There are more and more nice cafes popping up all over the United States, and big investment groups continue to snatch up traditional coffee chains. The reason is that the economics of selling coffee drinks are good and most of these stores are profitable. Most people drink coffee every day and are willing to pay a little bit more for a good drink and a good experience when they are not home. With drink prices between $3 and $6, home espresso equipment amortizes quickly, even if you still get coffee out every now and then.
How much do you spend on coffee shops?
For one person, let us say that on average you get one espresso drink out a day (sometimes an espresso, sometimes a milk drink) with an average cost of $4. This amounts to $1,460 a year. How about for two people? That amounts to $2,920 a year.
There is value beyond the coffee drink itself to frequenting cafes (a place to read a book, people watch, work on your computer, meet with friends, and so on), and depending on your income, one or two grand a year may not be that much. But it is a non-negligible expense, and for those with an interest in it, it makes home espresso worthwhile.
Home espresso equipment costs
The equipment that I use and recommend to make good espresso costs between $1,600 and $2,300, including the grinder and the machine, which takes the break even point for most people to less than two years (you still need to add the cost of coffee beans). It is also difficult to put a price on the convenience factor.
These amounts are for equipment I consider well suited to make quality espresso drinks at a low volume: at home you will only make 2 to 4 espressos a day on average. While you can spend more, I believe this is wasteful. It does not make sense to spend a lot on a machine that can make 100 espressos a day if you are only making 2. At the same time, it does not make sense to spend less if you want consistently good drinks without frustration.
There may be additional costs for repairs or maintenance, but when used properly, espresso equipment (even those designed for home use) does not usually break.
Coffee costs
You now know that it takes fresh roasted coffee to make espresso. Let us say that you are getting a very good espresso blend for a local roaster at $17 for a 12 oz bag (although you could do better than this). At 20 grams per drink, each bag makes 17 drinks, so you would be paying about $1 per drink just for the coffee beans. However, you can do a bit better if you are looking to save money; you can buy larger bags from online roasters and then freeze in smaller jars. By doing this, your coffee cost can be as low as $0.60 per drink. Not bad.
Can I spend less?
I believe $1,600 is the bare minimum for equipment that can make good espresso consistently. If this is not something you can afford, I recommend you buy fresh coffee and brew it as drip or french press instead of purchasing inadequate espresso equipment.
My favorite grinder for drip, french press, and pour over is the Baratza Virtuoso. It is not adequate for espresso (the adjustment has coarser steps than needed) but it is excellent for any other brew method.
Drip or french press coffee can be excellent if you get fresh beans and grind them correctly. I often reach for a brewed coffee on cold or rainy days or when I want to sip on a drink for a big longer.
Conclusion
Home espresso equipment is a large up-front cost, but when you run the numbers it turns out that the expense can be amortized really quickly while adding a lot of convenience.
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Great Espresso at Home 