With coffee prices increasing rapidly, Lucy Warmington assesses your best options for a good, yet cheap, coffee at home.
As a student, I know I’m not alone when I say that I depend on coffee to get me through the day. But coffee is an expensive addiction, and is certainly not student budget-friendly. Should we resort to making our own coffee, we want to make sure it’s still good - otherwise we would be patiently counting down until we can afford to buy a ‘proper’ coffee. So, let’s assess our options:
Instant Coffee – Price Range: Coffee €2-8
Instant coffee is your easiest option. You literally just have to add water. Spend around €8 for a fancy brand of coffee, or spend below €2 on storebrand coffee. Personally, I’m a fan of the cheapest available option, the ‘so bad it's good’ kind.
French Press – Price Range: French Press €10-15, Ground Coffee €2-15
One of the most popular options is the French Press. It is efficient, and the coffee is strong and tastes good. If you like your coffee to be multisensory, then look no further. The slow plunge is intensely satisfying, and one look at the tiny ‘individual-sized’ French Press guarantees an instant serotonin boost.
V60 Drip Coffee – Price Range: V60 Coffee Dripper €20-30, Filter Paper €5, Ground Coffee €2-15
V60 Drip Coffee is a filter coffee, and it is brought to you by your local hipster café. You need the porcelain V-shaped apparatus, filter paper, and ground coffee. The filtering process draws out the flavour from the coffee beans, so for a good coffee you may end up on the higher end of the price scale. This option is perfect for those who don’t just drink their morning coffee, but savour it - and V60 is a worthy investment. However, if you’re on a tight budget and spending €20 doesn’t sound ideal, clear plastic options exist in different cafés - I bought mine for €12 in the Cloud Picker Café, near Pearse Station.
Moka Pot – Price Range: Moka Pot €15-20, Ground Coffee €2-15
Another popular option, a Moka Pot makes rich, strong coffee, more like an espresso. The brewing process takes longer than alternative options, but the coffee is more authentic. Moka coffee gives me a similar sensation to what I think being electrocuted would feel like… in a good way.