As you’re whirring up a newly-purchased Nespresso machine on your kitchen counter, it’s impossible to fight the smugness over resisting Starbucks. But while the self-restraint is budget-savvy, don’t underestimate the cost of buying pods. Customers online suggest their monthly restock bills range from $50 to $100, depending on daily consumption patterns. For the “single cup a day” enthusiast, the bill sits at around $50. Yet, skipping coffee on certain days leaves $20 as a reasonable forecast, and drinking multiple cups risks rocketing daily costs as high as $7 (exceeding $200 a month). That’s some serious variability. “I try not to think about it,” One Reddit user admitted.
Are you using Vertuo or Original? The average cost per 10-pod Vertuo sleeve is approximately $13, and many customers report drinking one or two cups a day. Assuming you enjoy a sneaky extra cup mid-afternoon, that’s $78 for 60 coffees. Some outliers, including the $10 Bianco Piccolo sleeve and pricey $15 Oatly Barista Edition,could shift this figure, but generally speaking, it’s safe to budget around $80 when restocking Vertuo pods as a “two-per-day” drinker.
Original pods are comparably cheaper, with prices starting as low as $8.50 per sleeve. On the same basis of 60 monthly coffees, that’s just $51. Be mindful of hidden costs, though. There’s a reason why Nespresso Vertuo pods are more expensive than the original ones: Their smaller volume demands customers double up for longer drinks.
Hidden costs of using Nespresso machines
It’s not just setting aside an average of $80 to restock pods; there are other costs at play. Firstly, it’s important to reduce the risk of surprise bills. It’s in your best interests to help your machine last;replacing a $180 Vertuo Next or $220 Evoluo is no joke for monthly budgets. The truth is that usage impacts how long your Nespresso machine lasts, so be conscious of unnecessary strain — 20 cups per day is the absolute maximum.
Luckily, for regular users, there’s a simple way to minimize wear and tear: maintenance. One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when using your Nespresso machine is forgetting to descale. Light usage might mean biannual descaling is sufficient, but frequent users should deep clean every three months. A Nespresso Descaling Kit is $22 for two 125ml bottles. It doesn’t sound like a massive bill to factor in, but intensive descaling schedules (especially for those in hard water areas) could quickly rack up spending.
Fortunately, the electric cost of running a Nespresso machine is a negligible couple of dollars a year; your monthly energy bill won’t notice the difference. At a maximum, annual maintenance costs an average of $250 (via simplycodes), including descaler and water filters. That’s equivalent to spending $20.83 a month, in addition to the standard $80 pod restock. It’s a good thing you love coffee!
