We’re always reminding people how much more cost-effective it is to brew your own coffee at home instead of buying it at a coffee shop. But according to a new report, coffee drinkers who are hopping on the K-cup bandwagon are paying a premium for the convenience of only having to brew up a single serving.

The NY Times looked at the prices for single-serve coffee and espresso and found that the per-pound cost can vary anywhere from around $31/lb. to more than $51/lb. That’s significantly more expensive than most high-end coffees, which the Times says come in at less than $20/lb. if you buy the beans whole.

But CNBC points out that the patent on K-cups is soon coming to an end, meaning that the door could be open to a host of competitors willing to start a price war and bring the per-pound price of single-serving coffee closer to the cost of bulk coffee.

With Coffee, the Price of Individualism Can Be High [NY Times]
The Price of K-Cup Convenience [CNBC]

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