[Zigurd]

At $0.75 per pod vs. $0.15 = $0.25 per shot of espresso you would pay down the roughly $400 difference between a Nepresso machine and a proper Rancilio Silvia in about 800 uses. Maybe a year elapsed time if you drink 2-3 cups per day. And the espresso machine will make a much better drink and probably last much longer.

Pod machines are the "razor blade" and "printer ink" model taken to coffee. Yes you are being exploited.

If you try to cheap out with the espresso machine, I'd say go for pods. "Consumer-grade espresso machine" is worst of all possible worlds.

[snom380]

I'd say that capsule machines cater to the people that don't want to spend time making their coffee. For them, I'd rather recommend a good super automatic than a manual like the Rancilio.

[lostlogin]

Great example machine. The Silvia I use has made 10-15,000 coffees. It has had 2 services at $50NZ each, and came with a grinder. Both together cost $1000 about 15 years ago. Its cheap to run and excellent to use.

[gcb0]

There's no cheaping out.

Either you pay upfront, or you get dimmed with ink jet coffee (pun intended) until it's way more expensive.

[lazylizard]

er, really curious.. would a moka pot be considered a viable alternative? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

[bliker]

It is very viable alternative! Contrary to sibling I think difference between Moka vs Espresso and Pods vs Espresso is about the same. And I suppose the marginal gain from buying expensive espresso over moka would not be that big for you.

But moka is: cheap, easy to clean, lasts forever, takes virtually no space and about as fast as my kettle.

[Ecio78]

no, it doesn't produce the same kind of coffee