The one I’m drinking right now is 6.76€ and the cheapest one is 1.28€.
First of all - what a price difference. Secondly, it’s actually not bad. It does have that faint “cheap coffee” taste, but after a few cups I barely notice it anymore.
The real question is: is the tradeoff worth it? Do I give up a few percent of enjoyment on every single cup just to save the equivalent of a month’s grocery bill yearly? I’m not in any dire financial spot - frugality is basically a hobby/lifestyle for me at this point - but it’s getting rarer and rarer to find ways to pocket savings of this level anymore.
Ah, there’s the bias. Espresso is just concentrated coffee made with pressurized water, it’s not a different level in quality. You can make bad espresso just like you can make amazing Aeropress, french press, pourover, and yes: drip coffee. You’re perfectly allowed to prefer that style of coffee, but even the experts agree: it’s not automatically better than other types.
oh, of course - sorry, I don’t mean to imply there is no such thing as bad espresso, or no such thing as good french press coffee, or that all bad espresso is better than all good french press, etc.
but I will say that each method has its particular benefits and downsides
no other method creates the crema and concentrated flavor espresso makes
but neither espresso nor french press are particularly stable, so if you want coffee that doesn’t quickly become bitter (e.g. when you make coffee in an office and want to be able to drink a few cups over a few hours), making a pot of drip coffee makes more sense, because drip coffee is more stable and has fewer free-floating coffee grounds that continue to leach astringent chemicals.
So, you’re right - it’s entirely a matter of taste, purpose, and context - not everyone even enjoys good espresso.
But I personally still think it doesn’t get better than the way espresso tastes so rich and creamy - it does feel like the highest / best form of coffee to me.