Is a Home Espresso Machine Worth It?
If you are a coffee lover, you must sometimes feel that you’d want to get your very own espresso machine. A lot of people do (even us) because there are a lot of advantages to having one.
In this article, we’ll analyse whether a home espresso machine is worth it or that you’re better off driving by a coffee shop and ordering your delicious cup of joe each morning.
Anyhow, let’s start!
1) Cost
A standard espresso coffee machine costs between RM200 and RM400 in Malaysia, whereas a cup of coffee in Malaysia is RM7.34 on average.
If you go for a coffee three times a week, owning a coffee machine and making your own espresso will save you RM22 in a week, which would become RM88 by month’s end, and RM1,056 after a year. This is five times the selling price of a brand new espresso machine.
And we’re not even talking about the fuel or commute costs yet you will incur frequently. With a coffee machine, you won’t have to spend your extra money on any of them.
Thus, it’s definitely a great investment that will pay off in the long run, especially if you love coffee! However, if you’re eyeing a deluxe coffee machine, it could hurt your pocket.
Whichever coffee machine you’re getting remember that you’d also have to buy coffee beans, a coffee grinder, and milk. Moreover, parts maintenance or repair will likely also add to your list of expenses.
2) Convenience
Aside from the huge savings, you get convenience too if you have a coffee machine at your house.
This means that you can brew coffee just as you like, with the perfect flavour you want. Also, you can add milk and create a lovely art shape on it such as an olive branch or heart.
As soon as you wake up in your jammies, you can walk to the kitchen and whip up one or two cups of espresso. There’s no need to shower and change and go to your nearest Starbucks and fall in line every time.
3) Expertise
The tide can also turn in terms of your expertise in using a coffee machine. For this reason, you have to choose an espresso machine that matches your skill level.
If you don’t know how to use it or don’t have the initiative to learn how to make coffee with it, buying one can just be a waste of money.
To add insult to injury, your coffee machine may just become a burden to you as it will take up your kitchen counter space.
Fortunately, there are heaps of online tutorials which can familiarise you with your coffee machine and get you brewing, tamping, frothing, and enjoying coffee in no time!
4) Environmental Impact
Easily enough, a home espresso machine is worth it with regard to environmental impact. By making your own coffee at home, you use a ceramic or glass cup or mug that can be reused after each use—so it’s good for the environment.
Conversely, at a coffee shop, you are given a disposable cup that’s made of paper and plastic. They eventually end up in landfills and stay there for thousands of years to decompose—and what more for an exponential number of people using and disposing of these cups every day!
Another benefit of making your own espresso is you can use leftover grounds as compost. But first, you’ll have to mix it with your organic garden matter because they are too acidic to apply to your plants on their own.
Conclusion
All in all, we would recommend investing in a home espresso machine given the advantage in cost, personalisation, and being an environmentally safer option. That is if you’re a regular in getting your coffee fix and want to try different strengths and flavours of coffee sometimes!
Once you become very good at preparing coffee like a barista, you may want to make your family, as well as your friends, and guests a delightful cup whenever they come to your home!