Both machines put a single-serving bag of coffee or tea into a box, but they are built for different products. Mixing them up is one of the most common specification errors we see. Here is the split.
What a drip coffee bag machine makes
A drip coffee bag is a small filter-paper bag filled with ground coffee, usually with a hanging ear or a folded tab so it can sit over a cup. Many configurations also form an individual outer sachet — a second, printed envelope around each inner bag — which protects aroma and gives the brand a surface for printing.
- Fills ground coffee and similar fine, free-flowing products.
- Uses filter paper for the inner bag and a laminate film for the outer sachet.
- Typical retail format: single-serve drip bags sold in boxes of 5 to 10.
What a pyramid tea bag machine makes
A pyramid (or triangle) bag is formed from a mesh material — nylon, PLA or corn fibre — into a three-dimensional bag that gives whole-leaf tea room to expand and infuse. A tag and string are often attached.
- Fills whole-leaf, large-leaf and herbal blends that will not fit or infuse well in a flat bag.
- Uses mesh material, not paper — the bag is see-through, which is part of the appeal.
- Typical retail format: premium single-serve tea, often in a pyramid-shaped carton.
Flat filter tea bag machines — the third option
If the product is fine-cut tea for a standard flat bag, neither of the above is the right answer. A flat filter bag machine runs paper bags with an optional individual envelope, at a lower material cost, and is the right choice for volume tea where the bag itself is not the selling point.
How to decide in three questions
- Is the product coffee or tea? Ground coffee goes to a drip bag machine. Whole-leaf tea goes to a pyramid machine. Fine-cut tea goes to a flat filter machine.
- Does each serving need an outer envelope? If yes, the machine needs an outer-sachet station; confirm this before quoting, because it changes the machine footprint and the film specification.
- What is the bag material? Paper, mesh and laminate behave differently on the sealing jaws. Send the material you intend to use — not a similar one.
Common specification mistakes
- Ordering a pyramid machine for fine-cut tea dust, which runs badly in mesh and costs more per bag than it needs to.
- Specifying an outer sachet for a product that will be sold loose in a tin.
- Choosing bag dimensions from a competitor’s pack without checking the fill weight the machine is rated for.
- Forgetting the tag and string option until after the machine is built.
Next step
Tell us the product (coffee or tea, and how it is cut or ground), the bag style, whether an outer envelope is needed, and the target output. We will confirm the machine type and the options that actually matter for your pack.
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Related reading: drip coffee bag machines · pyramid tea bag machines · flat filter tea bag machines