Think Capsule Coffee is the Cheapest & Most Convenient Option? Think Again

Coffee culture is growing steadily in South Africa, and as more and more people begin to indulge in the creamy caffeine-infused goodness of coffee beans, many tend to lean towards the status quo and “norm” of the market: capsule coffee.

Yeah, they’re cute, compact, and there’s a decent variety out there, and while many may think it’s the cheaper and most convinent option to get a decent cup-of-Joe, it’s actually far from it.

For an entry-level capsule machine, you’d end up paying around R1,200 for the basic of all options, and paying around R80 for a pack of capsules (usually 10 per pack). That’s R8 per coffee, and an average one, to be honest. You see, most capsules aren’t gas flushed, therefore making the coffee itself actually stale by the time you use it. And, they’re not exactly the best for the environment too.

So, what’s the other option? Well, manual coffee machines. They’re actually a lot of fun to use (we’re busy channelling our inner baristas at the MenStuff HQ), don’t cost that much, and give you access to what a real, restaurant-quality cup of home coffee should taste like.

We’ve found three fantastic manual coffee machines that won’t break the bank within 2 minutes of searching online. Don’t believe us? Take a look:

Manual coffee machines are affordable, and even the ones that may be a little more than a decent capsule machine will pay themselves off within a few short months; given that one Dando tube of coffee produces 30-32 cups (around 8 grams per cup), which equates to around R2.70 per cup (around R5.30 cheaper per cup than using capsule coffee).

And when talking about good coffee, there’s only one option, really: Dando.

Brewed in Cape Town, Dando coffee is high-quality, premium coffee with conscience. In addition to being delicious, full of flavour, and strong in presence, Dando is also about being philanthropically awesome, donating a significant portion of the profits from coffee sales to fund community projects, such as Liv Village, through the Dando Scholarship program.

Here are Dando’s available coffees:

Dando Black (Dark Roast – Strong): A blend of finely selected beans from South America and East Asia that are perfectly roasted and specially blended for any espresso based coffee. Buy here.

Dando Blue (Medium – Decaffeinated): Made from the finest of Colombian beans naturally prepared and gently decaffeinated. Buy here.

Dando Gold (Medium Roast): A full-bodied coffee. It is deeply aromatic and rich, with a full, strong flavour. Made with a delicate balance of beans from South America. Buy here.

Dando Purple (Medium – Dark Roast): Superior African and Central American beans that create a mild yet flavoursome coffee. An excellent after dinner coffee variety. Buy here.

Dando Red (Dark Roast – Strong): A strong coffee with a typical Italian Character. Blended with dark roasted beans, it develops a distinctly hearty flavour. Buy here.

You can check out more on Dando on their official website, and remember to follow them and give them a ‘Like’ on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

More stuff to keep you busy:

Coffee Machine Technology Meets The Craft Beer Industry

How to Taste Coffee Like a Pro

Can You Overdose On Coffee?