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I love latte, and a while ago I bought Mr. Coffee - 4-Shot Steam Espresso Machine (look it up, it comes up in searches). Best Buy is selling it for $49.99 now, but I bought it at our then local grocery store, Kroger, (we moved since) for $19.99. That store had some stunning deals on what was not their primary line of business - I bought some very high quality china there for the price of Corelle sets. But that's not to the point.
The machine makes decent espresso, especially when used with a properly ground coffee. In fact, I have two of them - I used to have one at home, and one at the office.
I buy my coffee at Whole Foods or Lucky's (local market here). I very much prefer light roasts, and it's almost always possible to buy one for $8.99/pound. I buy about 1/2 pound at a time, and grind it right there at the store. It smells amazing for a week or two, and after that it is time to buy another batch - that's how long 1/2 pound lasts me. I normally make coffee only once a day.
I'm also becoming more and more lactose intolerant, so that's forcing me to forgo Starbucks latte. I buy lactose free milk instead and make it at home with my espresso. I have Ikea milk frother - a little handheld one, that costs $3.99, I believe. I microwave the milk for 1 minute, froth it, then add espresso - I am convinced mine tastes better than Starbucks!
I also have a super-duper insulated leak proof cup that I take to work. 6 oz of my lactose-free milk with 2-3 shots of espresso fill this 10 oz cup nicely and is enough to last me till 2 pm. We have Keurig machine at work, so I bought one of those reusable gaskets and fill it with ground coffee I bring from home. I don't use it that often, I'm usually good on my 10 oz I bring from home.
In short - I don't buy the cheapest beans and my lactose free milk is more expensive than regular milk, but considering I almost never buy Starbucks or any other coffee shop coffee, I still don't spend a lot on my most favorite vice .
I have an espresso/cappucino maker, and I really have only used it about twice in the past five years. I guess it would be a good thing to garage sale. It's not that I don't like espresso and cappuccino and lattes, but it's another appliance for the counter, and it's a hassle to clean out.
Honestly, I'll cut costs on other grocery items easily and apply the savings toward buying decent whole bean. It's all about priorities.
Keurig is really only cost effective for people who drink a single cup at a time.
They've come down a lot in price, but they're still not even cost effective for that. You can get a small french press or a simple pour over cone filter. With the expensive beans I use, it's still only about 40 cents a cup which is cheaper (and better). That said, you can get the K-cups for like 60 cents and they're decent coffee. They're really easy, don't make a mess, etc. For an office break room it'd absolutely be worth it. Especially if it's an office where someone has to have Hazelnut, someone else decaf, half the people like strong coffee and half just want warm water... Yes, I worked at one of those. Keurig would have been a lifesaver. For home use? Just depends. They're really easy. Just plop the pod in and walk away.
The downside is the machines are expensive, the cups are expensive, if you pack your own cups it's not really any easier than a regular small coffee machine which costs $20 which buys a lot of wasted coffee since even the small ones really don't do a good job of making single cup portion. Keurig is about as easy as instant coffee. Comparing the end result to the lack of effort and it's pretty damn brilliant.
I do single serving French press for mornings where I've only got time for a cup.
I can see how Keurig would be ideal for a workplace breakroom, but my workplace would never spring for it. It was asking a lot to get the gross giant chrome percolator that never gets washed out, and huge tubs of Folgers from Costco that go stale.
I work in medicine, and my crazy early start times and no time to sit and enjoy coffee to start the day led to me stopping at Starbucks at 5:30am daily. Because life has changed, I stopped paying for coffee and feel better about stopping that waste.
But my father got all of us hooked on the Kcups. Yeah, bad.... Still a lot cheaper from Starbucks though, especially since I drink only one per day.
My Dad bought our machines (gifts) on deep discount at Kohls 2 years ago. But buying the kcups is rough of course.
For those of you who have my weakness, what is your source for cheap(er) k-cups?
Most recently we found a Kirkland dark blend at Costco that is very good. Otherwise I sometimes get a box at Kohl's on sale or Bed & Bath with a 20% coupon. Still too pricey though...
I've seen refillable cups in my travels around the web if that works for you.
i just checked online. Google "refillable K cups". There's quite a few.
Last edited by MrsTommy; 07-07-2013 at 04:57 PM..
Reason: follow up
I love lattes. But, I'm too lazy to make them at home, and clean up afterwards. So, that is one thing I will splurge for if I'm with someone who wants to stop at a Starbucks. But, this happens maybe twice a year.
I'm a couponing fool and I've found a few decent brands at the grocery store that allows me to stack manufacturer and store coupons. I also used to be a Starbucks junkie but DH likes DD. I found a roast by Gevalia that works for him...the "Traditional Roast". With stacked coupons a few weeks ago, I got 12 oz bags for under four dollars.
I will not live without my morning coffee. And it's got to be fresh ground beans in the morning for me.
I have found the cheapest place to get decent beans is Grocery Outlet. Even cheaper than Costco.
I use a single cup Melita drip cone, and make one giant single cup of coffee. Once in a blue moon, like today, I drink 2 cups. I live alone, so no pot of coffee here.
What do you do?
Honestly? I won't drink cheap coffee. I'll find another place to adjust the budget if I have to, but I have to have my Blue Mountain Coffee.
No coffee pot??!! What?! How to do you survive? I have a percolator that I just love and on occasion I will use my French Press. I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee and it's a lot more than just 2 cups!
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I have a percolator that I just love and on occasion I will use my French Press. I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee and it's a lot more than just 2 cups! 
