The majority of Australians prefer the coffee they make at home, to what they can buy from their local café, according to Canstar Blue research.
A Canstar Blue survey says consumers are investing more in their home made coffee, spending an average of $320 on their espresso coffee machines, compared to $296 last year.
Head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle, said the survey, of almost 1000 adults who have bought a coffee machine for their home in the last year, shows Australia’s coffee obsession is stronger than ever, but where they purchase coffee is changing.
“At a time when many consumers are watching every dollar they spend, it seems quality coffee is one of those luxuries we’re just not willing to sacrifice,” Doyle said.
“The majority of people are not buying coffee machines to save money at cafés or impress their friends, they’re buying them because they produce results as good as, if not better than, what a barista could.
“For some, their coffee machine was an impulse purchase, but most are glad they made it. Rather than being put in a cupboard and forgotten about, coffee machines are becoming an integral part of Aussie kitchens.”
Canstar Blue found that 53 per cent of adults prefer the coffee they make at home to what they buy from cafés. This was particularly true of survey respondents over the age of 65, with 70 per cent showing a preference for homemade coffee. At the other end of the spectrum, those aged 18 to 24 were the biggest fans of takeaway coffee, with 40 per cent favouring what they make at home.
Overall, 66 per cent said they bought their machine to enjoy great tasting coffee at home, while 15 per cent did so in order to save money and 12 per cent were looking for the best way to cater for guests.
Thirty per cent said their machine was an impulse purchase and 37 per cent don’t use it as they thought they would.
Survey respondents were also asked to rate their coffee machine of choice across a range of research criteria, including ease of use, ease of maintenance, reliability, value for money, and overall satisfaction.
Aldi was the only brand to achieve a five star rating for overall satisfaction for its Expressi coffee machine, earning Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for the third year in a row.
“At a cost of $89, it shows that quality coffee at home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Even taking into account the ongoing cost of capsules, it should result in a significant saving for those who usually get their caffeine fix away from home,” said Doyle.
“As coffee machines continue to evolve and improve, competition is fierce and consumers are being presented with an increasing number of impressive options from some huge brands in the industry. That is what makes Aldi’s continued success even more impressive.”
Aldi was also the only brand to score a five star rating for the cost of its capsules.
