Is making espresso more expensive than making coffee?

by Gary
(Penticton, BC)

QUESTION:

I find I can no longer justify the price of dropping by at my local coffee shop and buying a cappuccino or latte. So I’m thinking of buying a home espresso machine. My question is – will it cost me more to make an espresso at home than it does to make a regular cup of coffee in my drip brewer?


ANSWER:

Gary,

Great question. The short answer is that it won’t cost you more to make your own cappuccino.

The high price of espresso-based coffee drinks in coffee shops is more to do with the atmosphere and “performance” of making your drink. Also, in a commercial setting, those shops are having to cover the cost of expensive equipment and the salaries of their baristas.

At home the cost of the coffee for your espresso is no higher than the cost of the coffee you buy for your drip brewer.

So yes, you can make a great cappuccino or latte for the same price as a regular cup of coffee.

That said, you’ll probably pay more for an espresso machine than you did for your drip brewer.

You don’t have to spend a fortune, but you should read a little about the espresso machine and make sure it is pump driven. Inexpensive espresso machines force the water through the tamped coffee grinds simply using “steam” pressure. Not good. You won’t get a quality espresso that way. Decent home espresso machines typically have a “15-bar pump”.

You can read more about making espresso at home on our home espresso machines page.