You don’t need a thousand-pound machine to make coffee you actually look forward to. Most of the difference between a great cup and a sad one comes down to a few small, cheap things — and a little attention.
The things that matter
- Fresh beans, ground fresh — the single biggest upgrade. Buy whole beans and a basic grinder; pre-ground coffee is already stale.
- Get the ratio right — roughly 60g of coffee per litre of water. Weigh it once and you’ll learn the feel.
- Mind the water — just off the boil, not boiling. Boiling water scorches coffee and makes it bitter.
The easy method
A simple pour-over or a cafetière makes excellent coffee for the price of a couple of café trips. Warm the vessel, add fresh grounds, pour slowly, and give it time. Do that with fresh beans and you’ve a morning ritual worth getting up for.
