David Berman's home set up of his Rancilio 'Silvia' that he purchased in 2011. Berman writes today on the economics of home coffee brewing.Supplied
As a coffee enthusiast, I feel compelled to analyze how much money I’m spending on a drink that – let’s face it – is driven by addiction.
But worry not, fellow caffeine fiends. I’ve concluded that the best approach to the thorny economic issue of cappuccinos, lattes and Americanos is to splash out on a nice Italian-made espresso machine and brew to my heart’s delight.
My reasoning, backed up with loads of hard data derived from over a decade of consistent use: Amortized on a per-cup basis, coffee hardware is a terrific deal.
Full disclosure: I’ve become a little nuts about coffee, and the lockdowns in 2020 turned a mild eccentricity to a full-on hobby. I own two espresso machines – both lovingly maintained – three electric grinders, one manual grinder, and two moka pots. In the office, I do pour-overs.
But for the purposes of this analysis, I’ll focus on the heartbeat of my java empire: the Rancilio “Silvia,” purchased in 2011.
This machine – renowned as a workhorse, but by no means high-end – is 14 years old. I estimate it has brewed at least 12,000 espresso shots for family and friends, accounting for vacations away from home and forays into other hardware. I don’t have the receipts, but I believe it cost about $700 (a new one retails for more today).
Let’s round up the price to $900 to safely accommodate all maintenance and updates over the years.
That works out to 7.5 cents per double espresso. The machine is still going strong, so that number should decline if I can squeeze more years out of it.
Grinders can be pricey, and I updated my main one a couple of years ago. But I estimate the cost-per brew works out to about 8.5 cents, if I assume a decade of use out of the new Ceado.
These two hardware expenses add up to about 16 cents a cup.
Yeah, you can go cheaper. Moka pots, pour-over drippers, AeroPress coffee makers and French presses all cost significantly less than espresso machines, and last forever. A hand-grinder – or better still, pre-ground coffee – can knock down your expenses as well.
But the point is that even fancy hardware is surprisingly affordable if you can make it last, and it will save you a bundle if it keeps you out of coffee shops.
If I had purchased an espresso maker in my 20s, rather than waiting until my 40s, I’d be a richer man today.
Have I missed something in my coffee analysis? Do you have tips of your own to share? Would you like me to make you a cappuccino? Drop me a note at dberman@globeandmail.com.
Chart of the day
Today’s financial tool
My go-to coffee company has created a calculator that will tell you when a new espresso maker will pay for itself with money saved from take-outs. You may be surprised, especially if you’re racking up a big Starbucks bill.
