[P_I_Staker]

IDK about all that. I'm sure there's pretense and over-priced gear. However, lots of people can afford $400-1000 for a major appliance they use every day.

Frankly, if you just enjoy coffee a whole lot, that investment makes sense for most people. Coffee is a major part of people's lives.

The issue with espresso, is that the process itself is NOT simple, and involves tons of heat an pressure. I'm not 100% sure what makes it expensive, except that it obviously pays to make it heftier.

You don't have to drink espresso. There's lots of reasons not to go with espresso that don't involve cost/difficulty. Some very well regarded methods involve just leaving the beans in water with a $20 piece of cookwear.

Regarding grinders, people just find that they don't get a consistent grind. It's functional concerns, not hipsterism or consumerism. In all cases, there's options at every price range.