Every steam machine buyer eventually asks the same question: should I run this on gas or electricity? The honest answer is that it depends on your electricity tariff, your LPG cylinder cost, and where the machine will sit — and it is worth doing the math for your own shop rather than trusting a generic national average. The Karmayogi Tea Coffee Machine is built electric-only, and this guide explains what that costs to run per hour, how it compares with a gas bhatti, and how to plan around power cuts if your area sees them.
Running cost — the actual math
The 17 and 23 inch models use a 1500W electric heating element, which draws about 1.5 units of electricity per hour of continuous use; the 29 inch heavy-duty model steps up to 2000W, closer to 2 units per hour, so factor that in if you are sizing up. Multiply the relevant figure by your local commercial or domestic tariff (which varies widely across states and even across meter categories) to get an hourly electric running cost. Pull out your last electricity bill, find your per-unit rate, and multiply it by 1.5 (or 2 for the 29 inch) — that number is your hourly cost for running the machine flat out. In practice the element cycles on and off once the tank is up to pressure, so a quiet afternoon draws noticeably less than the rated figure. A commercial LPG cylinder, split across the hours of steady brewing it typically fuels on a gas bhatti, produces a comparable per-hour gas cost — most tea stall owners already know this number: take your current cylinder price, divide by roughly how many hours of brewing a full cylinder lasts you today, and you have your working gas cost per hour to set against the electric figure.
| Factor | Electric (1500-2000W) | LPG (commercial gas bhatti) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost driver | ~1.5 units/hour × local tariff (~2 for the 29 inch) | Cylinder price ÷ hours of use |
| Supply | Any 230V single-phase point | Cylinder deliveries, storage space |
| Permit-friendly (malls, offices) | Yes — no open flame | Often restricted |
| Power-cut resilience | Needs inverter or generator backup | Unaffected |
| Safety | No naked flame, pressure gauge + safety valve | Open flame, cylinder handling |
Where gas still has a case
Street-side stalls in areas with long, frequent power cuts, and outdoor event setups with no power line at all, are the places a gas bhatti still holds its ground. A stall owner cannot explain to a queue of morning commuters why the tea has stopped because the grid tripped. If that describes your location, be honest about it before buying any electric equipment — or plan a backup (see below). Rural stalls that have run on a gas bhatti for years also tend to already know their gas costs precisely, which makes the comparison easy to run.
Where electric wins
Malls, corporate offices, food courts and any indoor commercial space with fire-safety rules typically do not allow an open LPG flame near a food counter — building management simply will not permit it, and this is not a preference you can negotiate around once a lease is signed. In those locations electric heating is not just convenient, it is often the only compliant option, and knowing this before you sign a food-court counter agreement saves an awkward conversation later. Electric is also the calmer choice for any counter where nobody wants to manage cylinder deliveries and swaps: an office pantry, a hospital canteen, a hostel mess, a compact market stall with no room to store a cylinder safely. There is no flame near your staff, no smell, and no cylinder that runs dry mid-rush with nobody free to change it. That is why the Karmayogi Tea Coffee Machine is built electric-only — one clean 230V connection and it runs. (If you are still weighing a premix vending unit against a steam machine, that is a separate decision — see fresh milk vs premix — and heating type does not change the sizing math in the cups-per-hour guide.)
Planning around power cuts
If your area sees occasional cuts, a 1500W element is within reach of a mid-size inverter or a small petrol generator, the same class of backup many shops already run for lights and a fridge; the 2000W 29 inch model needs a slightly larger unit, so ask your electrician to size it for the rated wattage plus your other load. Because the tank holds steam pressure for a while after the element switches off, a short cut of a few minutes rarely stops service at all. For long daily outages, run the numbers on backup cost alongside your electricity tariff before deciding — that combined figure is the honest comparison against a gas bhatti.
Three questions to decide for your shop
If you are still unsure, three questions usually settle it. First, does your location allow an open flame at all — if the answer is no, as it often is in malls and corporate campuses, electric is not really a choice, it is a requirement. Second, how often does your power actually go out during your business hours, and do you already have backup for it. Third, do you have space and a reliable supplier for cylinders, or would you rather plug into a point that is already there. For most shops, cafes and canteens the answers point the same way, which is why every Karmayogi Tea Coffee Machine variant is electric. See exact model pricing on the price page, and if you are planning a new stall from scratch, our tea stall setup guide walks through the full cost breakdown including electricity.