Coffee will always be about taste, first and foremost. Whether you crave an earthy espresso or you’re a sweet tooth who won’t settle for anything less than a mocha, you need a beverage that agrees with your palate. The caffeine boost is just a bonus — or a curse, depending on the time of day! But how many of us can honestly say that every coffee we purchase is an absolute necessity?
If you have a full-time coffee habit, perhaps it’s time you thought about a machine for your home. A manual, automatic, or capsule coffee machine is a fantastic long-term investment. Read on to learn how much you could save.
We know what you're thinking... "a $4 cup of coffee is nothing in the long run".
Yet, because we buy so many cups of coffee on auto-pilot, we can easily lose sight of the impact this spending has on our wallets. As the saying goes, it all adds up - especially if you buy at least one coffee a day.
Let’s look at how much money you could save over five years making your coffee in the comfort of your own home.
First of all, let’s see how much money you would spend on takeaway coffee over the course of five years, supposing you drink five cups a week. According to the 2017 Square Australian Coffee Report, the most popular coffee order around the country is the latte and, on average, a cup will set you back $4.12. That comes to $20.60 per week, or $1030 a year. (Our calculations factor in a two-week coffee hiatus.) If you stick to this routine for five years, that’s a total spend of $5150, and that’s not taking into account your occasional slice of banana bread.
Average cost of a coffee (Latte) | In a week you'll spend... | In a year you'll spend... | In five years you'll spend... |
|---|---|---|---|
$4.12 | $20.60 | $1030.00 | $5150.00 |
If you’re looking to buy a capsule machine, the average unit cost is around $400. Coffee pods vary in price depending on the origin of the beans, but we’ll go with an average of $0.75. Assuming $0.22 of milk constitutes each coffee, and you spend $50 a year on consumables such as descaling fluid and filters, five coffees a week over five years amounts to $1862.50. That’s a saving of $3,287.50, or enough money to shout capsule machines for your whole family.
Maybe you want to get hands-on with a manual coffee machine. Manual machines start from as little as $200 and climb up to almost $3000. The average unit cost sits somewhere around $700. Sticking with our $0.22 of milk per cup, incorporating $0.76 of ground coffee, and adding $50 a year for consumables, you’ll save $2975 over five years—enough for a holiday to wherever your favourite single-origin beans are grown.
Automatic machines tend to be a bit more expensive, but you are paying for hands-free convenience after all! The average automatic machine is around $2000. With $0.22 of milk and $0.76 of coffee in each cup, plus your consumables, you’re spending $3475 over five years, and saving $1675.
Investing in a coffee machine is a great way to save money in the long run. Savings may vary depending on how far from the city you live, on the brand of milk and beans you use, and on the beard length of your barista. But you’d have to be using some sacred, gold leaf-coated beans to come out with a loss!
So if we’ve convinced you to begin your day with the sounds of grinding and hissing emanating from your kitchen, you now have the joy of choosing the right machine for you.
Here are some benefits of each coffee machine type, to help make your decision easier.
Preserved freshness - Each capsule is individually sealed, so your coffee isn't drying out or losing its aroma intensity.
Easy to use - Many capsule machines use buttons or a dial control for selecting brew length.
Compact - Some models are little more than the size of a toaster. Plus, you don’t need a grinder.
Clean - You won’t be wiping coffee grounds off your benchtop when you’re done. Used pods conveniently collect in a container for easy emptying.
The most authentic way of making coffee - You won’t miss going to the cafe when you’re mimicking the movements of your local barista. Decide exactly how much coffee is heaped into the filter basket, then tamp your grounds for the ultimate extraction.
Manual frothing - A steam wand allows you to make a hotter coffee, and you can churn out some fine latte art.
Every cup’s a reward - Using a manual machine might require more grunt work, but at least you can pat yourself on the back when you make an exceptional cup of coffee. You are always responsible for your satisfaction.
Fully-automatic espresso - Remove all guesswork from coffee-making. These machines grind, tamp, and brew coffee on command. They also release your coffee waste for convenient disposal.
Less maintenance - Pump out coffees for a group of friends in quick succession, and save your cleaning for when everyone’s gone home. With programs for automatic milk rinsing and brewing, you can focus on cleaning your palate to get the optimum flavour from your brew.
Custom settings - Many automatic machines allow you to create your own coffee beverages and save them to the home screen. Some brands even have their own smartphone app for saving your favourites.
