders. 

SO... WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Choose FloSmart if you:

• Run a high-volume cafe
• Want to reduce bar congestion
• Need speed + consistency at scale
• Are building a multi-site operation
• Want to batch and store liquids efficiently

Think 'invisible efficiency machine'

 

Choose SSM Freepour Batch if you:

• Want a customer-facing experience
• Care about visual merchandising & upselling
• Are exploring self-serve models
• Want hot + cold versatility
• Have space for a feature machine

Think 'Front-of-house revenue driver'

 

ZEST'S PERSPECTIVE?

At Zest, we don't believe in “one size fits all.”

We integrate both systems into our café partnerships depending on volume, layout, menu strategy and revenue goals.

But after running both systems side-by-side at MICE2026, we gained some very real-world insights.

For a high-volume environment like MICE, FloSmart stood out.

• It was significantly easier to refill during peak service
• We could be highly accurate with our recipes thanks to mL-based dosing
• The multi-tap system (up to 4 taps) allowed us to run multiple liquids simultaneously
• Bulk liquids stored away from the bar kept our workflow clean and efficient

On the other hand, with Six Simple Machines, we needed to:

• Pre-batch entire drinks into flasks
• Work within a limited number of Airpots (we had 6 total)
• Refill manually, which became challenging during peak periods

In practice, we ran out of product within the first half-day. Not because demand wasn’t there, but because refilling the system at the venue was significantly more time-consuming.

That said, this doesn’t make one system “better” than the other.

It highlights the key difference:

• FloSmart = built for operational efficiency at scale
• Six Simple Machines = built for customer experience and front-of-house interaction

The best system depends entirely on your venue, your menu, and how you want to serve.

If you're interested to learn about pricing or how Zest can integrate these systems in a coffee partnership to take your cafe to the next level, then let's talk!

Pricing, specs, partnerships - reach out to Zest here: Enquire Now