Pods vs. whole beans — cost calculator
What does your coffee actually cost per cup, and how fast would a grinder pay for itself? Enter your habits and see the real numbers.
Pods
$0.75/cup
$548 / year
Whole beans
$0.49/cup
$361 / year
Beans save you $187/year
$0.26 per cup. A grinder + machine pays for itself in about 10 months.
Beans almost always win on cost over a year — the trade-off is convenience and the upfront grinder/machine. Freshly ground also tastes markedly better, which is the real reason most people switch.
Make the switch
If beans win for you, the move is a decent grinder plus an espresso machine or drip maker:
Common questions
Are coffee pods more expensive than beans?
Almost always, per cup. Pods typically run $0.55–$1.00 each; the same dose from a bag of whole beans is often $0.20–$0.45. Over a year of daily coffee that gap usually covers a grinder several times over.
How much can I save switching from pods to beans?
For a two-cup-a-day household, savings of $200–$500 per year are common, depending on pod and bag prices. Use the calculator above with your real numbers.
Is a grinder worth it?
On cost alone it usually pays for itself within a few months of daily brewing. On taste, freshly ground beans are a bigger upgrade than almost any machine — pre-ground and pods go stale fast.
What dose should I use per cup?
About 10–15 g for a filter cup and 16–20 g for espresso. The default of 15 g is a reasonable middle ground; adjust to match how you actually brew.