The days of making a pot of coffee with your automated drip coffee maker are so over. Today you can brew yourself a cup of Joe that’s as good or better than the stuff your highly trained barista makes, and for far cheaper (once you’ve got all the tools).
Pour Over
Perhaps the simplest of all methods, with a pour over, you simply need a cone-shaped dripper, some filters, and ground (medium fine) coffee. It works exactly the way it sounds; you simply pour the hot water over the coffee getting all the grinds wet and wait for the coffee to drip out into your cup. You can go fancy with this method and get a Chemex, which has a decanter, but essentially, it’s going to net you the same result: awesome coffee.
Pressed Coffee
With this method you can go macro or micro. The classic glass French press coffee maker is great for a larger group. Simply fill those grinds up at the bottom, pour in some hot water, let steep, and gently push the filter down over it. Voila—dark, rich coffee. Or, if you are looking for a single serving, with a more intense, espresso-like flavor, you can get an Aeropresse, which, with its narrow tube, is almost a French press in miniature. You put the grounds in; pour water over, and then plunge the narrow tube, giving you a shot of coffee. Add water (Crème optional).
Espresso
If you want to replicate your latte at home, there are a variety of home espresso machines on the market. From the less impressive “steam-driven” machines (the cheaper option) to the next level “pump machines,” the espresso machines can run you anywhere from $60 to $600. With several products on the market, you can find a happy medium—something that produces a quality shot but doesn’t cost a bundle—that’ll render your barista moot.
Automatic
The new breed of automatic machines are different than those old-fashioned coffee makers. Machines like those made by Keurig come with prepackaged coffee pods from big brands like Starbucks, Lavazza and Tullys, meant for either a single cup or a small brew. Unlike the other methods, the pre-fab pods make for a super easy clean up (And you can now find eco-friendly bio-degradable pods).
Whichever form your perfect cup takes, you can now make it at home any time you like.
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