coffee cup illustration
Illustrated by Abigail Phoenix

How to make barista drinks on a budget

With deadline season approaching coffee is the fuel to get most students through. However, buying coffee can become super expensive…

With deadline season approaching coffee is the fuel to get most students through. However, buying coffee can become super expensive being almost £5 per drink. But it’s still possible to make your much-needed coffee at home, saving time and money whilst enjoying the same taste. Depending on your preference, this article will guide you through everything you could need to recreate your go-to order for a fraction of the price!

Starting off with the coffee itself, coffee grinds are great for making barista drinks. Although you can buy branded coffee grounds from coffee shops, any coffee grounds will work. You just need to find one that you like the taste of! A good tip is to look at the type of grounds used in your favourite barista drink and use the same to recreate it at home.

You don’t need a fancy coffee machine to make a good coffee at home (other I’ll recommend some good ones too!). A Moka pot or cafetière both use coffee grounds and can be found in many supermarkets and homeware shops. A Moka pot makes great espresso perfect for an iced latte or when you need that extra boost of caffeine. A cafetiere (also known as a French press) is another good option for other coffee types. It can also double up to make herbal tea so is a great money-saving option too. Both are straightforward to use with little room for error. They also won’t take long to brew and are easily transportable when going home for the holidays!

If you’re wanting to invest in a coffee machine however there are some affordable options, even better if you split the price with your housemates too! If you’re wanting something super simple, a Tassimo machine is cheap, simple to use and cost-effective. After buying the machine you just need to buy the pods, these come to around £5 for 7 which works out a lot cheaper than buying one out every day. A Nespresso machine is the more expensive version of a Tassimo but still works out cheaper than buying out every day. You could also buy an espresso machine and there are loads of options online. Although the moka pot and cafetiere to great tasting espresso!

A milk frother transforms milk into a thick foam perfect to make lattes and cappuccinos. Small handheld ones can be bought off of Amazon or from Ikea for as little as £1.50! A frother isn’t necessary but is a great addition to your at-home barista bar, especially if you love a foamy coffee.

Syrups can often take a coffee to the next level, they can be expensive outright, however with a simple vanilla you can make a ton of different recipes. Monin is the brand most often used in high-street coffee shops and can be bought on Amazon. These last a long time and help take a drink to the barista level. Other syrups can be found in every supermarket in the coffee section, or simple brown/white sugar or honey can also add a sweet taste.

Even if you don’t find the perfect combination straight away, it’s all about trialling different recipes and combinations till you find your perfect fix!

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