Caffeine loving Britons consume 1,460 cups of coffee a year on average (that’s 93,440 cups in an adult lifetime), according to new research.

Researchers took an in-depth look into the hot beverage habits of the nation and discovered £676 is the average amount Brits now spend each year on coffee from shops and cafes – that amounts to £43,264 over a lifetime.

According to the poll, we now drink an average of four cups a day – with the latte the most popular coffee of choice (41 percent said it was their favourite).

And according to the data, people from Cardiff are the biggest fans of the black stuff – with folk from the Welsh capital downing a staggering 1,825 cups a year, more than any other City in the U.K.

The poll shows a staggering 61 percent of us prefer drinking coffee to tea, with a separate report by retail research consultancy Allegra, revealing there are now 22,845 coffee shops in the UK, a six percent increase year on year – with 2.3 billion coffees a year being bought and consumed out of home.

The first coffee shop, The Angel, was opened in Oxford in 1652, with the second opening in London in the same year.

The survey by syrup makers MONIN shows the nation’s favourite coffee is by far and away the Latte, with 41 percent saying it is now their coffee of choice.

Cappuccino came second to latte in terms of the nation’s favourite, with 38 percent, followed by Americano (26 percent) and Mocha (16 percent).

Asked why people switched from tea to coffee, 46 percent said they needed the caffeine boost they get from coffee to wake up in the morning and 39 percent said they needed it as a pick me up during the day.

However, the majority – 65 percent – said they simply preferred the taste to tea.

Surprisingly a further 62 percent of Brits would even go as far to say that we now know more about coffee than we do wine.

And 65 percent of health-conscious Brits say going out for coffee to catch up with friends has now replaced heading out for a boozy night.

Lee Hyde – Beverage Innovation Manager at MONIN commented “We are seeing a rise in coffee shops and coffee culture across the country, and this trend is being replicated in the home too.

“Over a third of Brits confirmed they know more about coffee than they did five years ago and coffee drinkers are finding new ways to personalise their drinks, reaching for flavours from popular vanilla to more adventurous flavours like salted caramel.

“With coffee, the menu options are endless and with seasonal flavours on the rise and iced coffees during summer, coffees aren’t only functional they’re also the perfect fit for socialising too.”

The survey revealed the average Brit has their first cup of coffee at 8am, with 51 percent of us now owning our own coffee machine at home.

And it would seem Brits are more adventurous than ever, with 76 percent claiming they regularly experiment with different styles and flavours of coffee.

Over half of those who own a machine have a capsule machine, while 25 percent have a filter system and 15 percent own an espresso machine.

Almost four in ten (39 percent) say coffee drinkers are cooler than those who prefer a nice cup of tea.

25 percent of us admit to still having a jar of instant in the kitchen cupboard to give to friends when we can’t be bothered to make a proper cup.

A further three in ten (30 percent) claim they have their own signature coffee – “make mine a skinny, caramel macchiato with an extra shot”.

And when it comes to added extras, 18 percent of us like caramel syrup in our coffee, while 14 percent ask for vanilla and 10 percent want a touch of hazelnut.

Lee Hyde – Beverage Innovation Manager at MONIN added: “There are so many ways to enjoy coffee now with different machines and gadgets its even easier to recreate that coffee shop experience in the comfort of your own home.

“What this study shows is there is a real thirst for coffee and people are keen to experiment and develop their signature brew.”

Britain’s Favourite Coffee
1. Latte
2. Cappuccino
3. Americano
4. Mocha
5. Espresso
6. Flat White
7. Iced Coffee
8. Frappe
9. Ground
10. Double Espresso

Britain’s Top 5 Favourite Coffee Flavours
1. Caramel
2. Vanilla
3. Hazelnut
4. Cinnamon
5. Salted Caramel