I'm an ex-Starbucks barista — you can make the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home for a fraction of the cost

(Image credit: Erin Bashford) The Coffee Lab (Image credit: Tom's Guide)I'm Erin, and welcome to the eighteenth episode of The Coffee Lab, the series where we forget coffee snobbery. The Coffee Lab is all about making coffee fun. Join me as I help you kickstart your coffee journey!Starbucks is expensive. There's no getting around that. Some drinks can cost as much as $10 in certain states these days, which is simply ridiculous. If I were to order a Grande Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at the Starbucks closest to Tom's Guide's Manhattan office, it would cost me $7.57. Yes, almost 8 bucks.Fortunately, you can make it yourself, for far less.I was a Starbucks barista for years, and learned how to make the delicious Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home. I've even done some coffee math down below to show you how much better this version is for your wallet (and your health, if you use homemade syrup).You only need three ingredients (four if you count ice as an ingredient, and five if you include the optional cinnamon) to make a delicious iced espresso at home. And the best part? It takes about two minutes. Here's my step-by-step guide to making the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home, using the Nespresso Vertuo Up, Oatly Barista oat milk, homemade brown sugar syrup, ice, and cinnamon. Step 1: Make your brown sugar syrup I opted to make my own syrup for two reasons. One: brown sugar syrup isn't readily available where I live, and two: I know the exact ingredients, so no surprises here. Simply add your desired amount of sugar and a tiny drop of hot water to melt the sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, this might be 10g. I used one teaspoon, so 5g. Step 2: Make your espresso Starbucks uses Blonde roast for the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, so I'd recommend using a light or medium roast coffee with notes like citrus, cherry, caramel, or fruit to achieve a similar result. Of course, you could simply buy Blonde roast from your local Starbucks. I'd recommend a double shot here, so use around 18g of finely ground coffee for 36g espresso. I used the Oatly Nespresso pods for this video using my Nespresso Vertuo Up. Step 3: Combine your ingredients in a shaker If you don't have a shaker, you could use a water bottle or even a leakproof Tupperware. Add your espresso, syrup, ice, a splash of oat milk, and optional cinnamon if you like it a little warming. Shake, pour, and you're done! The coffee mathI hate math, but I love coffee math. Let's see if making your own Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso actually is cheaper — and how many times you have to make it yourself to break even.With a Nespresso machineNespresso Vertuo Pop+: $130 from AmazonOat milk: $3.32/52 fluid ounces from Walmart | 0.19 per drinkBrown sugar: $2.02/32 ounces from Walmart | 0.01 per drinkCoffee: Starbucks Blonde Nespresso Vertuo pods: $12.97 for 10 | 1.30 per podSo that's $1.50 for the ingredients, $130 for the machine.You’d need to drink 22 drinks to start making a profit. After that, it’s $6.07 in savings per drink.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.With an espresso machine + grinderBreville Bambino: $299 from Amazon Baratza Encore ESP: $199 from AmazonStarbucks Blonde whole bean coffee: $17.13/18 ounces | $0.57 per drinkOat milk: $3.32/52 fluid ounces from Walmart | 0.19 per drinkBrown sugar: $2.02/32 ounces from Walmart | 0.01 per drinkThis version has a higher initial cost but cheaper overall ingredients: $0.77 for the ingredients, $498 for the machines.You'd need to drink 74 drinks to start making a profit. After that, it’s $6.80 of pure savings each time.If you already have an espresso machine, you're saving almost 90% on every drink.So, are you going to skip Starbucks and try making the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home? I only ever make it myself — I haven't been into a Starbucks in years.Are there any other Starbucks drinks you'd like me to simplify? Perhaps the Pumpkin Spiced Latte in September? Or the Eggnog latte in December? Let me know in the comments!I post new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday, so be sure to check back next week. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less. More from Tom's GuideI tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favoriteNon-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobsI tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it Erin Bashford is a senior writer at Tom's Guide, focusing on reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia. As an ex-barista, she knows her way around a coffee machine, and as a music lover, she's constantly chipping away at her dream of having a multi-room home sound system. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games.