Can You Really Save Money By Making Coffee At Home? Here’s The Real Cost Breakdown

As a self-confessed coffee enthusiast, I used to make it a mission to visit a new café almost every weekend—flat white in hand, mentally ranking my favourites like a personal barista leaderboard. During the workweek, grabbing a coffee around lunchtime became routine too—about 3 times a week—mainly because anything was better than the instant stuff lurking in the office pantry.

At one point, I did the math and realised just how much that daily habit was costing me. A café coffee here, another there, and before I knew it, I was spending over $100 a month, which added up to more than $1,400 a year. All that, just on takeaway coffee.

And with café prices only climbing—thanks to inflation, rising rents, and the global coffee market—it made me stop and think: is there a smarter way to enjoy my daily caffeine fix without overspending?

If you love great coffee but want to cut down on costs, brewing at home might be the smarter option. And no, I’m not talking about a sad spoonful of instant.

 

Brewing at home: A cost breakdown

Making coffee at home might sound like something only hardcore coffee nerds would do, but these days, you don’t need barista-level skills or a degree in coffee. Machines have gotten smarter, sleeker, and easier to use. With capsule setups like Nespresso, it’s just “press a button”, none of that “grind, tamp, froth, repeat.”

That said, I’ll be honest—what held me back at first was the upfront cost. Spending a few hundred dollars on a machine felt like a big commitment, especially when I wasn’t sure if I’d stick with it. I eventually got one, and it’s been great—but if you’re considering getting started now, the Nespresso Subscription might make things a lot easier.

Instead of paying everything upfront, you get the machine for just $1 and pay a monthly subscription fee starting from $40 instead. The nice part? That plan can go entirely towards the coffee capsules you use, so it feels more like stocking up in advance than locking into anything long term.

Still, I had to know—is it really cheaper than takeaway coffee?

Let’s break it down with a fair comparison. Imagine you drink one coffee a day—about 30 cups a month. Here’s how it plays out:

Cost Item	Café Coffee (Daily)	Nespresso Subscription
Cost per cup	From $6	From $0.85 per capsule
Cups per month	30 cups	30 capsules
Monthly coffee spend	~$180	From $40/month (redeemable for ~47 capsules at $0.85 each; sold in sleeves of 10)
Machine cost	N/A	$1 (one-time with subscription)
Maintenance	N/A	Included (2-year warranty, complimentary servicing)
Total monthly cost	~$180	~$40–$130 (depending on machine tier)

Even after including milk and machine costs, you’re still saving over $100 per month in the first year.

 

How to maximise savings with Nespresso

Once you’re subscribed, there are plenty of ways to squeeze even more value out of your membership:

Make the most of your subscription credits

Your monthly subscription isn’t just a fee—it’s fully converted into store credit. That means you can try different capsule varieties, explore limited-edition collections like the Summer or Festive releases, or stock up on your favourites—all while staying within your plan. You can also use the credits to get coffee accessories to sip coffee in style, on the go!

Use your Member Perks

Being a Nespresso member unlocks more than just good coffee. You get exclusive access to perks like:

• Invitations to coffee masterclasses, where you can level up your brewing game
• Limited-edition capsules before they’re released to the general public
• Exclusive coffee samplers, so you can be among the first to try the latest blends
• 2-year warranty and free machine servicing, which removes the stress of upkeep
• Surprise gifts and exclusive benefits, just because

Stick with it and earn rewards

Nespresso Subscription is also designed to reward long-term coffee lovers. After 12 months, your subscription is automatically renewed—with added perks. The best part? You’ll get an extra 10% in credits each month, while continuing to pay the same subscription fee.

What does that look like in real terms?

• $40/month becomes $44 worth of credits → ~5 more capsules
• $50/month becomes $55 worth of credits → ~6 more capsules
• $70/month becomes $77 worth of credits → ~9 more capsules
  
• $90/month becomes $99 worth of credits → ~12 more capsules
  

Over your second year, those extra credits can add up to $48 to $108 worth of coffee—just for staying subscribed.

And if you hit 400 capsules or more, you’ll unlock even more perks, including up to 5 months’ worth of bonus credits that you can use on anything Nespresso.

 

Subscription models: Are they worth it?

If you’re already drinking coffee daily, a subscription might be the easiest financial decision you’ll make this year.

Many brands offer subscriptions for coffee beans, often at a small discount. But these typically don’t include brewing equipment.

For Nespresso, depending on which coffee machine you choose, your monthly subscription ranges from $40 to $130, and these funds go toward coffee purchases. You’re essentially spreading out the cost while enjoying daily café-style coffee at home.

Type of Nespresso Machine	Machine cost	Subscription cost/month
Essenza Mini	$1	$40
Vertuo Pop	$1	$50
Vertuo Next	$1	$70
Lattissima One	$1	$90
Vertuo Lattissima	$1	$130

At first glance, signing up for a plan might feel like a commitment. But when you break it down, a subscription like Nespresso’s is designed to give you more flexibility, not less. You’re not paying extra for convenience—you’re using monthly credits to buy capsules you’d already be getting anyway. And that $1 machine? It’s not a gimmick—it’s a smart way to remove the upfront barrier for anyone who wants to get started.

So, is it worth it? If coffee is already a fixture in your day, a subscription can feel less like a plan—and more like an upgrade.

 

The verdict

You don’t need to give up quality or convenience to save money on coffee. With Nespresso’s subscription model, you get the best of both worlds: café-style coffee at home, a machine for just $1, and a smart credit system that makes every cup count.

Plus, with Nespresso’s precision consumption system, you’re brewing with just the right amount of water, coffee, and energy—minimising waste while maximising taste.

So if you’re ready to make the switch, visit Nespresso’s website and see how a subscription can start saving you money from your very first cup.

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About the author

Audrey Ng is a bargain hunter who tries to sniff out the best deals possible whether it’s food, shopping or travel. She will out auntie the auntiest of aunties.