Can anyone verify these are worth the expense?
We gave our espresso maker to a veteran when they were finally cleared to return home and continue their care in an outpatient capacity.
(We felt it was kind of our fault since we would bring our espresso maker with us when we visited our friends in the cancer ward…and we kind of got them hooked on espresso.
)
We are debating replacing our espresso maker with a stovetop version or one like this or one where you have to manually pull shots.
Coffee and espresso lovers assemble! Please? And let us know if this is really worth it. The little pods also seem a little pricey.
They are so worth it …although I have never tried the other methods you mentioned I have a friend that has this machine and everytime I visit I request he make me a cup because they are just so good …better than most of the little drive thru coffee stands I’ve been to. The pods are a little spendy but I’m comparison to going out pretty cheap. Also Woot has bangood deal in them from time to time …keep in mind you HAVE to buy the pods designed for the machines …knock offs will not work and they don’t have any fill yourself reusable kind…but the end result is pure heaven.
Good to know. The pods do seem pretty pricey.
We will have to give it some thought.
At home, I mostly alternate between the moka pot (stovetop espresso maker) or French press. At work, I have two drip makers, Keurig, and an electric moka pot for when I could use a stronger brew.
For both moka pots, there is some extra involvement in cleanup, but it’s not really any more involved versus a regular espresso machine. The stovetop one is an older one from Ikea (not the currently recalled one); the electric one at work is a Delonghi bought from a thrift store.
Nespresso is convenient, but the costs do add up; currently, my Nespresso machines are idled both at home and work.
Thank you so much! We found this extremely helpful. We are finding the coffee/espresso makers that use pods to be not just upfront pricey, but long term as well.
We are pretty sure it won’t be sustainable for us. 
All my Nespresso machines were thrift store purchases. As are all my drip makers. And Keurigs. And french presses. I rarely paid more than $10, with some having sat around long enough for $1 Thursday.
The Ikea moka pot wasn’t. That was from Ikea … in the as-is section. 
We love the “As-is” area of IKEA. 
Which thrift stores do you frequent?
We might not be able to go in person (if we test positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms of being ill we won’t be allowed to visit our friends at the VA), but maybe we can get someone else to look for us. 
Have you ever tried make cold brews or presses with French presses?
Many of the cancer patients do not seem to tolerate hot drinks well, so we have been trying to make cold brew coffee in jars and then filtering it through coffee filters in funnels. (We forgot the filters once and had to use paper towels. )
Using a French press might be easier…
Every one within the vicinity of work and home! My old job was 20 miles away and my commute was an hour in the freeway, so I usually took the streets instead and hit one of the ten thrift store after work.
Currently I work 8 miles from home, so there’s just 5 along the way.
Haven’t tried cold brewing, but that’s definitely an option with a french press.
Wow! That is a lot of thrift stores.
Glad to hear your commute is shorter…with gas prices these days…that is a blessing.