15 Coffee Drinkers Share Secrets To A Good Pot

From Redditor u/fangb*ner:

Use fresh beans. Avoid drip makers for this.

From Redditor u/terror569:

Buy the affordable Moka express. It offers the closest thing to espresso. Skip casual markets. Visit a coffee shop and buy good, ground coffee instead. Invest in a good coffee grinder later. Good luck!

From Redditor u/enderlove1211:

I drink a lot of coffee and make it in many ways.

Grind your beans at home right before brewing. This is the number one way to improve your coffee across all beans, roasts, and methods. Start here if you want better coffee without getting into too many details.

From Redditor u/doctorchile:

Use fresh, good-quality coffee. Use filtered water and a French press.

Do not use anything else.

From Redditor u/GreenwellFarms:

Welcome to real coffee.

[...] I use French presses a lot. If you are new, want an easy, cheap method while learning, a pour-over system beats other methods.

Grind size, extraction time, and other small things affect a French press. The coffee solids left behind (no paper filter) take getting used to. Data shows frequent French press use might raise LDL cholesterol for some people. (https://voltagecoffee.com/is-french-press-coffee-bad-for-you/).

Later, add a French press to your setup. First, get a simple grinder, basic pour-over dripper, quality water, non-bleached filters. Wet the filters. Use a 16:1 water-to-grounds ratio. Put it on your cup and learn to pour slowly and steadily.

Make sure whatever you pick is fun. Enjoy!

From Redditor u/rylanb:

Here is my friend's process:

Get a scale. Consistent weight and amount for each coffee type help. You will need trial and error for each bean. 40g dark roast tastes different from 40g light roast. Different regions taste different; you might need a bit more or less.

Put a little water (wet your fingers under the faucet first) into the whole beans before grinding in a BURR grinder (not a blade grinder).

Get a cone filter for pour-over or a French press.

Bloom the grounds with very hot water (202 - 212F depending on your elevation). Wet the grounds almost too much, but stop water from filtering into the carafe or cup below.

Wait about one minute for the coffee to bloom or soak.

Pour more water in a circle around the cone with the grounds. Wait for it to filter. Repeat until you have the coffee amount you want.

Determine the water amount and bean weight for your trial. One friend uses about 40g of beans for 750g of water, adjusting for each roast. You will get some weaker coffees and some too dark ones.

It tastes very good.

From Redditor u/ipreferDigg:

- Cheap blade bean grinder.

- IKEA/supermarket French press.

- Bag of roast beans.

Grind only one pot's worth of beans in your grinder at the time you want coffee. Do not stress about size.

Follow the James Hoffman technique for the French press.link

Add milk and sugar as you like. Make it your party; drink it that way if you want. Try it without milk or sugar first; your brewing technique must be steady.

Initially, skip the grinder and just buy roast and ground beans. I find they work for days one and two. After that, I notice stale taste. By day five, I dislike it. Freshly ground beans, even with an inconsistent blade grinder, are ten times better.

From Redditor u/Dmil86:

The Aeropress should be the easiest choice for use. Buy one for under $30; the filters are cheap. Cleanup beats a French press. It handles grind size well. Use good beans. Bloom for 30 seconds, steep for one minute, press for 30 to 45 seconds. Use a 17:1 ratio (milliliters of water to grams of beans). The whole process takes less than five minutes, including grinding the beans.

Use water just off the boil. This method works well for me. My grind size lets the filter keep the fines out.

Avoid cheap manual grinders. They operate slowly. They also grind less consistently than models with larger burrs, which cost over $50.

From a former Redditor:

The French press uses a metal filter and immersion. This combination makes a denser, oilier coffee than paper filters (like a drip maker). For an affordable French press with a reusable metal filter, look cheap. Or, get a cheap pour-over setup if you lack a kettle. If you want super cheap, just boil water and coffee together. Drink it, but the grounds taste harsh, and drinking the grounds is not recommended. This needs no investment.

From Redditor u/Heliotrope88:

I use a ceramic funnel (search for ceramic coffee funnel or cone) with #2 Melita coffee filters and fair trade coffee. Use a kettle, pour a little boiled water in, and wait twenty seconds. Repeat this until your mug is full. People fuss about this method, but I do not. The coffee tastes great. I like it avoids heating plastic like a Mr. Coffee pot.

From Redditor u/Knox1912:

Cold-brew in a French press gives you more caffeine and better flavor. It mellows the acid so it avoids stomach upset. You can drink it black.

You can warm up cold-brew and drink it hot. Making it takes time. Prepare it twelve hours ahead. Once you have supplies, running out is tough.

From Redditor u/jonesjr29:

I grind coffee to the finest, espresso grade. This gives you more flavor and better value. Use two filters: one gold and one paper. I use a Chemex pour-over. I judge the coffee by smell and color. This takes trial and error, but it works. People will praise your coffee just like they praise mine!

From Redditor u/StolenAccount1234:

This is a post I can comment on with experience. Most of the prior info is close. Freshly roasted beans are good, but check for off-gassing. This means the roasting is finished and beans are ready. Temperature, time, and ratio drive the coffee. Burr grinders work well. A goose-necked kettle helps with pouring and temperature. Find many online resources, but I will just list my method.

Wet your filter. This removes paper taste from the cup. Heat your kettle to the listed temperature. Local roasters usually share good data. Mine hit 203-205 degrees. Grind your coffee. Use 23-25 grams for a 10-ounce cup. Use a scale and measure precisely! Bloom the coffee. Double the grind weight. For instance, use 23 grams in and 46 grams for the bloom. Wait about thirty seconds. When bubbling slows and a crust forms, the aroma starts. Then, pour 100 grams of water every thirty seconds. Let it drain. Do not let the water rise too high on the filter. Pour slowly. Use one hand on the kettle and one on the handle for control. Pour counter-clockwise in donut shapes. This stops water from rushing around the filter or through it too fast. This gives the coffee time to brew. Aim for a 1:16 ratio. So, 25 grams in means 400 grams out. Use a lighter ratio for stronger coffee.

I could explain much more about the process, or about regular Mr. Coffee coffee. Ask if you have more questions. This has been my job for over five years now.

From Redditor u/zampyx:

Beans matter, but they are not enough. I suggest an Italian coffee machine for two reasons:

I am Italian. I have drunk coffee my whole life, homemade, bar size, and Starbucks size. The classic Italian coffee machine gives the best result, starting from the same bean powder mix. Some friends claim the industrial machine found in bars is better. This choice is subjective.

During my master's, I studied physical chemistry and extraction. Pouring water always makes the product highly diluted. The time water touches the coffee is never enough, especially for flavors, which are usually 'fatty' and not attracted by water. The vapor (from an Italian coffee machine) has a much higher extraction capacity. The final product is more concentrated; you will not need a large cup. If you doubt it, smell the air after making coffee with the 'pouring' technique and mine. The 'aroma' in the air after I make coffee is definitely stronger, but the extracted volume is smaller. The flavors in the air directly relate to those in the coffee (more in the air means more in the coffee).

From Redditor u/momofeveryone5:

Use a counter top drip coffee maker. Use fresh coffee from a can or grind it at the grocery store. Use cold water. Add a tiny pinch of salt to the grounds. Use one scoop or one tablespoon per two cups in the pot. If you make six cups, use three scoops.

You can use the fancy press or espresso makers. I liked them when I had time on the weekend, but this works for daily use.