The Java Dilemma: Saving on Coffee in Tough Times

Save Money and Brew Coffee at Home

Now that you've bought your beans, grinder and coffee maker, exactly how much is that home-brewed cup going to cost each day? Let's do the math.

A $12 one-pound bag of beans will yield roughly 32 mugs -- say 10 to 12 ounces -- of coffee. To have one mug each day, you'll need to buy about 11.5 bags for the year, at a cost of $138.

Assume $100 for a grinder.

Assume $130 for a coffee maker.

Add that together and you get $368 for the year, or about $1.01 per day. A Starbucks "tall" (12-ounce) coffee at one New York store, by comparison, recently cost $1.75 plus tax. The 74 cents you'd save each day, assuming you're having a mug daily, would save a cool $270. If you buy the machines Karpel recommends -- a $60 coffee grinder and $80 coffee maker -- your savings increase to more than $360 per year.

Espresso and Lattes

If fancy, frothy lattes are your caffeine fix of choice, take heart. There are homemade alternatives for you too, but experts caution that for newbies, it can definitely be a bit challenging.

Once again, your mission starts with beans: For espresso -- a key ingredient in lattes -- the general rule is that dark roasts are better.

But Karpel says that in this case, grinding the beans yourself is less important. In his experience, he said, dark roasts, when ground, tend to grow stale less quickly than their lighter counterparts.

If you're still committed to the freshness guaranteed by grinding yourself, however, make sure that the coffee grinder you buy can produce superfine grounds. For an espresso-ready grinder, be prepared to spend between $100 and $300 at the least, Groot says.

As for espresso makers, Groot prefers the pump-style variety. It's more expensive, he says, but it also produces better espresso.

Many espresso makers come with grinders attached. Others, meanwhile, use pods -- ground espresso beans in small packets made by the same manufacturer that produced the espresso maker.

Arvidson says that overall, you can expect to spend at least $200 or even as much as $1,000 or more, while Karpel says he's pleased with his Gaggia espresso machine. Depending on the model, Gaggias can cost between $200 and $700.