On another thread I began to think about the actual cost of the coffee. Now to be fair, I don't really care since this is a hobby and quest for me so I'm more about education and having fun playing with machinery. But for me this is how I figured my expense:

I spent about $5500 on my Linea
I'm spending $2000 on my Robur
I probably paid about $500 for plumbing and electrical
Lets say accessories are another $200

That's $8200. If this lasts 10 years then that's $820 a year or $2.25 a day!! And that doesn't include coffee, electricity, washing cups, maintenance of water filtration etc... Of course that doesn't include residual values either.

I did this all on my iPad while feeding my 4 month old so I'm sure I missed a lot and of course I'm an extreme case because many get in to this for much less but the cost issue was raised in my grinder thread where the expense of wasted coffee was mentioned.

You did not factor in all the clothes and jewelry I've had to buy my wife to allow me to indulge my hobby, that amount basically matches all the $$ I've spent on coffee equipment.

satisfaction of making the finest espresso in the world at home - priceless!


that should seem redundant if you bought a linea and robur though lol;)

I thought about this recently as well. I even factored in the cost of coffee, milk, electricity etc. The reality at the end of the day is that 1) you will still work out better than buying from a cafe ($2.25 per day is less than one espresso per day at a cafe...and most people spend a fraction of what you spent on equipment) and 2) the more you drink the better that ratio gets. For example, if you drink 3 doubles a day, that is only $.75 per double (For the accountants: I know I am not factoring in the cost of the coffee, electricity, etc, but I think the residual value of the equipment will balance that out.)

Remember that USA is huge, and there may be quite big distances to travel towards a cup of espresso. Then, you may get disappointed by the results, or be hopeless as you don't have any control of anything. If you go to Starbucks for a cup of espresso, you would be unhappy after you tried the real thing.

Whats is the cost of a trip per different cars?
What is the cost of a picture per different cameras?
what is the cost of watching a movie per different TVs?
What is the cost of a glass of wine per different bottles?
etc...

This is apparently a thread about amortized equipment cost. As others have noted, you have purchased very expensive equipment for home use. I consider myself blessed to own a Robur and a Spaz S1, but I purchased them used, immediately reducing my "cost per cup" by a significant factor. Furthermore, commercial espresso equipment, although a depreciating asset, retains much of its value if properly maintained. I could recoup the bulk of my investment if I chose to sell my kit today. Your Linea and Robur should certainly be worth something after 10 years.

Every hobby/passion has its cost. The best thing about espresso: I enjoy my setup every day. That's not necessarily been true of other expensive toys (musical instruments, photography equipment, skiing, kayaking, motorcycles, to name just a few).

I know guys that spend $10,000 on a shotgun to shoot sporting clays, and they still cant hit the side of a barn. On the other hand, I know a fella who is a multi time state and national champ that uses $500 10 year old Remington pump with a fixed choke. The best gun in the world will not make you a better shot if you do not know how to shoot to start with. Even the most modest kit can make good espresso in the hands of a skilled barista.

Cost really is a relative thing. As has already been mentioned, coffee kit amortizes well because it can be enjoyed virtually every day of the year, has reasonable depreciation rates, and can be purchase second hand. When I upgraded my machine I was considering a $2500 Simoneli Appia. I ended up spending $1500 on a used/refurbished cimbali lever which I couldn't be happier with. For me, it's money well spent. Others think I'm crazy spending more than $100 on coffee equipment. How can you put a price on something that puts a smile on your face every day and gives any guests in your home great pleasure? I made a latte today for a nephew who had never had anything but pod coffee out of a Kureig (sp?). He'll be back!