$800 for a grinder and espresso machine? That's not bad at all. Compare with someone who gets a starbucks coffee once per day, they'll make back the $800 in savings in like 4 months.
I work (US) where there is similarly a selection of places to get coffee right out the door, and they are almost always busy, but most people I know are not using them every day.
A rough estimate based on the # of people working in the immediate 5 minute walking distance and rough estimate of time needed to order and crowd size— I’d estimate they sell the equivalent to one cup to between 5-10% of the population every day. A slightly smaller % of actual people since some will buy more than 1 cup.
In contrast, nearly everyone I know drinks coffee, or tea. They’ll buy a coffee when they really want to get out of the office rather than a few minutes away from their desk, or want to treat themselves to a higher end coffee than drip or weak pods.
I’d say this is very normal behaviour in Australia.
I just like the taste of an americano better, and I can make one in about 30 seconds, and dirty no dishes other than the coffee cup.
The pour over is better than the press but still, you're futzing with the filter holder, using a filter, pouring over for a few minutes, and I just like espresso.
My morning routine: fill and start the kettle. Feed the cats. Open my laptop and check email from overnight or start my Wordle. When the cat that hates the sound of the burr grinder is done eating, press the start button. ~15 seconds later pour the grounds into my press. Go back to the laptop. When the water is done boiling, wait a few seconds and then fill the press. Tell Alexa to start a 4 minute timer. Sometime in the next 30 seconds to 3 minutes, give the press a stir to mix in any grounds still floating on top. Go back to the laptop. When Alexa chimes, tell her to shut up and plunge the press. Pour 2 mugs and take one to my wife. Done.
When the pot is cool, pour the grounds in my countertop compost and rinse the plunger and base. Wash it with soap if I feel like it or put it in the dishwasher if I’m really lazy. Set aside to dry until tomorrow morning.
Whole thing takes about 15 minutes and 10 of that is for the kettle to get to boiling. Meanwhile, I’ve fed the cats and got my Wordle score posted to my friends.
Spoons only come into play if you care a ton about a little fines, not a big deal IMO they usually settle as the coffee cools. As for dirty stuff? I have a water boiler so I just throw in some extra water at 208 and rinse it, done. Easy
With a machine don't you have to clean the casing thing that holds the grounds?
Same thing with a pour over, there's nothing really extra if you use a metal filter. Use the same grind as a French press and they drain just fine without clogging and you even get some extra oils in the extraction. Again, measure your beans and water so you don't make too much. Who's really out here guesstimating on that stuff? Guessing makes for an inconsistent taste and inconsistent caffeine dose
So someone could buy a coffee every weekday for 10-20 months before equaling this one capital expense, and that’s your argument for why wage workers shouldn’t consider it expensive?
When buying coffee outside the home, it's also for the change of environment, like renting space at a table in a third space.
(if you're trying to do decent coffee for cheap, a $40 hand grinder and a $10 french press is fine once you get a good technique.)
1zpresso grinders are fantastic and (as you said earlier) a buy-it-for-life thing. But if you're struggling with cost, a Hario is much better and not much more than an electric blade grinder.
I have a younger relative who drinks instant or preground, maybe if I give him my hario he'll start grinding fresh