# Costa Coffee



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Ok, excuse the pun, but, if my machine and grinder cost £3400 and I keep them 5 years, then the costs are £680 per year or £13 per week.

I drink 5 cappas a day, and f I were to buy them from Costa Coffee (tenuous link!) then that would be £2 a go or £10 a day or £70 per week or £3640 per anum over 5 years is £18200.

My son drinks exactly the same as me as a minimum, so my advice too all you potential upgraders out there is go and do it because the maths add up if you follow my calculation!

Of course, if you are like some and drink one shot a day then you are stuffed, and deservedly so!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

If you paid £2 per cup at your local café then you'd still be quids in just after year 5 - and you own the machine and grinder - if you only drink 1 espresso per day

If you don't account for the cost of coffee and milk then after 4.65 years you would break even

If each double costs you 40p then £4100 total investment over 5 years = £2.20 per cup - and you own the machine and grinder

Hardly stuffed... but probably still happier at having explored coffee over a 5 year period too


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Oh dear my stuff is now starting to look expensive, accept I usually make around ten drinks per day based on family and friends (and I thought that was some kind of discount), so bargain for me, I fact I think I need to go out and buy my idrocompresso as that would still be a bargain.....


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## RagingMammoth (Sep 21, 2013)

I really don't see the point you are trying to make. You don't have to buy 3.5k's worth of equipment to make great coffee.


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## GS11 (Feb 20, 2013)

Are you guys factoring running costs electric/ water (bottled/filters) and also of course...beans and milk.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Not counting cost of upgrades and little toys one acquires.....

Such as pitchers, pots, carafes, scales, tampers, brewers....


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

RagingMammoth said:


> I really don't see the point you are trying to make. You don't have to buy 3.5k's worth of equipment to make great coffee.


Shhhhhhhhh we have to justify the ridiculous expense, don't ruin it for us!!!!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

No, I was purely countering the statement "if you are like some and drink one shot a day then you are stuffed, and deservedly so!"

There are running costs that need to be factored in, but my point was that even if you made 1 shot per day the investment near enough pays for itself.

If you make 2 then you can see larger savings (probably taking running costs into account)

If you make 3 then the costs are shared across more shots so lower average cost of shot and therefore 'paper' savings


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

Let's face it, none of us here are in it to save money! Plus I would value anything I could make on my classic much higher than the best offering from Costa et al.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

forzajuve said:


> Let's face it, none of us here are in it to save money! Plus I would value anything I could make on my classic much higher than the best offering from Costa et al.


You need to update your signature to include that beautiful new grinder


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

forzajuve said:


> Let's face it, none of us here are in it to save money! Plus I would value anything I could make on my classic much higher than the best offering from Costa et al.


Well said, when it all comes together and you pull an amazing shot that's what's worth it and not if it cost more or less than something off the high street.

Of course in some ways ignorance is bliss, I used to quite enjoy grabbing an occasional coffee from Costa...


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Although my gear is very basic, even when I come to upgrade I won't really factor in running costs to any great extent. I brew at home for the enjoyment I get from doing so, not because I try to save pennies! That said, the size of my kitchen limits me from any sort of industry standard machine.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I did not factor in any running costs as they are broadly the same regardless of equipment. I made a tongue in cheek observation, aimed at those who want to upgrade, who can afford to upgrade, but face opposition from the other half. Of course my calculation is full of holes because if I had a Classic and and MC2 then the cost savings of 5 a day versus outlay would look plain stupid, but, and this is a big but, perhaps your other half would not see through my folly and let you go buy that big shiny new thing.

You can say thank you later....meanwhile, if anyone else has any domestiuc issues they want help with............oh, and one last thing, as one mentioned, I did not claim that you have to spend £3500 to make 'great' coffee......


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## cold war kid (Mar 12, 2010)

You definitely don't have to spend £3500 to make great coffee, but it would be very nice to win the Londinium and give it a go.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

You can get nearly 2 Londinium I's for that money (or 1 lucky person will pick up 1 for £21)


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Drinking 10 cappas a day is a result of having a machine that can make coffee. No one makes 10 separate trips to costa or any other coffee shop a day.

Its nice to know the equivalent cost of your much nicer coffee is well below what costa charge but its a little irrelevant to justify the costs of equipment with, imo


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Ha ha , I used to work in London and visited costa 5 times a day, I make 10 a day due to friends constantly stealing my coffee. The odd things is I am saving up for my kees idrocompresso so £3500 seems quite cheap, but then coffee is my only vice.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Glenn said:


> You can get nearly 2 Londinium I's for that money (or 1 lucky person will pick up 1 for £21)


But Glenn you have to factor in a £1500 grinder:rolleyes:


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

When I talk to people who goto coffee shops (purely for take-a-way on the way into work) and explain that they could save a fortune by getting a set up at home, it's a difficult sell as people don't generally want to spend a couple of hundred on a set-up. Even if they did, they're more inclined to go for the convenience of a Bean to Cup machine


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

spune said:


> Although my gear is very basic, even when I come to upgrade I won't really factor in running costs to any great extent. I brew at home for the enjoyment I get from doing so, not because I try to save pennies! That said, the size of my kitchen limits me from any sort of industry standard machine.


Hi Spune,

Its actually amazing what you can fit into a very tiny kitchen, I would be surprised if your kitchen was smaller than mine but with some clever use of space I have now got somewhere I could set up a much bigger and better machine next to my RR55-OD, will try and get some shots showing just how small my kitchen is.


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

My gear would cost £4500 to replace, I make crap coffee and I ain't bothered cause I like looking at nice things.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

dwalsh1 said:


> My gear would cost £4500 to replace, I make crap coffee and I ain't bothered cause I like looking at nice things.


Genius...... I am currently in pumpkin cafe at Grantham train station charging up my ipad. What I'd give for one of your" crap coffees now " . I've been 40 minutes , the coffee grinder hasn't gone once since I've been in here , it's the stuff the was in the doser , they probably ground it this morning .

Anyone double dare me to order something ?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

dfk41 - seems the Seattle Coffee Gear crew are on your wavelength

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/learn/coffee-101/infographics/info-retail-home-compare


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## Olliehulla (Feb 26, 2013)

I must admit I did the TCO "cost per cup" thing a while back. Sad git that I am, even did a spreadsheet with machine, grinder, ancilaries etc costs, bean costs (although admittedly not milk, electricity and water costs) but soon came to the realisation that I do it cos I like it, not to save money.

When it boils down to it, I enjoy the hands on technical nature of all the stages, I like drinking the results and so do my friends and family. The fact that generally the coffees I make are better and cheaper than you can get out is a bonus.


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