diff --git a/cache.go b/cache.go
index 24ca09a..d9ccec3 100644
--- a/cache.go
+++ b/cache.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func New[K comparable, V any](opts ...Option[K, V]) *Cache[K, V] {
 	c.events.insertion.fns = make(map[uint64]func(*Item[K, V]))
 	c.events.eviction.fns = make(map[uint64]func(EvictionReason, *Item[K, V]))
 
-	applyOptions(&c.options, opts...)
+	c.options = applyOptions(c.options, opts...)
 
 	return c
 }
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func (c *Cache[K, V]) getWithOpts(key K, lockAndLoad bool, opts ...Option[K, V])
 		disableTouchOnHit: c.options.disableTouchOnHit,
 	}
 
-	applyOptions(&getOpts, opts...)
+	getOpts = applyOptions(getOpts, opts...)
 
 	if lockAndLoad {
 		c.items.mu.Lock()
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func (c *Cache[K, V]) GetOrSet(key K, value V, opts ...Option[K, V]) (*Item[K, V
 	setOpts := options[K, V]{
 		ttl: c.options.ttl,
 	}
-	applyOptions(&setOpts, opts...) // used only to update the TTL
+	setOpts = applyOptions(setOpts, opts...) // used only to update the TTL
 
 	item := c.set(key, value, setOpts.ttl)
 
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ func (c *Cache[K, V]) GetAndDelete(key K, opts ...Option[K, V]) (*Item[K, V], bo
 		getOpts := options[K, V]{
 			loader: c.options.loader,
 		}
-		applyOptions(&getOpts, opts...) // used only to update the loader
+		getOpts = applyOptions(getOpts, opts...) // used only to update the loader
 
 		if getOpts.loader != nil {
 			item := getOpts.loader.Load(c, key)
diff --git a/cache_test.go b/cache_test.go
index ba58c3f..a9e7524 100644
--- a/cache_test.go
+++ b/cache_test.go
@@ -529,11 +529,12 @@ func Test_Cache_Set(t *testing.T) {
 func Test_Cache_Get(t *testing.T) {
 	const notFoundKey, foundKey = "notfound", "test1"
 	cc := map[string]struct {
-		Key            string
-		DefaultOptions options[string, string]
-		CallOptions    []Option[string, string]
-		Metrics        Metrics
-		Result         *Item[string, string]
+		Key                         string
+		DefaultOptions              options[string, string]
+		CallOptions                 []Option[string, string]
+		Metrics                     Metrics
+		Result                      *Item[string, string]
+		ExpectedNumberOfAllocations int
 	}{
 		"Get without loader when item is not found": {
 			Key: notFoundKey,
@@ -551,7 +552,8 @@ func Test_Cache_Get(t *testing.T) {
 			Metrics: Metrics{
 				Misses: 1,
 			},
-			Result: &Item[string, string]{key: "test"},
+			Result:                      &Item[string, string]{key: "test"},
+			ExpectedNumberOfAllocations: 1, // The loader function returns a heap allocated item. If this item was pre-allocated, the number of allocations would be 0.
 		},
 		"Get with default loader that returns nil value when item is not found": {
 			Key: notFoundKey,
@@ -579,7 +581,8 @@ func Test_Cache_Get(t *testing.T) {
 			Metrics: Metrics{
 				Misses: 1,
 			},
-			Result: &Item[string, string]{key: "hello"},
+			Result:                      &Item[string, string]{key: "hello"},
+			ExpectedNumberOfAllocations: 1, // The loader function returns a heap allocated item. If this item was pre-allocated, the number of allocations would be 0.
 		},
 		"Get with call loader that returns nil value when item is not found": {
 			Key: notFoundKey,
@@ -633,7 +636,10 @@ func Test_Cache_Get(t *testing.T) {
 			oldExpiresAt := cache.items.values[foundKey].Value.(*Item[string, string]).expiresAt
 			cache.options = c.DefaultOptions
 
-			res := cache.Get(c.Key, c.CallOptions...)
+			var res *Item[string, string]
+			assert.Equal(t, c.ExpectedNumberOfAllocations, allocsForSingleRun(func() {
+				res = cache.Get(c.Key, c.CallOptions...)
+			}))
 
 			if c.Key == foundKey {
 				c.Result = cache.items.values[foundKey].Value.(*Item[string, string])
@@ -646,7 +652,7 @@ func Test_Cache_Get(t *testing.T) {
 				return
 			}
 
-			applyOptions(&c.DefaultOptions, c.CallOptions...)
+			c.DefaultOptions = applyOptions(c.DefaultOptions, c.CallOptions...)
 
 			if c.DefaultOptions.disableTouchOnHit {
 				assert.Equal(t, oldExpiresAt, res.expiresAt)
@@ -1302,3 +1308,18 @@ func addToCache(c *Cache[string, string], ttl time.Duration, keys ...string) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func allocsForSingleRun(f func()) (numAllocs int) {
+	// `testing.AllocsPerRun` "warms up" the function for a single run before
+	// measuring allocations, so we need do nothing on the first run.
+	firstRun := false
+	numAllocs = int(testing.AllocsPerRun(1, func() {
+		if !firstRun {
+			firstRun = true
+			return
+		}
+
+		f()
+	}))
+	return
+}
diff --git a/options.go b/options.go
index 6607a09..3391e7c 100644
--- a/options.go
+++ b/options.go
@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@ import "time"
 
 // Option sets a specific cache option.
 type Option[K comparable, V any] interface {
-	apply(opts *options[K, V])
+	apply(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V]
 }
 
 // optionFunc wraps a function and implements the Option interface.
-type optionFunc[K comparable, V any] func(*options[K, V])
+type optionFunc[K comparable, V any] func(options[K, V]) options[K, V]
 
 // apply calls the wrapped function.
-func (fn optionFunc[K, V]) apply(opts *options[K, V]) {
-	fn(opts)
+func (fn optionFunc[K, V]) apply(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
+	return fn(opts)
 }
 
 // CostFunc is used to calculate the cost of the key and the item to be
@@ -29,26 +29,29 @@ type options[K comparable, V any] struct {
 	itemOpts          []itemOption[K, V]
 }
 
-// applyOptions applies the provided option values to the option struct.
-func applyOptions[K comparable, V any](v *options[K, V], opts ...Option[K, V]) {
+// applyOptions applies the provided option values to the option struct and returns the modified option struct.
+func applyOptions[K comparable, V any](v options[K, V], opts ...Option[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 	for i := range opts {
-		opts[i].apply(v)
+		v = opts[i].apply(v)
 	}
+	return v
 }
 
 // WithCapacity sets the maximum capacity of the cache.
 // It has no effect when used with Get().
 func WithCapacity[K comparable, V any](c uint64) Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.capacity = c
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
 // WithTTL sets the TTL of the cache.
 // It has no effect when used with Get().
 func WithTTL[K comparable, V any](ttl time.Duration) Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.ttl = ttl
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
@@ -56,8 +59,9 @@ func WithTTL[K comparable, V any](ttl time.Duration) Option[K, V] {
 // If version tracking is disabled, the version is always -1.
 // It has no effect when used with Get().
 func WithVersion[K comparable, V any](enable bool) Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.itemOpts = append(opts.itemOpts, withVersionTracking[K, V](enable))
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
@@ -65,8 +69,9 @@ func WithVersion[K comparable, V any](enable bool) Option[K, V] {
 // When passing into Get(), it sets an ephemeral loader that
 // is used instead of the cache's default one.
 func WithLoader[K comparable, V any](l Loader[K, V]) Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.loader = l
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
@@ -76,8 +81,9 @@ func WithLoader[K comparable, V any](l Loader[K, V]) Option[K, V] {
 // When used with Get(), it overrides the default value of the
 // cache.
 func WithDisableTouchOnHit[K comparable, V any]() Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.disableTouchOnHit = true
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
@@ -85,9 +91,10 @@ func WithDisableTouchOnHit[K comparable, V any]() Option[K, V] {
 // The actual cost calculation for each inserted item happens by making use of the
 // callback CostFunc.
 func WithMaxCost[K comparable, V any](s uint64, callback CostFunc[K, V]) Option[K, V] {
-	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts *options[K, V]) {
+	return optionFunc[K, V](func(opts options[K, V]) options[K, V] {
 		opts.maxCost = s
 		opts.itemOpts = append(opts.itemOpts, withCostFunc[K, V](callback))
+		return opts
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/options_test.go b/options_test.go
index 478dc40..bb3db71 100644
--- a/options_test.go
+++ b/options_test.go
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ func Test_optionFunc_apply(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var called bool
 
-	optionFunc[string, string](func(_ *options[string, string]) {
+	optionFunc[string, string](func(opts options[string, string]) options[string, string] {
 		called = true
-	}).apply(nil)
+		return opts
+	}).apply(options[string, string]{})
 	assert.True(t, called)
 }
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ func Test_applyOptions(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var opts options[string, string]
 
-	applyOptions(&opts,
+	opts = applyOptions(opts,
 		WithCapacity[string, string](12),
 		WithTTL[string, string](time.Hour),
 	)
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ func Test_WithCapacity(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var opts options[string, string]
 
-	WithCapacity[string, string](12).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithCapacity[string, string](12).apply(opts)
 	assert.Equal(t, uint64(12), opts.capacity)
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ func Test_WithTTL(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var opts options[string, string]
 
-	WithTTL[string, string](time.Hour).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithTTL[string, string](time.Hour).apply(opts)
 	assert.Equal(t, time.Hour, opts.ttl)
 }
 
@@ -57,13 +58,13 @@ func Test_WithVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	var opts options[string, string]
 	var item Item[string, string]
 
-	WithVersion[string, string](true).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithVersion[string, string](true).apply(opts)
 	assert.Len(t, opts.itemOpts, 1)
 	opts.itemOpts[0].apply(&item)
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(0), item.version)
 
 	opts.itemOpts = []itemOption[string, string]{}
-	WithVersion[string, string](false).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithVersion[string, string](false).apply(opts)
 	assert.Len(t, opts.itemOpts, 1)
 	opts.itemOpts[0].apply(&item)
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(-1), item.version)
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ func Test_WithLoader(t *testing.T) {
 	l := LoaderFunc[string, string](func(_ *Cache[string, string], _ string) *Item[string, string] {
 		return nil
 	})
-	WithLoader[string, string](l).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithLoader[string, string](l).apply(opts)
 	assert.NotNil(t, opts.loader)
 }
 
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ func Test_WithDisableTouchOnHit(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var opts options[string, string]
 
-	WithDisableTouchOnHit[string, string]().apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithDisableTouchOnHit[string, string]().apply(opts)
 	assert.True(t, opts.disableTouchOnHit)
 }
 
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ func Test_WithMaxCost(t *testing.T) {
 	var opts options[string, string]
 	var item Item[string, string]
 
-	WithMaxCost[string, string](1024, func(item *Item[string, string]) uint64 { return 1 }).apply(&opts)
+	opts = WithMaxCost[string, string](1024, func(item *Item[string, string]) uint64 { return 1 }).apply(opts)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, uint64(1024), opts.maxCost)
 	assert.Len(t, opts.itemOpts, 1)