i'll play. go get an aeropress, it's like a french press on HGH.

http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B000GXZ2GS

The Aeropress if you drink coffee. It's £24 on Amazon at the moment but it has been under £20 before. https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Coffee-Tea-Espresso/Aerobie-AeroPress-80R11-Maker/B000GXZ2GS

I don't really understand how it makes such good filter coffee, it's magic or something, but it's really easy to use and makes great super-fast one cup coffee for those who want to use filter or grind their own beans but don't want to run a full coffee maker / make loads of cups / wait around.

The method the MC is using here is the coffee drip/pour over method. The glass heating containers on the left are the siphon coffee makers.

When you're picking up coffee as a hobby, remember that you're going to go through a lot of batches of coffee that aren't good until you master your technique. You're also going to go through a lot of beans which just don't have the taste you're looking for (these make great gifts for other people).

For online subscriptions, I recommend https://one.mistobox.com/

For good coffee equipment, I recommend checking here.

If you want to do it like in Leblanc, then go with pour over coffee equipment.

You'll want to get a gooseneck electric kettle such as the bonavita model shown here.

Why a gooseneck like the one in the screenshot above? The gooseneck shape is very useful for limiting the amount of water coming out of your kettle while also allowing you to be far more accurate with how you pour your water than over a standard kettle. This is very important in the pour over method as how you pour does determine the taste of your final product. I also recommend electric kettles because having precise temperature controls is very important with trying to figure out the exact temperature at which to make your coffee.

If you want the pour over coffee method, you'll need one of the drippers/filters here.

Pour over method requires precise aim to ensure a good cup of coffee. Here you go!

If you want to do it through the siphon coffee method, I recommend this.

People love a good cup of coffee and becoming a master of such a skill will make you well loved by your SO. Its also a great topic and skill to teach others.

Proper coffee is drank black without milk, sugar, or cream (though depending on your culture you may add milk and cream). The reason for this is that these extra ingredients are typically used to cover up the taste of bad coffee. If you get good coffee beans and treat them right, you will be fine. Make sure you're using filtered water as well as bad tap water will heavily alter your taste with extra "flavors" you aren't looking for.

Head over to /coffee subreddit and they'll get you hooked!

Coffee making, like tea, is a relatively cheap and easy hobby to pick up while also being useful and a great topic of conversation. Its a useful skill as well and an easy way to impress a date or friends, though if you really want to impress people, learn to cook. Learning to cook is NEVER a bad idea.

Also make sure to buy a good UV-coated and airtight container to store your beans.

Some extra guides if you want to be super serious about coffee. 1, 2, 3.

Hario V60+Filters, Bonivita Electric Kettle (or any goose neck kettle), a kitchen scale that reads in grams, a stop watch/timer, and some coffee. Done. If you have the extra money get an electric burr grinder, if not just have the roaster or wherever you buy the coffee pre-grind it for pour over.

edit: Added some Amazon links in so people can see prices.

Double the work for me, huh?

1. Cheapest that can truly get the job done (total about $100).
   v60
   filters
   stovetop kettle
   digital scale
   grinder
   mail order fresh beans
   
   
2. Upgrades that aren't necessarily just luxuries/wealth signaling (an additional $300 or so)
   scale with timer
   temperature controlled kettle or this one
   electric grinder refurbished
   single origin beans, maybe something like this, except find it from a local roaster who does a good job and can become your partner in producing your perfect cup

THIS??

My (now) wife broke up with her keurig about 2 years ago. She went with the bonavita 5-cup. Immediately, just using pre-ground store bought coffee she was happier. She got the one with the timer, set it up at night and had 25oz (yeah 5 cups at 5oz is not a LOT of coffee) of hot, freshly brewed coffee when she woke up. Since she moved in, she's moved away from pre-ground and for a while I'd weigh out and grind the beans the night before. Then I left the country for a bit and she was going to just use up the rest of my beans but got used to weigh/grind and has stuck with that for about 9 months now.

I'd say, get something similar to that bonavita, maybe the 8-cup if you think you'll be making coffee for more than 2 people (EVER!) and just get peet's coffee from the store with the nearest "roasted on" date. They sell a variety of coffees blended from all regions and you can get a taste for different kinds of coffee if you want. If you just want coffee tasting coffee, get cafe domingo or major dickason blend are both really good traditional "coffee". If that's what you're happy with, stick with it. If you get into it, check out fancier bean selections, then an encore grinder, and a scale.

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder

Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer

Filters

That leaves you with about $12 to spare, which you could spend on some beans.

(This is my own setup btw, so I may or may not be biased. It is cheap though.)

Damn straight. If anyone here has not tried cold brew coffee, it's delicious; it tastes like coffee smells. I've been making it with this thing for years.

Wow. Its not "buy it for life", its "shit coffee for life".

How can you have broken a drip coffee maker by using it correctly? They're porcelain. You just put the coffee in the filter and pour in hot water and wait. There aren't any moving parts. I genuinely can't believe you've broken five.

I've used a coffee filter to filter my bacon fat and the end result is crystal clear, melted gold.

edit: if you find that you're needing to filter bacon fat often, I'd buy one of these, granted you aren't filtering gallons of the stuff at a time.

I haven't used this gold filter for bacon fat, but in terms of coffee making, some fine dust particles will make it through this filter. If you want something that'll filter out almost every solid, maybe you can go with this.

Wait until your fat has cooled off a bit, then plop this filter cone on top of an open jar, put a coffee filter in, and pour away. I have seen both of these filter cones in multiple grocery stores like Wal-mart and Kroger. Super cheap and reusable!

My simple guide for UK beginners.

• Hario Mini Slim grinder
  
• Aeropress
  
• Decent coffee roasters house blend
  
  Don't waste your money buying fancy AA single estate small batch beans because you just won't get the best out of them. You want a reliable and inexpensive blend that doesn't need a chemistry degree and £300 worth of equipment to achieve good results every time.
  
  I would go as far as to recommend new comers just pick up some decent supermarket branded beans to practice your technique and figure out what type of coffees work for you. The when you become more confident with your method feel free to start exploring more luxury beans.
  
  

Well, I just moved for the first time in 7 years... I had been getting coffee at my local shop EVERY morning since they opened over the 4 years ago.

So, I am relatively new to brewing my own coffee-- around 2 weeks actually. I went out and bought the stuff for Father's day.

My setup.

Black & Decker Grinder - Not great, but it really works. I got it at a local store new for $22.

[Chefman Water Kettle] - Fucking amazing and quick - $39.99 same local store.

[Boodum French Press 8cup] - I love this thing - $21 at Target.

Wooden spoon for stirring & hand painted mug.

Wanted to get some feedback on mysetup. Apparently the grinder is not amazing, but it seems to be working just fine for me on the coarser setting.

Highly recommend the Bonavita BV1500TS. I use it every morning, and it's currently $63 on prime (from an original price of $140!!)

Yes, ditch it. You'll get better coffee for less money with less environmental waste from any of the methods suggested here.

I'll put in my vote for what got me into pour-overs, and which never seems to get much love on this sub: a good old fashioned Melitta drip cone, which makes a more than decent cup of coffee with easily obainable (and cheap) filters with a minimum of fuss. You can pick up a small one that's perfect for one or two cups for under ten bucks, and a set with a larger cone which also includes a glass carafe (perfect for making multiple cups at once) for not much more than that.

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Coffee-Single-Pour-Over-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-640446-Pour-Over-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0000CFLCT

So about a year ago I realized how silly it was to pay for k-cups, and moved to this, which is arguably the anti-keureg machine, it has no waste products other then used coffee, and is single serving:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396275221&sr=8-3&keywords=hamilton+beach+coffee+maker

So it uses two stainless steel filters and that is it, I'm extremely happy with it as an single cup coffee maker.

• Only waste product is used coffee grinds
  
• Single cup
  
• Cheap (~49$)
  
• As easy to use as k-cups just scoop / spoon your coffee into it and fill it with water
  
• Infinite coffee choices!
  

this is one of 3 that SCAA has issued a Gold Cup Cert for home brewing. I'd recommend the Technivorm but its above your $ range.

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376491713&sr=8-2&keywords=technivorm+coffee+maker

I use a coffee filter cone. It's dirt cheap (mine was $2.50) and makes a single serving.

Yup, I got a cold brew bottle and it makes GREAT coffee. Just pour cold water over a pot's worth of grounds, let it sit for 8 hours, remove grounds, enjoy over ice with milk.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU/

GOLD EDIT: wow - my first - THANKS!

Why the fuck are you using amazon.com instead of amazon.fr or .uk or .de?

Ich mach mir meinen täglichen Kaffee hiermit.

Not a shill for Amazon I promise, but I think this is really all you need.

Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper, Size 02, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gXyzCbNQG9JHC

very inexpensive option just as good as anything else. Probably the only thing you want to make sure is that it's not plastic, but rather ceramic.

Hario V60 Coffee Dripper - 8-10$ - Very cheap drip style coffee maker. You set the dripper on top of your cup, put a filter in, and pour hot water (of course that's only a brief synopsis of the process). Very fast and easy way to make excellent coffee.

I'd go for an aeropress. It's what got myself, and later on my girlfriend, into coffee, and it's pretty cheap. It will make a strong, small batch of coffee each time, somewhere between an espresso and a french press (in my opinion).

I'm guessing the macchiatos your fiance is talking about is the Starbucks variety. Macchiatos are supposed to be an espresso shot with very little milk added.

Anyway, continuing on the assumption that the drink she likes is 1-2 shots of espresso and a mug of foamed milk (and flavoring), I would start by making a copy of that at home with the aeropress.

The way I did that is I'd warm up a mug of milk while I'm boiling the water, and use a handheld frother to froth the heated milk. (This won't create the same caliber of foamed milk as you'd get from an espresso machine/steamer but I'm guessing you don't want to drop the cash on one quite yet)... Once the milk is frothed and the water is heated I'd add freshly ground beans(important that they're fresh!) to to the aeropress, and then water, and brew the coffee right into the mug of frothed milk.

At this point you have a pretty close replica to a latte. Since you are newcomers to coffee, you might want to add some sort of flavoring to it. I rarely do, but when I did, I'd just add a little vanilla extract and sugar.

Tips:

• 
  You're going to want to grind your beans at home. Buying preground beans almost guarantees they're going to be stale.
  
• Following what I said above, freshness is key. Try to buy freshly roasted beans.
  
• A lot of the process of coffee making is tinkering to your own taste. If you make a cup of coffee and it's way too strong, don't give up. Try something else untill it's good for you!
  
• Once you get used to the milk-laden coffees, try to broaden your horizons. There are a wide range of coffee types, and they all have their bonuses.
  
  Gear:
  
  
• Aeropress $25.95
  
• Milk frother $2.00
  
• Hario Skerton Hand Grinder $48.50 (Ceramic burr grinders are the best type of coffee grinders, but they run around $300 on average, this one, however is $50.00 but requires some work. I own one and it's worth the effort in my opinion)
  
  Beans: (Places I've tried)
  
  
• Intelligentsia
  
• The Roasterie
  
• Klatch Coffee
  
  Mugs:
  
  
• Great mug
  
• Also great mug, but pretty large
  
  If you have any questions, or if I'm wrong about something let me know! I think this is all for now.

It’s apparently a coffee maker , and for being so unique, isn’t priced to badly really.

Grinder

>Capresso Infinity - $89
>
>or
>
>Hario Mini Mill Slim - $30 - If you don't mind hand-grinding your beans


Coffee Maker

>Aeropress - $23 - Balanced flavour, easy cleanup
>
>or
>
>Hario v60 - $19 - If you enjoy the process of preparing your coffee, and enjoy a brighter (more acidity) cup of coffee.
>
>or
>
>A french press - $20 and up - If you want to make more coffee at a time than the Aeropress, don't mind a "thicker" (more coffee particulate and oils in the cup) coffee, and are not opposed to having a little bit more clean-up.

You'll need a kettle for any of these brew methods; a programmable/temperature controlled kettle like this one ($95) is ideal for manual brew methods, but any kettle (and a thermometer if you'd like to get fussy) will do just fine.

Personally I would get the Capresso and the Aeropress if I were you. It's a very balanced and forgiving brew method that can make coffee a few different ways (eg. paper filter for a "brighter" cup, metal for a thicker one). Set aside the rest of your budget and find a good coffee roaster near you!

You're mixing serving temperature for espresso with brewing temperature for other methods. Almost all coffee is ideally brewed in a similar initial water temperature range. That would typically be around of 90-96°C, though it may be preferable to go a bit lower with some coffees. The INEI standard is 88°C ± 2°C, but very few decent cafes prepare espresso that way outside Italy.

A double espresso brewed with a group exit temperature of 93°C is in the low 70s once it's in a well-heated demitasse. Good commercial or home drip brewers like the Bonavita or Technivorm generally have brewed-in-carafe temperatures around 80-85°C, which drops further once the coffee is poured into a mug. There is a lot of heat loss from brewing to brew vessel to serving vessel.

The problem cafes have is that take-out customers often want their coffee unsafely hot in the cup so it will be the right temperature when they drink it 10-15 minutes later. This is particularly frustrating for milk drinks, because once you steam above 60°C it starts tasting scalded rathe than sweet. "Extra hot latte" would make a lot of third wave baristas cringe.

I make a ton of cold brew, both to have nice cold coffee when it's hot out and because my boyfriend is just now getting into coffee and can't handle much bitterness, and i recommend buying a cold brew pitcher! Something like this. I have that exact one and I do about 4 heaping spoonfuls of ground coffee into the mesh cone, then after it sits at room temp for 24 hrs i pour it into a bigger pitcher that is stored in the fridge and refill the mesh with new coffee. The cone does a great job of keeping the majority of the grounds contained so I don't actually have to take the time to filter it, and I can keep it brewing continuously while we drink the brew in the fridge.

The finer the grind the more flavor you'll get but really it'll work regardless so it's up to you. I use about medium-fine. For starting out if you don't want to buy a pitcher before you're sure you want to drink cold brew a lot you can just put grounds in water and after it sits for a day strain through a small strainer lined with a paper towel

Single serve. I absolutely love this thing.

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0

If your husband likes coffee with milk and/or sugar, you just need a good coffee maker that doesn't make really bitter coffee. I've seen people recommend this Bonavita coffee maker.

Otherwise, good beans go a long way. You can get those from most coffee shops, so if there's one you like chances are they will sell you the same beans. They can grind it for you or if you want to step it up, you can get your own basic grinder for ~50$.

I'd have to recommend looking away from a pod based machine. Because it's pre-ground the coffee is stale already when you buy it. In addition to using stale coffee these machines aren't capable of producing enough pressure (9 bars) to produce real espresso. Instead of opting for a machine I'd get an aeropress.

An [Aeropress,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/) [grinder,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PE85xb5KY6678) [scale,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004164SRA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NG85xb8VP81H3) and [kettle] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8J85xbF33PVD0) will be cheaper than the Nescafe and will produce significantly better coffee.

The nice part about the aeropress is its simplicity and versatility. You can use it as an espresso substitute for Lattes and milk drinks, drink it black for a clean, bold cup, or dilute it to an americano for a traditional cup of coffee. Make sure to get some fresh beans from a local roaster too!

This is not a straightforward answer. Sorry.
It really depends on what you want to get out of the cup:

• Do you want a full body? Kalita wave is more temperature stable than other brewers because the wavy filter keeps the coffee away from the brewer. The flat base allows more even extraction.
  
  
• Do you want a really clean cup where you can taste all of the subtle notes? The Hario V60 is a Classic, brews a clean balanced cup. It has a thinner filter and is great for fruity floral coffees.
  
  
• Do you want a clean cup for more people? Chemex has a thicker filter and brews a really clean cup. It also makes it easy to brew for multiple people at once.
  
  
• Do you want the ability to do immersion and pour over? The Clever is really easy to use and is more forgiving than the other methods. You don't necessarily need a gooseneck kettle.
  
  I personally use a V60. The others are all fantastic, you really can't go wrong.

Hario Skerton: Baseline manual grinder

Baratza Encore: Baseline electric grinder

Hario v60

Kalita Wave

Clever Dripper

Pick a grinder, pick one of the pourover methods (or get a French Press) and filters, and you're set. You can get a gooseneck kettle if you want for a better pour.

That's basically how I started and discovered that manually brewing coffee is much better than a drip machine.

You can get a Melitta very cheap. It's probably cheaper at a box store than on-line. It closely replicates the cone you used, as it only has one hole. Additionally, the filters are very inexpensive.

For your next upgrade, I'd highly recommend a scale. You'll be able to produce consistent results. After than it's all about better toys tools.

Yeah. I have one of these now. But all the hate against Keurigs over price is kind of stupid. The cheep-one-upsmanship on /r/frugal is pretty ridiculous.

I use the Toddy system.

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458661773&sr=8-1&keywords=toddy

I believe he said in his most recent subscriber stream it was this:

Toddy Cold Brew System

Highly recommend the Toddy cold brew. Yeah, it's way more expensive than the Mason jar, but it holds a lot more and is also very easy to use.

This is why the Aeropress was invented. A french press typically produces gritty coffee, while the Aeropress uses a paper filter and is much cleaner. Filters cost $6.50/350 or about a week's supply if you drink as much coffee as most grad students...

Pretty sure it's hard to go wrong with a French Press, but most of the people I know who use one have a Bodum. Since you are upgrading, it would also be worthwhile to get some whole beans and a grinder (if you haven't already). Folgers will not be significantly improved with a French Press.

Large Clever Dripper is my vote, the ease and larger cups of a french press, but paper filter to make it a cleaner cup and much easier cleanup. The aeropress is fine, but the small cup size is slightly annoying as you have to make a concentrate and water down if you want larger, though it is faster. There's also the cheap test if you want, to get a $5 Melitta dripper with #2 filters that are sold at almost every major grocery store, a lot of times cheaper than you can get online. This is what I use most days now over the Clever/Aeropress/Chemex, I make about 14oz cups.

​

It's better to grind right before brewing, but if it's down to like a $10 blade grinder or ground 4 days prior by a big Commercial grinder, the commercial will be better as it's much more consistent. if you want to try before investing in a grinder, go to your local nice coffee shop and when you buy a bag have them grind it for you on their big shop grinder.

I think that the complexity of different coffee flavors keep enthusiasts coming back! There are so many nuances in a cup that can change with brewing method and even drink temperature. So, if you're finding that there's a lot more to it than a caffeine boost, you're right! There can be a lot of ritual to your morning cup, and it's an essential part of my morning. I rotate between two brewing methods: aeropress and pourover. my wife got me a very simple pour-over a couple years ago and I love it: https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1480523276&sr=8-6&keywords=pour+over
If you're looking for different brewing methods, you can't beat this one on price and quality. You can find filters for it on amazon or most grocery stores.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK
Solid coffee brewer.

If you'd rather have more automated things but still good quality, you could get:

Baratza Virtuoso ($259)

Bonavita 1900ts ($135)

And then you'd have ~$100 to spend on beans, filters, descaling powder (future maintenance), etc.

Some roasters:

• Novel (Dallas, free shipping)
  
  
• Cat & Cloud (Santa Cruz)
  
  
• Heart (Portland, OR)
  
  
• Coava (Portland, OR)
  
  
• Counter Culture (Durham, NC)
  
  And plenty more. There are even some roasters here on /r/coffee that you'll see promote their products in the weekly threads.
  
  As /u/ttls- said, espresso is a different beast. You could almost get started, but might want to double up on that budget if you don't want to buy used and have to hand grind.

As far as drip coffee makers go, I really like my Bonavita 1900. It will make up to 40 ounces/~1200 ml.

I only know about this because I've seen it mentioned in other threads but the Bonavita 5 cup is at it's all time lowest price on Amazon. Only $64 compared to retail of $140.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-One-Touch-Featuring-Thermal-BV1500TS/dp/B00SK5IXPQ

Had a Keurig for years (ok, since 2011 when I was gifted one) and recently switched to a single cup drip maker, https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0, couldn't be happier. It's quick, makes great coffee, as weak or as strong as I like, and works without special filters, super quick cleanup. No more stupid kcups staring back at me in the trash. The waste is 100% compostable.

Daaaamn!

Okay, I assume you are like me and prefer cold coffee. So I have this thing here: https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Patented-Airtight-Silicone-1-Quart/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1525466142&sr=1-9&keywords=cold+brew+coffee+maker

It's wonderful. You put the coffee grinds in the middle, then put water in it and eventually the coffee grinds seep into the water and it's coffee! Pour it into a cup and add your stuff to it and it's just as good! If not better.

If the coffee at your place sucks and you would rather have some solid coffee, that is the way to go and a good way to make it cold without spending a crazy amount of money.

More Info:

It holds about two large glasses of coffee each, which is 4 out of my 5 work days. So when I use the second cup up, I just refill it with the same coffee grinds. It tastes fine to me because the thing holds about 14 scoops of coffee (on average). So in about a month I go through a large thing of coffee with is about $10. I buy regular creamer (nothing fancy) every other week which is $3. Then I use Stevia sugar because I'm trying to cut real sugar out, and a box of 100 packets cost about $5. That lasts about two months for me. So the total you get is way, way cheaper than the $4 a day iced coffee.

Isn't the Bodum one made in Portugal? Are you wanting a different brand?

Do you mean the Chemex?

Chemex 6-Cup Classic Series Glass Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000YWF5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IcpLzbY22DTGN

Ok. There's been some great advice in this thread and I don't want to step on anyone's toes. But I went through a similar process when I wanted to stop drinking shit coffee a couple years ago, and this is my current setup.

The Grinder. You want a conical burr grinder. You can do this without breaking the bank: I got a Breville for less than $100 and it kicks ass. Grinds like a boss, whisper quiet, and it looks like a robot.

But why, you ask, should you splurge on the grinder? You could get a little Krups grinder for $15. And that would be great -- if all you wanted, ever, was to drink french pressed or drip coffee. But if you ever want to make espresso, then you need a conical burr grinder. And it sounds like you are going to want to do some experimenting.

The Brewer. My personal thing is this: I don't brew coffee through anything that plugs in. There's just no reason to.

Get yourself a kettle for your stove - I like this one, because you can see that there's nothing growing inside. And you avoid the mineral-y crust that you would have to scrape off of an electric kettle.

Use filtered water. It makes a difference.

Get yourself a simple drip cone or, if you want to be a little fancier, a Chemex carafe. You put a filter in the top, you grind the beans, you put the beans in the filter, you pour hot water over the top of it. The beans get thoroughly steeped and you end up with an even, smooth coffee with little to no bitterness.

Because you've saved so much money on coffee makers, splurge a bit. Get yourself a French press for when you want something with more oomph. And get yourself a little Italian stovetop espresso maker. You put fine espresso grinds in the top, you put water in the bottom, you put the whole thing on the stove - voilà.

There. If you wanted all this shit to plug into the wall you would have spent $1000. But you can get all of this for less than $200.

The Beans. Here's the dirty little secret about coffee beans: freshness matters more than brand. You could get the finest quality beans shipped to you from halfway across the country if you like - but they're going to be stale by the time they get to you.

Here's what you do instead: find a cafe that roasts their own beans and buy from their cafe. They'll have been roasted within the last few weeks. The beans will have this great oily sheen to them - that's how you know they're good. Buy them one package at a time and keep them in an airtight canister. And for christ's sakes, never freeze coffee beans.

There you go! With this setup you can make almost any type of coffee drink available at your local Starbucks, for cheap. There'll be no gunk to clean out of the musty interiors of a complex drip coffee maker. And a lot of this stuff has a great aesthetic, so your kitchen will look fantastic.

Edited for spelling.

Toddy Maker.

https://www.amazon.com/Toddy-THM-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538083255&sr=8-3&keywords=cold+toddy

​

I've had this for years. It works great and produces a concentrate that can be used several ways. The concentrate keeps well in the fridge up to two weeks.

Spend $5 on one of these suckers.

Get a refurbished Vario with steel burrs, electric gooseneck kettle, and a V60 of your choice.

$324 - https://www.baratza.com/product/vario-refurb-with-steel-burr-set-installed/

$89 - https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV382510V-Variable-Temperature-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40

$7.99 - https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Plastic-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM

Spend the remaining $80 on a scale, pack of filters, and some yummy coffee.

Look up Japanese coffee. Iced coffee ≠ cold brew. Maybe you need iced coffee, as /u/thecolbra stated.

What ratio of water to coffee are you using for cold brew? Some fines are normal, especially because the grounds you're buying are likely fine (the size of the grinds themselves). You can just filter it through a paper coffee filter if you wish to remove them.

Medium roast is between light and dark, essentially. Just the name for how long the coffee has been roasted.

I've had the Starbucks Iced Coffee you're talking about. I can't tell you exactly what to do to replicate it, but maybe try this:

Japanese iced coffee (essentially you brew coffee but use a mixture of ice and water to cool the coffee) + extra ice after it's done brewing + some heavy cream to taste + simple syrup (equal parts water/sugar) to taste.

I hate to tell you to buy another piece of gear if you aren't a big coffee drinker yet, but you can make Japanese iced coffee with a Hario V60-02 for cheap. Filters here.

This is just one idea--I'd see what others with more experience have to say first.

Don't let yourself fall into the trap of buying expensive items to "save money". For example, don't buy a coffee machine, get a simple single-cup brewer like this. Don't get an expensive tupperware set, grab a $3 pack of reusable containers from the grocery store.

It's pretty sturdy glass, but regardless, it's glass and it's relatively tall. I'd wager that unless you guys are playing catch with it, you'll be fine, but if there's many rowdy nights, I'd steer clear of it and get something like a plastic V60 instead.

Plus, they are $7.39 on Amazon right now.

One example configuration:

Ring Stand. $22

500 ml Separatory Funnel $31

500 ml flask $6

2xRing Support $10

Hario Dripper - $8

Which totals to $75 before shipping. Mine is slightly different. You can spend less money if you already have some sort of filter. You can buy a shorter ring stand for cheaper, just look closely at the measurements of the items you buy. Mine is only 18", but I wish I bought a longer one.

Edit: ok, so apparently there are similarly priced full setups on Ebay. Shop around!

What about extending that budget by $30 and getting one of the ones on this list? I can personally vouch for Behmor's customer service, but not their brewer.

Moccamaster $309

Behmor $130

Kitchenaid $144

Kitchenaid $141

Bonavita $130

Bonavita $144

OXO $200

OXO $300

Wilfa $190

Bunn $130

Cuisinart $168

If you search the sub, you'll find a lot of office threads. Most people end up recommending the Bonavita maker, as it reaches proper temperature, yet is a conventional electric coffee maker.

Pods will be unacceptable.

The cheapest you could do to make "good" coffee would be to get a Bonavita BV1800. They are about 150 or so online and then get a Baratza encore refurbished for about 100.

that is the PC answer on this sub.

In my opinion if you want a good (not great) coffee. Get the Bonavita but then grind your beans fresh (even if that is a blade grinder). Burr grinders are really essential if you want a great cup of coffee but it seems that it isn't too essential to you.

ps. i think mcd's coffee is the best non-third wave coffee out there

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415508290&sr=8-1&keywords=bonavita
it's actually 130!

1. Buy whole coffee beans from the store or a local roaster.
   
2. Grind ~30-35 grams of beans per 16oz of water.
   
3. There are two methods for steeping your ground coffee:
   
   1. Get a mason jar and mix your coffee grounds with water, close the mason jar, and let it steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
      
   2. Use a cold brew pitcher like this one and let the grounds steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours
      
4. Strain cold brew through a coffee filter in a steel mesh over a pitcher.
   
5. You now have a pitcher of cold brew coffee concentrate!
   
6. When I make coffee I use a 1:1 ratio of the concentrate and water. I add a splash of half & half and enjoy!
   
   ​
   
   There are some really good videos about it on Youtube too. First time I tried cold brew I followed this video using the mason jar method and it turned out pretty good, just was a little messy to cleanup afterwards.
   
   ​
   
   As a side note, you do not necessarily need whole coffee beans to make cold brew. You can use pre-ground coffee to save some time and money, but using fresh whole beans usually produces a better tasting coffee. I use a basic hand operated coffee grinder.

Here's a quick howto
This is the cold brewing rig I use. It's fairly inexpensive and the filter can be washed and reused forever (as far as I can tell). For your first time, of course, I recommend you improvise something instead of spending money.

While a french press is good I highly recommend the AeroPress. It works similar to a french press but is much easier to use and clean. I switched to the Aeropress about two months ago from a decend drip maker and have been using it every single day since. Its also the quickest way to make coffee which I like because I'm often in a rush.

I honestly don't see a better alternative than a french press. It might be a tad bit more clunky but this is at the cost of being able to brew more than one cup at a time.

A clever could work as well, if you're into pourovers.

Sono Americano, per favore scusare il mio Italiano ma questo tema e vicino al mio cuore.

Non hai detto dove lei abita. C'è buon caffè a San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, e New York (forse Chicago, ma non so personalmente). In altre parti del paese, sia un disastro veramente. Dopo Starbucks c'è più o meno da niente. Non abbiamo la cultura di caffè al fuori delle città. È una vergogna. (Tra parentesi Starbucks hanno sempre espresso, anche se non lo elenchino nel loro menu.)

Due marche che mi piacono sono Blue Bottle e Stumptown Roasters entrambe di quale è possibile ordinare sul Internet. Naturalmente senza assagiarli ciò è una problema diversa. Però comincerei con Blue Bottle - Giant Steps. Stumptown hanno forse troppe scelte.

Per fare il caffè, mi piace una Melitta con filtro #2 o una pressa francese (Bodum). Qui è possibile trovare una Melitta nel tanti supermercati. Secondo me, il metodo e la macchina di caffè americano di base entrambe fanno schifo. Lei potrebbe anche ordinare una Bialetti da Amazon.com.

Detto questo, ho una macchina espresso da Illy a casa e anche una disposizione permanente con loro a spedirmi nuovi caffè ogni mese. Si funziona bene per me ma non è specialmente economico.

This is totally worth the investment. All you need is ground coffee and water:

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372607856&sr=8-1&keywords=toddy+cold-brew

You get about 10oz of coffee concentrate that you can mix with milk or just ice water. I've only ever mixed it with milk, but you use about 1 part coffee concentrate for 3 parts milk (25% extract, 75% milk). You can mix sugar or sweetener but I never use sweetener.

You can also use the extract in hard drinks. Adding a bit of rum to an iced coffee is amazing.

EDIT: Forgot Link

The general tradeoff is taste for ease of use, a keurig you'd just pop in a capsule and get mediocre coffee, with some other brew method you'd get better coffee but you would have to work harder. A common starting setup which is quite quick and easy whilst providing a good cup of coffee is an Aeropress, Hario Mini Mill and any decent scale.

Not trying to start a debate with you but... French press, aeropress, chemex, etc. Less than 30 pounds to make amazing coffee.

Way off topic, but this is well worth the extra $6.

Welp, let's try a different route then :) I submit the french press. It's glass, but it's minimal and usually recommended by coffee connoisseur. You can also use it for brewing tea (although don't use the same one for coffee and tea because oils are left behind from brewing). Just don't drop it and it'll last a life time.

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-1548-01US-1-liter-34-Ounce-Coffeemaker/dp/B000KEM4TQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320065663&sr=8-1

Oh oh I love coffee! Some cool products to check out on the cheap:

Hario Mini Mill Slim Hand Coffee Grinder: It's a hand crank grinder, but it's a burr grinder so it produces a more consistent grind which in turn produces a better cup of coffee.

Chemex 3-Cup Classic Glass Coffee Maker: Not as cheap as the french press, but since it uses a paper filter so there isn't as much sediment in the cup. I find that I prefer it over the french press.

Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker: Classic french press.

Optional:

Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale: Scales are helpful in getting a consistent cup every time. You can measure out the water and coffee and dial in the perfect ratio.

Also check out Pinewood Roaster's coffee. I think they're on Franklin and 11th in the same building as Alpha Omega. Grab a bag of Ethiopian Beriti and enjoy!

You can just use one of these. Maybe not the best, but I'm sure it's fine for the money.
https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1474305097&sr=1-2&keywords=pour+over

$150 is a good amount really, much more generous than other people who are like "I have $30, how do I make cafe-grade espresso at home???"

My list for you:

• Baratza Encore grinder - this is a very capable grinder that will suit brew methods from French Press to Aeropress and Pourover. It won't work for Espresso however, although you're probably not going to be venturing that far just now. You'll want to grind your beans fresh for best results - if you buy your beans from Starbucks and have them ground there, they'll be very stale by the next day.
  
• Aeropress - honestly it's a weird contraption, but in the views of most people here, the best bit of kit for brewing coffee at home. It's a cross between a French Press and a paper filter machine, in that you immerse the coffee in water, and then plunge it through a paper filter to separate the grounds and the liquid. I think the reason people recommend the Aeropress to many is that it's basically fool-proof. As long as you're using good coffee, you can't really make a bad cup.
  
• Hario V60 - another brew device, this is a pourover, so very similar to drip coffee but you have far more control. You'll get best results using a gooseneck kettle, although if you have a normal kettle with a fine spout you might just about manage.
  
  I won't explain WHY these are really good kits for getting started with, you can just search on this sub and there will be hundreds of articles on that.
  
  And I should stress again, good beans are important. As a Starbucks Barista I am 100% coughing up to the fact that most of our coffee's are charcoal. Use them if you like them, but if you can get something better then you should really be doing so.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001RBTSMM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525805689&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=v60+plastic+02&dpPl=1&dpID=51deR8gQ7pL&ref=plSrch

Actually, $6.21

Hario Mizudashi Cold Brewer is an amazing product for cold brew coffee. well worth the ~$25.

To brew I use 100g coffee for the full 1000ml and let sit in the fridge for 12-18 hours.

This is why I simply bought one of these for my desk. My coworkers drink Folgers and Maxwell House anyway. That shit tastes like cigarette butts.

I've been using this one for a year now. Works fine
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen

I would check this out out as a good starter option. It has everything you need plus the carafe which is helpful for multiple cups and making iced coffee. The 02 is a good size. Definitely wouldn't go smaller.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Pour-Coffee-Starter-Clear/dp/B00JJIOJ7E

So one unexpected benefit of the clear one is you can see into a cup that you are using it over, which is helpful for preventing spills if you aren't paying attention to amount of water you are pouring. It also looks cool to see the coffee coming out of the filter and into the funnel. As for heat resistance of the plastic, I'm not sure how it compares so the colored ones (it is a different material), but the clear one is dishwasher safe and I've never seen anyone complain about melting or run off during normal use and cleaning.

You might look into the V60 starter kit on Amazon. Cone, server, and 100 filters for under $20. Pretty good set.

I subscribe to simpler is better on coffee makers. I use the Bonavita BV1900TS, it just has an on/off switch, it can be used with chemex pour overs, has a bloom option, it brews at the right temperature, and has a thermal carafe that keeps it hot for hours. It gets a lot of use and it tastes good every time, couldn’t be happier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HpJCCb1EDG9X8

So I started with the Yama, but thought it would be a fun project to try to make something from scratch. Had to turn to chem glassware, which is a little pricey but I think looks cool. I used a separatory funnel, Buchner funnel, and Florence flask.

Glassware ended up costing about $83, and I used the ring stand we had in the science lab at school.

I feel ya on the whole process during the week thing. If you can't bring yourself to streamline the process here's a great, cheap single mug/cup machine

For under 100 you aren't going to find much the enthusiast crowd will accept for a machine, but that one I linked it's fantastic for a quick go in the morning.

pros:

• You can do wire basket brew for fuller flavor or filter if you want less oil.
  
  
• uses the same filters as an aeropress
  
  
• dirt cheap
  
  
• easy to clean
  
  
• small amount of temp control with 2 settings
  
  Cons
  
  
• it's an automatic coffee maker

I bought a $20 pitcher on Amazon and make cold brew at home. Prep it the night before, put it in the fridge, and you’re good to go in the morning. Linked to Amazon below.


Takeya 10310 Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Lid & Silicone Handle, 1 Quart, Black - Made in USA BPA-Free Dishwasher-Safe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ck4jDbMT49F9Z

On the cold brew note, I picked up a Tayeka Cold Brew Maker (linked to Amazon, but I bought it at Natural Grocers). it's nothing you couldn't do with a nut milk bag or french press or whatever, but it sure beats adding the grounds directly to water and then trying to filter them out. Also, Trader Joe's has/had a bag of cold brew coffee bags, like big teabags. I had to steep for 24 hours instead of the much shorter time they list, but it tastes pretty good for pre-ground coffee. I use one bag to a quart mason jar.

If you like cold brew get something like this it makes it super easy (but overnight).

Check out Cold Brew. Everyone here will give you their favorite method, but this is what I ended up with.

I bought the Hario, and cannot compliment it enough in the short time I have owned it.

Cheap cheap cheap investment. I spend my money on whole beans, get them ground, and go. I recommend steeping beans with room temp water for 8-12hrs, then remove grounds and chill. I mix 1/3 cup coffee "concentrate" with 2/3 cup water, over ice. This produces a strong, but not bitter black cup for me, reliably.

my sister got me this coffee pot for christmas this year. you fill it with coffee grounds and let it steep over night then use that as a base and cut it with water when you make cups of coffee. it works super well and makes a lot of coffee. i'm obsessed with it!

I have this Hario Cold Brew maker. I've had it for about a year. It works great. I recently ordered this mason jar brewer made by County Line Kitchen to make a larger quantity.

I think this thing is well worth it: https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hario+cold+brew&qid=1555198454&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Aeropress is great, and can be coaxed into making a very rough approximation of espresso (think strong, concentrated coffee) if you really want it. You can't make real espresso without investing $500 minimum on an espresso machine and grinder.

I'd recommend grabbing an Aeropress and a Hario Skerton grinder for like $50 total, unless you already have a decent burr grinder. Hang onto the rest of your budget for buying awesome coffee beans.

If you want real coffeehouse-type drinks without a significant investment, I'd recommend sticking to a coffeehouse.

Edit: If you want something more automatic, these are supposed to be great, but you'll still need a separate grinder: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK/

I’d try using either: a mason jar mesh or a beer making hop sock first, then using a Chemex filter.

Me personally I preferred the mesh filter over the sock, but both did there job

Edit: the links above mainly serve as examples of what I’m talking about rather than the exact brand I recommend

There's this on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Brew-Coffee-Maker-Stainless/dp/B01ATJ6AJG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=D9P1IL4H30AP&keywords=mason+jar+cold+brew+coffee+maker&qid=1557491957&s=gateway&sprefix=mason+jar+cold+%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-3

Simple enough. A french press and any ol' electric kettle from Amazon should do just fine. I'd get this french press. You can also get a Hario mini mill grinder if you're willing to hand grind your own coffee. Follow this guide to brew coffee in it. You can make 32oz of coffee in 4-5 minutes.

Don't really think it matters whether you choose plastic or porcelain.

V60 - http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Dripper-Ceramic-Funnel/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367811837&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+v60

Chemex - http://www.amazon.com/Chemex-Drip-Coffee-Carafe-Cup/dp/B0000YWF5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1367811983&sr=1-1&keywords=chemex

Clever - http://www.amazon.com/ABID-CO-LTD-C-70888-Dripper/dp/B0047W70GY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1367812013&sr=1-1&keywords=clever+coffee+dripper

I feel like these are your best options.

There is and it is awesome:

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341951225&sr=8-1&keywords=toddy

(I know it is not exactly the same, but it is very cheap and does a great job)

Butting in uninvited to say I have a Toddy which tastes absolutely amazing. Once brewed it's a coffee concentrate that lasts up to two weeks in the fridge.

In my opinion, you notice the most difference with:

1. Grind your beans right before you brew.
   
2. Buy fresh-roasted beans.
   
3. Get a grinder with multiple settings.
   
4. Use different coffee brewers.
   
   I'd say the most important thing is a grinder. You can go for a cheap electric blade grinder, or you could go for a slightly more expensive adjustable hand grinder. The hand grinder is great quality for the price, with the tradeoff being it can take you 3-5 minutes to grind your beans.
   
   Start with a french press or an aeropress. Both are quick and easy, and you shouldn't have to spend more than £25 for one.
   
   

I have am the CEO of a large aid organization which specializes in the playing of sweet bass to French Press and AeroPress coffee makers. He has a job with us, any time he's ready.

Incidentally, anyone who hasn't played sweet bass to an AeroPress loaded up with Lavazza Super Crema has yet to live.

Hi and welcome. We call this your first step into the rabbit hole. Like Alice, if you decide to go in this is just going to get deeper and deeper.

The two grinders you've linked are both electric and neither are particularly good. Assuming that you want to go with an electric grinder (and I would if you're drinking 5 cups a day) then then Baratza is the least you want to buy. The difference between this and the ones you have mentioned are the burrs - the cutting edges - that are in the machine.

Next, you say you start with a latte. Latte is espresso and steamed/textured milk. You are not going to get espresso anywhere close to your budget but you can get a good moka pot and then a milk frother will get you that drink.

For your coffee through the day then a french press will be fine - they're very simple just relying on a metal mesh screen to keep the used grinds out of the end drink or, if you are just making coffee for yourself one at a time then consider the aeropress.

Automatic machines are more complicated. You have to read very carefully as most on the market do not heat the water properly (they start dripping cold water into the coffee bed and, when they finish, they are putting boiling water and steam into it). Also, most will drip water through the middle of the coffee grounds which means that you get bitter tastes from the coffee that gets most of the water while the rest "under extracts" giving tastes of grass and moss. Unless you are willing to go to something like the Wilfa I would stay with manual coffee makers for now.

Bienvenue a r/coffee et bonne chance.

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder

Beehouse Dripper

or

Hario 02 Dripper

or

Bonavita #2 Dripper

or any other pour-over device you like.

And cone filters from the supermarket for 3 or 4 bucks.
I'd recommend going with the beehouse or bonavita if you don't have a pouring kettle due to the slightly more restrictive nature.

If you want to go quick and minimalist, with little prep time and clean-up, a Hario pour-over cone is hard to beat. You slip a filter in, add the grinds, slowly pour over hot water.. and presto, you have yourself a cup of coffee.

Or if you have a Jetboil you can just get a French press adapter. Or go for the titanium french press. I keep it simple and just do drip coffee with one of these.

BTW, PRzitremedy1, awesome! I think I'll bring my Bialetti for a hike next time!

Most bang for your buck.

Even cheaper than aeropress and just as good, but different, is a Hario V60. If you need a new grinder, I'd also recommend Hario.


Total outlay? $36 and change.

What electric kettle do you have? Does it have variable temperature controls and/or a gooseneck spout?

The main ways to improve your setup are a better grinder, better coffee beans, and possibly a better kettle (I'd say, in that order). The other thing to think about is trying out some other brew methods, at least so you can learn about the differences and find out what your preferences are.

If I had your setup and up to $200 available to improve it, I think I'd look for a refurbished Baratza Encore ($99), a $10 - $15 electric scale accurate to within 0.1g, a clear plastic Hario V60 for $6 (along with filters for another $6). That's around $125, leaving extra to try out some nicer coffee beans. For example, Happy Mug has good quality coffee for $11 - $13 per pound plus $3 shipping.

I like my Hario Mizudashi a lot. Makes about 1000mL per batch. Really easy and delicious. I do a coarse grind, cold bloom, and 36 hours in the fridge. I've done 12/24 hours batches and they are very good too, I just prefer the 36.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-Maker-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU

Check out the hario mizudashi, it's super simple and the filter is really fine so no sediment


http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU

I think you get the best home results with a pour over, which is just a cone that holds a filter over your cup while you pour water in slowly. You can get the whole setup for about $100. $45-55 for a hand grinder (Porlex or Hario), $20 for the cone (V60), plus V60 filters from Amazon and a kitchen scale that measures in grams. You'll need a kettle with a fine spout too but you don't truly need the special goose neck kettles they sell.

You can find youtube videos of how to do the brewing but basically you use a lot of beans per cup (25g), pre-wet them, then add water slowly in phases up to a full cup (360g).

As for beans, Stumptown is a good bet for premium beans if you're mail ordering.

Making espresso at home is much harder and takes expensive equipment to get right so stick with the shops for awhile.

This guy nails it. However, instead of a french press I would recommend this cheap-ass, easy-to-clean, impossible-to-break pour over cone. Although Amazon prices it at over $5, I usually see it in stores for $2-4. French presses make great coffee, but I think they're a pain in the ass to clean and oh so easy to break.

Dude, get one of these.

Boil water, and you have drip coffee, with very little extra weight. I've carried mine for thousands of miles.

Well a funnel strictly speaking isn't the right angle to properly support a coffee filter, making it get lopsided easily and likely fold on itself. Now that said you can get plastic versions of these for about $6 and they're just as good. Although I'm sure you'll get someone complaining about the plastic interfering with the flavor, which is likely bullshit.

--

--

--

In the end tho, look how pretty the porcelain is!

You could look into a French press (I like bodum but all brands work). I also recommend getting a melitta brewing cone, for the $3-$5 it costs it makes insane coffee for the price. Also if you can, never go with pre ground beans, you can actually get a grinder for pretty cheap on amazon or at the least go to your local coffee shop (non Starbucks) and buy a bag of beans from them and ask them to grind it for you. Hope this helps! Excited for your coffee journey!

This one is pretty good. It uses the larger K-cups called #4. It's an open top design, so it actually saves you one step, no lid necessary. Just put your coffee into the #4, turn it on, and you can get several cups.

The Bonavita is pretty popular, next choise would probably be the Technivorm Moccamaster.

I live in Finland, nearly everyone has a Technivorm in here, yet everyone drinks pre-ground coffee, it's kinda funny :).

Also link for Coffeegeeks drip machine consumer reviews, for more choises.

Best drip coffee maker I've ever owned: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8

I also recommend an Aeropress http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1394161699&sr=1-1&keywords=Aeropress

amazon ,
follow this link it gave me 5c, its a cold brew coffee machine

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Coffee-Maker-1-Quart-Black/dp/B00FFLY64U/

French press and a kettle. I've never liked the taste of Keurig coffee and it takes up a lot more counter space. A french press can be kept in the cupboard. The glass ones likely won't even look like a coffee maker to your family. They'll know it is one, but it would probably be far less triggering. Plus it will give you all kinds of coffee street cred.

The other option is cold brew, but you have to have 2 or 3 of them so you can rotate. I love cold brew in the summer. The taste is totally different. So smooth. This one takes up about the same amount of space has a half gallon of milk.

I just use this from Amazon.

Full the filter, submerge and let it sit in the fridge for about a day. To drink I usually do 1/3 to 1/2 brew, add ice and water & enjoy!

I'm starting to realize from a lot of these ratios that some tastes are very different! I'm sure that a "recommended" ratio is out there but an ideal ratio is what tastes best to you.

As you've noticed, you definitely need to increase your steep time, especially if you're using the fridge.

I've tried many methods but the one I've been using for a while now is the following (just a suggestion if you're into that sort of thing):

1. Purchased a cereal keeper, a dispenser, and a CoffeeSock.
   
   
2. I grind up what equates to 12-13 ounces based on 3, "18 cup" grind cycles in my burr grinder at a coarse setting (weighed multiple times to make sure). Most ground coffee comes in 12 oz in the supermarket so it's convenient if you're doing a bigger batch.
   
3. Add this to the cereal keeper and add water up to the first line. It's probably close to 1.25 gallons.
   
4. Let sit for 24 hours at room temp. I'll generally grind + start the steep when I get home from work and then filter the next day at the same time.
   
5. Drain from the cereal keeper into my dispenser through the CoffeeSock. I hang the coffee sock from a cabinet handle and slowly put it through. It produces a very clean product.
   
6. Store in the fridge and drink it all week! My girlfriend and I will drill through one batch in a week easy.
   
   I was very skeptical about the CoffeeSock's ability to filter properly as I was using Chemex filters before this which obviously filters well. I spoke to CoffeeSock about this and they said "you will pass some fine silt only" and they were correct, much to my surprise.
   
   The french press definitely had some fine grinds coming out of it, as did most of the popular products I've tried. Some people don't mind this but I did. :)
   
   The product tastes fantastic, in my opinion, and comparable to the concentration of many shops I've purchased cold brew from. Just play around and at some point you'll settle on the method that works for you.
   
   Happy brewing!

I’ve got this one works well and is easy to clean but wish I had gotten the 2 Quart size.

Couple of options - you could go the cold brew route and buy something like this. That way you can keep cold brew in your fridge. Basically just take your coffee grounds, put them into the brewer for half a day or so and it's ready to go.

Secondly, you could always go the Vietnamese iced coffee route. My favourite way of doing iced coffee. That being said, I think the key is the evaporated milk. You can get a Vietnamese coffee filter on Amazon pretty easily.

I've found the Hario Cold Brew pot to be great, and it's pretty cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-Maker-1000ml/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487857009&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=haribo+cold+brew

This might change your life. We bought [this] (Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Iced Coffee Pot/Maker (1000ml, Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YbwzybVVE53NW) one on Amazon. It took a while to arrive (maybe two weeks?) but it's worth the wait. You just fill the filter with grounds, pour cold water in so it seeps through the grounds, and put it in the fridge overnight. Bam fresh iced coffee every morning.

We now have both iced and hot every day. We drink a lot of coffee...

I don't really understand your question: you want a hot cold brew? You want a cold brew but want it warmer than it currently is?

If you're looking for a solid cold brew, I have the 1000ml Hario Cold Brew pot and this recipe is golden:

Pour 108g of coffee into the filter then place the filter in the pot. Pour filtered water through this filter until it reaches about a quarter inch from the top. Let it sit for 12-18 hours in the fridge. Remove the filter and discard the coffee. You now have a good concentrated base for iced coffee.

I plop a square ice cube in a glass, pour the concentrate and filtered water into the glass at a ratio of 1:1. I drink mine black but if you add cream/milk/flavoring, then change up your water with a whatever mix you want. Add sugar in at the end. Since this is cold, I recommend syrups over crystal sugar as you may find the crystal sugar settling at the bottom.

Been doing this for a year and have settled on this recipe being my fav. Good luck!

A cheap gooseneck kettle and a plastic Hario V60. You will need filters too.

If you want to spend a little more this set has it all.

Keep in mind that a scale is extremely helpful too. If you don’t want to spend the money on a grinder, which everyone is going to recommend, just get pre-ground, quality coffee. I recommend HappyMug online. Happy Mug makes great coffee and will grind it for you before shipping. They also have an awesome little timer for $5 that is helpful at first If you’re using your phone for recipes and stuff.

brew at home, I am saving around $20 a week between my wife and I getting coffee every morning.

This coffee maker is going on 3 years now
https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1498833036&sr=1-1&keywords=bonavita

The Bonavita drip brewer ($140) is one of the very few SCAA certified home brewers out there. It will make excellent coffee.

A good cheap burr grinder is the Hario Mini Mill ($20). It's a hand grinder and that entails a bunch of extra effort and time, but it's a fraction of the cost of comparable electric burr grinders. If you want a decent electric grinder, a good place to start would be a refurbished Baratza Encore ($99).

The Encore + Bonavita combination will make really good coffee and won't really be much more work than a combo grinder/brewer. However these things are obviously expensive, probably more than anyone who isn't looking to get seriously into coffee should consider. Find what works best for you.

Honestly all the all-in-one makers are bad. I would recommend something like a bonavita 1900ts for $135 and a baratza encore for $130 or bodum bistro burr grinder from target for $50 (if you can find it).

If you increase your budget substantially a technivorm moccanaster grand plus the same grinder is perfect for a small office

If you are looking for an automatic coffee maker this one seems to get recommended often. I have never used one myself though.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1517883812&sr=1-6&keywords=bonavita+coffee+maker

For a grinder this one is recommended often as a basic electric model. If you want to save some money and don't mind a little effort than a hand grinder like the Hario might be a good option.

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1517884047&sr=1-4&keywords=baratza+encore+grinder

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B01LXZACFB/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1517884146&sr=1-3&keywords=hario+skerton+pro

Grinder: Baratza Encore - you can get one at Happy Mug (free shipping and you get a free pound of beans with it).


Machine: Bonavita BV1500TS - you can find it on Amazon for less than $80 at the moment.

https://www.baratza.com/product/encore-refurb/

Bonavita 5-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker Featuring Thermal Carafe, BV1500TS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8E4OBbB4HEW78


Close enough.

Bodum French Press and a Hario Buono kettle are probably enough to get you started. French press will be a bit more forgiving when it comes to brewing and you can probably keep your current grinder until you decide if you like it. Just make sure to try and keep the grind fairly coarse. Might take some playing around with. Cheers!

Amazon's deal of the day, Bodum Chambord 8 cup French Press Coffee Maker, 34 oz., Chrome

You could definitely go the keurig or mr. Coffee route, there should be some decent sales coming up on those soon.

Be aware that the keurig systems have caught some flack for the amount of waste that they produce. Each individual serving cup can't be recycled, and if you get one of the newest keurigs, they have a special chip in the cup that has to be used for the system to actually brew. So no more knock off K-cups.

My girlfriend also loves coffee and tea. In the past I have given her a french press to make coffee, which is going to be cheaper than a keurig and makes a much better tasting cup of coffee. It's much more hands on than just hitting a button too. This is the one I got her. http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Chambord-Coffee-Press-demitasse/dp/B00008XEWG. You can probably find a cheaper one if you do some digging online. This and a fresh bag of coffee would make a great gift. Extra points if you go whole bean coffee and get her a grinder too.

As for tea, if you are around a Teavana, this little guy is awesome. http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-makers-infusers/p/teavana-red-perfectea-maker. You pour water and your tea into it, let it infuse, and then you put that on top of your mug and a pressure switch allows the tea to filter out the bottom without mess or tea fibers floating through. This is on sale right now and paired with a nice bag of loose tea would be a good route to go! Hope this is helpful! r/coffee and r/tea are great places to learn more!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chemex-6-Cup-Wood-Coffee-Maker/dp/B0000YWF5E

It doesn't get more vintage than Chemex. I have one that's over 50 years old and the coffee it makes tastes superior to pretty much everything.

It might not be the specific one you're looking for, but it's an option.

A Toddy is only about $30 and is perfect for making cold brewed coffee. You brew 12oz and it will usually last me about a week.

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417011307&sr=8-3&keywords=toddy

This is my every day coffee. This is what I use to make it. I've been doing this for three or so years now. Best damn coffee, and everyone gets the strength they want.

Aerobie Aeropress is easily the best coffee maker around. I have made coffee and espresso for some of my pickiest coffee nerd friends, and they love it and always ask me how I made it. Great Christmas gift for your coffee-loving friends.

Als jemand der auch lange Zeit auf French Press geschworen hat, schau dir mal eine Aeropress an. Ist nochmal ein paar Stufen höher auf der Hipster-Skala, aber der Kaffee der dort rausblubbert ist schon echt sehr, sehr gut. (und kann auch mit Metallfilter betrieben werden).

I take the aeropress as a luxury item.

AeroPress Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JDoUAb57EPTP0

Aeropress plus Hario or Porlex grinder. Perfect set up. Exactly €50. Add some great, fresh beans and you are sorted :-)

http://www.amazon.de/Aerobie-80R08-AeroPress-Kaffeebereiter-Papierfilter/dp/B000GXZ2GS - €27

http://www.amazon.de/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ - €23

In our office, we make drip in the mornings, when we're just looking to take the edge off the caffeine headache. In the afternoon, French press. I've actually considered getting an Aeropress. I've no personal experience with it, but the reviews are compelling.

Congratulations on becoming a free thinker and embracing everything that life has to offer! Never stop questioning everything! It's all about the beans, it's basically impossible to make good coffee without using freshly ground and good quality beans that have been recently roasted (i.e. not sat on a shelf for months).

You will need 3 things to start making good coffee.

1. A decent grinder, nothing fancy needed if you're just going to use a french press, but try and avoid ones that use blades, and go for a nice burr grinder, like this one.
   
2. a French press
   
3. Some nice beans, have a look online for a local roaster in your area and give them your support/love/money!.
   
   That's pretty much it, just coarsely grind the coffee, put it in the press with water just slightly off the boil, wait a few mins depending on how strong you like it, press down and serve delicious coffee!

Sukulaiskahvituksiin? Pressopannu. 8 kupin bodumi on aivan loistava vehje. Ja tulee himaan kannettuna amazonista aika halvalla (30.05e) https://www.amazon.de/Bodum-chambord-Kaffeebereiter-Tassen-schwarz/dp/B00008XEWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481666540&sr=8-1&keywords=bodum+chambord

Myllyksi Wilfan WSCG-2. Hinnat jossain 80e luokilla.

Resources I used: /r/coffee and youtube (I particularly like the sumpcoffee channel).

Conclusions and setup I arrived at:

• Bodum french press - 8 cups is misleading because each cup is actually measured at 4oz, not 8. This is pretty good for one person. I found mine on CL for $15, you can probably find an equally good deal in your area. Especially now, post gift season.
  
  
• Hario Mini Mill - freshly ground coffee is amazing. I answered your post about using pre-ground coffee, so I won't repeat myself. Also consider the fact that as coffee is exposed to air it deteriorates. That's why pre-ground coffee is so derided by coffee community (more surface area exposed -> faster deterioration), and why people recommend you look at "roasted on" dates.
  
  
• A medium roast. For me, these have the perfect combination of fruity and chocolatey. I love the complexity, and I think that Private Selection whole beans (Kroger brand) are a good balance of affordable and tasty. The yirgacheffe beans are a good place to start.
  
  
• Next on the list of things to get (for me) is a scale. It's not a neccessity, but it makes certain things easier (measuring out can be tedious).
  
  
• This is a good article that will teach you a few things
  
  Also, in regards to cleaning the french press. You don't want to dump the grounds into the sink because it can cause clogging. This is what I do - rinse off the metal filter immediately after brewing. Some grounds will be stuck to it, but this shouldn't be a problem. Then, I just leave the glass beaker out on the counter to dry out. That night or next morning the grounds are mostly dry, I dump them into the trash and rinse out the glass beaker with hot water.

No problem! A lot of places like Teavana tend to take people for a ride for "meh" tea hardware, the gear I use for brewing at home is just these things:

• Electric Kettle
  
  
• French Press
  
  
• Tea Tins
  
  
• A metal tea spoon (harder to find on Amazon, a lot of brick and mortar places probably have them for a buck or two).
  
  That's all you really need to get started making damn good cups of tea! I don't go for anything fancy like PID controlled kettles or anything, if it tastes too bitter, take the water off the kettle earlier or let it sit after it shuts itself off for a few seconds, but most everything can handle boiling fine.

Get a French press or a moka pot if you want espresso. Both super easy and take minimal counter/cupboard space and they make coffee as good if not better than a machine.


Keurigs are BAD and anyone who says otherwise is a poor.

I have the Bodum 8 Cup French Press here

Just an FYI the V60 is a pretty finicky pourover, it has a pretty steep learning curve and it'd be tough to get a proper grind consistency with a hand grinder (go with the Hario Skerton or minimill btw).

If you want a pourover and are making batches, I'd look at this chemex, it has enough real estate to brew in 700+mL batches, is more forgiving techinique-wise than the V60, and hey, it's sexy.

Or, go for a French Press, they're great if you like your coffee big, bold, and rich. The metal screen getting pushed through the brewed coffee emulsifies the oils instead of filtering them out like a paper filter would, and gives the coffee a really rich, soft, velvety mouthfeel.

You also mentioned the Aeropress: great device, would definitely pick one up at some point (they're cheap), and eight years on I still use mine multiple times a week, but if you only want to buy one brewer right now, I'd avoid it since you can only brew one cup at a time, if you're making coffee for multiple people everyday it gets to be a huge pain in the dick if all you have is the AP (personal experience)

My opinion is simple is best. No one I know with the expensive machines with timers etc. uses them. The coffee they make isn’t any better.

Over the years we have bought many fancy coffee makers. This one makes the best coffee https://www.amazon.com/Chemex-Classic-Pour-over-Glass-Coffeemaker/dp/B0000YWF5E

For espresso and cappuccino you want this https://www.amazon.ca/GROSCHE-Milano-Stovetop-Espresso-Maker/dp/B07KGCYBWH and this https://www.amazon.ca/Cremafacile-cappucino-frother-Biesse-assorted/dp/B002U7F00G

These are great, but I've recently moved onto the Chemex beaker because cleaning it is incredibly easy and it makes better iced coffee than any cold brew I've had.

if this thing is tall enough for a chemex, then I'm all over it. Can you confirm it will fit this product?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000YWF5E/

Look at the Toddy. It's not a push button but it's a dump water, dump grounds and then wait kind of operation. You do have to deal with the used grounds when it's finished but it makes a concentrated coffee that you mix with water, milk, etc and a carafe will usually last me about 2 weeks.

https://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/

My sister bought me a Toddy for a wedding present. It makes a coffee concentrate and its perfect for iced coffee.

I used the Toddy system, but that's just because it was given to me by a friend. It worked out pretty well, but you can easily re-create the setup with a large mason jar, just pour through a pour over cone at the end.

Another tip which may seem obvious but I didn't think about at the time: don't be afraid to do some test brews before committing to a batch of coffee. I had never brewed coffee this way before and it came out a tad over-extracted, which came through in my stout.

I've done both. From a process standpoint, not a huge difference.

Coarse grind, leave it for a bazillion hours, filter, enjoy.

Toddy is great because it's significantly more capacity. My French press will produce about half to 65% of the concentrate as the Toddy. I get about a literish of concentrate when all is said and done (you add like 7 cups of water, so 1.6 liters). Compared with my 1L French Press which gets me just over a half a liter.


It's also super easy to use and clean. Let it brew, pull the plug into the decanter that's fit for the top.

looks like it's $28 on amazon which is the lowest I've ever seen it. If you're gonna jump, do it now!

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW

I assume you mean this one. Does that provide any benefits over simply making cold brew in a french press? (which is how I've been doing it)

Gloria Jean's several years ago sold what they called iced toddy which they made in a cold brew system. I bought one myself and duplicated the taste exactly. I was never able to get the right taste from normal hot brewed coffee. Their cold brew stuff tasted more like an iced latte to me.

Iced coffee is really easy, albeit a long process >12 hrs, to make, but the concentrate is good for a couple weeks, so you don't have to do it very often. All you need is coffee beans, a grinder, a jar/container, and a fine strainer or something like this if you want the simplicity.

Oh...the Toddy (sorry I didn't link earlier, was on mobile) is not a pour over system either. You put in grounds and water and it steeps at room temperature for 12-24 hours, then filters out the grounds to produce a coffee concentrate. Of course you can DIY cold brew without any of this, but the Toddy is just a really convenient system for it. A lot of coffee shops use an industrial-size Toddy system.

I have tried pitchers like the one you linked, but I've found that because it's not truly immersing the coffee in the water it makes a lot weaker of a cold brew, so you get less mileage for your amount of grounds, if that makes sense.

If we want to turn this into an /r/frugal thread about the absolute cheapest way to make coffee - you can get a cold brew setup at home for less than $50 (Toddy is "the original"; OXO makes a similar system). Cold brew tends to be more forgiving of low-quality beans than hot brewed, and the resulting concentrate can be kept in the fridge for at least a week before it goes bad.

I use two cold brew bags with this cold brew toddy system instead of the felt filters that come with it (they tend to clog). A pound of course ground coffee and it's delicious. Unfortunately everyone at work is now addicted to my coffee.

<--- Barista here! I second the Moka suggestion. Unless you have thousands to shell out on a shop quality espresso machine, this is the next best thing. A good grinder is key, and burr grinders are best. This is mine. Also, steaming wands on cheaper machines never work very well and are horrible to clean. All you really need to get that nice foam easily is one of these nifty milk frothers.




Most retail coffee "machines" aren't built to last and make mediocre drinks. Low-tech almost always produces a superior tasting beverage. I have a Chemex(for normal coffee), a french press(for stronger coffee), a Toddy(for iced coffee) and a Moka(for espresso).


Also, if you can, seek out a roaster that is local to your mother. They will direct you to their best beans for espresso, and it will most likely be very fresh. All the roasters I have worked with are always happy to help customers troubleshoot and tweak to their tastes as well. It's a really worthwhile relationship for a coffee enthusiast.


So, Moka, burr grinder, frother wand, a pound of beans, and you're set. She'll love it. If you have some extra cash, and she likes normal coffee, throw in that Chemex. 10 times better than an auto-drip, and uses less beans as well. :)

Get one of these Toddy Cold Brew things. Starbucks brews their cold brew in a larger one of these and it is awesome at home. Makes a cold brew concentrate, so you cut it with water when you are wanting a glass of it, so you can adjust how strong you want it. It is worth every penny and makes it a simple process. I let it brew anywhere from 16-24 hours and it is always great. Can buy cheaper beans for it too, which is nice.

My go to budget conscious suggestions are: Hario Mini Mill + Aeropress or French Press of your choice.

$32 Hario Mini Mill

$26 Aeropress

$20 French Press

not a french press, but i recently bought an aeropress. i have to say, it makes tasty coffee.

If you get the chance you need to give an aeropress a try. Very different flavor profile, and you get your fix quickly. I absolutely love mine.

Another relatively cheap alternative is the Aeropress. One reason I like it more than pour-over is that it can make espresso-strength coffee for when I don't have time to sip a full cup.

This is way under your budget but I have an Aeropress.

I find that filter coffee gets bitter because the water stays in the grounds for too long. Same with french press (though I still like it). It's also way quicker than a stovetop espresso maker, but still tasty.

I buy coffee beans from wherever I can. I like columbian, but with the aeropress you need to go for espresso (ie fine) ground stuff so you might be more limited if you're buying it pre-ground.

I end up buying lavazza espresso ground stuff. In the blue tin.

A Siphon brewer, one of many newly popular coffee brewing methods. I'm interested in trying it for tea as well.

Found it at Amazon for $72.50.

This one's about $67 on Amazon, assuming you're States-side. A bit pricy, especially if you compare to your regular drip-carafe coffee machines like Mr. Cawfee or Blank and Deckart, which are like, $25 each.

But value is subjective. I'm certainly saving for one myself (prices in India are even crazier)

Thank you that makes a huge difference being in daylight. I have a coffee syphon that uses methanol but inside you can see the flame well like in the first part of the video.

All of my kratom is sold STRICTLY not for human consumption but this is what I use to make my super potent Kava tea.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IKLQZK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can thank me later ;)

First of all, if you want to get into loose leaf tea, you're going to want to get something to brew it in. The simplest to use and clean is a French Press. But getting into loose leaf doesn't mean you have to forsake bagged tea all together, I still use both.

As far as finding a tea you like, you should start with bagged tea just because it's cheaper. You need to get familiar with the tastes of black, green, white, herbal, etc teas. Once you get a feel for the different tastes, get yourself acquainted with a nearby tea shop. There's not much of that by me, but at least I have a Teavana.(Good teas, but way overpriced). A lot of times they'll have different teas you can sample or at the very least smell.

The best way to buy quality tea without bleeding your wallet is probably through Amazon. You can buy it in bulk (generally 8oz+) for pennies on the dollar.

I don't have much experience with mixing teas with alcohol, but I know that Earl Grey goes well with scotch/whiskey. And I bet that a spiced rum would go wonderfully with a hot milk chai. Actually I think I'll try that out once I get home from class.


Here are some other favorite teas of mine, I'd recommend them all if they adhere to your personal tastes.

Dragonwell Green This is my favorite tea of all time, but it's not for everyone. Very earthy.

Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate (Mate/Herbal)

Bourbon Street Vanilla (Rooibos)

Honey Lemon Ginseng (Green/White)

Constant Comment (Black)

Earl Grey (Black)

Honey Vanilla Chamomile

The main difference quality-wise between a Bodum one (~$18 for the Brazil model) and an off-brand one are the filters for the most part.

Found the Ikea one here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60241389/

If you ever decide to branch off into other brew methods and want the most amazing iced coffee (can you tell I'm biased?), I'd highly recommend getting a Chemex. This is my absolute favorite way of making Japanese iced coffee. Seriously, it ends up so sweet that drinking it black is deliciously smooth.

bodum french press is cheap and goodc

($10). hario hand grinder is relatively cheap and good ($40). glass tea kettle to boil water ($10). $60 total for nice tasting coffee. i did this setup for 2 years or so, no problems, but you'll use a little muscle grinding.

https://www.amazon.com/Medelco-12-Cup-Stovetop-Whistling-Kettle/dp/B000V5X826/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248291&sr=1-3&keywords=glass+tea+kettle

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248316&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+coffee+grinder

https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-BRAZIL-Coffee-Maker-French/dp/B000KEM4TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248377&sr=1-1&keywords=french+press+bodum

I toast to the french press!

It's been 3 hours, so I assume you've gotten your coffee fix for today.

For tomorrow, get yourself a French Press and an Electric Kettle. The two together will run you about the same as a medium-quality drip coffee maker. Chances are you can even get them locally at a Walmart / Target for cheap.

• Put water in electric kettle
  
• Turn on electric kettle
  
• Put coffee grounds in French press
  
• When water boils, put water in French press
  
• Set a timer for 4 minutes (I use my microwave's built-in timer)
  
• After 4 minutes, push down the top of the French press
  
• Pour coffee into cup, add cream/sugar/Irish whiskey if applicable
  
• Enjoy

i never really liked coffee from the drip coffee machine, if you want to venture into the coffee world a bit, i suggest getting:

V60

and filter

(youtube the instructions)

and grinder

or maybe french press....

a little more work to make your coffee in the morning, but its worth it

>I thought about a pour over, but I don't really know what I'm getting myself into

Honestly, not that much. It's pretty straight forward. A Chemex produces a fantastic cup, and would only really require you get a gooseneck kettle. Ditto if you go the v60 route. Bonavita has a couple, either temperature controlled or not. Other wise Hario kettle would also work.

Regardless, take a look here at Brew Methods. It has summaries on a variety of brew methods, from chemex to other. May give you some ideas.

>I don't want to spend a ton of money,

Depends on what "a ton of money" is to you, but:

• you may want to consider a new grinder, it will allow for expanding what you can do with the coffee. Potentially too much money, but a refurb Baratza might be worth saving for. Especially the Maestro/Virtuoso if you aren't doing espresso.
  
• a scale to weight coffee and water to nail down variables
  
• a gooseneck kettle for pourovers
  
  > would a chemex be a better investment?
  
  Yes, imho. Buy a cheap gram scale, a gooseneck kettle, and a chemex/v60. You'll be very pleased with the results.

Not OP but:

Grinder

Coffee

Brew_Method

Brewing_Gear

Edit: I should note that these beans are roasted. Roasting your own can be a whole new game. Also you will want to get a Water_kettle

Is this what you mean when you say a V60?


You could do a pretty awesome /r/EDC

The v60 is $15 on Amazon right now. This is the lowest I have seen it at. It is worth the $15 for sure.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P4D5HG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453744816&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX118_SY170_QL70&keywords=v60

Totally agree! Even a cheap-ish grocery store coffee like Eight O'Clock tastes 100x better than Starbucks drip coffee to me. Especially when you buy the whole bean and grind it yourself before brewing.

I use a simple one-cup pour over cone. I got mine for about $3 at Christmas Tree Shops. I like that it's easier to clean up than a french press. Just grind the beans, put in a paper filter, and pour small amounts of hot water over the beans until the cup is full. Doesn't even compare to Starbucks.

My story is a simple story of liking coffee then slowly going down the wormhole into a full fledged problem.


I always liked coffee, since high school. Would always drink it black, sometimes would add some cream or milk, but usually just enjoyed a good cup. A good cup from a drip is rare, I didn't know this before, it was good to me.


What started me and my completely normal addiction, was a girl. I had taken a new job out of town, a 3hr drive away, and needed to move. I had just started seeing this girl so nothing was serious and we promised to keep in touch and visit once in a while. Well the relationship never slowed down and we ended up seeing each other every weekend. The problem was, when I went to see her and stay at her place, she didn't drink coffee so she didn't have a coffee machine. I would end up having some tea to hold me over. One day while we were grocery shopping, I ended up finding one of these. I thought $5 well that's not bad I'll be able to at least get a cup of coffee now. No reason to by another mr. coffee just to use twice a week, So I bought it with a bag a ground beans.

The next morning I tried out my purchase, had to boil water in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Made my cup and tasted it AND..... I don't remember now but it was passable, same as my next few cups. I slowly was getting my coffee:water ratio down and was getting better and better cups. And every so often I would get an amazing cup that would rival anything I had ever tasted, but then the next was ok, weak, or extremely bitter. Couldn't figure out why.

At this time I had just found reddit and found /r/coffee. I started to read some of the How to Coffee links and doing some Google searches. Oh water temp, get a quick read thermometer. Coffee was much better consistently. This was good for a while, finally the GF found a job near me I bought a house and she moved in. Then I had a Kitchen with lots of empty cabinets to fuel my new found addiction. Burr grinder was the next purchase along with a chemex, Coffee is excellent and consistently good.

Now over the next two years I'm always looking for the next best cup, Slowly it consumes the rest of the kitchen. A scale, a electric kettle, Aeropress, french press, vacuum pot, cold brew, Turkish, a goose neck kettle, pop corn popper... My kitchen is now full, once section dedicated to coffee, and every morning I slave over measuring the perfect amount of beans, getting the grind just right, perfect water temp. Timing the bloom with the correct amount of water. Perfecting the pour from the goose neck kettle. All so when I finally get to enjoy a cup I always wonder if I could get it better.

Grinder: Hario Slim ~$25 or mini mill ~$29 (looks too expensive to go for the mini mill)

Option 1: Aeropress and filters, may be just under or around $50 with the grinder, might overshoot by a few bucks. ~$29 for Aeropress and paper filters, steel filter available but not within budget (~$15-18).

Option 2: melitta pourover cone and filters, need a pyrex to heat/pour your water, but every kitchen should have one of those anyway. ~$13 for cone and filters.

Looks like going the pourover route (before shipping and whatnot) will cost you a total of ~$38, while the Aeropress will be ~$54. The pourover route will mean you don't have as great a control over the brew (many people like an expensive gooseneck kettle, but whatever), but will be significantly under-budget. The Aeropress will be slightly over budget, but you won't have to worry about pour control.

Cheaply-built auto drip machines work against you in a few ways:

1. Poor temperature control. Some may not ever get close to the sweet spot for your beans. Others are just really inconsistent.
   
   
2. Poor dispersion patterns. They tend not to wet the coffee very evenly. Some are better than others in this regard.
   
   
3. A glass pot sitting on a hot plate does not do good things for coffee flavor.
   
   So how much does this matter? The first is the most important, IMO, and it varies a lot from cheap machine to cheap machine. How much you care about it varies a lot from coffee to coffee. If you've got a machine that can basically hit a temperature where the coffee you're using tastes good and it's mostly consistent about doing so, you're in luck. Just keep it descaled, because limescale will severely degrade the ability to hit the temperature. I think the dispersion pattern matters less for most coffees, and as long as you get it off the burner right away, it doesn't do too much damage.
   
   The secret to getting a decent cup from one of these is to use good, fresh beans. Grind them with a good grinder just before you brew. Use water that tastes good before you pour it in.
   
   All that said, given the same prerequisites (good, fresh beans, a good grinder, good water) you'll be able to produce a better cup than these cheap makers by using the cheapest manual pour cone you can find. By manually heating the water, you control temperature yourself. By manually pouring the water, you can make sure that the grounds are soaked nice and evenly. And by not pouring it into a glass carafe sitting on a burner, you can avoid degrading the coffee by heating it once it's brewed.
   
   

not really a moka since it doesn't use steam to push water through the grounds. more like a shitty pour over when you dont have 5$ to spend on on this

ceramic might be easier to clean, but if you're a cheap bastard like me a plastic one works just as good

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467135134&sr=8-3&keywords=plastic+pour+over

i'll probably never buy another electric coffee maker

Or don't get a Keurig brand machine. If you absolutely must have the convenience of single-serving k-cups, there are 3rd party brewers that use the same form factor but without the lockout. They're only screwing themselves here.

If you're not a fan of the thin coffee that comes from K-cups, but you want single serving coffee, my advice is to get either a manual drip cone filter or an aeropress.

The aeropress makes the best coffee, hands down. However it takes a little more work, uses a little more grinds, and is a bit convoluted with all of the different parts. This is what I use at home on the weekends. The manual drip is what I use at work. I've got the routine down:

• 20g of coffee in a #4 filter. (The cone says to use #2, but #4 sticks out past the edges which prevents grinds from getting in and allows you to pour in more water)
  
• 175F (80C) water. My kettle at home can be dialed in, but at work I just let it boil and then sit for a minute or two. In other words: you want very hot, but not boiling water.
  
• 12oz cup
  
• Pour in water over grinds until water is level with top of the plastic cone.
  
• Stir vigorously until water level has dropped to only 1/3rd full.
  
• Fill with water again but do not stir, and let it drain. Should be enough to fill the cup.

if you're super brand new and dont' even know what your coffee should taste like yet, i'd suggest just starting with something like a cheap Melitta cone and working your way up with kettle, grinder, scale, etc as you go.

I think to best answer this request, we'll need a bit more info. Are you ok with a manual grinder, or do you prefer an electric grinder? Do you want a drip brewer or a pour over set up? Are you looking to get into espresso? And, what is your actual budget in your local currency?

And now for a guess at what might work for you...

A [Melitta Plastic Pour Over Dripper](https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527536804&sr=8-1&keywords=mellita) $5 to $6 (a lot of grocery stores carry these in stock)

A box of #2 Cone filters at your local grocery store $2

If you want an automatic drip brewer, and you are making smaller amounts for just you, the [Bonavita 5 cup](https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537674&sr=8-4&keywords=bonavita+brewer) is wroth a look. it runs about $66. I have the 8 cup for the wife and I and we love it.

Filters can be purchased, again, at your local grocery store for about $2.

[Brewista SmartPour Kettle w. Thermometer](https://www.amazon.com/Brewista-Variable-Temperature-Kettle-BKV12S02NA/dp/B01CFBBUVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537033&sr=8-1&keywords=brewista%2Bsmart%2Bpour&th=1) $40. There are cheaper ones, but I personally have this one and have loved it.

[Scale](https://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ-4000-Compact-Digital-Adapter/dp/B004C3CAB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537139&sr=8-1&keywords=Jennings+CJ4000) This is a must. $30

[Bratza Encore](https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1527537371&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=baratza+encore&psc=1&smid=A302OQK4GZWXCC) Grinder is the default recommendation around here, and for good reason. It's high quality, and easily serviceable. New they run $139, but you can save $40 and pick up a [refurb](https://www.baratza.com/product/encore-refurb/) (still with the 1 year warrantee) for $99 direct from Baratza.

If you want a cheaper option, and don't mind a manual hand grinder, there are a few options, but the [Hario Skerton Pro](https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Grinder-MMCS-2B/dp/B01MXJI90S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537536&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+skerton+pro) is about the lowest cost / still decent quality grinders, grinder that most would recommend. It runs about $60, and personally, I'd spend the extra $30 on an Encore refurb.

Happy Mug Beans are a pretty great option. I really enjoy the Big Foot Espresso blend (despite it's name) as a pour over, and even like it in my drip brewer. The Inspirational Artist Blend is a great option too. But really just try them out and see what you like. Their bags (for 1lbs of whole beans) run $11 - $13

Hope that helps.

That's a shame. Would you like to try it again with the V60? We wouldn't be able to give it away for free as part of this offer if you've already signed up on another offer but if you'd like to have another go (perhaps with a coffee you haven't tried yet) we can send you the kit for £5 with your next order, which is what we're currently offering all our members.

If you're at all curious, try it, it's a good deal! Email [email protected] and the customer service peeps will be able to sort it out for you.

About a year and half ago I went from 0-60 with this setup:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Dripper-V60-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=pd_sim_k_6

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-White-Filters-Brewer/dp/B001U7EOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906139&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+v60+filters

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906080&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+hand+grinder

http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906101&sr=1-5&keywords=kitchen+scale

Here is a video I found about how it all works:
http://vimeo.com/34182806

The big thing is to use FRESH roasted beans (we're talking ~3 weeks old or less). If you are buying beans that don't have a date on em, try again. Hopefully there is a coffee shop around you that will sell their own roast (usually comes in a 12oz package). If not you can try the grocery store or order online (http://ceremonycoffee.com/ is a good start), it really depends on the city you live in.

I had always liked the aroma and taste of coffee in other things (ice cream specifically) but it wasn't until I got into beer that I really started to appreciate it. Hopefully this finds you well, feel free to send a message my way if you have any specific questions!

You could buy a cheap pourover cone and some filters. The only other thing you need is something to heat water in.

For sheer price and ease of brew consistency, the plastic v60 comes in three forms: dripper only ($7-8), the V60 Decanter ($24), or the V60 Starter Kit ($20).

Depending on gift budget, you may also want to consider a gooseneck kettle if your boyfriend doesn't already have one.

I like coffee gear for aesthetics in addition to their function, though, so I have a couple of special Hario v60 drippers - a sky blue ceramic, and a Mandarin orange ceramic one. Obviously way more breakable than the plastic/metal ones, but I liked the looks of them way more.

Obviously I don't know how you make your cold brew. But I recently purchased one of these Hario cold brew makers. 80G in, and a 24hr extraction (for me) and it lasts me the week.

No longer do I have to worry about making it every day with my baby french press. I do hate that my Bonavita drip isn't being used right now. But winter might come again.

Congrats. Dude I used string cheese for snacking. And I'd literally THINK I was hungry and go get a piece of cheese and then I'd bite into it and realize... I'm not really that hungry. And put half of it back.

How bad was your carb flu?

Here's a tip for breakfast. I just use this http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1396136831&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+cold+brew

To make my coffee over night. I pour it in a nalgene bottle with ice and dump in some heavy whipping cream. I use Kicking Horse's 454 horsepower dark roast. It's amazing.

Hario Iced Coffee Maker? You can be happy you don't have to grind 120gr of coffee by hand. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VPXEBU/ref=psdc_367222011_t1_B008R4XMJ2?th=1
Incredible cheap and makes pretty good tasting iced coffee. No need to dilute it afterwards or anything. Only downside: You have to fill it every time you use it, otherwise the immersion filter isn't immersed.

Not really, the way my pot is set up makes it super simple. Fill it up with water(1000ml), add coarse grind coffee to the top of the filter basket (~80g). Sit it on the counter or in the fridge for about a day.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU

Best $23 I have spent on something coffee related.

I will also say that good cold brew can be made with less than premium beans. Sure good beans will yield a better cup, but $10/lb stuff will do just fine. Especially if you are like me and add a little cream or half and half with ice.

Should do a fine job if you grind your beans pretty coarsely. If it didn't, you could always put a coffee filter over the jar and then put the strainer on over that.

Of course, you could skip the Mason jar component completely and get one of these fellas. They're great. But I live in the South where Mason jars flow freely from the mountains, so the jar method has always worked for me.

Do you mean something like this?

I can't answer your question but if you mean that sort of thing that's a really neat design and I'm gonna need one.

http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-Maker-Straight-Black/dp/B004EBUZ1A

Oh hey, I'm doing WFH Friday too! My entire office fucking empties on Friday, last week I was literally one of the two people there.

Coffee talk? Coffee talk.

You need to get a chemex, for sure. It's probably the most forgiving pourover-style coffee maker. But if you're looking for outrageously easy tasty coffee, you could look into getting an automatic pourover machine, like the Bonavita coffee thingy.

I get a good coffee maker that uses cone shaped filters, keeps proper temperature for the water, and uses a shower head design rather than normal drip. The coffee comes out tasting great, and only requires grinding, wetting the filter, and turning on the machine.

If I am in the mood I use french press or my coffee maker can also function as a pour over if I am feeling extremely snooty.

EDIT: A good coffee maker isn't super expensive either. It is obviously more expensive than a Mr Coffee, but you pay for quality. http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/

I don't own one, but the reviews are very poor. It's also very expensive. If you want something automatic I would look at a Technivorm or Bonavita.

I imagine premeasuring your beans/water the night before isn't an issue for you. In the morning, you could toss the beans into a decent electric grinder, and throw them into a good automated brewer. I still rely on a hand-mill and v60 for my daily needs, so I can't comment on anything except what I've experienced vicariously through the folks here on /r/coffee, but I imagine that would be a near fool-proof way of getting damn good coffee in the morning with minimal effort.

Edit: links.

This one

I have a [Takeya] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WwJuDbKSB0770) cold brew pitcher I got from Amazon. 17 bucks, works great!

Well for what’s it worth, here is my recipe/process. Feel free to give it a shot or modify as you see fit :)

Recipe: https://imgur.com/a/qOSzZ

Cold Brew Maker: https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Coffee-Maker-1-Quart-Black/dp/B00FFLY64U

Cold Brew Process: Fill it up with coarse ground beans. Add cold water and put in fridge for 24hrs. Remove from fridge and pull out infuser.

Coffee Addition Process: Brew/ferment as you normally would. Keg beer, pour entire contents of cold brew into keg (30ish fl oz). Purge of air, shake shake shake. Carb.

Definitely a strong coffee flavor, but it’s balanced and not overpowering. Always the quickest keg to go!

We have a cold brew pitcher that I freaking LOVE. If this is your preferred method of coffeeing, it's bomb to be able to make it at home without making a giant mess.

I tried the paper filter and pitcher route, and then the giant tea bag route, and they worked fine. Then I bought a pitcher specifically for cold brew and it makes the clean up so much easier.

This is similar to what I have, and I would highly recommend it:

Takeya Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, 1-Quart, Black https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oDxUBbTR5EKXA

I make cold-brew iced coffee with one of these [https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Coffee-Maker-1-Quart-Black/dp/B00FFLY64U]. I don't like hot coffee. I have a cup to wake up, do my routine, and head to work night shift 12 hrs.


I stop and get a iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts (traditional, not cold-brew) which I sip at work. I finish it by 9 or 10pm, then don't have any more caffeine. That will keep me awake through until the end of my shift. If I have caffeine any later, I'll have trouble sleeping.

Iced coffee is way better. If you don't have ice You should buy a cold brew pitcher and make your own. I recently started doing this, taste great with any dark roast coffee. I carry it in my backpack on the way to the office

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_1g1YWQfrmdTbI

not the exact model, but a similar concept

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Patented-Airtight-Silicone-1-Quart/dp/B00FFLY64U

overnight infuser. put the coffee in the water, let sit overnight and it's great in the AM

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Patented-Airtight-Silicone-1-Quart/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1522251909&sr=1-7&keywords=cold+brew+coffee+maker

Me and two of my keto friendly bro's use this. We love it.

I invested in this for cold brew concentrate. WORTH IT!!

Nothing glamorous but this brews cold coffee and is easy.

She might want to take an extra step at the end and filter through a paper filter to catch smaller grains. But overall a good easy product to use.

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-10310-Patented-Airtight-Silicone/dp/B00FFLY64U?th=1&psc=1

There a lot of more expensive options out on the market, just depends on what you are looking for in a brewer.

Search this subreddit for takeya and you can read about everyone else’s experiences.

I got myself one of these. Cuts down on prep and cleanup time immensely.

I have a Takeya, I don't make $60 an hour and a half ago I think?

I use a Mizudashi and make cold brew every week, good for those hot mornings/aftys when you want a nice cold coffee. The other option is to brew espresso over ice then add your or water to it. Personally prefer a cold brew as I don't get any comedown from it, and it tastes great!

I love the porlex. Grinding 80 grams isn't terrible, I like the burn in my arm! and I really like this thing Hario Mizudashi it looks like they even have a 600ml model. I have the 1000mL and make a pot for the week and just leave it in the fridge.

I use a Hario cold brewer. Hario"Mizudashi" Cold Brew Coffee Pot, 1000ml, Brown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-.76CbT1CK193

This is correct. In the past I just used mason jars and filtered the resulting sludge through an automatic-drip filter. It works fine but cleanup is a bit of a pain. I paid $15 for this cold brew system and it was worth it to me as it is much easier to clean up so now, so I make cold brew once a week instead of once a month.

• Got a cold brew maker. First batch is weak. I'm set for the warmer days...Funny that it's cold and rainy today, heh.
  
• Lakers seem to have hit their stride lately. I know they haven't played many strong teams lately, but it's something.
  
• My youngest is getting a little stressed with Academic Pentathlon and regular schoolwork. We've suggested dropping the Pentathlon, but she wants to keep on with it. Hope she finds her rhythm with the balancing act.

I have [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and it has done well for me, I make it strong, and dilute the batch in a 3 liter jug

Id buy a Hario v60! Pretty portable and cheap. Produces good coffee, (ask wherever you get your beans to grind it at a 6-7.5 setting.)

Do you have any idea why the starter kit is cheaper than the dripper itself? Are they the same dripper?

Not sure what your budget is, but the Bonavita is the best coffee maker you can get that's just an on-off maker and has what you described. I haven't seen any cheapo mechanical switch makers that have thermal carafes before, the vast majority of makers are digital programmable now. This is the closest for a cheapo without a carafe (edit: or this).

The cheapest reasonable set up for roommates who all drink lots of coffee would be something like this:

​

• An SCAA-certified machine (which mostly just means it gets the water hot enough), like this Bonavita 8-Cup machine ($100). That's about as cheap as you'll get for a larger SCAA-certified machine.
  
• A burr grinder. If you want good coffee, you have to grind your beans fresh; there's no way around that. The most popular recommendation, with good reason, is the Baratza Encore, but this OXO grinder ($80) should be fine for your needs and is about $50 less.
  
  ​
  
  That puts you at 180 for your grinder and machine, which isn't bad.
  
  ​
  
  For beans, Happy Mug is as cheap as you'll get for super freshly-roasted. Based on what you're saying you'd probably be just fine with a blend. Order two or three different ones and figure out what you like! $9 per 12 oz bag. The beans are nearly always roasted the same day they ship.
  
  ​
  
  It sounds like you aren't interested in taking on coffee as a "hobby" and instead just are looking for a better cup. Something like I recommended would be the cheapest and least "enthusiast" route to drinking much, MUCH better coffee than you are now.

I have this coffee maker, Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup Carafe Coffee Brewer, Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Jhwtyb0S7Z7AA hooked to a idevice switch.

Insulated thermos carafe. I make 8 cups at 6am and have several hot half mugs (and pour out the cold remainders and top up with hot) throughout the day.

Edit: my machine http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK

This guy has been a work horse for me. Bought it for the same reasons as you want to. Dial in the water to coffee ratio and the grind size and you have damn good coffee without much thought.

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK

When you say you both have 4-5 mugs a morning, is that together or each? And are you having what coffee makers call a cup of coffee (5-6 oz), or are you having something like a 12-20 oz mug?

I have this coffee maker but if you're both drinking 60 oz of coffee, it's not going to make enough. It's not programmable, but there's only 1 button. It takes about 5-6 minutes to make a full pot, which is 40 oz. I like the coffee from this considerably more than from standard drip machines.

On the weekend, I'll make french press or use an aeropress, but this is much easier and faster for during the week.

Here is the Wirecutter's list of "best" coffee makers.

Checkout the Bonavita 1500TS
. Brews like 25 oz or less.
https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-One-Touch-Featuring-Thermal-BV1500TS/dp/B00SK5IXPQ

Bonavita 5-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker Featuring Thermal Carafe, BV1500TS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zUo8BbK77VP79

I believe it's approved by the Specialty Coffee Association. Meaning that it fulfills all the basic requirements to brew an excellent cup of coffee. And if the cup doesn't taste good you won't need to investigate the brewer!

$750 is alot of money to spend if they only drink coffee out of tradition than for taste. For that kind of reasoning i wouldnt spend all the budget!

I agree with the comments about buying baratza encore grinder. Those are reliable and well in the budget. For the coffee machine i would recommend the [bonavita dripper]
(https://www.amazon.ca/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=bonavita&qid=1559008848&s=gateway&sr=8-4) easy to use, realiable, beautiful chrome. Not bad,not the best,but better than the average coffe brewers. See it in action And buy some good coffee with the rest of the money.

Thank you. I started experimenting a couple years ago before school started, thinking I’d be all about the hands-on method because I’m a tea snob and am picky about proper looseleaf tea quality, brewing methods, and temperature. However, I didn’t realize that (for me, at least) making good coffee is way more complicated than making good tea. Now, with the demands of school, I need caffeine more than ever, but have no time to figure it out.

I live in the US, and my max budget is probably $500ish. I already have a Baratza Encore. I would also be interested in automatic regular coffee makers if you have a recommendation (budget $75ish), because a $500 espresso machine would be a Christmas present for me and I’d love to start making coffee again sooner than that. I think I’ve seen this one recommended on here, and might get it if it seems okay: Bonavita 5-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker Featuring Thermal Carafe, BV1500TS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RVoMDb5R0G098

Must thank /u/nom_deguerre for the comments made in this [thread] (https://www.reddit.com/r/coldbrew/comments/5159wk/made_my_first_batch_and_its_sludgy/)

Been experimenting for several weeks using the ball jar and paper filter method and had amazing beginners luck. Really rich pleasant coffee, actually slightly sweet, no acid. So convinced I was on the right track I bought one of these 64oz Cold Brewer from Amazon. First batch NOPE! All the little subtle flavors were gone. None of the little interesting nuances that made it taste like a coffee shop were gone. The stainless steel sleeve that filters the grounds from the brew had to be the culprit as that is the only thing I did different. Made 2 more small batches to confirm and the Stainless Steel Filter batch was tasteless. So now I roughly follow their ratio of two cups coarsely ground beans and fill the large Ball Jar to the top. Tightly closed I shake it it a few times the first day, top it off as the coffee absorbs some of the water and then leave it in a shady corner for 16 to 24 hours. Filter it with paper filters into smaller Ball jars and cut with water, milk, or just ice for ice coffee. Makes enough coffee to last the two of us several days. This is the first recipe I used to make the little batches NYTimes but adjust everything till you find it to be to your liking.

tldnr: filtered water, coarse grind, no metal, paper filters.

If you're actively shopping for one the Technivorm Mocchamaster is one of the best drip makers on the market:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002S4DI2S

I've got one and it's as good as pour over while being a little more convenient, but I do end up using a french press more frequently.

hmm.. i already bought the 40oz. Technivorm Moccamaster KBT. It's for my wife and I. So. I don't think the Cup One would be efficient in the morning. I bought this one how can i tell if it has a manual lever?

Absolute best investment I've ever made:

https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-Maker-Straight-Black/dp/B004EBUZ1A

I’m looking at a Yama, I’ve never seen a shop that doesn’t use this one. But I was also thinking of making my own by scavenging pieces

https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-YAMCDM8SBK-Coffee-Technology/dp/B004EBUZ1A

Amazon:


Yama Northwest Glass 32-Ounce Cold Brew Drip Coffee and Tea Maker, Black, $268.00, 3 reviews 4.7 out of 5.0

Cold Drip Coffee and Tea Maker, 8-Cup, $240.57, 4 reviews 5.0 out of 5.0

An engineer would probably prefer a vacuum siphon coffee maker or a cold drip brewer. I wish I had a friend in college with one of those setups. Hell, I wish I had a friend now with one of those!

I used to use this as a cheap version:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1Pc-Dutch-Coffee-Cold-Drip-Water-Drip-Coffee-Maker-Serve-For-8cups-NEW-/302090363056?hash=item4655fd20b0:g:tOcAAOSwCGVX7OBr
I want to get this
https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-Maker-Straight-Black/dp/B004EBUZ1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479942016&sr=8-1&keywords=yama

Otherwise you could get a Toddy:
https://toddycafe.com/toddy-cold-brew-system

Been using the Yama one for over 5 years now. Great cold brew plus a great conversation piece.

I don't really understand the method you're using to make cold brew but most of these concentrates are made with a cold brew slow dripper (like a Toddy or a Yama tower) to get an extremely high concentration of coffee in the water. That's how they're able to use a 1:1 dilution ratio.

I love my Chemex, I usually make it on the weekends when I have some more time. Otherwise I use this Bonavita

You can still get it on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417493750&sr=8-1&keywords=Bonvita

My coffee maker isn't designed to use something like that; at least I think not.

[I have the glass carafe $116.00 version of the Bonavita BV1800] (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/)

Exactly. This machine is one that does that. I have one and am extremely pleased with it. I got it for exactly the reasons you mention.

so I spend A LOT of time researching stuff before I buy...I am fortunate to be able to do this at work and consider it a hobby. I started roasting my own coffee and realized my Cuisinart grind and brew was just not cutting it. Bought a decent burr grinder and started researching coffee makers (after pitching the Cuisinart and switching to french press)
I lusted after the Technivorm but wifey-pooh said no way. so we settled on the Bonavita http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8
I have never had an easier coffee maker and it simply makes coffee great and makes great coffee.
6 minutes total brew time. no gadgets, no clocks, just add water, and press on.
We use Melita #4 bamboo filters.
check out the reviews on the Bonavita. If you have the money and space for the technivorm - get it, but at $150 you can't beat the Bonavita. Make sure you get the stainless steel model

EDIT TL/DR: get the Bonavita

Were you thinking of buying a filter coffee machine or an espresso machine?

If your GF is as knowledgable as you think, she will know that there isn't a viable option for espresso machines in that price range.

Good news, coffee machines (certified by the SCAA) are well within that price range!

My friend recently bought this guy:

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1380671500&sr=1-1&keywords=bonavita+coffee+maker

It's pretty nice and simple. Also, it is a thermal carafe so there is no heating plate destroying your coffee. If you want to go that route, that machine will be fantastic.

Other options: $200 could get you a pretty serious coffee subscription to some damn good roasters!

Check out: Intelligentsia
Counter Culture Coffee
Verve Coffee Roasters
SightGlass Coffee Roasters
Heart Coffee Roasters
Madcap Coffee Roasters
Handsome Coffee Roasters

All are very well known and produce consistently delicious coffee. ( I should say roast consistently high quality coffee). But really, if my SO got me a subscription to one of those roasters....lets just say I'd be a pretty happy fellow!

Hope that helps!!

$130 used. This is a technivorm, which gives you all of the ease of use of a drip coffee maker but without all of the issues present in a drip coffee maker. Basically the best you can go for here without completely wrecking your budget and everything it loves.

That said, you could convince her to use an easier method of coffee procurement like The Coffee Fool. It's not awfully expensive, they'll send it to you pre-ground if you're into it, and it's a shit-load better than you'll get at a supermarket unless your mother happens to live in Portland.

I buy maxwell house for $7 for 2 pounds.


Hamilton Beach has a better version of Kuerig with no cups just a scoop for only $35. There are also alternative with & without kcup support.

You put the coffee in the scoop and press go and it does a cup at a time.

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen

The basics are to go with a ratio of 4:1 and steep for maybe 20 hours with a grind a little finer than for a French press.

Also use the right tool for the right job! :)

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Patented-Airtight-Silicone-1-Quart/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1519696952&sr=8-7&keywords=cold+brew+kit&dpID=31%252BIc2UCSpL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

All you need is a pitcher really. I use this and it works well.

Takeya 10310 Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Lid & Silicone Handle, 1 Quart, Black - Made in USA BPA-Free Dishwasher-Safe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BpjmDbCT39ZF6

It's probably sacrilegious here, but I just use some good ol' Eight O'Clock Hazelnut, throw it in this bad boy, and let it rip overnight. Absolutely delicious.

Like those before me, and many that will come after me, I use something akin to a nut milk bag to do the initial brew (purchased at a local beer brewing supply shop), then filter through paper filters to get the "fines" out. It isn't too painful, but I do go through a handful of paper filters to avoid the clogging that slows things down.

I'm also wondering how to make this process more efficient - I know there are one-stop solutions that companies make and sell, but I suppose I like getting my hands dirty, as it were, since it seems to add something to my enjoyment of the results. Relevant quote:

> "If you accomplish something good with hard work, the labor passes quickly, but the good endures; if you do something shameful in pursuit of pleasure, the pleasure passes quickly, but the shame endures." — Gaius Musonius Rufus, Fragment 51

The former referring to making my own cold brew, the latter referring to buying from Starbucks. ;) HA!

Anyway, I'll probably keep doing it the way I am, because I'm a glutton for punishment or something. Buying one of those cold brew devices like I linked to would save time, but what would I do with that time? Get in some kind of trouble, no doubt. Best avoid that! ;)

I own this pitcher which makes the whole cold brewing process easy, but I do wish it was bigger since I don't dilute my brew and only get about three glasses out of each batch.

I have this Takeya cold brew pitcher that works well. It's plastic so it won't break like glass and the filter looks really similar to the Mizudashi so grind size shouldn't be an issue.


I don't have experience using other cold brew methods so I don't know what would make it a "good" one but I've been happy with this one.

I typically do a 1:5 or 1:6 ratio of grinds to water, ground coarse (but not too coarse, it wont steep well). I used to just make it in my french press at room temp with plastic wrap over it, stir occasionally, and then strain through a coffee filter into a mason jar to toss in the fridge. Typically between 17-24 hours. Recently I received a Takeya Cold Brew as a gift and it has made the process a bit more streamlined.

I don’t have it down to quite an exact science yet, I have good batches and meh batches. I started making my own back in the fall when I bought the NitroPress. All in all it saves money and allows me to experiment with different flavors and methods. Keep at it, I find it makes the good batches all the more satisfying!

This is the one I got: Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Seal & Silicone Handle, Made in USA, 1-Quart, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1HIVAbXETDP0Z

It all depends on what your husband likes. The vast majority of coffee drinkers love Keurig machines as they're super easy, quick, single serve, no mess, and there are unlimited options of different K-Cups.

If he likes regular coffee or flavored coffee, get him a Keurig machine like this K55 on Amazon or check out the Best Selling Single Serve Brewers. Keurig machines are quick, easy, and no mess. I use mine every day. Yes, I have other machines for fancy drinks but the Keurig is the best for regular, every day coffee, especially when I'm busy. I prefer iced coffee so I have a Keurig that makes hot or cold coffee, but most machines are hot only. There are thousands of different kinds of K-Cups out there and some that serve beverages other than coffee like hot cocoa, chocolate milk, cider, all different kinds of teas, and I think I even saw some lemonade or some type of lemon drink. If your husband likes mocha Frappuccinos, he would probably like Starbucks mocha latte K-Cups and Gevalia mocha latte K-Cups. Keurig works well for all different types of preferences.

If he likes lattes, espresso, mocha, or other flavored coffee-based drinks, check out the NesCafe line of Nespresso and line of Dolce Gusto machines like the Dolce Gusto Genio. The Dolce Gusto line is much simpler than the Nepresso machines and has more flavored drinks. If your husband likes mocha, you could get these. I have the Genio along with my Keurig and a few other coffee machines. The Dolce Gusto machines are great but they are more for fancy drinks, not regular coffee. I should also add the cups for Dolce Gusto machines are far more expensive per serving than K-Cups, there are far less flavors/options versus K-Cups, and they don't sell them in stores so you have to buy them online.

If he already has a Keurig or wants something a bit fancier, get him a French press like these on Amazon.

If he likes cold/iced coffee, you could get him a cold brewer like this.

Remember, whenever you buy anything on Amazon, always use the Amazon Smile link and select a charity to donate to. To learn more abour Amazon Smile, click here or go here to learn how to change your charity. I personally use the Doug Flutie Foundation for Autism as my charity and it's worth checking out.

Try Thai tea with a cold brew. I use this: Thai Iced Tea Traditional Restaurant Style,16 oz (1LB.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UPNK9S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

And this:
Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Seal & Silicone Handle, Made in USA, 1-Quart, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1xf9AbSR2H3ZY

It's a very smooth, interesting taste.

I use this one!

Mi sento sempre in dovere di fare il diverso, quindi:
quando ero in Italia principalmente Aeropress oppure Cold Brew (preparata una-due volte a settimana con https://www.amazon.it/Hario-Mizudashi-caffettiera-Estrazione-Freddo/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/), comprando il caffè da una torrefazione vicino a dove lavoravo.
Al lavoro invece o caffè al bar vicino all'ufficio (espresso o americano) oppure cialde compatibili Nespresso comprate alla stessa torrefazione del caffè in polvere.

Adesso che sono all'estero invece non bevo caffè a casa (anche se sto pensando di tornare a farmi la Cold Brew), in ufficio cialde Nespresso visto che sono gratis.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1466460696&sr=1-4&keywords=hario

That is what I use.

I bought a similar hario cold brewer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rzWHxbYAD741C
a few months ago and while it's convenient with no mess, I couldn't make as strong of a concentrate as I prefer. The filter just isn't big enough to hold all the grounds for 1000ml of water. The water also doesn't touch the very top of the filter, so I felt I had a crummy extraction. It's still a good product overall but unfortunately not for me.

24 hours, room temp in one of these guys.
Not gonna lie, it may have been dark roast. My husband picks it up and also brews the coffee, so I haven’t looked closely at the packaging. It’s definitely the tacky orange Dunkin bag though.

Whats your favorite coffee for cold brew?

We don’t tend to like sour or green flavored beans, but prefer deeper notes and darker roasts. I’d love to hear your suggestions, fellow cold brewers!

If you're looking for another machine I found this to work pretty great for my day to day coffee drinking.

If you don't mind/prefer cold brew I also found this to work for me.

You don't need to go all in like I did. Check out Happy Mug for pounds of roasted coffee around $10-12. Buy a grinder and drip machine and you'll still be saving tons over going to a cafe.

For ice coffee you can make strong drip coffee and pour it over ice or make cold brew concentrate with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475170781&sr=8-1&keywords=mizudashi

Cold brew coffee is stupid cheap to make. Get one of these (NOT an affiliate link) and a giant tin of ground coffee.

You are totally overthinking the cooking thing.

Get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452793513&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+cold+brew

That’s an interesting way to do it and makes sense.

If you want to do essentially the same thing, with easy cleanup and more consistent quality, get a Hario pot.

Grind 80-100grams medium or medium corse.

if you want to be lazy, dump that all into the filter and just drop it into the pitcher already filled with filtered water. Let it sit for about 24 hours on the counter. It won’t fully extract all the coffee, but it is technically a cold brew. It just won’t be as concentrated as you might hope. Don’t put it in the fridge if you use this lazy approach. It will slow down the extraction even more and taste really weak. I did it like this for a while, then I learned.

A better way is to add about 25-30g at a time into the filter, slowly pouring water over it until it’s drained through, add more coffee and repeat to desired dose (80-100g). The pitcher should be nearly full after doing this—takes about 5 minutes—the water drips through slowly. You can mix it a little bit if you want, but you don’t really need to end it just makes a mess. Leave it sit on the counter for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the filter and dump it. You’ll have about 1 L of “concentrated” cold brew. Some people dilute it, these people are not to be trusted.

Experiment with different types of coffee until you find one you like. Try a light or medium roast. It shouldn’t be bitter since most of the bitterness in coffee comes from (over extracting with) heat—I think. But some dark roasts can be bitter. I use a light or medium roast, freshly ground, and the cold brew brings out the usually subtle chocolate notes, strong fruits, and just smooth coffee.

With this recipe, you’ll get three to four 1 Liter pitchers per 12oz bag of coffee. It’s not much more expensive to make when you remove the brew time and counter/fridge space it takes up.

Sorry in advance because if you do this. All other coffee shop cold brew soon become disappointing,

If you really want to be tweaking, use the cold brew to make ice cubes.

This is not the exact one I ordered as Amazon no longer has the one I bought listed. However this is close enough. The filter is smaller but honestly sometimes I think my coffee is REALLY strong and I wish the filter was smaller. I do wonder if I'm going through beans unnecessary quickly in exchange for super effective coffee. So there's that.

The one I purchased came with an extra filter and was only $16. I see nice looking ones for $30 but like... Why? I dunno. You leave coffee soaking in the fridge. Does the container make a difference if you're achieving a good extraction? Maybe someone will tell me.

As always, filtered water. Really notice a difference in my cold brew with sink water. Not happy.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1510139098&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cold+brew+coffee+pitcher&dpPl=1&dpID=41TaCy70X-L&ref=plSrch

It does take a long time but you aren't actually doing anything, it just sits on your counter. I typically make it at night and then its ready in the morning. Plus you're making 1-2 liters of coffee which should last you 3 or 4 days minimum unless you're a serious addict.

You can buy something like this and it makes the "work" part of it take like 2-3 minutes. I have the one i linked to you and it's great.

In the US the plastic carafe kit is $19.50 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VCSD-02B-EX-Coffee-Starter-White/dp/B00JJIOJ7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510366724&sr=8-1&keywords=v60+kit

Could you get her good coffee-making equipment? An aero press is $30 and a hario v60 is about $20. Actually hario has a hand grinder that’s pretty cheap too. Throw in a bag of beans from your favorite toaster if you have any surplus.

Edit to add link and update price. My bf loves the v60, might be good!

Edit 2: it looks like it looks like the grinder is $40? which blows my mind. I swear it was cheaper

like /u/cchiker said, it depends on what kind of coffee you want to make. I prefer pour overs and take mine black, so here is my "budget" coffee gear list:

Hand burr grinder $60 - https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Mini-Mill-Slim-Plus/dp/B01GPMH590/

Hario v60 dripper starter set $30 - https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-V60-Coffee-Starter-Clear/dp/B00JJIOJ7E/

Gooseneck kettle $50 - https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-VKB-100HSV-V60-Coffee-Kettle/dp/B008L3R8BM

1lb of locally roasted single origin beans $20

What equipment do you currently have and how much are you willing to spend?

I decent entry level setup for pour overs would be:

• Fresh beans (local or online)
  
• V60 Starter Kit
  
• Baratza Encore Grinder
  
• Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle
  
  This is in the order I'd suggest purchasing them as well. You'll get the best initial quality increase from fresh beans, the grinder will ensure you're getting well ground (i.e. more consistent sized granules) coffee, and the kettle is more of a nice-to-have but it's a great piece of kit.

It doesn't have a timer but the bonavita 1900ts is about as cheap as its ever been on amazon right now.. It's pretty consistently rated as the best tasting auto drip out there by a number of reviews. It's still over your budget but, just something to think about.

edit: one of the independent sellers in ny has it for $109. The lowest I've seen it go was that 10% off sears promo in december for $108...:/

Pros: Beautiful. Heats water hot enough to significantly extract quality coffee.

Cons: Not programable. Water dispersion is really uneven. Heating pad keeps coffee too hot, tastes baked after ~20 minutes. Water disperses too quickly (if I coarsen my grind to match the water flow brew ends up underextracted).

I recommend against the Ottomatic. It doesn't really solve an issue (having to hold your kettle and manually pour). I would recommend the Bonavita Brewer which has more features, an insulated carafe, and I would say brews better coffee (level brew bed versus the Chemex's cone shaped brew bed).

Here's the list of SCAA approved brewers.

I'd go for those if you can.

Edit: I don't own any of these, but I've heard good things about the bonavita models. The BV1900ts is only $150 on Amazon, and I've seen it recommended a couple of times. Plus, it won't break the bank and is about the price of a Keurig.

Don't know anything about coffee machines honestly, but I see people recommend this often.
https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK

Get a used Bonavita through Amazon Warehouse. Great deal, great coffee.
https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1900TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=sr_1_1?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1499318371&sr=8-1&keywords=bonavita+coffee+maker

Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup Carafe Coffee Brewer, Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_DQQazbYJ9S1TX + Fresh coffee

Would you mind linking which one you have? Or are they all safe bets? I was looking at these two mainly:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_11?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O9FO1HK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_12?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


Are they like significantly better than other drip coffe machines? Or about the same?

I'm not super informed about super automatics but from what I know generally about automatics is they are expensive and repairs could get costly. My friend has a Jura and he swears by it. Personally doesn't seem to me like he proper cleans it so the shots tasted too nasty. Well I guess that and he uses Starbucks beans from Costco. I have had an espresso from a Saeco and that was pretty good, smooth, fruity. I'll assume better beans (since they weren't burnt to hell) and it was a new machine (at the time). I had it months later and same beans but seems like people at the office didn't care to clean it.

Range. I would not expect an automatic to do drip coffee well. But why would you need to? Just make yourself an Americano. What does everyone actually drink at the office? If it is more towards drip then you could just get a better drip maker like the Hario or BonaVita

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009JWH5YE/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1506320219&sr=8-19&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hario+machine&dpPl=1&dpID=51mJZKoZUbL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00O9FO1HK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506320609&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bonavita+coffee+maker&dpPl=1&dpID=41CK31RprXL&ref=plSrch

Super autos ... yeah I don't have any exact model suggestion minus someone should make sure to descale and make sure the machine is clean on a weekly basis. For beans, I would just go to a local coffee shop. Range usually $13-20 but not sure what your budget would be like. Plus, you haven't given us current info on the coffee situation at the office now ie. any general preferences (like for milky drinks), how many cups per day, etc.

Considering it's $84.95 on Amazon, not a great deal.

If you want to get a pot that will last a while and make excellent coffee, pick up a Bonavita brewer. You can get the 5 cup model for $60 right now on amazon.

As far as reusable filter, do understand that it will not give you as clean of a cup as a Keurig did. Keurigs use a paper filter in the pod which produces no silt, fines, or sludge at the bottom of the brew.

If you must get a reusable, this one will be compatible with most all "cone filter" based models.

The drip machine that gets recommended frequently here is the https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1487909882&sr=1-2&keywords=bonavita+bv1900ts

This has a pre-infusion, meaning it will bloom your grinds for 30 seconds, to release the CO2 left in your beans. This helps to get rid of the more acidic sour tastes. It uses a thermal carafe rather than a glass with a burner, so once it is done brewing, there won't be any burning of the coffee due to a hotplate.
I guess for the BV1500TS it is normally around 80. I was thinking of the 8 cup version which is closer to 130, but can be had for cheaper through Kohls, using coupons, and kohls cash and what not.

Getting a burr grinder, a decent brewer, and freshly roasted (within two weeks) coffee is a great place to start.

This is a quality brewer. There are cheaper brewers, but if you want a solid investment in a brewer I recommend this. They also offer an 8 cup model. Bonavita 5 Cup brewer

Capresso makes great grinders. Most of their “infinity” models are very efficient and won’t completely break your bank.

Messenger Coffee from Kansas City offers a wide variety of coffees from many origin countries. This coffee is expertly roasted to bring out the best in each coffee. If you want to try a variety of different ones, they have a subscription plan where the roaster selects a different coffee every week. You also get 10% for subscribing. Messenger Coffee Roaster Choice Subscription

That sounds about right. It makes concentrate that you need to mix with either water or milk.

I do 2 cups concentrate, 1 cup milk, 1.5 cups ice and shake.

I use this:
https://www.amazon.com/Quart-Coffee-Brewer-Infuser-Stainless/dp/B01ATJ6AJG/

I have this. And an extra jar so I never run out.

I like this model I got off Amazon a lot too:

Cold Brew Coffee Maker - 2 Quart - Make Amazing Cold Brew Coffee and Tea with This Durable Mason Jar with Stainless Steel Filter and Stainless Steel Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ATJ6AJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pI4QBbEYT38HX

I try not to use plastic anything so suited my preferences a little better and cleans up super well.

It could be a reactions. Air tight would be your best bet. I have this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ATJ6AJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aXsNBbJMNJ1D8

What I would suggests, brew at room temp, and noted for 20 hours from when you made it, then take out filter, and it's good for 4 days refrigerated. After that, pour it out.

Dont put anything within 20 hours. Put cinnamon and orange after you're done steeping for 20 hours. See if that works.

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Brew-Coffee-Maker-Stainless/dp/B01ATJ6AJG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1522246551&sr=8-5&keywords=cold+brew

There are definitely cheaper listings with just the mason jar insert filter, but this thing is a game changer for cold brew. So much easier to maintain than a french press

I put around 3 oz of coarsely ground coffee in this contraption and let it brew in the fridge for 24 hours. I don't remember exactly how many ounces of coffee I get out, but it's a good strength for me after a day of steeping and it's fine either cold or microwaved to 140 degrees (I've calibrated the microwave times so I don't overheat it).

I just use Costco medium roast coffee (Jose's brand?), as I've found that I can't get any nuanced or complex flavor profile out of hot cold brew, to say nothing of iced cold brew made this way.

Regarding cold brew, I picked up this a few months back and it's quite nice.

Hey, could you edit those Amazon links down? For example, the first one could simply be:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Chambord-French-Coffee-Chrome/dp/B00008XEWG

At least one of the links up there contains an affiliate tag as well.

Boil water on the stove and switch to a French press. You'll never want go back to drip coffee.

I bought this one and it definitely costs more, but it's pretty big and I like it quite a bit

Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, 1 Liter, 34 Ounce, Chrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008XEWG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gxnXDbPSXZA0Y

I don't know if this would work in Brazil, but where I live I frequently see french presses in thrift shops. I think people get them as gifts and don't know how to use them or something. I've always had good luck with the basic bodum french press. Or if you want to get fancier, the bodum chambord is the same but looks a little nicer. I've had some no name ones too but there's really no difference in taste

Does it populate for specific products or comparable products? For instance, let's say I'm searching for a french press. Will I only be priced matched for this specific product, or will I be alerted for other deals?

I have a Bodum French Press. I don't think I know how to make coffee. It all seems to taste the same to me. Is there like water to coffee quantity measurement guide I can follow?

It's a Chemex.

What I did in your situation was get a Bonavita kettle, used Zassenhaus, and Chemex. There's no way to make good coffee for an office without hiring a barista.

The one in OP's pic looks like a Hario Skerton

There is lots of info at /r/coffee ..... my recommendation based on my research and my use is the Hario Mini. The Skerton has some downsides as compared to the mini which swayed me to the mini. It's been almost 2 years since I researched so I don't remember exactly the differences.

As for the Aeropress in OP's picture, it is a very fine coffee maker and I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend a Chemex. I use my Chemex daily and the Aeropress frequently.

/r/coffee should have all the info you need.

I like dark roasts, and prefer African coffee beans if I get a choice in it, they have a nice deep and spicy flavor. I get them as whole roasted beans from a coffee shop in town, which roasts them fresh every couple of days. If you are looking to get into it, you can just search for coffee roasters in your area, and if there really aren't any I'd look for roasters who sell single origin beans online. In a pinch, Starbuck's single origin beans are good too, just really expensive for what they are.

I use a hand mill grinder, a gooseneck kettle, and a Chemex coffee maker and filters. It sounds like a lot, but all that together is still cheaper than a decent drip machine. You grind the beans with the grinder (I use 3 heaping tbps of grounds), bring the water to a boil and then let it sit for a minute (letting it come down just a little in temp keeps the coffee from being acidic, the gooseneck also helps with that). Pour a little on the grounds in the filter, and let it sit for about 30 seconds wet to bloom. Then pour the rest and just let it drip through.

The chemex makes the smoothest, best tasting coffee I've ever had, and I've tried quite a few different methods. If you like it stronger, a french press might be better for you.

Stuff:

Chemex Coffee Maker

Filters

Hand Mill Grinder

Goose Neck Kettle

It's not that important to have a .1g scale if you already have a 1g scale for just starting out: especially with the three coffee making setups (aeropress, clever, and mocha) I mentioned. A 1 gram scale is fine. Instead of a scale and Clever, you could spring for a Chemex and the chemex filters. Chemex's are beautiful pieces and make very clean coffee since the filters are thicker than normal.

Starbucks is shit. Buy her a Chemex, some filters, a cheap yet decent burr grinder and a nice bag of freshly roasted beans. You'll be out about $100, but your mom will thank you and will stop wasting her money on burnt swill.

Get yourself one of these, you won't regret it (also save your self $150)

http://www.amazon.com/Chemex-Drip-Coffee-Carafe-Cup/dp/B0000YWF5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1368723580&sr=1-1&keywords=drip+coffee

Worth it IMO, some of the smoothest coffee you can make. Stains your teeth less because it's less acidic . Here's the brewer I use, Takes an entire 12 ounce bag, 24 hours to brew and it usually lasts me six days in the fridge.

Cold brew at home is pretty easy to tackle.

There are a number of cold brew contraptions you can buy to ease and simplify the transition between steeping and drinking.

• Filtron
  
• Toddy
  
  Alternatively, if you own a french press, then the results from that are just as good. Throw the grounds in, add water, plunge after X hours.
  
  General steps:
  
  

1. Medium coarse grind of beans - a middle of the road coffee is fine (even a few weeks out), here you don't need your most expensive or freshest free-range cage-free single origin.
   
2. Ratio of water:coffee - experiment here as you do your batches, but 4:1 (by weight) is a decent starting point for a coffee concentrate that you can then dilute with water/milk and syrups as desired.
   
3. Pour measured out water over grounds.
   
4. Stir the mixture a bit to even out the coverage.
   
5. Let the container sit for 12 hours at room temperature. (24 hours if done in the fridge)
   
6. Strain, dilute to taste and serve.
   
   
   
   ---------
   
   Resources:
   
   See the comment from /u/dreamer6 - on how to create the vanilla cream and syrup
   
   Blue Bottle - guide and recipe
   
   Stumptown - guide and recipe
   
   NYTimes - blurb article and recipe

I do, and it’s SUPER easy. I bought a [Toddy Cold Brew System] (www.amazon.com/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_fxKkDbMPE83QH) from Amazon and use that. It has instructions and everything. But basically, I grind 6oz (half a bag) and add it to the brewer with 3.5 cups of water. I let it set (steep or brew, if you will) for about 24hrs. Then drain it, add it to my storage bottle and pop it into the fridge. It lasts 7-10 days, having a 16oz coffee every morning. It’s a concentrate, so you then pour some to your cup, add water and ice. I dont have an exact measurement, as I eyeball the pour. But it’s probably around a 1/4 cup of concentrate? It’s up
To your tastes and how strong you prefer it.

In a pinch, I’ve done it in a mason jar and then Strained through cheese cloth and then a coffee filter. But it’s messier and I don’t like it as much. I love my Toddy system!

Another important factor is finding a coffee bean that you like. I personally find I prefer a medium-dark Roast. I tried various roasts and “flavors” until I found a blend I liked best!

I recommend the Toddy cold brew system. Makes about a week's worth for my wife and I.

Edit: [Link] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_65KJxbBHC1R07)

Get yourself a Toddy, thank me later.

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394333810&sr=8-2&keywords=cold+brew+coffee

An amazing way to make iced coffee is to use a Toddy Brewer. You can find them on Amazon for about $30. It is a room-temp brewing system that makes this wonderful double-strength coffee concentrate. And it cuts the acidity of the final product by a ton. Just add water and ice and you have the best cup you can imagine.

http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398144084&sr=8-1&keywords=Toddy+brewer

I used to work at a Scooter's Coffeehouse in Omaha, NE. We used this style toddy maker, using 1lb of our dark roasted Guatemalan ground coarse and 9 cups of water soaked 12 hours. IIRC the procedures for making sure it got an even soak were to add 5 cups cold water, half a pound of coffee, 2 more cups cold water, let sit for 5 minutes, then add the last two cups of water. I still do this at home (but with better beans now that I'm back in Oregon), and it works well for me.

"Blend into submission" is just another way to say "blend the shit out of it" or "blend until smooth." Nothing fancy there.

I use this to make cold brewed coffee. You could just use regular coffee that has been cooled; it will work perfectly well. I prefer cold brewed because it's much less acidic so it doesn't irritate my stomach.

Nothing really fancy. I just use my old Toddy and filtered water. It's really about the quality of the coffee.

I bought my mom a Toddy cold brew machine for Christmas last year. She can make her own super delicious cold-brew coffee concentrate, and it makes a great iced coffee when combined with water, almond milk, or what have you.

A different spin is going for some cold brew action. We make a batch of extract that lasts a week. Coupled with our hot water machine, we have instant non-bitter coffee.

https://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW

Yeah! It actually makes an amazing cup of cold brew coffee. You let the coffee brew in cold/room temp water for 12-24 hours and it takes all of the acid out of the coffee so it's a really mild, but highly caffeinated cup. One batch usually lasts me about a week's worth of morning coffees in the summer! :)

I was using mason jars or glass bowls until I got a Toddy last Fathers Day. While it's really just a plastic bucket and a glass carafe, it streamlines the process. With jars, I'd have to strain the coffee through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Not exactly onerous, but removing those steps is a nice plus. Plus, it makes a nice sized amount at once.

The Toddy is a bucket with a hole in the bottom and a cloth filter. You put the filter in the bottom, put a plug in the hole, add ground coffee and water, let it sit overnight, then pull the plug and set it on a vessel to catch the resulting coffee. It comes with a bucket, but where I work we just put it in a pitcher.

Toddy Cold Brew System

Try a Toddy. It's a cold brew coffee maker. I hate black coffee, because it always tastes bitter and burnt to me. With a Toddy, you mix your coffee and water in the big white thing, let it steep for ~12 hours (so yeah, you'll wanna do that ahead of time), and then filter it into the decanter. It makes a bunch, and you can add more water if it's too strong, or sugar or cream or whatever. I seriously haven't gone back to hot brews since we got our Toddy a few years ago. \m/

I'm a big fan of a butane can, a Coleman burner, and an AeroPress

Amazon aeropress link :

http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-80R08-Coffee-Maker/dp/B000GXZ2GS

Well, it's just over £20 however, it is absolutely essential!

Start with whole bean, dark roast coffee - I like the coffee they sell here at Dancing Goats.

This burr grinder on finest grind setting and the aeropress.

Or rougher grind and french press.

I use the following:

• This to microwave the water
  
• An aeropress
  
• This mill

Get an Aeropress on Amazon (Aeropress Link). Look up how to use on youtube. Get a sampler from Drift Away Coffee to determine what you like.

Enjoy!

If you want true Espresso the first one you list isn't gonna do it.

I think one of the cheapest useable option is the Gaggia Classic. You can get it with a hand grinder and are all set to go. This one is pretty good.

Want to spend more? The Rancilio Silvia is beloved by many, from beginners to advanced. Here it is with a matching electrical grinder.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of those devices, because my kitchen is way to small for more than an AeroPress but I have friends who own this stuff and they make great coffee.

Aeropress also makes coffee that's not bitter. Helps to start with a light roast too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Coffee-Tea-Espresso/Aerobie-AeroPress-80R11-Maker/B000GXZ2GS

And for bonus points it's both cheap and portable.

For me the French press is definitely the way to go, but the AeroPress comes pretty close and is a little easier for making a cup at a time rather than a full pot.

What I usually do is make coffee with an 8-cup sized press pot. I'll coarsely grind about half a cup of coffee, add nearly boiling water, stir it a bit to get rid of some of the bubbles and clumps, then let it sit for about 6-8 minutes or so.

To enhance the flavor you could add a little salt. Dark roasts like French are usually better for espresso or lattes; I generally use a lighter roast (Brazil Santos currently).

So you're saying I might just save the money and get this instead?

Hario Technica 5-Cup Glass Syphon Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IKLQZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ThyvDbEKK0RWD

Hario Technica Syphon Coffee Maker

Reminds me of this coffee scene in Breaking Bad: http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/images/2013/1/23//201312315632779580_20.jpg

Siphon coffee set. Most entertaining way to make coffee out there. Get it with a little butane burner to make your life easier.

I got you, I'm saying 10 dollars anywhere is alot for a cup of coffee. If you're on this sub you probably have all the gear you need except the actual siphon: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Technica-5-Cup-Coffee-Syphon/dp/B000IKLQZK

67 bucks, have it anytime, each mug will cost $1.00 or less depending on what you spend on beans

Does he drink coffee?


Hario Technica 5-Cup Glass Syphon Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IKLQZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-BI3DbD9DBSB0

I broke around 3 beakers using that one. Switched to this Bodum press and love it!

I got the Bodum Brazil 8-Cup (34-Ounce) Coffee Press https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000KEM4TQ/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_s7r5tb0RRF4D5

As for beans, I would recommend making a post in your city's subreddit and/or google it to find a nice coffee shop that roasts. That's what I did although I've currently shipped in some sttumptown (which I highly reccomend) since I have some connections out west.

A French press is going to be cheaper than a Nescafé machine, short term and long term. With a pod machine, you'll be spending lots of money on pods. With a press, you'll be spending a lot less. Cost-wise, a press is a lot cheaper than a pod machine.

Yeah, a press will take longer to prepare than a pod machine, but it makes worlds better coffee if you use good beans.

Now this is a conversation I can get in on.

Let's begin with my stainless steel measuring cups. I bake a lot so these are so useful. The 1/8 cup comes in so much more use than I ever imagined it would. And they're just so much nicer than plastic ones. I want to get a set of stainless steel measuring spoons but haven't yet.

Next, I would probably say my French Press. Coffee is important, and my French Press makes some delicious coffee.

I absolutely love this skillet. Works like magic.

I also recommend this 3 tier cooling rack to everyone. It's so useful and stores so well.

In the fall/winter I use my crock pot a whole lot. I also find having large mason jars to be useful for storing food, though I also have this tupperware.

Finally, my KitchenAid stand mixer. Self explanatory. It's fucking awesome. I just want to spend every waking moment putting it to good use and baking everything under the sun.

Let's do it in the kitchen.

What you may be referring to is a moka pot and some of the most common ones are from Bialetti. It isn't exactly espresso however.

If a french press is what you're looking for, I would recommend one from Bodum. The one I have is this one and I am very pleased with it.

Along the lines of this- a Bodum French Press makes a few damn good cups of coffee.

Look, if you're a beginner, you really can't do better than a french press and basic coffee grinder. The coffee you'll get, while not as good as consistently ground coffee, will still be delicious. I think it's a great place to start and you can eventually graduate up to a higher quality grinder.

I know there will be plenty of differing opinions, but I used a basic coffee grinder with my french press for four years, and the coffee was still excellent.

French Press - Bodum Brazil

Basic Mr. Coffee Grinder

Would the coffee be stale even right after opening the package? I bought this Melitta package that came with a seal under the lid.

I actually do use a Bodum french press because i didn't want to buy a bulky drip coffee maker and it can also be used for making tea.

Alright, I'll lay out two set ups for two different price points.


Cheap Set Up

Hario Skerton This is the most basic entry level grinder possible, grinds enough for one person pretty easily, and gets "good enough results for a poor college student

Aeropress You can make full cups of coffee or pseudo-espresso that you can mix with milk for a pseudo, its easy to clean, and probably the most forgiving coffee making tool.

And then any kettle and any scale. Look for cheap on both, were going for cheap here, and were not doing rocket science, should be another 25-30 total for both of these, which lands you just under $100 total for this set up. You don't need to bother roasting beans yourselves, and if you're in a college town theres probably a local roaster around that you can get good quality roasted beans from and be happy with. For cold brew just throw grounds and water in jar in you fridge for a day in a 8:1 ratio, then strain the goop the next day for a solid cold brew concentrate



The pricier beginner college set up


Baratza Encore. If you can afford this, then get it. The things great, does everything but espresso grind really well, and because its not manual its doesn't take that long and it doesn't require any real effort on your part. I love mine, but the $140 price tag could be steep (I wouldn't have bought it when I was in college, I was poor as shit).


Brew Methods: I still recommend at least an Aeropress, but pair it with a 1LFrench press too for when you want to make a lot of coffee at once, or coffee for friends. you can also make cold brew in a French press instead of a jar, and you can use it to strain it out. Also, if you really want to make the closest thing to espresso that you can without blowing $300 dollars, get a 3-cup moka pot. You can find a cheap one at your Ross or Home Goods equivalent.



For kettle, you can get a variable temp one if you want to spend the money, people recommend the Bonavita Variable Temp Gooseneck but I still just use my cheap 15 dollar kettle and am doing fine.


As far as scales go, I still just say find a cheap scale that works well enough.



Bits and Bobs


Hand held Milk Frother for frother hot milk for lattes. Sounds like something you would like.

No a french press is different. Creates coffee with a little more body to it. Easy to use and clean. Basically just dump ground coffee in it, pour in hot water, wait a couple minutes and you have coffee. You can find them at pretty much any store.

https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Coffee-34-Ounce/dp/B000KEM4TQ

here's one on amazon

Seriously? Seriously?! A French press costs $20. Assuming it lasts a year (conservative estimate) and you drink 5 cups of coffee/week, that's $0.08 per cup of coffee. If you get your beans ground fresh where you buy them you don't need to buy a grinder. Water + the energy required to boil it has got to be like $0.30 (I rent my apartment so don't directly pay for water & electricity, correct me if I'm wrong).

If you are serious, then you sir, are intensely frugal. I hope you're joking though. You could save more money employing the most frugal cliche of all: reusing sandwich bags.

I would go with a standard Bodum french press:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KEM4TQ/ref=twister_B004NBYAF8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Simple, cheap, works great, and they sell it everywhere (Target, ect.)

I picked up a Bodum one off Amazon for ~$24.

Edit: That sonuvabitch is [a whole dollar cheaper] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KEM4TQ/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1) than when I got it!

While I can't speak to the plastic getting soft, I found that the plastic model usually have other plastic components too.

When I had the Bodum Brazil - and I can't stress enough how much to steer clear of it. The construction of the unit itself was great, but the linchpin was the plastic locking piece that holds the plunger down when pressing. Since the Brazil uses a plastic piece for this, the threads strip out and in about 2 months you can't plunge because the plunger doesn't lock down any longer.

You can see on the Amazon page where the customers post their pictures, two of them show the black piece right above the plunger - that's plastic. (Link)

Otherwise - I completely agree with the Chambord recommendation. Have 2 now (bought 1, other was a gift) and use them as often as I can. After a quick cleaning, they always look brand new.

Something like this-
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KEM4TQ
And this-
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AR7SY
Would probably be great for you, based on what you said, and stays in your budget.
You'll probably want to expand eventually, but this is a great starting point.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper-White/dp/B000P4D5HG

I'm leaning towards V60 then. I always get a cup of V60 from the roasters I grab my beans from, and I love it. Just curious, what equipment would I need aside from the cone? I'm looking at this ceramic cone

I used this recipe! It was very similar to the other ones ive seen so I used it. I am not sure how much weed I used because I dont have a scale, but i believe it hight have been .25-.5 grams. not really a lot because I wanted to see how much it affected me being a every weekend or so kind of smoker.

BTW the thing I used to strain it was this! its great for pour over coffee and I hadnt used it in a while and it worked OK for straining...problem was the weed built up at the cone tip in the filter and clogged it a bit...so I had to squeeze it out with a spoon but ended up getting a little herb in the tea because i poked a little hole in the filter on accident.

Looks fierce. I think I might have to buy one. This one ok?

What kinds of coffee is preferred over others for this method? Any better than others?

>I guess my expectations are high because of the tight bond this community shows.

Yeah, I totally get that! I find cigar people, even IRL, are friendlier than most.

 

By "drip method" are you talking about an auto-drip machine? Because if so, I highly recommend exploring a manual pourover set-up. I prefer the Hario V60, but many others like Chemex or something like the Clever Dripper (a combination pour-over and immersion brewer) instead. The cheapest option for trying your hand at a pourover is the plastic Melitta brewer, often available at your local grocery store for $2-$3, some standard #2 filters, and an electric (or stovetop) water boiler with a decent spout for slow, steady pouring. It's funny that you mention a (french) press pot and moka pots don't give you a full enough flavour, though, because those are typically two of the more full-flavoured methods. I suspect your water:coffee ratio or grind size/consistency might be causing a weak (under-extracted) brew.

In my opinion, though, whilst brew method makes a difference in your cup, I'd say bean freshness and grind make more of a difference than anything. I'd much rather have fresh beans recently ground at a proper size and consistency brewed in a $10 Mr. Coffee than stale pre-ground or poorly ground beans in a professionally-poured manual brewer.

In the end, if you find a manual brewer is too much hassle, the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) does test and maintain a list of certified auto-brewers that meet the temp/brew time requirements.

*Ninja-Edit: Here's a good starter on grind size and how to adjust for flavour.

Since you're 17 years old and likely don't have access to a few hundred dollars to really get started, I would save up and get a Hario Skerton grinder and V60 single cup pour over here: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Dripper-Ceramic-Funnel/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372182859&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+v60

then I would save up for a bag of intelligentsia, just buy whatever single source sounds good to you. watch youtube videos on how to do proper pourover technique. learn how to use a kettle (there's no need for a gooseneck one just yet), figure out how to pour slowly with a standard kettle. maybe buy a cheap thermometer so you can get the water temperature right. start pouring yourself coffee, but remember to drink coffee right after it's been roasted, not months later.

if you're rich, do the same thing, but buy the bonavita temperature controlled gooseneck kettle in addition to the v60. and a baratza virtuoso.

actually do whatever you want, there's no good answer. just about any advice you take from this subreddit will be significantly better than what you're currently doing.

posting this topic is the equivalent of 17 year old with a casio keyboard asking a concert pianist for advice in becoming a musician.

Personally I've been enjoying the Hario V60 dripper(
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG).

It has some grooves in the dripper so that coffee can extract from the sides of the filter. And this specific dripper uses the Hario filer papers (not that expensive a solution).
And most important, it makes a good cup of coffee!

The answer to your question is really dependent on budget. A quick perusal through the sub will show you that the Aeropress is a popular option because it is one of the least expensive ways to get a solid cup of coffee.

If you have some cash to part with, it might be worth looking at setting yourself up with a pourover setup - I'd probably suggest the v60. You would need the v60, the hario buono, and you'd probably want a scale to weigh coffee (there are a LOT of options, many cheaper than what I've linked). You would also need to get a reasonably good grinder - check out the sidebar for a list of grinders. Yes, it's a lot of capital to get started, but the coffee is fantastic and the equipment is very durable. This equipment, properly cared for, could potentially outlast you in many cases.

There's also the standard drip coffee maker, but from my experience if you go that route you ought to just invest in the cheapest one. The quality coffee from most drip machines is pretty similar. A better question is what grinder to get - that will improve your brew quality across all methods. Again, sidebar has great advice, but a really popular grinder here is the[ Baratza Encore] (http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00LW8122Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459250167&sr=8-1&keywords=baratza+encore+coffee+grinder) which you can sometimes find on their refurb page for discounted prices.

No matter what you choose - good luck and happy caffienation

Hario Shops - list of Hario shops. Select Tokyo on the top right hand corner of the map and scroll down to see the addresses of shops. Those with the coffee filter logo sells the coffee filter. Not sure if they sell what you are looking for however.

As a guide to the price:

Hario online shop

On Amazon.jp

Hope this helps!

(LONG POST) I also recently transitioned to hardcore coffee drinking, and I found that it is only a modest investment to get some seriously good cups. Perhaps you should try pour-over brewing, which I switched to from French Pressing - imo you get a lot higher flavor clarity. The industry standard was the Hario V60, which is kind of tricky to use, but I as with many have switched to the Kalita Wave, which is especially forgiving for novices. Keep in mind that the Wave I linked is a smaller size, so it can be a bit finicky for a good pour method, but it is a major score compared to other Kalitas I found across the web. Filters are a bit pricey with the Kalita though, so the V60 is better moneywise but again tricky to achieve consistency. A good scale can be found for about $15-20, which is essential to getting the correct ratios. As others have said, a Mini Mill is possibly the most important investment, but I HIGHLY recommend modding it to get high consistency (I used a rubber band for this.... it will all make sense with the link). For pourovers, some will tell you a specialized kettle is a must for pour control, but I fare just fine with a ceramic tea kettle https://imgur.com/uIWppVj . Anyways, cheers to entering coffee! :D

Link for the lazy
[Hario] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG
) on amazon.

Honestly that looks great. The capresso infinity grinder is great and that looks like what is used in the grinder. You'd be very happy with that setup. My recommendation for having them separate is Baratza has WONDERFUL customer support for repairs or small parts orders. Also, if you ever decided to brew a different method you can. From extremely coarse to near fine for espresso. The grinder on that all in one only looks like it has a few different variables and the grind for a pour over and for a drip is not the same. Its a pretty significant change in taste just by grind size or even brew temperature. I fully nerd out and use a thermometer for my water. Brewing at near boiling versus 200F makes a massive difference.

Reusable tote bags and veggie bags for the farmers market.

I've found some really great recipes in this cookbook, if he cooks: http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Vegan-Bean-Book/dp/1592335497

For coffee, if he doesn't already have any of these: a French press, a pour-over (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG), or an insulated coffee mug. I think stumptown coffee does a coffee club subscription thing.

Random, but a bento lunch jar could be cool if he has to take lunch to work. Reduces packaging, plastic sandwich bag use: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-JAE14SA-Bento-Stainless-Silver/dp/B000246GSE

Honestly, the easiest way to start is probably an Aeropress and a decent kettle. Get a gooseneck early, then you won't have to buy a second kettle later if you decide to start playing with pour-overs. If you want to make boiling water a little more passive, get an electric one. I have this one and it works like a charm.

Another cheap starter option for brewing is the V60 and its various clones. The original is plastic, but this one is ceramic and only $20. It takes some practice to get pour-overs just right, but it's worth it. And for $20, it's not a bad way to give it a shot or just to have in your collection.

Grinders are a whole discussion. I have a Baratza Encore that I really like. It's easy to maintain and Baratza's support was pretty good to me when I needed them. If you want to go a little cheaper, you might consider a Skerton or Mini Mill.

For beans, have fun. There are a ton of places to get decent beans, and part of the fun is finding new places. There are a number of redditors that roast and will probably sell beans to you if you like. (Including me!) I would suggest some, but I actually skipped this part and went straight to roasting.

EDIT: Oh, and good luck. You're opening a door to a rabbit hole, now.

You could consider trying a different method of brewing since you need to make a reinvestment anyways - experimentation is fun! Why not try an Aeropress or a pourover cone?

Everyone else has most of the bases covered so here's amazon links if you can't find things at second hand stores/dollar stores/clearance centers.

Storage Containers
Ace Hardware
[Target] (http://www.target.com/p/kerr-1-quart-32-oz-wide-mouth-mason-jar-set-of-12/-/A-14527331)
Rather than getting tupperware get a flat of quart size mason jars. Doesn't spill in transport, works in the freezer, microwave proof without the lid, and doesn't absorb smells or warp with frequent use.
*Alternative is to save glass jars from groceries and wash them for use


Coffee Maker
Get a single cone coffee brewer if you drink coffee. You can buy it on amazon or find it in the coffee section at walmart/target/any grocery really.


Can Opener
Don't buy a can opener at the dollar store or CVS in a bind. Just order this one. I've had it for years with frequent use.

If you have an ikea nearby, they also have a great kitchen section especially for inexpensive flatware sets.

Tips:
Don't drink it, you are transforming a good beverage into a bad drink.
You know when you add more coffee to a regular coffee maker make it slightly strong with good taste? Well is not the same for instant coffe, only makes it worst.
*I'm a broken student too, and I offer you two solutions that worked for me: This cheap plastic coffee maker that you put on top of your coffee mug and you buy a permanent filter and you are done.
Don't like it? Well This awesome french press save my life at work, no filters! Just add hot watter wait a couple of minutes and you have a tasty fresh made coffe.

I hope it helps, and remember instant coffee it's never the answer.

I'd stick with the V60 based on the "it is cliche for a reason" logic. The other ones I've tried are the Beehouse and the Melitta

I don't think there is a huge difference. Swirly ridges inside foster proper flow channels.. blah blah. Maybe, but it is a pour over, you have to get a lot of other stuff consistently right before that is your issue.

I will say this, ceramic is the way to go if you are willing to pre-heat. I've blind taste tested that and it is noticeable in the cup.

i have one of these and i love it

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

Thanks for posting this. I hike and camp regularly. My pack weight for a 3-day trip is 38 pounds including food and 1st day's water. The difference between 38 and oh, 42 pounds is very noticeable.

I use a Melitta pour-over frame like this. Lightest solution I've found that makes good coffee; only complaint is that its odd shape can make it hard to pack.

This is what I use, i just sit it on top of my cooking pot.

single coffee brewer

Also doubles as a filter for getting debris out of melting snow.

I use this: Melitta

Works awesome, you can buy normal coffee pot filters, no need to buy the special shaped ones.

Kind of hard to tell how much water you're putting in it though, i overfill my cups often.

This a million times over! The flavor ranges from "bitter black water" to "Parmesan cheesy" to "fish." And since I'm not a sugar and cream fan (or in my work place's case, powdered cream-like compound), I can't even mask the flavor.

Fortunately, there's a hot water tap on the side of the coffee maker, and I have a single cup coffee brewer so I can make my own. Everyone always asks why I pay to bring a bag of coffee and some filters in when I can always get free coffee, no matter how bad. I just reply with "you get what you pay for."

you can go even cheaper. https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

this is the one i use on a daily basis. for reference, i have all of the other manual methods mentioned on this page including aeropress, chemex, and frenchpress.

Not espresso, but cant beat a melitta for budget coffee maker. Its as simple as it gets.

But for more espresso-like, aeropress.

Melitta Ready Set Joe. $6 on Amazon. My local supermarket has them for $3.

A few years ago I brought a bag of good fresh coffee backpacking with a girlfriend. A plastic Melitta pour over thing and a few filters were much appreciated in the cold mornings. I just weighed my brewer and it's a whopping 58 grams, and at most grocery stores for like 5 bucks. I pretty much always bring that plus a Trangia kettle, good coffee is just hard for me to compromise on...

Yeah, those Melitta cones are great. They have them on Amazon, too.

The pour over sets at my local shop are cheaper than even this one. A big package of filters is usually $1.

Drip

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00005MF9C/ref=psdcmw_602608_t1_B00006IUVD



Provide your own hot water:

Press

https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Press-Coffee/dp/B00008WU9F/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=Bodum+1543-01US+Brazil+French+Press&qid=1572469254&sr=8-2

Pour Over

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Coffee-Single-Pour-Over-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=single+cup+drip+coffee+maker&qid=1572468382&sr=8-1

Perfect brewer for a small dorm.

Melitta cone cup-top and pot-top filters are quite cheap and, in my opinion, do most if not all of the job of a Chemex or whatever without the financial outlay. I'd see that as your next step: Moving from the Mr. Coffee to something that brews at the right temperature.

You can simply heat water on the stovetop, until you get a better solution. Premeasure the water, so that you know to just pour the entire lot instead of guessing how much water to pour after it's heated. If you have a thermometer that goes high enough, time how long it takes that amount of freshly boiled water to cool down to your target brew temparature. If your inside conditions remain the same and you use the same vessel to heat the water, then you don't need to use the thermometer each time. Just bring the water to a boil, switch off the heat, and wait that long.

As far as using the Melitta, don't neglect to "bloom" the grounds for several seconds with a bit of that hot water, before continuing the pour. Pour the water carefully, to help keep the grounds from "climbing" the sides, where they will not extract fully. I pour some water thusly and then also tap the side of the Melitta lightly to help settle the grounds. I pour the water in a few stages, instead of all at once, again to help keep the grounds settled and so promote better extraction.

Switching to a Melitta filter made a big difference, for me. If you are concerned about quality/flavor, you want to get away from that Mr. Coffee.

P.S. Non-affiliate Amazon links, just as examples including of low prices. Not saying it need be Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Cone-Filter-Coffeemaker-1-Count/dp/B000MIT2OK/

i've used a french press and an aeropress in the past, but ultimately settled on a melitta cup-top pourover cone: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014CVEH6/

also, i recently did a lot of googling around on good + affordable burr grinders, and ended up with this one, which i'm very happy with: http://www.coffeebean.com/Bodum_Burr_Grinder/d/1239?CID=em_ordership&utm_source=tran&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ordership

you'll also want an electric kettle.

Is your grinder a blade grinder? If it is a burr grinder will be a big improvement. But regardless try a different Brewer. If you're strapped for cash get a cheap pour over Brewer like this Melitta with that you can boil your water and control the temperature better than what the machine will do. I would recommend a thermometer of some sort but it's not 100% necessary. The Melitta was my first coffee Brewer and I still use it from time to time. A Chemex would be a bigger improvement but there no reason to go all out at first. Start small and get your technique down before you put money into something bigger.

A scale is also a big improvement so you can accurately weigh the beans and the water you're using. I bought a $20 scale from the grocery store and it's been kicking for a few years now. I would honestly say that a scale is more important then the thermometer but that's just my opinion. I'm a fan of accuracy.

Keep reading through this sub and you'll find all kinds of good advice. Have fun!

Interesting. I use a non-folding version both at home and when I'm camping without any undue waiting.

The grinder is a Baratza Encore, and they run about $130 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

EDIT:

This looks like the kettle: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Buono-Coffee-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1405085505&sr=1-4&keywords=hario+electric+kettle

And this looks like the v60: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VD-02T-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1405085525&sr=1-5&keywords=v60

So maybe around $180, unless he got some stuff for cheaper. Not OP, so I can't say for sure.

I also bought a clear plastic Hario V60. I grind the beans before I leave home and just bring a couple paper filters. So much better than Starbucks instant coffee. With the Hario you can also use it at home while I would never use one of those GSI deals other than in the back country.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VD-02T-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM

I started getting into coffee nearly a year and a half ago, and here is what I did to start:

I bought

• A Hario V60 02 Pour-Over Dripper ~$20, with filters, ~$30
  
  
• A Hario Buono Gooseneck Kettle ~$50
  
  
• A Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder ~$150
  
  
• A scale ~$25
  
  
• Freshly, locally roasted whole beans ~$10/lb. Dark roasts tend to be less acidic, sweeter, and have less caffeine (when brewed correctly); light roasts are the opposite: acidic, fruity, and more caffeine.
  
  Now, bear in mind that I knew that I loved coffee before I invested all this money into it; you should obviously really consider your situation and really get into "good" coffee before splurging on all of this equipment. I now have a French press, a moka pot, and am going to invest in an Aeropress soon, but I still prefer the pour-over method to any other coffee that I've had, thus why I recommend you go that route. It can take some definite getting used to and has a bit of a learning curve, but it is easily worth the effort (tutorial videos will help immensely.
  
  Keep in mind, you needn't buy exactly what I did. Shop around, see what you like and what is in your price range. I will say this, however: if you do go the pour-over method, go for the V60 or the Chemex, they are both easily the best on the market, and the same goes for the Buono kettle, though if necessary you can purchase a different kettle, just so long as it is a gooseneck (which is required to finely control the flow of water).
  
  Many other people will tell you to go with a French press. This is good advice as it has a very slight learning curve in comparison to pretty much every other method (besides maybe the Aeropress, depending on who you talk to): it is literally grinding the coffee coarsely and letting it sit in water for X-amount of time. It also does not take filters, is easy to clean, and is a relatively cheap initial investment (~$20). I like the Brazil model that Bodum makes.
  
  No matter which method you choose to brew with, there are three things that you should not underestimate the importance of (and thus should not skimp on):
  
  
• Freshly ground and roasted beans are a must. The fresher, the better.
  
• A blade grinder will always do a worse job of grinding than a burr grinder. It is worth it to spend the extra cash for a burr grinder right off the bat, as, if you get at all serious about coffee, you will eventually purchase one anyway, rendering your blade grinder useless and a waste of money in hindsight. Blade grinders make it nigh impossible to control how fine or coarse the grind is, which is one of the biggest variables in coffee brewing. There are absolutely cheaper models out there than the one that I linked to, especially if you get a manual one rather than the electric one that I own.
  
  
• A scale is essential. Coffee brewing is very much an exact science. Making sure the ratio of water to coffee is exact and being able to fine tune down to the gram/milliliter can create some of the biggest deviances between batches next to grind size. This cannot be overstated.
  
  Best of luck. There's a lot of good knowledge on this sub, on this sub's How to Coffee: A Primer, and on the Internet in general. Check it all out, pick your path, and enjoy the ride!

I would definitely go with a larger Chemex. But don't be afraid to buy an $8 Hario V60 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Plastic-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM) to experiment with a smaller size and different brew ratios/beans.

I just looked and the brown plastic 01 one on amazon was $7.75. That was just the cone, not the carafe. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HJY4SU/ref=twister_B07F2JQ7GL?th=1

and $7.30 for the clear plastic 02 cone: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=twister_B07F2JQ7GL?th=1

New non-electric gooseneck for $27, pair this with an $8 plastic V60 and get free shipping, or New (in damaged packaging) electric gooseneck, Delivered for $39. I'm not sure you can ask for much cheaper unless you hunt thrift stores for used stuff.

I vote pour over.

I have a French Press, Aeropress and $200 espresso machine, but for my everyday morning cup I go for my pour over. Actually, I just ordered a Hario V60 which has a bigger hole than others (like the Melitta). I find it gives a richer cup and the cost is about the same if you get the plastic kind.

the V60 is perfectly fine, some may suggest the Chemex, others Kalita, just pick one and stick to it. i personally recommend a V60 clear plastic server for several reasons:

1. it's cheaper
   
2. it won't break when you drop it (to some extent)
   
3. it retains less heat
   
4. the clearness helps you see if you have grounds stuck to the sides
   some other things to pick up are a scale and a kettle (gooseneck if you're slightly more serious about the game). picking the right grinder will depend on your budget and whether or not you'd like to work out those arms of yours (auto or manual). i'd recommend watching this to get a good idea on the whole brewing process
   
   good luck!

I just started making cold brew coffee, which when made is basically a concentrate. It is amazingly strong, and does not have the acid/bitterness of hot brew. I am planning to purchase this cold brew to make things easier for me. I usually make my coffee strong, 1oz coffee to 1/2 oz water or milk with a dash of cream and sugar.

THIS is the cold brew pot I bought and loved 4 years ago - it's now at my old office.

I bought something else later that I didn't like as much - then broke that one 2 years ago. While the method I'm using now works like a charm - in part since I have a metal filter very similar to the one they're using here - I wouldn't mind one of these as well one of these days.

Thanks! Folks are ragging on me for not knowing any better, I guess I came off as offensive or something. I was gifted one of these, and wondering if an aeropress would produce a better cup of coffee or not.

A key advantage between these two seems to be the speed component, but you can make a larger batch with what I have (if you are willing to wait 8 hours).

This cold brew jug. We love coffee, and we pour some in a carafe and we immediately make more.

I use the Hario Mizudashi pitcher but you can buy these pretty neat socks from places like HappyMug that are perfect for occasional drinkers of the deep, cold black. As /u/Shoeshiner_boy pointed out, you can just dial back the brewing time to compensate for the smaller grind.

(I'm sure others here can offer up solutions that use cheesecloth or something similar.)

​

You can totally use a French press/ pitcher/ giant mason jars to make cold brew at home, but I really love my Hario Cold Brewer. Check out the Japanese iced coffee brew method if you want to get fancy.

For the price, this may be a better option for cold brew at home.

Hario Cold Brew

I do cold brew for my weekend coffee, and it's wonderful. Less acidic, smooth, and rich. I use a Hario 1000ml pot and use a coffee mill to medium grind my beans (~100g). Espresso blends are a good place to start, flavor-wise. Slowly pour filtered cold water over your grounds. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours. Discard the grounds and enjoy.

My typical cold toddy is:

• 3/4 C cold brew coffee
  
• 1/4 C cold water
  
• 2 Tb half & half
  
• 1-2 Tb simple syrup
  
  Simple syrup is crucial if you want sweetness. Even castor sugar doesn't dissolve enough. Simple syrup is... Simple. Bring equal parts (by weight) of water and sugar to a boil, stirring until fully dissolved. If you want flavors, just simmer for a while with either vanilla bean, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, honey, lavender, or whatever. Cool and then store. You can even do fancy stuff like buy caramel or chocolate sauces.
  
  Good luck!
  
  Edit: The Hario pot is about $20,and a coffee mill can be had for $20-40. Get some Mason jars or spring-top jars from Goodwill/SA. Get good beans and make your own syrups. Cheap investment for the best coffee you've ever had.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001VPXEBU?cache=4ea5976e2c9e936ae8b097d6c5d0065c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411452831&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ?cache=4ea5976e2c9e936ae8b097d6c5d0065c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411453722&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

Technivorm Moccamaster

Do you go to cafes together? I would suggest that you figure out her preference between coffee and espresso and then put your money into one or the other. I love both espresso and coffee but I would much rather have a good coffee machine in my house than an good espresso machine. I like trying different specialty coffee roasters and different single origin coffees. Try Intelligentsia, Stumptown, George Howell's Terroir or the roaster I work for Mocha Joe's. We all purchase high-end green coffee and have very talented coffee roasters.

A "really good coffee maker" isn't really an espresso machine. Coffee and Espresso definitely taste different, are "brewed" with very different techniques and espresso is usually a blend of several beans. Its not a great analogy but I guess you could think of coffee as milk chocolate and espresso as dark chocolate. They both come from cocoa beans but they taste very different.

I know it sounds like you really want a plumbed in machine but I'd highly suggest rethinking that and taking a look at the Technivorm. Its the only non-commerical coffee machine I know of that meets SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standards. Most plumbed in machines are considered commercial and you have to be pretty careful about your water set-up and flow rate. Also if you don't have a good water filtration system on it, you are likely to get scale buildup inside the machine. Repairs are very expensive (I am a repair guy). Some commercial machines are also 220v and you would have to get a dedicated outlet put in to power them.

As for espresso machines, the Rancilio Silvia is pretty popular among coffee geeks. They are pretty well built and affordable. They are also fairly easy to mod if your wife is into that sort of thing. Good luck with everything, I hope you found some of this useful!

My Moka Master is the only thing I can recommend because it's all I've used, when brewing pot coffee, for the past 6 years. For $300, the machine is a tank and hasn't had a hiccup once, also allows you to control the speed of the drip. At the time of purchase it was the only machine I could find that heated water to proper brewing temperature.

Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe, Polished Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zATpzb00GT80E

If you want the best bang for your buck I wouldn't drop more than 20-30. Go with a simple V60 pour over, French press, or stovetop espresso maker. They're all cheap and and give you a good cup of coffee consistently, given you brew each method properly

Method of brew is important and all, but grinder and uniform grounds is as crucial, if not more so, and this is where I would put my money. Burr grinders are known to be the best. I use a capresso $100 burr grinder and has been a powerhouse these past few years (I'll link it below). I recommend paying the premium as well, they offer a $45 burr grinder, however, you get what you pay for. The motor is much weaker and much less consistent grinds.
Also know what ground size is necessary for each method. Coarse for French press, fine for espresso etc.

Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZITpzbHK420TD

Hmu if you got questions, I'm always down to talk coffee.

I'd go for the MoccaMaster its perfect for an office.

but that would make you settle for a poorer grinder than a Baratza Encore. If you could at least spring for a Bodum grinder you would have a nice office set up.

There is meditation effect you get when you make your own coffee. Its also the way to ensure you get the best coffee. After its been brewed you have about 20 minutes before most of the flavor is gone. Here's what I do.

1. Buy a good quality bag of whole beans. Medium roast. I usually go for the indie type brands. Avoid pre grinded stuff.
   
2. Grind up two scoops of beans in a grinder. You can get them for cheap.
   
3. Use a machine or use a simple device like this to make two cups of coffee. Two cups will fit in 1 decently sized coffee cup. You may need a coffee filter.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper-White/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=pour.+over+coffee+makers&qid=1566559834&s=gateway&sr=8-8
   
   Try it black first, try to just enjoy the flavor. Then if you must try putting in some milk if you want. Id strongly recommend against sugar but to each their own

Hario V60

Got filters for it today.

Happy cake day!

I dont think you'll find one easily. Plastic is just so much easier to make those moving parts with..

This though... I am a fan of.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Dripper-Ceramic-Funnel/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=pd_sim_k_6
Not quite the same but it makes a damn good cup of coffee.

IMO I think you can get better bang for your bucks, all possible with a cheaper price tag -- I've assembled a list assuming a pour over kit. Obviously you would want to get a dripper. Now, there are a lot of different kinds out there (even within the same product line e.g. plastic vs ceramic construction), amongst which the popular ones would be the Hario V60 and the Melitta, the Beehouse included. For the kettle, you can get the Bonavita Variable GooseNeck for $60 now at Amazon (it's a steal!), or the Stovetop version for $20 less. The Bonavita allows the user to manipulate the temperature much more precisely, and thus ensures more consistent consecutive cups of coffee. To be even more precise, get a scale. I have owned the Hario Slim Mill for some time now, and with some simple modification, it can grind some pretty darn consistent grinds! I think altogether this will sum total to at most the same price. And above all, make sure you buy him freshly roasted beans!

This and this for starters?

Get this and these filters for doing pourover.

You might also want this grinder, unless you want to have your local shop grind for you as well, which they will. Tell them you're grinding for pourover so they'll know how coarse.

If you decide to also get the presspot, you'll need to grind differently for that, which is why I recommend buying the grinder also. Not to mention, it's super helpful to be able to grind your own, so you can dial in your brews. Additionally, whole beans stay fresh longer than ground coffee. You'll definitely notice a difference between fresh ground and the very end of a bag of ground coffee.

All you need other than that is a way to heat water, and some beans. Do you have a kettle of some sort? Stovetop or electric will work. You want to avoid using your keurig to make hot water, as it doesn't get hot enough.

Get one of these

http://www.amazon.com/Medelco-12-Cup-Stovetop-Whistling-Kettle/dp/B000V5X826/ref=sr_1_16?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1416428586&sr=1-16&keywords=chemex

and one of these

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1416428625&sr=1-3&keywords=hario

I have recently invested in some budget coffee equipment for making pour over coffee (iced and hot):

• Hario V60 Drip Decanter (Needed full decanter for iced)
  
  
• Hario Skerton Manual Grinder
  
  
• AMW-2KG Scale
  
  Questions:
  
  Standard coffee cooling too quick. Should I heat up full decanter and my cup before brewing? Or should I just get a ceramic dripper and save the decanter for iced coffee?
  
  My coffee enthusiast friend told me to use spring water and what a difference it has made! That being said, I'd like to avoid wasting it as much as possible. Would it be gross to use near boiling spring water to heat up decanter and cup, then pour it back into the jug with other spring water? Any other advice for using non-tap water?

I've got a pretty high quality dorm setup that is approved. Here are your options:

Option 1:

Hario ETL Certified Kettle

Hario V60

Filters

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $119

Option 2:

Aeropress

Proctor-Silex Water Kettle

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $66


Currently, I'm using the first setup. The v60 is a great pourover method. You'll be having the best coffee on campus. However, since it requires the gooseneck kettle it runs a greater price. Last year, I had option. The aeropress is a kick-ass coffee maker, and you can get by with the way cheaper water heater since pour method has no factor on the brew. Either way, you'd have the small hand grinder which is cheap, easy to clean, and does a fantastic job.

Either of these will make a solid cup, better than anything you'll find in a keurig.

I'm more of a novice than most of the users on this sub, but here is what I can recommend in terms of good ratio of quality to price (and keeping it below $100).

Grinder: Hario Mini Mill

Brew method: Hario V60

That's $50 right there, and it'll put you well past the quality of the Keurig once you do even a decent pour. You'll also need to blow ~20 bucks on a kettle, ~5 bucks on a pack of filters, and then you have to do your own research on finding beans that work for you.

Small edit: Definitely need to recommend getting kitchen scale so you can be measuring your grounds to water ratio more accurately.

Harios can be less than 20 bucks Seems like a reasonable cost for an experiment. If you're not into it, pass it on!

Also, are you using a gooseneck kettle and coffee scale? Good things to have around.

All you need is this (and filters)

Ceramic is only $15, filters are ~ $7 for 100. And you can just brew onto a 32 or 16 ounce glass mason jar if you don't want to buy a hario carafe. Fits well on a scale.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG

Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.

First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:

The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza

The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel

The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier


If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind


Next up: preparation methods

French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.

pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.

The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.



Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful

The typical recommended r/coffee starter kit is an aeropress ($33) and a grinder like this one ($29). I think that the grinder and something to brew it in are the two most important components. Get those before a kettle. If you want to get something a little cheaper, maybe start with a french press (could be had for around $20) or a pourover ($22). You won't be able to do a precise pourover without a kettle, though. And if you absolutely need to stay under $15, this exists for $12. In theory, you could boil water then pour it into a measuring cup or something like that and then do your pourover. I used one of those before I knew anything about coffee. I haven't touched it since I got an aeropress and I just bought a chemex for pourover. So, it's not going to be the best option, and you may be looking to replace it later. That said, if you're on a strict budget now and you don't see that changing in the future... it exists. But if you think it's a hobby you'll stick with, get something nice now so you don't end up spending more later and throwing away your first item. Anything less than a v60/french press won't be "good", but will produce coffee.

If you're looking to just brew yourself a cup a day or if you're the only one going to be drinking it, you could totally go with a Hario V60 and buy yourself a cheap little gooseneck kettle (not terribly necessary but adds convenience)

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDC-02W-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper/dp/B000P4D5HG

You can just pop it on top of a mug and brew direct!

Hario pour over filters and Ceramic Funnel. A grinder. A sauce pan to heat your water in. I've never bothered with buying the gooseneck kettle. A steady hand when pouring out of the sauce pan works fine for me, just remember to barely soak the grounds and then let them sit for a minute before pouring more water through. It's a very cheap set up that makes the best coffee I've ever had. Yes, it would be great to have a bur grinder, but I was given a $30 "blender" grinder from Target for Christmas and it works great. All you have to do is learn to slowly pour your water in. Probably around a $60 investment that you will not regret. If you want to learn more, just go to a local coffee house and ask them for a pour over cup of coffee and watch them. It never has a scorched taste, and it never turns out too strong like a press sometimes does for me. It's so damned simple that I've kicked myself for not learning it earlier.

Funnel can be found here.

There are some very affordable burr grinders out there, and it's worth the investment. You'll use it pretty much everyday. Hand grinders can be very cheap, and work great. Hario Skerton is a popular choice (I've seen it around for cheaper, but this is at least what's on amazon). Plenty of options, all varying in price. There's a pretty decent burr grinder from Kona I've used before, which I got for like $20.

But manual grinding can take some time. And if you're like me, and you want some quick coffee in the morning, then it's worth investing in an electric. There are some pretty decent electric burr grinders out there. You really don't have to pay a fortune. Here are a few cheap options:

Capresso Infinity

Bodum Bistro

Baratza Encore

But you can get far snobbier than just grind...

What kind of water are you using? Hopefully filtered, not tap. And definitely not distilled, since you want some of those minerals for flavor. Now, if you want to get even fancier, try using these mineral packets. I think each packet mixes in with 1 gallon of distilled water. I haven't tried it myself (I just use a brita) but I've heard good things. The quality of water makes a huge difference. This was the first "eureka" moment for me, when I moved from tap to filtered.

Next, how are you making your coffee? There are some great, cheap equipment out there. In this sub, here are some pretty cheap and popular choices:

Aeropress

Chemex

Pour-over

French press

We're getting pretty deep in the rabbit hole, right? Not yet! How about measuring the weight of the coffee? Consistency is important. You need the same, proper coffee-to-water ratio for the best cup. You can find people debating over the best scales, some costing hundreds. I'd just get a cheap one if I were you. You can find some decent cheap ones from like $10 to $30. If you want the best bang for your buck, look into American Weigh Scales.

I guess I can mention temperature of water as well. You can get thermometers or even electric kettles with built-in thermometers (like this). I think temperature matters so much more for tea than coffee, but it's something you need to keep in mind for coffee as well.

Here's probably the most important thing, in my opinion: where are you getting your coffee? What is the roast date? Unless you're buying your coffee directly from the roaster, you're probably not buying freshly roasted beans. It makes a world of difference. Try finding a local roaster and getting your beans from them, freshly roasted.

I'm sure there's plenty of other ways you can splurge money on coffee, but I'll let you figure it out!

(edited to fix the links)

Not at the grocery store, and not at Charfucks. Ya gotta order it, ya herd? I gets mine from PT's Coffee in Topeka, but that's because it's close to me. Also because they won Best Coffee in 2009. If you're really interested, this is a great place to start. Any of these coffees will be good and fresh. Also, you need a burr grinder and a decent brewing method. The simplest one, which I use, is a conical-shaped glass or ceramic thing that you set right on top of your cup, made by Hario. You just put the coffee grounds in the filter and then pour boiling water over the grounds, and it drips right into your cup. Here it is in Amazon. Have fun!

By "they all work the same" I was talking about the various pourover cones that take Melitta filters, which is what the OP was asking about. E.g. the Melitta plastic cone, the Melitta porcelain cone, the Bee House Ceramic cone, or many others of that style. I agree that V60 and Chemex are different.

Buy high quality coffee. I run with Intelligensia since I'm in Chicago. Make sure that shit is whole beans. Then get yourself a grinder, some coffee filters and one of these mofos then make it according to this guide

mind will be blown

I use this:

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393890729&sr=8-1&keywords=melitta+coffee+cone

It's perfect for making a single cup of coffee, costs like $7 and I can put whatever fucking coffee in it I want. I mean it's a god damn funnel.

I just make my coffee manually with one of these.

Yeah. We have a really good local roaster (Velo) I get my coffee from. I don't drink it often so i get whole beans and grind them as I need it.

I treated myself to a new coffeemaker a couple of years ago sort of like this one but smaller and it's been great. I also have a french press and an espresso maker I sometimes use the Press for tea as well.

Little weird things that sit on top of your cup have become oddly popular up here.

Melitta all the way and I don't keep coffee for long enough to worry about oxygen

<$10 -- no moving parts -- https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

The only negative IMO is the plastic, which I don't like coming in contact with anything I am going to put in my mouth.

I use one of these, the filters are biodegradable. link

You can get one of these if you're only interested in making one cup at a time.

Over time i got a lil grossed out by all the insides of the average coffee maker that you cannot clean so I bought a french press and a drip over cup cone thing. I much prefer these. The coffee tastes fresher than any machine I've ever used mainly because these two things are very easy to clean in between each use.

Melitta makes one, here and here.

For camping there are a couple sold by various outdoor stores, pretty sure Mountain Equipment Coop sells at least one kind.

edit: here is another this one has a permanent filter.

Since the OP mentioned being in a dorm, this may be an even better option:

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/

No need to pay extra for the bigger cone or carafe if you're just gonna be making coffee for yourself - get this little cone and probably have more than enough left on that gift card for a box of #2 filters.

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

Of all the things I've tried, I ended up with a 2 cup Pyrex that I microwave water to a cool (by most standards) 180-190°F and use a pour over coffee cone and a folded circle of muslin fabric. I usually pre-grind the beans at the store as the coffee doesn't last more than a week.

Using the cone I was able to try the a "cold press" method by half filling a mason jar with coffee grounds and letting them soak in the refrigerator and using the cone to filter the strong coffee for later drinking.

Yep!

To replicate the set up in the picture you can purchase

• this cone filter
  

• 2 or #4 filters (available on amazon and most grocery stores)
  

• and use any pitcher/carafe that the melitta fits on top of
  
  <$12, assuming you have a kettle and pitcher
  
  Even easier and cheaper, you can do a cold brew. Add grounds and room temp water to any container (french press makes things more convenient if you have one) that fits your desired amount, let sit for 18-24 hours, then pour through a paper filter
  

I think pour through is superior

Melitta

something simple like this or this?

you can make a casual cup with the syphon. I have never tried folgers or anything with mine, but i do use the pre-ground dunkin donuts coffee for a quick 'i just want some coffee'. the key to the syphon is how long you leave it brewing before removing it from the heat.

Indeed. I just use one of these. Well, I have a ceramic version, but same idea.

Aeropress is ok, but you can get similar results with a simple single-cup pourover.

You can find one of these plastic filter holders for $3-6 at any big grocery store: https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

Then get some #2 paper cone filters which are also very cheap.

The part that gets expensive (if you want it to be!) is a coffee grinder. I have a nice electric one at home that I paid about $300 for. But when I'm on the road I use a hand-grinder: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ. The Hario one is $35 but you can find similar ones for $20.

You could also just spend $10 on a shitty electric blade grinder. The fresh-ground coffee will still taste better than the pre-ground stuff but you might not get full flavor extraction if the grind is inconsistent.

To boil water I use an electric kettle, but you can also just use a propane stove or microwave or whatever you have available. I heat my water to anywhere between 190oF and 205oF, actually boiling water is too hot for coffee.

The most important single thing you can do for awesome coffee is simply grinding the beans fresh and then making the coffee. Everything else that coffee snobs do as part of their coffee ritual don't add too much more unless you have a really refined palate and are serious about coffee. Some people need to have their beans uniformly ground at the right diameter, use water at an exact temperature, and have a drip process that lasts for a precise amount of time. They aim for consistency so they spend a shitload on expensive grinders and kettles. They'll only use beans that were roasted within the past week.

But for me, as long as the beans were roasted within the past couple of months (pro-tip: don't buy a bag of coffee beans if it doesn't have the roasting date on it), I grind them fresh for coffee, and use water-that-isn't-boiling-yet, I get a cup I can really enjoy.

Get rid of the microwave and get an electric kettle that makes boiling water in seconds to heat up your cups of tea. To reheat food, use the stove top--using your hands and taking a few moments to get in touch with your food may prove to be more satisfying than pressing buttons.

For coffee--make single servings. Each cup will be fresh and since you have the electric kettle you will have boiled water right there in seconds.

As for the toaster and dish drainer--I have no suggestions.

Make pour-over instead of Keurig if you want easy. This is probably the cheapest, practical way to make single serving coffee.

Just use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425489055&sr=8-1&keywords=pour+over+cone

or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Paperless-Dripper-Stainless-CFOD-02/dp/B0040VIN18/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1425489055&sr=8-8&keywords=pour+over+cone

I have [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425504043&sr=8-1&keywords=single+cup+drip+coffee+maker) I bet you could find one for even cheaper in a thrift store. I also like French presses.

It's been mentioned, but a pour-over cone is cheaper than instant, and your coffee will be better.

My setup:

• Burr grinder (you don't need one, a blade or buying preground will be okay, though it's not ideal taste-wise, it'll be better than instant.)
  
  
• Melitta plastic pour-over cone and #2 cone filters (unbleached)
  
  
• Cheap electric kettle.
  
  Simple. Pick your mug. Start your kettle. Put the pourover on top of your mug, put your filter in, grind/measure your coffee and put in. When the water's hot, pour it over until your cup is full.
  
  Techniques vary, but this has got to be one of the most dead-simple ways to make cheap coffee. Plus it only takes a couple minutes. :)

I would take this over an aeropress

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0014CVEH6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1372870080&sr=8-4&pi=SL75

They are 2.99 at my local grocery store. Buy two incase somebody "borrows" it and 200 filters. Should run you $12 for the semester.

Thanks poolstick, I agree about brew time occurring on its own. Here's the dripper I use:

Pour over brewer
 

Here's my method:

• Load 25g coffee into already wet filter/cone. (using a 25g:300g ratio)
  
• Place over cup, place on scale, tare.
  
• Add about 100g water to bloom, wait 30 seconds for bubbles stop, gasses to escape. (Any less water and the grounds aren't quite covered.)
  
• Add another 100g water, wait for coffee to get close to surfacing, add approx. 100g more, for 300g total.
  
• Taste and evaluate.
  
  My water is usually around 200 degrees (using Thermapen instant read).
  Bloom usually 30-60 seconds.
  Grind size seems to work well (i.e. not too acidic, sour, or bitter - usually).
  Real issue is sometimes it can be sour or bitter and other times it's amazing.

Grounds with only an automatic drip maker?

Maybe take this as an opportunity to get into the world of preparing your own coffee.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014CVEH6/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0049D3UF6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=095MQ58MVDS0MZ8ZD1AR

This, and filters, will be your only required purchase, assuming you have a kettle. Huge improvement over an automatic drip, because you can control the flow and temperature of the water.

Give it a shot. You can only do some much, though, if the coffee itself is bad.

$6

http://amzn.com/B0014CVEH6

You can clip this pourover to the outside of your bag and bring as many filters as you need. Also, if your coffee is preground at a coffee shop you don't need to bother with a grinder. Not ideal, but still beats instant. There are collapsible versions of pourovers like this but they're not as cheap. The only issue is that the pourover "technique" is tricky without a proper kettle, but this setup will do it for the backcountry, I think.

Hario v60 has a plastic model that's my go to brew method. Very similar flavor profile to a chemex, since it's a pour over that uses paper filters, but you can play around with techniques, times, and temperatures a little more than with a Chemex. They're pretty cheap on Amazon, especially with Prime, and they don't break when you drop them.

Another option would be a Clever Coffee Dripper, which is somewhere between a pour over and a french press. It has a lot of the flavors you'd get out of a pour over, with more body, like you'd expect from a french press. Also plastic, also hard to break.

A pour over set up can be had for quite cheap.

Hario V60 Plastic Coffee Dripper, Size 02, Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WcZ5AbRMPN9JG

Bonavita 1.0L Electric Kettle BV3825B https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TeZ5AbY1C3CZG

Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02, 100 Count, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O0R46I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yfZ5Ab8GY8NBT

$5.67 + $6.21 + $29.34 = $41.16

I realize you’re using euros so it will be slightly different. And honestly if you got a different kettle you could cut out 10 or more dollars to get you into the ~30 USD range which from what I can tell would be saving you money. Just make sure it’s a gooseneck and keep in mind the fewer times you have to rebuy something the likely less cost efficient it is.

For even lower cost a plastic V60 ($7.30 https://smile.amazon.com/Hario-Plastic-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/). Brandless doesn't appear to have filter on their site, and when I look up the 3rd party ones they would use they appear to be even more expensive than V60 filters ($8.62 for 80). https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001U7EOYA/ (100 count, white, tabbed, $6.40 for 100).

Edit: as far as quality I imagine it's identical to the Melitta pour over and it takes the same filters. Ceramic tends to suck a lot of heat out so it'll need a good preheat - a plastic brewer won't need as much of one. It's a good deal on a ceramic brewer but I wouldn't look at ceramic as being "better" in order to justify that deal.

V60 (amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Plastic-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541449217&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+v60+plastic

Grinder (amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1DTB-Ceramic-Coffee-Mini-Slim/dp/B01GPMH590/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1541449268&sr=8-7&keywords=hario+skerton

With a v60, one of these kettles would help a lot too (something similar is perfectly okay too, but pay attention to the skinny spout: https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV382510V-Variable-Temperature-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541449338&sr=8-3&keywords=bonavita+variable+kettle

And coffee all depends on local roasters in your area, but they put the regions on the bags, so just find some ones from africa, or focus on tasting notes they list.

Hope this helps!

I got hooked on them last time I was in SF. Basically a slower way to make coffee by manually pouring water from a kettle onto grounds with a filter. It's a pretty simple process but it obviously takes more time to do than the coffee you get at Tims, and for some reason it's "hipster" right now, so it's like $4-5 a cup at most places in SF.

If you're willing to do it yourself though, it's actually really cheap. I have one of these. It's under $10, which is probably one of the cheapest ways to brew coffee.

I've found it has a more intense taste than regular drip coffee, but usually along with the extra time/attention to brew it comes extra time/attention in picking better, and fresher beans, so the improved taste could just be the beans.

Coffee has a lot of interesting natural flavors, and you can easily and inexpensively step up your coffee game for even better coffee that has it's own nutty or caramel notes, that will be even tastier than Starbucks or Duncan Donuts. :)

• Brewing: There are a couple easy, inexpensive brewing options. I think the most universally favored for beginners and pro's alike is a weird device called an Aeropress. Another option is a pour-over coffee cone, like this Hario V6. Or what I use: a French Press. What I like about the French Press is that you can almost always find one at a thrift store or yard sale for like $2.
  
  
• Grinding: Coffee starts to get stale once it's ground. Ideally you can grind it before you make it. A quality inexpensive grinder is the Hario Skerton But here's what I do: I get my coffee ground in the store and put it in an air-tight container. I put 1 weeks worth in a separate bag.
  
  
• Grind size is important too, if you use a French Press you want "course" grind. Which you can get in pre-ground coffee.
  
  
• Water: use filtered water.
  
  
• The coffee itself: Starbucks heavily roasts their coffee, but would still be better quality than Dunkin Donuts. Entry-level good coffee can be had at Costco or Trader Joes. Even better coffee comes from 3rd wave coffee shops, or ordering online. Those are higher priced but you get what you pay for.
  
  Honestly though the great thing is you can pick ONE of these things and have better coffee, and each thing you do will improve your cup. And then you can go to /r/coffee and go down the rabbit hole of "the perfect cup". I'm kind of a coffee-snob poser: I get my beans from Trader Joe's and don't own a grinder. But what I get from my French Press is miles ahead of what I used to drink, it allowed me to cut out sugar or sweeteners.

You are absolutely correct that coffee shouldn't be bitter. Generally, he shouldn't buy French roast, but anything in the light or even medium roast range should not be noticeably bitter. If it's too strong, he should just change the water to coffee ratio until it works for him. A good cup of coffee should be mellow and somewhat sweet even without cream and sugar.

Obviously everything tastes better if you add fat and a sweetener of some sort, though. I like heavy cream and ez-sweets, but before Keto I just drank it straight and was perfectly happy.

Cold brew is delicious, but expensive to brew in sufficient quantities to replace a 2-3 cup a day coffee habit, since you have to use something like 1:3 water/coffee. If you drink 24oz of coffee a day, that's a 12oz bag of beans every day and a half.

A lot of people like Aeropress, I find it cumbersome. Same with Chemex. I would ignore these, unless you want to deep dive into coffee purism.

Last year I switched from a french press to a Hario dripper and I'm very happy with it. I would say the quality is slightly preferable to me, though they're in the same ballpark. The process is slightly easier, and the cleanup is trivial (since you have a paper filter). A Hario is like $9, 100 filters are like $5.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Glass-Coffee-Server-700ml/dp/B001V7DBMA is 13 bucks
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper-White/dp/B001RBTSMM is 8 bucks
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Paper-Coffee-Filters-Count/dp/B001U7EOYA is 6 bucks

​

you can always buy it separately.

The bonavita gooseneck variable.... again (sorry :) )

I woudl say either use your basic kettle and a thermometer (cheap one like this Weber instant read) for minimal money or get the gooseneck variable.

The variability will be great for your aeropress and pourover is super cheap and fun to try (the plastic hario v60 02 is under $8) for which the gooseneck is key. No point spending $50 on the variable normal then spending another $100 later on the gooseneck. Likewise gooseneck metal kettles are also $50. The $100 one really is the best upgrade, better to save longer for it than buy an interim and end up spending more.

The Bonavita is also on massdrop a lot (bookmark this) as while it ended for now it comes up all the time.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VD-02T-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM

I recommend this instead of the glass one:

https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-VD-02T-Coffee-Dripper-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/

You'll save some cash and it works just as well.

The stand isn't necessary; you can just place the V60 on top of the server and brew directly into it. You will need a scale, tho!

Nope, never tried cold brews. Prefer having it hot. What equipment do you use ? coffee makers like these ?

22 bucks gets you this: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407779202&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+brew+coffee

Doing a cold brew with a Hario Cold Brew Pot using beans from Caffe D'arte (Seattle). I picked up their Parioli Expresso Blend and so far it makes one smooth cup of iced coffee.

Try cold press, substantially less acidic.

Just curious: what's the real difference between the Filtron and the Hario cold-brew pitcher that I can frequently for half the price? I've been using the Hario pitcher for the last couple of years and have been really happy with the product, but if Filtron does it better, I'll wanna give it a whirl.

I have one of these that broke so I'm using the filter from it.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU

I have the Hario Mizudashi and I love it! Recipe is pretty simple too, I just add 80g of coffee and brew. Once I remove the filter basket with grounds, I just add water until I hit the black plastic to dilute and it's drinking strength (roughly 1:2 water:concentrate).

No idea what this has to do with CrossFit, but I much prefer Cold Brewing coffee anyway. I've got a Cold Brew jug that makes awesome coffee.

What about something like https://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU ?

And honestly if I can get a cheap version of a blended drink without tasting much if any coffee I'd be happy. Or at least the bitter stuff I associate with black coffee.

What if I used Xanthan Gum instead of a frappe powder and solely used my own ingredients for the rest of it?

Easiest way is to get one of these babies:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MCPN-14B-Water-Coffee-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408957614&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+cold+brew

there is absolutely no hassle with filtering and its fast, clean and tidy

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VPXEBU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_mSu6ybTBT693F

Espresoo Workshop in Britomart does a pretty great cold brew - was up there recently from Christchurch (where our options are pretty much brew-your-own) and was very impressed. I'd recommend you give them a go if you're in the CBD.

In terms of devices - I haven't heard of the Bruer but we use the Hario brew pot and it does the trick, was cheap(ish) to ship to NZ as well...

I just use this and have no complaints.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-1000ml-Black/dp/B001VPXEBU

Theres a specific pitcher/filter combo you can get in order to make cold brew. I have one, but ill have to go find it before I can give you a specific brand name or something. You just put the grinds in the filter, pour filtered water in the pitcher, and let it extract overnight in the fridge. Be sure to allow at least 12 hrs of time for the water to extract the coffee.

EDIT: This is what I have https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-Maker-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU. Anything similar will have the capabilities of making some good cold brew.

I recommend this thing. Way cheaper than the Toddy and consistently makes amazing cold brew: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-Maker-1000ml/dp/B001VPXEBU

I bought this. So much easier.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VPXEBU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cold brew sounds like what you need.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VPXEBU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Are these not available stateside?

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B001VPXEBU/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en_JP

It's just a Hario pitcher with a nice filter, but it makes pretty darn good iced coffee from cold water. (I'd guess it's lower caffeine as well, which may be a good thing in summer, or not.)

It definitely looks to be a V60 + carafe + ice container as you say. Hario also makes a similar cold-brew pitcher that I recommend if you'd like to try that method.

The thing is, french press makes a totally different cup than say, a drip machine. It will have much more body from the oils in the beans and also it will inevitably have some grit. The best way to avoid grit is to invest in a really good grinder that is consistent. Or you can just let it settle to the bottom of the cup and not drink that portion.

So really to make the best french press possible you need to invest a lot of money. Fresh press is great but I wouldn't call it the gold standard, it is just one of the many ways to make coffee. Drip machines can make great coffee if you spend a lot of money, like a Technivorm.

If you are satisfied with the coffee you make in a french press without investing in an expensive grinder, go for it. In my opinion, the Aeropress makes a damn decent cup of coffee without the expensive grinder - it is much more forgiving when it comes to grind inconsistency.

From America's Test Kitchen Season 14: Oatmeal Muffins and Granola

NOTE: I originally posted a slightly less detailed review of these coffee makers in March or April 2013 but they have been re-tested so I am posting this more detailed review, the old post has been deleted. The youtube video review is not the same as the (updated) one on the ATK website, but the Winning and Best Buy models are the same. ~OP

• Youtube Video Review
  
  
• Very Detailed Testing Notes with updated video review
  **
  
  WINNER
  Rated as HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
  
  Technivorm Moccamaster 10-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe - $229.00
  
  > Certified by the SCAA, the updated version of our old favorite (the KBT 741, now also $299) meets time and temperature guidelines with utter consistency. As a result, it produces a “smooth,” “velvety” brew. It’s also intuitive to use. The carafe lost some heat after 2 hours but still kept the coffee above 150 degrees.
  
  
• Amazon link
  
  **
  
  BEST BUY
  Rated as HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
  
  Bonavita 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe - $149.00
  
  > Simple to use and SCAA-certified, this brewer spends most of the cycle in the ideal temperature range. Its coffee had “bright,” “full” flavor that was a bit more “acidic” than the Technivorm’s. The widemouthed carafe is easy to clean, but there’s no brew-through lid; you must remove the brew basket and screw on a separate lid to keep coffee hot.
  
  
• Amazon link
  
  **
  
  Rated as RECOMMENDED:
  
  Bunn HT Phase Brew 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker - $139.99
  
  > This SCAA-certified pot heats the water completely before releasing it over the grounds. That explained its impressive temperature accuracy, though the coffee was somewhat “acidic.” (Note: Early versions of this model shorted out when home voltage fluctuated; Bunn states that it has solved this problem, and our machine worked fine.)
  
  
• Amazon link
  
  **
  
  Five others were NOT RECOMMENDED:
  
  
• Capresso MT600 PLUS 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe
  
• Bodum Bistro b. over Coffee Machine
  
• Breville YouBrew Drip Coffee Maker with Built-In Grinder
  
• Cuisinart Perfec Temp 12-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker
  
  --
  
  
• Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew Thermal Coffeemaker, 10 Cup
  
  > By prescribing far less than the SCAA-recommended amount of grounds, this machine brewed “dishwater.” Adding the right amount of coffee for a full pot caused the grounds to overflow the filter and gunk up the brew basket. Other design flaws: The basket’s side drawer must be pulled out completely to fill—annoying if your counter is crowded—and its reservoir acquired a musty smell we couldn’t eradicate.
  

For drip coffee, I'm told this is the bees knees: http://www.amazon.com/Technivorm-Moccamaster-Coffee-Brewer-Thermo/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318801619&sr=8-1

Something about the temperature it gets to, the spray of water, etc.

But I'm not spending the $300 needed to make that good coffee at work.

Unless they have expressed a desire to do something different, I don't really think so. They're probably just fine with what they have.

If you're dead set on getting them a nicer brewer, then that probably wouldn't be a bad idea - but it sounds like they like their coffee the way it is?

Getting them a [technivorm moccamaster] (https://www.amazon.com/Moccamaster-10-Cup-Coffee-Thermal-Polished/dp/B002S4DI2S) would be a saintly thing ; but are you sure you don't just want one for yourself?

I recently purchased the Technivorm Moccamaster and Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder as replacements for my worn-out Cuisinart grinder and Brew Central coffee maker. So far, I am very pleased with the improvements in taste and quality of coffee I’ve brewed.

Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 79112 Coffee Brewer, 40 oz, Polished Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wfa9BbNMGHNFG

Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075G11F9N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uga9BbFVB7F7T

The National Coffee Association says:

>Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction. Colder water will result in flat, underextracted coffee while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the coffee.

Further,

>If it will be a few minutes before it will be served, the temperature should be maintained at 180 - 185 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just because most home brewers don't have the capability to do this doesn't mean it's correct. The Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonavita BV1800 both have capabilities to brew at optimum temperature, as well as two other home models which are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

I think I'll trust their judgment and advice over Cracked.

I think the two most important questions are: what are some coffees that you've had and like? What sort of work are you willing to put into it?

My personal recommendation would be to get a Baratza Encore grinder, a digital scale, a gooseneck kettle of some sort, a Chemex, and a French Press. All that should easily fit within your budget. And of all the accessories I have, on 90% of the days I don't use anything other than those. Well, and some coffee beans.

But that will take some work -- measuring, grinding, pouring, waiting, more pouring. It will make much better coffee than any automated machine, but maybe you don't care that much and it sounds like too much work. In that case, the Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonvavita 1900 TS are good options for automatic drip machines.

EDTIT: Sorry, I missed "automatic" in the text. I still don't think that will give you the best coffee, but if you're set on it, ignore everything I said except the Technivorm and Bonavita.

The aesthetics look really awesome. I've seen many dutch coffee devices being used in South Korea. Like this one from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-Maker-Straight-Black/dp/B004EBUZ1A/ref=pd_sim_79_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=41tRrVDoWJL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=D620MKJ5734WVNBTRF3Q

Most of them are big (which may be good for displays in coffee shops), and like you said, the openings allow dust and air to enter. I think that's why these dutch coffee tasted so acidic from being oxidized. Have you guys tested if your coffee is less acidic than regular dutch coffee since there's less oxidation?

1. How often do you have to replace filters? And will they be expensive to purchase? (With SS filter, do you never have to buy a new one?)
   
2. Does the unit have any thermo-resistance? Sometimes ice melts too fast in the chamber, or the coffee at the bottom warms up too fast and becomes oxidized (especially in summer). It would be cool if there's some thermal resistance so ice melts slow and the coffee at the bottom stays cool. How do you maintain that "constant temperature" that you mention on the website?
   
3. Will the brewing rate become slower as the filter gets clogged up?
   
   As a Korean, I think one of the biggest up-sell is that it prevents "dust" from entering. Korea is currently suffering "micro dust" problem and they are obsessed with preventing dust in any possible way. The fact that this prevents dust and purifies water, it could be a huge up-sell there.
   
   In the future, do you guys plan on making larger version for commercial use? Like at coffee shops? Will you guys ever export to Korea?
   
   EDIT: Haha, I just realized this was being made in Korea after reading Amazon product page.
   
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=4czF1u4tixo
   

Does he like cold brew?

https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-Maker-Straight-Black/dp/B004EBUZ1A

Perhaps a really cool science-lab-looking iced-tea maker like this one? Northwest Glass makes a much larger version (about 3-4 feet tall) that is very impressive in person and would be suitable for a tea cafe.

hmmm.... he COULD upgrade his grinder, a baratza virtuoso is a step up from his capresso infinity (that's what i think that is), especially when it comes to espresso making.

there are things like custom tamps that you can get and get their name on it? I'm not familiar with the breville machine so not sure if the tamps you get actually work on the breville one, sometimes they are smaller.

other cool things include a siphon coffee machine, you would want to get a butane burner for it, i'm not from america so I don't really know what people recommend of amazon lol but i'll link something for reference:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Technica-5-Cup-Syphon-Coffee/dp/B000IKLQZK/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=siphon+coffee+hario&qid=1569350492&s=gateway&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Tabletop-Outdoor-Butane-Burner/dp/B07WFDPMNJ/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=siphon+coffee+butane+burner&qid=1569350580&s=gateway&sr=8-15

or a kyoto style drip tower, which is for making iced drip coffee which is great and this is also somethign I would NEVER get myself (price and all) but would be awesome to have but be aware of the practicality of size and where to put it lol, note: it takes 5-6 hours to drip a few cups haha:

https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Glass-YAMCDM8SBK-Coffee-Technology/dp/B004EBUZ1A/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=kyoto+drip+tower&qid=1569350410&s=gateway&sr=8-15

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Water-Dripper-780ml/dp/B001807LZS/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=drip+tower&qid=1569350457&s=gateway&sr=8-10

btw, you are a great friend.

That cold brew science-looking experiment is the Yama and it's for sale on Amazon, as well as other outlets when you know the name. But amazon is easiest for me to link as I already looked it up. My local coffee shop uses ice water in the reservoir.

25 cup model for $479

6-8 cup model for $269

Something like this

It's capable of making concentrate that you can cut with milk/water or just straight drinking strength coffee.

You could make a batch before opening and brew more as the day progresses based on the expected number of customers. It's really mesmerising to watch!

Amazon, my friend:

http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Northwest-Glass-32-Ounce-Coffee/dp/B004EBUZ1A

I've had my eye on one for some time. Can't quite justify it, though..

Drinking lapsang souchong from Red Blossom Tea; it's starting to grow on me more although I'll admit I definitely prefer later brews to the first brew.

No tea-specific gifts this year, which I'm OK with because I'm very picky. Someone who knows me well would usually just ask what I like/want (clearly I've had more than a handful of bad surprises, hah).

My favorite gift by far is a homemade version of this drip tower. I'll upload if I get around to taking pictures! I'm not really sure if I could use this for tea (this is for cold brew coffee, my favorite style), but I am SO happy witih it. Handmade thoughtful gifts are the best. :)

Just get a beaker and have a glass worker add them if you cant find them else where. Or there is always a way to buy a pre-made system: http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Northwest-Glass-32-Ounce-Coffee/dp/B004EBUZ1A .

If you're going to break your budget and Dad is all about convenience, start him off with some good quality coffee and this.
http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406947772&sr=8-1&keywords=bona+vita+coffee+maker

It's 134.99 on Amazon in the US right now.

Bonavita BV1800TH 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_obX7tb0XHQ3DP

Agreed. What do you brew with at home? I recently semi-retired my french press in favor of one of these drip machines: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398877808&sr=8-1&keywords=bonavita

I LOVE it and I never thought I could love drip coffee again.

I was curious about this, so I did a little research in looking for the best drip brewer.

Eventually, I found my to this site, which seems to list brewers that pass a certain standard of coffee volume, brew time, brew temperature, etc.

In addition, I found this video, which I also found interesting, as their top 3 machines were also on the SCAA list.

Those three are:

• Bunn Phase Brew 8 Cup currently at $103.96.
  
  
• Bonavita BV1800 currently at $149.99. The video rated this as the "best value".
  
  
• And the top rated is the Technivorm Mochamaster, the most expensive and consistent with different models and prices. I think the video was referring to the KBT-741 model which retails at $299.
  
  I hope this helps.

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1800TH-Coffee-Thermal-Carafe/dp/B005YQZNO8/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1381591149&sr=1-2&keywords=drip+coffee

Second what /u/oleander725 said. The /r/coffee wiki has a gear by price section that lists the three SCAA certified drip machines. The 2 that pop up here the most are the

• Bonavita BV1800 8 Cup Cofffee Maker
  
  
• Technivorm Moccamaster KB-741
  
  Edit:
  
  There's also the Lance Larkin BE 112 Brew Express

My two cents if you're saving up for quality:

For $100-200 you can buy a proper coffee maker, such as a Bonavita BVA1800TH which should run you roughly $125-150 and will actually get the water hot enough and spread it with a shower head to make properly extracted coffee, and it comes with a thermal carafe.

If you aren't going to drink all of the coffee that you're putting into it right away, avoid the carafe heater and get something thermal. It's best to stay away from glass carafes and carafe heaters.

If you don't care about any of that, this looks like a good deal.

I don't know the 1900 but I have the 1800 specifically this model

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005YQZNO8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421038774&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41rroX5%2B3fL&ref=plSrch

The inside of the carafe is glass and the lid is plastic, I never get any off taste. It makes damn good coffee for a drip. Not quite a Technivorm, but still awesome.

I'd buy a single serve coffee maker and maybe a good coffee mug

So what you're saying is, something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405025223&sr=8-1&keywords=hamilton+beach+the+scoop

will still make worse coffee w/ the same beans than the AP?

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-49981A-Single-Coffee/dp/B00EI7DPS0

Single serving. I bought mine 2 years ago, use it every day, and it still works fine.

You need to accurately track your purchases. Mine.com is a pretty handy tool, will automatically categorize your spending so you can see where its actually going.

If you're eating out for every meal, you're likely spending $40+ a day on food. Thats around $1200 a month.

Some suggestions:
Do you buy a coffee every morning? If so, get a $40 coffee maker like This One and make it at home to take to work.

You mention not being able to go to the grocery store often. Is it possible to get groceries delivered through pea pod or some other service? This will likely save you significantly on lunch and dinners instead of ordering out all the time.

Is your cell phone still under contract? Take a look at switching to a prepaid service such as Net10, Straight Talk or Google fi. Plans can be had for $50 or less in some cases. Even if you are under contract, look at the early termination fee, depending how far along in the contract you are it may be worth to to pay the fee to be able to cut your bill in half.

What home security system do you have? Is it under contract? You could look to switch the monitoring to another company like Alarm relay.com
I recently installed a Honeywell wireless security system and self monitor for $10 per month. Full monitoring can be had for $15.

You mention buying new light bulbs from amazon. Try calling your electric company and see if they offer an Energy audit. In my area, you can get an audit every few years. During the audit they will replace your bulbs with LED's for free. They will also look at ways you may be able to save energy further (blown in insulation, air sealing, etc) which may help even more. Any suggestion they make are done at a deep discount, and can be financed on your electric bill. I had my crawl space sealed for $700 when it would have cost me $3k. It also saved a good deal on my heating bill.

Not sure what you have for a bank, but consider opening a high interest savings account at Ally.com and transferring a percentage of your money there. So its out of sight, out of mind. If you "see" less money in your main account, you may spend less.

That's why I ditched Keurig's stupid shit and got the Hamilton Beach single serve machine. Keurigs break after a year anyway. I've had this bad boy for well over a year and it's going strong.

Hamilton Beach 49981A Single Serve Scoop Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EI7DPS0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_hE.wub1REC4F7

Also a better price than a keurig

I think he means like this.

There are hundreds of single-cup coffee makers out there. I've been using a Hamilton Beach one for years without any complaints or waste.

Or an in between. I bought this single-serve coffee maker instead of a Keurig because I don't like weak, expensive coffee. This one cranks out a full sized travel mug in about 4 minutes of whatever ground coffee I like, and it's strong and hot, with easy cleanup. It's clearly not as pop-and-go as a Keurig, but the advantages well outweigh the small convenience factor.

This is the one I'm currently using. It's not perfect, but good for a single cup.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EI7DPS0

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EI7DPS0?cache=40bdccd9b0b77d822c2e2c633b87cda1&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1414467623&sr=8-2#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1414467674995 Fuck keurig 2.0 . These are just as easy

This is the one I bought:

Takeya 10310 Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Lid & Silicone Handle, 1 Quart, Black - Made in USA BPA-Free Dishwasher-Safe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_pnYpDbP1ZM5F7

Have you looked into cold brew? It takes way longer, so you won't want to brew a single cup at a time. This Takeya one is nothing more than rebox of one of their tea systems. The infuser even still says tea leaves on the bottom! None the less, it still works great as a pitcher (the infuser is removable), though I'm afraid I can't comment on how well it works as a cold brew setup as I haven't much experience with anything else.

Cold Brew is a good solution if regular coffee is too bitter for you. However, there are a few tips to avoid bitterness in cold brew. I recommend investing in a cold brew maker. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_59YiDb1HZ4G74 and a coffee grinder. The grinder might be too much for some, but I love the result I get. Buy decent quality, whole bean coffee, grind it coarse (to the texture of corn meal), use filtered water. I start by adding a little bit of warm water (around 160 degrees) and the rest room temperature. Put it in the fridge for at least 24 hours, but no more than 48.

I bought this and have been doing some trial and error of my own , cold brew maker
I have tried grinding it at a paper filter, metal, French press and a bit in between. I’ve found French press does work best and bring out the best flavor

Takeya 10310 Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker with Airtight Lid & Silicone Handle, 1 Quart, Black - Made in USA BPA-Free Dishwasher-Safe

by Amazon.com

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_.2qJDb7PY6HNP

Google some recipes or YouTube videos, everything's there.

Or you could get something like the cold brew makers below. I have the Hario, which I pretty much just fill to capacity and it's good to go the next day.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZogzzbXCM0A41

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qpgzzbAZFSCKE

Thank you for such an awesome contest.
Interesting fact:i had scarlett fever at 32 weeks pregnant. I didnt even know it still existed and thought nothing of the rash until an elderly lady came in and told me i needed to go to the hospital then left. Had to give son meds to prepare for early birth and he was born 2 weeks later. I am still so thankful for her to come into my store that day. ♡♡♡♡

spoil me! - i would love to have a cold brew coffee maker. Currently just have a regular coffee maker but my favorite is cold coffee and this would make my life easier. But really would love anything from my wishlist. As moms we tend to overlook our self and so little indulgences like this are very special to my heart. So thank you again for this contest.
Link to cold brew carafe:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U/

Link to wishlist:

http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3BUWGJB03IFE1
Good luck everyone and merry christmas!!!

Buy one of these and use heavy cream and almond milk. It will tastes smooth you won't need sweetener.

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Coffee-Maker-1-Quart-Black/dp/B00FFLY64U

Mine's going pretty well. I've been making an effort to move into vegetarianism and trying to cook more/have more excellent food. I made a fantastic curried chickpea dish for dinner last night and packed the leftovers for lunch today. I always feel better when I pack my lunch instead of eating the crap overpriced food around work. Tonight I'm going to bake chocolate chip zucchini bread muffins.

I found a cold brew coffee carafe on Amazon a while back for $25 that I love link here. It's seriously so nice to wake up to delicious iced coffee in the summer, and it's already paid for itself if you think in terms of Starbucks $.

A TMI bonus to eating a lot of healthy food, veggies, and strong coffee? Best number 2's of my life. So regular, and so happy.

Any course ground coffee (I like flavored coffees) will do. this is my coffee pitcher. Fill the basket with coffee, the pitcher with water (I use the water from my brita pitcher I keep in the fridge). Let it brew in the fridge overnight. Remove the grounds (so it doesn’t get bitter). Voila. Cold brew coffee.

takeya pitcher for the win!! With the stone street cold brew grind from amazon as well.

If you love iced coffee, get a cold brew pitcher of some sort! Then make ice cubes out of coffee as well. :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U

Wholeheartedly agree with this suggestion! I bought this cold brew maker on Amazon for under $20 and use it religiously. It only makes a quart at a time, but you can dilute it 1:1 with water and it's still pretty strong. It's also not too large a profile, which is great if you share a fridge with roommates.

Only downside is that it takes a lot of coffee - 12-14 tbsp for one batch. However, this will be the case no matter where you get your cold brew from.

The food storage container/nut milk bag method is also a good way to make sun tea - for either coffee or tea, a glass half-gallon milk jug from Whole Foods does the trick perfectly.

I have this cheapo cold brew coffee maker from Amazon and exclusively use Starbucks pre-ground coffee. I add caramel syrup directly in the pitcher and it tastes delicious (I'm also not by any stretch a coffee aficionado so my tastes are pretty basic).

You should consider getting a cold brew container just for the sake of convenience. Not that they are necessary in any way (I used a random old jug for months) but the fact that you don't have to filter out the grounds makes it really easy. This is what I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FFLY64U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505254772&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=cold%2Bbrew&dpPl=1&dpID=31%2BIc2UCSpL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Upgrade your cold brew equipment:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FFLY64U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just ordered a Takeya cold brewer. There's also the Hario.

Both are Japanese companies, but they make a submerged cold brew, rather than a drip. Submerged is stronger and more robust, while a cold drip is "brighter" with enhanced flavor clarity.

I use this brewer:
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Iced Coffee Pot/Maker (1000ml, Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ri9BybSC24YXV

It's pretty easy to use, just put about 100 grams of coffee in the filter, fill it up with water, stir, and put it in the fridge for 12-24 hours. To make my iced coffee I use a cup of cold brew, a cup of whole milk, and two tablespoons of either chocolate or caramel syrup. I've also mixed honey and caramel, it's pretty awesome.

The one I have is https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Water-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475263682&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+cold+brew - it works quite nicely.

I know this is asking about store bought ice coffee, but this is ridiculously easy and cheap.

Just buy one of these. All you have to do is fill the steeper to the top of the filter screen with ground coffee of your choice, pour enough cold water so it comes to the top of your ground coffee and put it in the fridge to brew overnight. It takes about 8 to 10 hours. Wake up, pull the filter out, and pour yourself the absolute best glass of ice coffee you've ever had.

Doesn't have to be. Just get something like this to make inexpensive cold brew and keep the other ingredients at home. And you're set.

I'm all about the Hario Mizudashi cold brew maker It's the price of one of the "large glass jars" and so much easier.

Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Iced Coffee Pot/Maker (1000ml, Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MqjFzbS4MSHR7

Advice to others: Don't be afraid to look around until you find beans you like. The selection out there is overwhelming. Also, you WILL save money, but it might take a while longer because you'll probably purchase a bean grinder when you want to try buying whole beans instead of ground, and then you'll want to try a few well reviewed expensive bags of beans instead of your usual. You may also become a coffee snob and get into arguments about pour over vs french press vs this process. Enjoy.

I use a manual grinder and a Hario cold brew pot, following the exact directions it calls for (80 grams of coarsely ground coffee, 8 hours).

The fun part is using different beans, the change in flavour profile from bean to bean is so much more noticeable than your standard hot brewed coffee.

Got a Hario Mizudashi! Pretty excited to it out later this week.

I've made a batch of cold brew with this recently and it came out pretty good. The concentrate was a little more bitter than the cold brew that I've bought at coffee shops but it's worth the price.

This is the answer, at least for those who enjoy coffee.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mizudashi-Coffee-1000ml-Brown/dp/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1525784850&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+1000ml

Cheaper, known brand plus good build quality. I use the Hario at home, 60 micron mesh filter screens out all the coffee grinds. Has held up extremely well with more than four years of use.

Making cold brew using This Cold Brew Pitcher. We are currently using fine ground coffee and I think I am wasting coffee and not getting the full flavor, because the grounds are floating. Should I switch to coarse grounded coffee?

I've made it in the past with coffee from the local coffee roaster using their "house blend" with this guy from amazon, with pretty good results

Just use this thing. Way better than the cold brew swill at Starbucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm using one of these, leaving it for about fourteen hours or longer. It feels like tea gives me more energy than my coffee :(

What's your recipe?

Actually I do exactly that! I have a Nespresso machine and putting it in the fridge makes it taste perfect to me, but you can definitely get one of those at home machines people buy which don't seem too expensive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Teapots-Coffee-Servers/Hario-1000-Mizudashi-Cold-Coffee/B00I7JKAQ0

Also, if you're in the US at least there are so many store-bought cold brew concentrates from Trader Joe's to Chameleon.

I got one of these Hario 1l bottles from Amazon for under 1,000 yen: https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00I7JKAQ0/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thejetlounge-22&creative=1211&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00I7JKAQ0&linkId=0980b4a3d7b52acf2b32d3ac62a7352f

Just grind some beans, fill with cold water, and stick in the fridge the night before :)

/r/coffee

Pourovers are pretty easy/cheap if you're not too nit picky. Boil some water, let it cool down a bit, and just spend like three minutes pouring it over some grounds in a filter.

It's better if you weigh the water and coffee (more reliable to make what you like). It's better if you measure the water temp (same).

I've had a lot of coffee gear but you're well on your way if you just get https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Pour-Coffee-Starter-Clear/dp/B00JJIOJ7E, a coffee burr (so you can set the grind size), and use fresh beans (roasted recently) you then grind before use.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Well, I am really curious about the aeropress myself. So I'd love to hear what you think of it.

The Hario V60 is a pourover, so I thought it'd be a nice change of what you're used to, experiment a little bit.. I would still reccomend it actually, it's a nice cheap addition to your collection.
Here's the v60: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-V60-Starter-Dripper-Filters/dp/B00JJIOJ7E/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_79_t_1/136-0271202-3333230?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=N44XM2YWDT3MBH06HCY1

Personally here are 3 easy things you can do cheap to get into "specialty coffee"

1. Buy a hand grinder j$40-50) and scale ($20-30). You can find a cheap porlex grinder that will work great. I used one for my first year and used it 3-4 times a day. Just grind your beans when you are going to brew a cup
   
   
2. I recommend buying the Hario V60 the starter kit is $20 with filters and brews a much cleaner cup than a French press or aeropress. You can use a standard kettle to boil water but I recommend buying a gooseneck kettle one.
   
   
3. Buy good beans. As others have stated buy some beans from a specialty coffee shop. Not Starbucks. Then roast date and a lighter roast usually go hand and hand with the beans. It takes time to develop your palette but you will never want to drink crappy coffee again

I feel like this a great option if you go the pour over route. You get 50% of what you’ll need.

You’re just missing the grinder, Kettle and scale.

Hario V60 Pour Over Coffee Starter Kit, Size 02, Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJIOJ7E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VvD2Bb2SWXYR9

This is the dripper they're using. Don't know where to find the stand.

edit: found the stand

I'm trying to put together a cost-effective beginner kit for a friend in the US who is trying to get their feet wet with making coffee at home and wanted second opinions on my choices.

Shopping - Done on Amazon where possible for free prime shipping + using prime credit.

So far I've found a V60 starter Kit for $20 which seems to cover the basics for a pour over.

In terms of grinder I was thinking of defaulting to the Hario hand grinders for ~$40 but I have seen people recommend the Porlax which is currently ~$15-20 more off Amazon.

A bit of searching around reveals some being happy with Hario while others voice displeasure with the consistency. Porlax seems to have more praise but I've also come across comments mentioning the metal of the hand bar being soft and easy to wear out. Is this a batch specific thing or are the two pretty much equal today?

Thanks!

I got this hario v60 kit from amazon a while back after I broke my ceramic one, and I've been happy with it. The lid even has a filter so that you can brew loose leaf tea in it too!