This is for those that are not quite known of the art of crafting your own coffee. And what I mean is to have quality coffee in your own home. Coffee:
whole 
beans
,
grounds
,
filters
, makers,
grinders
, espressos,
mugs
, etc., is on the rise due to the economy. More and more people are buying products to make their own coffee at home, and finding the love of making it on their own. So, I thought I would make a reference guide to help people make a better quality coffee at home.
Before I get into preferences, with any and all preferences, you MUST always use either distilled water or at the very least use filtered water. Why? Well when you boil water, tap or other wise (non-distilled), the water leaves mineral deposits on your makers, and what is not left on your makers, those minerals will also be in your coffee, creating a different flavor, usually an awful taste. With filtered water, you may still have mineral deposits (depending on your filter) but not as much as straight tap.
I will address 5 methods of crafting coffee, each has their own level of ease and difficulty.
- French Press
: Personally I think this method is the easiest of all methods; it's also relaxing to have with family and friends to sit around talking pouring coffee out of the press. All you have to do is, well first get a press, add ground coffee, boil water, pour water into press, , wait, press 3-4 times, and pour. Well that is the short version; you actually need not-so-fine ground coffee. If you put in say espresso fine coffee, the small grounds will get stuck into the small grid holes causing not only a later big mess to clean up, but a problem of pressing the pump down. The boiling water, pretty simple, just make sure to use distilled or filtered water. Waiting for the boiling water to brew the coffee, read the instructions of the individual press, but usually its just a couple of minutes. Pressing, well I usually press one for every minute of waiting (4 minutes of waiting = 4 presses); be careful when pressing, sometimes its tough pressing down, go slowly, do not force it.
- Drip machines
: Personally I hate these things, but they are the most used contraptions for making that morning cup of Joe, especially at the office/work. At work, there is usually not a choice on how to make the coffee, just brew and cover it up with as much junk as possible to get rid of the awful taste. But at home.... You have NO excuse. Still make sure you use distilled or filtered water; this is where if don't you'll ruin your maker and coffee. Coffee can either be not-so fine to really fine, it doesn't matter, the filter catches it. The filter, try and make sure it is not bleached, there are some natural filters, fairly cheap too; this is important too, since if you use the bleached filters, you might as well have poured bleach in your cup of coffee (it's not that bad, but still, there are still trace amounts being put into your coffee). The reason I hate these things, is that there is no air being put into the coffee. Air is very important with both food and drink, the actual term is aeration, allowing the food or drink to become more flavorful; its why espressos and cappuccinos taste so good, not only the process of making it includes aeration, but the steaming, the frothing also aerates the coffee and milk/cream as well. Now this method is also pretty easy, all you have to do, add water, add filter, add coffee (the amount is the preference of the drinker's need for strong or weak coffee) then press the button (or press a timer to go off at a certain time).
- Espresso
! My favorite, more challenging too. Again, make sure you use distilled or filtered water; this is where if you don't you'll ruin your maker and coffee. An espresso machine usually comes with a metal filter (which is better than buying a bunch of disposable filters, costing money and a drain on the environment), a glass measuring cup with a handle, with some machines a measuring spoon with or without a press (basically a flat ended 'thing' sometimes at the end of the scoop or by it self) that 'presses' or packs the coffee into the metal filter (kind of like old muskets and black powder), and usually (not always) a spout for the steam to froth your milk and/or coffee. Each machine varies especially on the functions, so make sure you read the instructions. Essentially, you take really fine ground coffee (finer the better) in the metal filter, pack the coffee grounds down (it does help), the amount is not much, but depending on the 'cup' marked increments in the metal filter, will determine the strength of the coffee. The type of coffee can also be varied just as the previous two; however, the bolder 
coffee 
is usually preferred in this method of coffee making, though I have tried Kona 
(a lighter blend of coffee) through the espresso, just magnificent.
- Percolators
: Not my favorite, but these old contraptions do make a good cup of coffee. This method is like a combination of the press, espresso, and drip. You place the coffee grounds in the filter chamber, pour water in (before placing the coffee, usually), let the water boil and brew the coffee. I won't go into details how this is done, if you get one, there will be instructions, but essentially, when the percolator is done, depending on the percolator, will give a sound and you pour your cup of coffee. I won't say it again about the need for the need of distilled or filter water.
- Pods
: Aptly named due to the pods, the individual plastic covered cups
that are placed in a filter-like chamber, where hot water pours through then into a single cup/mug. These do, I have to admit it, make a good cup of coffee or tea. However, I think their cheap (not the pricing, because they can get expensive). They take away the pleasure of handling the coffee, the smell of an open bag of coffee beans/grounds, the effort putting in making the coffee. Also they can become quite expensive, you have to buy the pods for your coffee (making you totally dependent on these pods). Now there are some Pod machines that have adaptations to put in coffee grounds to make your own coffee; but what I have heard (only tried it several different times, never really 'used' these things) that they don't turn out right like that of espresso, drip, etc., But these would be the fastest, easiest, and personally the laziest way of making coffee.
I hoped this helps, either directing you to making a perfect cup of coffee or leading you to your preference of making coffee.
