Can we talk about how much money I blew on a fancy espresso machine?

I dropped $1,200 on a prosumer espresso machine last year thinking I'd save cash by skipping coffee shop visits. Turns out I didn't factor in the $400 grinder I needed, plus another $80 on a tamper and distribution tool that looked cool but made zero difference. After six months of pulling bitter shots and cleaning up messes every morning, I gave up and went back to my $30 French press. The machine's been sitting in my garage for three months now. I bet I could've bought 400 cups of coffee from my local shop for what I spent. Has anyone else sunk cash into gear that just ended up collecting dust?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_flores1mo ago

Used to think those fancy setups were worth every penny until I watched my cousin's $3,000 machine gather dust for two years before she sold it for like $400. Her story plus yours finally convinced me I'm not missing out by sticking with my basic pour-over cone and a cheap kettle. The whole espresso rabbit hole feels like a trap honestly, all that gear and technique just to end up frustrated. I'm glad I learned this lesson without blowing my own cash first.

aaron6771mo ago

Wait @taylor_flores, your cousin actually got $400 for a used machine, most folks can't unload them for a hundred bucks.