Three systems, three completely different cost models

You are standing in front of the shelf, choosing between a pod machine for 79 euros, a bean-to-cup machine for 449 euros and a classic filter coffee maker for 29 euros. With these three systems, the cost of a coffee machine sits in quite different places: with the pod machine it is the individual pod, with the bean-to-cup machine it is beans and maintenance, and with the filter machine it is almost entirely the ground coffee itself. Over several years of use, the price of the machine is often the smallest item.

As with printers, makers of pod systems often earn less from the machine and more from the ongoing sale of pods. That is no secret, just a well-known business model that you can factor in once you know what to look for.

How to work out the cost per cup

For a fair comparison, what counts is the price per cup, not the purchase price of the machine. With pods, you divide the price of the pack by the number of pods in it. With beans and filter coffee, you divide the price of the pack by the number of cups you can typically make from it, usually worked out from how many grams of coffee you use per cup. That gives you a figure you can compare across different systems, instead of just putting pack prices side by side that stretch to very different numbers of cups.

Pod machines: cheap to buy, expensive per cup

Pod machines are usually cheap to buy and easy to use, with no grinder and no coffee grounds to clean out. But the price per pod is well above what the same amount of loose coffee would cost, because you are also paying for the portioning, the packaging and the system. For occasional use, say one cup a day, that hardly matters. With several cups a day over the years, though, the extra cost compared with beans or filter coffee adds up noticeably.

Bean-to-cup machines: high purchase price, low cost per cup

A bean-to-cup machine with a built-in grinder costs considerably more to buy than a pod or filter machine. In return, the cost per cup is low, because you buy whole beans, which are cheaper per kilogram than portioned pods. On top of that comes regular maintenance: descaling at intervals that depend on your water hardness, the occasional cleaning programme with suitable tablets, and after a few years sometimes replacing seals. These items are smaller than the ongoing cost of coffee, but in all honesty they belong in the calculation.

One point that is often overlooked is getting the machine to suit your own taste. A bean-to-cup machine can usually be adjusted for grind size, amount of water and brewing temperature, so over the years the price per cup also depends on how carefully you set these up in the first place. If you never change the default settings, you may use more beans per cup than your taste actually requires.

Filter coffee: the cheapest option per cup

A simple filter machine is the cheapest to buy and usually stays the cheapest to run. Ground filter coffee normally costs less per cup than beans for a bean-to-cup machine and much less than pods. The trade-off lies in the taste and the way it is made: filter coffee is brewed in larger batches rather than portioned cup by cup like a bean-to-cup or pod machine, which is less practical if you just want a quick espresso.

A worked example over one year

Say you drink two cups of coffee a day, which comes to around 730 cups a year. With pods at an average of 35 cents each, you pay around 256 euros a year. With beans for a bean-to-cup machine, where a cup works out at about 18 cents, you pay around 131 euros a year, plus perhaps 25 euros for descaler and cleaning tablets. With filter coffee at about 12 cents a cup, you come to around 88 euros a year. Over three years, the difference between pods and filter coffee alone adds up to around 500 euros, far more than the difference in price between the machines themselves.

What else costs money besides the coffee itself

All three systems use electricity, which usually barely registers compared with the cost of the coffee. Some pod systems also require a certain water hardness or recommend a water filter in the tank. Bean-to-cup machines more often need professional cleaning or a service visit when the grinder or brewing unit shows wear after many years. These items come up irregularly, but they belong in an honest overall calculation over the life of the machine.

• Work out the price per cup, not just the pack price, so the systems can be compared.
• Take maintenance costs such as descaler and cleaning tablets into account with a bean-to-cup machine.
• Estimate how much coffee you really drink each day before you invest in a more expensive machine.
• Compare the total cost over several years, not just the price of the machine.

Browsing the categories helps you compare machines and matching supplies side by side before you commit. The principle behind this is similar to what applies to household appliances with running costs: the price on the label is just the first of several items. If you reorder regularly anyway, current discount codes can sometimes give you a bit of extra room on pods or beans.

Frequently asked questions

Which system is cheapest over time?

Usually filter coffee, followed by beans for a bean-to-cup machine. Pods are generally the most expensive per cup, but also the easiest to use.

Is a bean-to-cup machine worth it if you drink little coffee?

If you only have the occasional cup a week, the high purchase price will hardly ever pay for itself. The cost advantage per cup only shows with regular, higher consumption over several years.

How often does a bean-to-cup machine need descaling?

That depends on the water hardness where you live and how often you use the machine. The manual for your particular model gives specific intervals, which cannot simply be applied to every model across the board.

Are more expensive pods automatically better than cheaper ones?

Not necessarily. The taste depends on how the beans are roasted and where they come from, not directly on the price of the pod. Trying several varieties helps more than going by price alone.