A good pot of coffee on a cheap skate budget ....

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

:huh


What kind of coffee is the best bang for the buck ???


...and...


What kind of brewing fixture ?? :confused:




GO! http://img3.harmony-central.com/acapella/ubb/mad.gif

[Ricman]

Folgers. That way if you spill it while skating on your cheap skates you can easily afford to buy more!
Thanks for your help!

[Funky54]

I keep tryinng different coffees cause Starbucks is just so blooming expensive. Coffee is supposed to go up big time, so I'm desperate to try others. I like the esspresso and Veronna. I can only tell you what I havent liked.

8 oclock (best is Itallion brew but not great)
Dunkin Doughnuts...everybody thinks this is good...I hate it.
publix's brand
Aldi's brand
Illy is good but it cost as much as Starbucks
folgers
maxwellhouse
sanka
probably more..

Hope somebody comes up with something good.

[grantbob]

8 o'clock.

[Pfeister]

The best, and I really mean best, way to brew cheaply is with a French press. You can sometimes find good ones for $15. They make amazing coffee, especially if you use fresh beans, even better than any expensive drip brewer.

Turkish is a good method that only requires a pot. It's stroonnnnnnng.

The cheapest way is Iraseli style. They call it mud coffee. Just poor boiling water on very fine ground beans in your mug... it's an acquired taste to say the least.

Good inexpensive beans are a crap shoot. We have local market that roasts their own and it's only $6-$7 per lb and very good. You won't find that in all areas, though.

[dnauhei]

:agree
Folgers actually makes quite a good cup of coffee.

[claudel]

Aeropress makes a great cup.

It's cheap enough (~$30 ) so that one can buy good bean with the savings.

[JamesT]

comunitycoffee.com - standard dark roast. Brian has drank it for years. I grew up on it.

[Flogger59]

+1 on the French press, otherwise go with a cone filter, the flat bottomed ones are useless. You'll need a fine grind in both cases. As for cheap, Chock Full O' Nuts taste good, but it's a coarse grind. We use Van Houtte, Marie 2.

[A440]

1. decent coffee maker
2. filtered cold water
3. Chock Full O' Nuts

[Birdy]

My Melita Coffee Brew from 1979 still gets used everyday :aok
Maxwell House regular grind for the cheap win.

My uncle gave me and the ex the Malita for a wedding present in '79.
The ex is gone 11 years now, but it's a 32 year love affair with my
brewer. Left it on by accident for 6 days once, still works great.

[soli528]

I like Lavazza, also 8 o'clock for grocery store coffee.
I also like Peet's quite a bit, though it's not sold everywhere and I wouldn't consider it cheap coffee. Not Starbucks pricey tho. I looked on their site for Ohio stores, but they didn't have Mt. Kwakkleberry listed. It looks like it's carried at Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle and Whole Foods if you can find one of those near you.

[jazzandmetal?]

Date a girl that works at Starbucks. That is what I do and the coffee is free....Tea too.

[Tone-Control]

8 o'clock.

this

[edgewound]

Try Folgers "Black Silk"... make it a little on the strong side strong.

Very good for an inexpensive everyday coffee.

[mr coffee]

cooks illustrated had a "blind coffee" taste test, and as I recall the eight oclock french was the highest rated. When I'm in the $$ pinch I use the Goya Brick about 3$ and will light you up. I drink it black, might be mellower with creme (or Jack..)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PoF39FfIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Pilon is good too, both of these are ground fine so filter/adjust scoopage also
http://www.latinmerchant.com/images/product/1Coffee%20%283%29.jpg

[Somniferous]

Trader Joes House Roast and a French Press.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Yes, thank you :red

I am sick of crappy coffee, so it sounds like a French press is a good way to go.

Let me ask, is it easy to clean? I don't have a disposal, so can't get too many grounds down the drain.

Would this be a good choice? > :huh


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=french+press&cid=8162892643052828071&os=reviews


....or maybe this one?

http://www.epinions.com/review/Thermos_Nissan_NCI1000_Coffee_Maker/content_222976773764

[Funky54]

I did the press for about 6 months but I am way to busy and way to lazy to use it anymore.

[Maltese Fan]

French press is kind of a PITA to clean. I get Yuban, it's ground already, I grind it a little finer and brew it with a cone filter.

[BlueFire]

I think the single cup pour over funnel tastes as good as a french press, plus it is easy clean-up. It's what they do at Blue Bottle coffee in SF and those people are the biggest coffee geeks I have met.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2665/4062458980_09fa1d96bc.jpg

[Roark]

Another Yuban fan here, and slightly more is Walmart coffee.

[Pfeister]

No, French presses aren't hard to clean. You empty the grinds into the trash if you don't have a garbage disposal, then just rinse it. Use dish soap if it's oily inside. It takes like ten seconds.

Make sure to use coarse (big) ground beans with it. Somebody suggested fine earlier, but that will leave you with sludge on the bottom.

[Whiskeyrebel]

Eight oclock Columbian is my favorite and I'd take it over Starbucks every time. Use lots of grounds and flow the water through fast. Bunn works perfectly but they are not cheap for sure. But when my Bunn machine wore out I just used its basket on top of a pot and manually poured water from the kettle. That worked almost as well.

[Nuclearfishin]

Roast your own beans and you can get a great cup of coffee even from some really inexpensive beans. Use a coffee press to brew and it's hard to beat. I don't know why so many people like Starbucks--they over-roast their coffee on purpose which makes it taste burnt, but doing this makes it easy to get consistent roast and taste which is why the quality is consistent between stores. If you roast your own coffee you'll never go back to Starbucks. Alfred Peet (from Peet's coffee) used to supervise the roasting of all starbucks beans when they started out but bailed out when starbucks started over-roasting for consistency. you can get a good roast from a $10 popcorn blower. If you like coffee, you'll never go back once you try it.

[imguitardan]

...to brew (or the quickest) but a French Press is the best I've tried. Get whole beans and grind yourself (med/coarse). Steep for 3.5 min in water heated in a tea kettle. Enjoy!
http://getbestcoffeemakers.com/coffee-french-press.jpg

Because it doesn't have a paper filter, it lets the oils (fats) from the coffee into the cup and makes for an incredibly rich brew.

[deltaboy]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ahOjAIKJL.jpg

[Slackerprince]

I use this:

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod1420227

And a Mr. Coffee machine.
That bit about the French Press letting the oils drip down in to make a rich cup of coffee has me going, though.
I grind and set-up my pot the night before, so when I get up, all I have to do is sleep walk to the machine and press the button.
I also pre-heat my cup.
LOVE my morning coffee.

S

[harpinon]

Any coffee made with distilled water tastes so much better. Try it.

[rogue.guineapig]

Yuban. In Mr. Coffee. Add a dash of vanilla to the grounds sitting in the filter
before ya brew.

Or add a dash of Hershy's Coco Powder...the unsweetened stuff.

That's my cuppa joe. :)

[tedm]

A bit OT, but if you're watching your cholesterol, and bp levels, coffee filtered through a paper filter might be better for you, relative to french press or lesser filtered coffee.

I can find a link if anyone wants to read up further.

[Jetrow]

Hang around a food court in a mall and offer to clear tables for people. You can collect the coffee which is mostly from the same place into one cup and then ask one of the unsuspecting counter help to warm it up for you in the microwave.

Man that's some cheap coffee! :bonk

Also anytime there is a spill in the supermarket, where do you think those beans go? Exactly right into the garbage. So there is no reason you can't just bring your own little dustpan and whisk so that you can cash in on this super cheap coffee supply. :bonk

Have you signed up for any of the free group meetings in your location? There are all kinds of support groups and they all have coffee going. So you have a nice cry, and boom free coffee! That's some cheap coffee right there. :bonk

Volunteer! Man it's easy pickings when you know how to roll. It's simple, just pick up a piece of paper and walk around with it. Go get a coffee, and make a little small talk. No one will suspect that you are actually just there getting coffee. Pick up the paper and say, "Oh I'm late" and walk away. :bonk

In any government office. Man it's easy pickings when you know how to roll. It's simple, just pick up a piece of paper and walk around with it. Go get a coffee, and make a little small talk. No one will suspect that you are actually just there getting coffee. Pick up the paper and say, "Oh I'm late" and walk away. :bonk

I used to use this baby when I was consulting full time: As you pass through the cubicles look for names. They are posted somewhere as most of these people wouldn't know where to sit in the morning. Pick your mark with some care, then with important looking paper in hand, simply say "Janean, please bring us a couple of cups of coffee in the small board room, thanks love." "oh cream and sugar too. You're a star." Then go sit your butt down cause it's coffee time! :bonk

Man there is nothing you can't get if your cheap enough! Sir I salute you.:bonk

[Lucidology]

A bit OT, but if you're watching your cholesterol, and bp levels, coffee filtered through a paper filter might be better for you, relative to french press or lesser filtered coffee.

I can find a link if anyone wants to read up further.

:agree... French Press isn't considered all that healthy for you sorry to say.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Hang around a food court in a mall and offer to clear tables for people. You can collect the coffee which is mostly from the same place into one cup and then ask one of the unsuspecting counter help to warm it up for you in the microwave.

Man that's some cheap coffee! :bonk

Also anytime there is a spill in the supermarket, where do you think those beans go? Exactly right into the garbage. So there is no reason you can't just bring your own little dustpan and whisk so that you can cash in on this super cheap coffee supply. :bonk

Have you signed up for any of the free group meetings in your location? There are all kinds of support groups and they all have coffee going. So you have a nice cry, and boom free coffee! That's some cheap coffee right there. :bonk

Volunteer! Man it's easy pickings when you know how to roll. It's simple, just pick up a piece of paper and walk around with it. Go get a coffee, and make a little small talk. No one will suspect that you are actually just there getting coffee. Pick up the paper and say, "Oh I'm late" and walk away. :bonk

In any government office. Man it's easy pickings when you know how to roll. It's simple, just pick up a piece of paper and walk around with it. Go get a coffee, and make a little small talk. No one will suspect that you are actually just there getting coffee. Pick up the paper and say, "Oh I'm late" and walk away. :bonk

I used to use this baby when I was consulting full time: As you pass through the cubicles look for names. They are posted somewhere as most of these people wouldn't know where to sit in the morning. Pick your mark with some care, then with important looking paper in hand, simply say "Janean, please bring us a couple of cups of coffee in the small board room, thanks love." "oh cream and sugar too. You're a star." Then go sit your butt down cause it's coffee time! :bonk

Man there is nothing you can't get if your cheap enough! Sir I salute you.:bonk



I laughed before I even read this ^ :bonk Great idea! and why not be the person who creates the 'spills' in the grocery store! !! 1111! :idea

[HoboMan]

Another vote for 8 o'clock.

A few years ago Consumer Reports rated them the best value.

[ubermutant]

:huh


What kind of coffee is the best bang for the buck ???


...and...


What kind of brewing fixture ?? :confused:




GO! http://img3.harmony-central.com/acapella/ubb/mad.gif

Dunkin Donuts, regular whole bean. Fine grind it (pulverize the crap out of it actually), brew & enjoy.

Normally we use Gevalia dark roast in our household, but DD is a close second and probably 1/3 the cost.

b.

[noley]

2 scoops of Yuban in my 1 litre french press. Mmmm. There's some sediment but I don't drink it all the way to the bottom. I have a grinder but never use it because of the extra step and the racket and I never think to buy beans.

I have a cup at home then the rest on the way to work. French press is easy to rinse out and the grounds go right down the drain. EZ-breezy.

n.

[Jetrow]

I laughed before I even read this ^ :bonk Great idea! and why not be the person who creates the 'spills' in the grocery store! !! 1111! :idea

Conflict of interest. Do you want cheap coffee or do you want to work? Look you need to make a choice here. Dude, I'm serious dude. :huh

[French Fry]

I love the taste of french press coffee, to me it's the best I've been able to brew at home.

I do find that I end up using more beans overall when using the french press.

Same amount of beans, through a blade grinder.
2 mugs through french press. (coarser ground.)
4 mugs through standard drip Mr. Coffee machine. (finer ground.)

I'm probably doing something wrong.

* as far as quality coffee goes, my wife got me a coffee of the month club package which has outstanding coffee, but it varies month to month. For when that's not around, I buy a bunch of Peets Major Dickinson's blend on sale at market basket.

[Blue Light]

I'm always jumping around trying different brands. This thread gives me some ideas in my search for a coffee that is:
1) cheap
2) robust
3) boisterous with caffeine

One brand I've been trying out lately is the Simply Enjoy label that's sold in a few chains like Giant and Stop & Shop here in the east. Their Costa Rican coffees (Tres Rios, I think) are damned good, and usually going for $5 a bag.

http://d3hqdt8j93rgvn.cloudfront.net/Image/MEDIUM_8a789ed022aa42c80122aa52116e2d2b.jpg

[French Fry]

Check out the coffees at the costco warehouse or costco.com

Good prices on great quality coffee.

[harryjmic]

Costco brand Sumatra $13 for 3 lbs I believe. That's awful hard to beat.

[Nuclearfishin]

:agree... French Press isn't considered all that healthy for you sorry to say.

You guys are making something out of nothing--the research data shows (and there's plenty of it) that drinking unfiltered coffee could possibly raise your cholestrol 1-2 points TOTAL vs. drinking filtered coffee, but the limitations of the studies always acknowledge that the changes could be caused by outside sources. Specifically, some of the research I read tried to get individuals to drink 10 cups of coffee EVERY DAY. What happened to everything in moderation. Hell, these results could be replicated by eating 10 steaks, or 10 twinkies, or 10 lbs of nuts, or 10 PB&J sandwiches, etc. Forget the 10 cups of coffee per day, what does 10 servings of cream that you put in your coffee do to cholestrol? If you drink 10 cups a day, every day, you'll have a lot more to worry about than your cholestrol.

[Ultron]

Does Walmart carry the coffee that comes out of a cat's ass?

[ericjohnschwab]

I NEVER use tap water for coffee. Especially here in PHX. It's disgusting.

You know who has great coffee beans for cheap? Trader Joe's. You can get 100% Kona Coffee for a decent price. They have Diner's Blend for $3.99 which is a great cup of joe

[brlfq]

:huh


What kind of coffee is the best bang for the buck ???


...and...


What kind of brewing fixture ?? :confused:




GO! http://img3.harmony-central.com/acapella/ubb/mad.gif

Get this:
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm

and this:
http://www.folgers.com/products/classic-roast/classic-roast-coffee/index.aspx

An Aerobie press and Folgers classic roast. MMM mmmmm good coffee.
Follow the directions in the Aerobie box.

I've tried many different coffees and EVERY blind tasted test I conducted came out with the same result! Folgers is as good as any fru fru coffee I tried and it was remarkably BETTER than most.

Ymmv.

[billfoma]

I actually like the Folgers 100% Columbian for an everyday coffee. I make it twice as strong as they recommend on the container.

[davess23]

I like my Zojirushi drip coffee maker a lot. It heats the water to a considerably higher temperature than my old Krups or Mr. Coffees used to, and that makes a real difference in the taste of the coffee. It has a nice thermal carafe, too.

For the coffee itself, I like dark roasts, more freshly roasted the better.

[Vintage]

Here is my favorite
http://www.hebshopping.com/images/P/12_oz_heb_cafe_ole_flavored_texas_pecan.jpg

H.E.B. Texas Pecan. Seriously good, its a Tejas thing.

[THiwaTT]

I roast my own beans, so I can't comment on brands; but as for my favorite brewing method so far it has been the Aerobie Aeropress (The same guys that made the flying disc ring)

Its super portable so I can use it at work, and fairly inexpensive at $29.00

[Josh O]

I'm so lazy, Keurig all the way for me.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Get this:
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm

and this:
http://www.folgers.com/products/classic-roast/classic-roast-coffee/index.aspx

An Aerobie press and Folgers classic roast. MMM mmmmm good coffee.
Follow the directions in the Aerobie box.

I've tried many different coffees and EVERY blind tasted test I conducted came out with the same result! Folgers is as good as any fru fru coffee I tried and it was remarkably BETTER than most.

Ymmv.


That looks interesting. I like the non gritty mess idea.

I'm surprised at how many people say Folgers is good coffee .... I mean, I haven't really tried it because it's just a common brand and didn't think it was any big deal.

Thanks.

[noley]

In the 90's I traveled to Haiti quite a bit and drank a lot of kick-ass, loaded with flavor, low budget coffee that had as much Chicory as beans. Was rough but pretty darn good for a week or two at a time. The closest to that flavor I have found is the Lousianne brand or the New Orleans style Cafe DuMonde brand.

Funny to me how I can handle a big ol' cup of Turkish sludge but one little cup of caffeinated tea will tie my stomach in knots.

n.

[RockStarNick]

Another 8-O'clock Fan here. Bang for the buck, it can't be beat. I prefer it to DD, Starbucks, you name it. Love it.

[FredW]

Yuban is great for the $$. We order these for the office and everyone is happy

http://www.amazon.com/Yuban-Original-Ground-Coffee-33-Ounce/dp/B001E530J8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297822431&sr=8-1

[Nuclearfishin]

That looks interesting. I like the non gritty mess idea.

I'm surprised at how many people say Folgers is good coffee .... I mean, I haven't really tried it because it's just a common brand and didn't think it was any big deal.

Thanks.

Folgers = Ovation, they just don't know better yet! :hide

[saxophonist56]

how do you roast coffee in a 10 dollar air popper? i can't believe anyone recommended folgers.....

graffaeo coffee from columbus ave in sf is about the best i've had. also mother load sf blend is good from sonora ca. i use a cappresso machine. unreal customer service and warranty. went bad and they just sent me a new one no questions asked.

[slackandsteel]

I normally don't like Trader Joes coffee much but they have a bag of pre-ground French Roast that is really good for $4.39 for 14 oz.

[THiwaTT]

For the air-popper roasting, you just throw in the raw coffee beans and turn on the machine, stirring, until it gets past the "first crack" it has to be a certain type of popcorn popper though, otherwise you run the risk of catching something on fire

[mik777]

8'oclock coffee is pretty damn good for the money! I was kinda blown away!:agree

[baybruin]

french press.

[Nuclearfishin]

http://www.sweetmarias.com/index.php

[tedm]

specifically item #9 -

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/coffee/


You guys are making something out of nothing--the research data shows (and there's plenty of it) that drinking unfiltered coffee could possibly raise your cholestrol 1-2 points TOTAL vs. drinking filtered coffee, but the limitations of the studies always acknowledge that the changes could be caused by outside sources. Specifically, some of the research I read tried to get individuals to drink 10 cups of coffee EVERY DAY. What happened to everything in moderation. Hell, these results could be replicated by eating 10 steaks, or 10 twinkies, or 10 lbs of nuts, or 10 PB&J sandwiches, etc. Forget the 10 cups of coffee per day, what does 10 servings of cream that you put in your coffee do to cholestrol? If you drink 10 cups a day, every day, you'll have a lot more to worry about than your cholestrol.

[Polynitro]

toss up between French press or one of these
Tj Maxx=$10

Coffee, 8 oclock is OK...better to get a decent grinder and buy whole bean no matter what 'brand'
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p161/cgravier_bucket/espresso.jpg

A note on flavored coffee=gross. Just get some torani syrup if want to flavor it.

[Nuclearfishin]

specifically item #9 -

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/coffee/

The reference you provided actually supports my case. Read the original research articles cited at the end. The actual experiments had individuals consume approx. 35 mg of cafestol every day for 30 days straight. In the research they cite that a medium french press coffee contains approx. 3.5 mg of cafestol, and those who drank it daily with a french press had a TOTAL increase in cholestrol from .50-1.82 mg/dl. In order to get the amount of cafestol used in the experiments individuals would have to consume approx. 10x that much coffee every day all from a french press. Try consuming 10x the amount of eggs, or 10x the amount of steak from a normal serving and see if that also raises cholestrol. Everything in moderation. If you have high cholestrol, maybe .50 mg/dl matters.

[Braciola]

8 O'Clock Whole Bean and get yourself a grinder (they are very inexpensive)

I've been through all the expensive stuff and the 8 O'Clock is right up there with it.

[sixstring531]

8 o'clock is my vote. Great taste, great price.

[THebert]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ahOjAIKJL.jpg

Yep, been drinking Community all my life. Real popular down here-

[Blue Light]

After reading the whole thread, am surprised by all the votes for 8 O'Clock. Seems pretty popular. I've never had a cup that I can remember but I've got to give it a shot now.

[djdrdave]

Date a girl that works at Starbucks. That is what I do and the coffee is free....Tea too.

A good perk of the job. Not sure if my wife would be happy if i did that, but why not try!

[Blanket Jackson]

the smaller the bean, the tastier the brew. Tanzanian Peaberry is my bean of choice.
i always go for whole bean, that way i can control every aspect of the process
filtered water, yeah that too
i like drip, but perc is the industry standard (when they knew how to make an honest cup, circa 1952)
ONLY Melita filters
Of course, all this may require an initial investment, but a day-to-day cost, when totaled up, is still way south of Starf*cks

[mr coffee]

After reading the whole thread, am surprised by all the votes for 8 O'Clock. Seems pretty popular. I've never had a cup that I can remember but I've got to give it a shot now.

you can search the cooks illust. site and log on with just your email address to read the testing basis.

my "logic" for buying starbucks in a grocery store is you take the empty bag in and they give you a freebie coffee. Mine totals up to 4$ with the upcharge for the two espresso shots. This takes the total cost to under 4$ a bag.

[Cody Anchor]

For a brewer you cannot go wrong with the Hario V60 pourover.

[mr coffee]

For a brewer you cannot go wrong with the Hario V60 pourover.
http://vimeo.com/11537624

I use the melita version for a quicky cup

http://www.eatdrinkonewoman.com/mt/images/melitta2.JPG

[Blue Light]

8 O'Clock Whole Bean and get yourself a grinder (they are very inexpensive) I've been through all the expensive stuff and the 8 O'Clock is right up there with it.


Now I see the "whole bean" recommendation. After all the talk here for 8 O'Clock I went out and bought a bag. Halfway through, I'm wondering what's so special about it. Not much caffeine kick. And it tastes like any semi-bitter firehouse joe.
What did I miss?

Maybe I got spoiled by the last bag of coffee. There's this new supermarket chain called Fairway and they roast it right there in the store. Got bag called something Benny's Blend and.... boy, it was rich'n'tasty.

[BluesForDan]

I keep it real simple.

old school mr coffee. off/on switch. pretty sure it does not have a 2-hour shut off, that is how primitive it is. Cone filters.

Medaglia D'oro coffee, 10 oz can, 4.39 at my local market.

Real cinnamon, in the cone filter with the coffee. I'm addicted to spice, call me M'aud Dib. :D

in fact, waiting for my machine to finish brewing as I type. I'm able to reply thanks to the half cup of leftover coffee, otherwise I'd be useless. :roll

[ickywoods]

I'd have to vate with the 8 o'clock guys, good bang for the buck.

Folgers and Maxwell House I can't get to, just way to bitter for my taste.

My favorite as of late is the Mayorga Sumatra Mandheling Grade 1...all fancy and whatnot...runs $10.95/pound which is in the Starbucks neighborhood.

The worst cup of coffee I ever had: We ran out of coffee filters at work one day and one of the guys (ok, it was me) substituted an industrial wiper which is just a really heavy duty paper towel for said filter. Wow. WOW. It was about enough to make you swear off coffee...

[Amp360]

go into starbux and ask 4 teh old griundz teh girl will give them free. next grab a few napkins for free and some cream and sugar pax.

next add capn crunch dust and then water. filter it through teh napkinz ans 'seezon to taste' using creme and sugar.

[Section10]

Actually the absolute cheapest cup of coffee just so happens to be the absolute best coffee.

I roast mine at home, buy it at about $4-6 a pound.
Good air roaster can be $180
Good Grinder, $150
after that home free. Never turn back

[Doug]

1.decent coffee maker
2. filtered cold water
3. Chock Full O' Nuts

I'll second that! My wife and I used to order whole bean Kona for lots of $$, grind our own, and the whole thing. It's a pain in the neck and expensive. We switched to pre-ground and were drinking 8 O'Clock for a while, which is good. I much prefer Chock Full though. It's nice and bold without a lot of bitterness. The wife didn't like it at first, but it's grown on her too. Much cheaper and easier, especially for brewing every day before work.

[SLBlues]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/CaptDick43/LuzianneCoffee.jpg

Try it you will like it just fine.........maybe

[A440]

cooks illustrated had a "blind coffee" taste test, and as I recall the eight oclock french was the highest rated. When I'm in the $$ pinch I use the Goya Brick about 3$ and will light you up. I drink it black, might be mellower with creme (or Jack..)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PoF39FfIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Pilon is good too, both of these are ground fine so filter/adjust scoopage also
http://www.latinmerchant.com/images/product/1Coffee%20%283%29.jpg

I'm drinking some Pilon (brick) right now. They were originally a family business but Smuckers recently bought them out I think. It did come out strong due to the fine grind. I'm pumped up today from this stuff!

Coffee is getting expensive, so I've been trying different brands for a change of pace. I agree re 8 o'clock, very good coffee. If it says arabica beans on the label, I'll probably like it.

Lately, I'm enjoying the lighter roast breakfast blends. Folgers version is pretty good. Melitta when it's on sale. I used to drive by their factory all the time on the way to work. Smelled great :)

[coldinWI]

Fair Trade french roast (beans) at Sams. French Press. It takes a while, but its worth it.

[Custom Deluxe]

1.decent coffee maker
2. filtered cold water
3. Chock Full O' Nuts


+1 on this.

[KLB]

I am skeptical if there is really any significant harm with press pot vs. paper-filtered coffee. After all, the French have been drinking it like this for decades and their heart disease rates are significantly lower than in the US.

As for making full-immersion, steeped coffee, I usually skip the press and make it in a saucepan. This works best for 8-20 oz., but can be adapted to larger quantities by pouring sooner and adjusting grind.

- Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Switch to a low setting so temp remains around 195-205 degrees fahrenheit. Experiment to find what setting keeps it there after you add the grinds. Some coffees may taste better when the temp drops below the SCAA recommended 195-205 degree brew range.
- Meanwhile, coarse grind beans, about 8-10g per 100g of water. An ounce weighs about 30 grams.
- Pour grinds in pan, give the pan a gentle swirl to insure all grounds are wet, and put the lid on to retain heat and aroma.
- Start a timer. Don't agitate pan any more.
- After about 4 minutes, pour very slowly into a cup or carafe through a fine-mesh tea strainer. The more slowly you pour, the less sediment. Also, avoid pouring the last little bit of coffee from the pan because this is where most of the fine sediment is. The more volume you are brewing, the sooner you may need to start pouring to avoid overextraction.
- Experiment with grind size, time, temp, etc.
- Optionally, pour through a pre-rinsed paper filter. The quick flowing Hario V60 works great for this. Start your pour sooner in this case.

I have not found a simpler way to make a full-bodied, flavorful cup of coffee.

A high-quality burr grinder creates less fines than a whirly-blade jobby, and a commercial roller grinder is the best for even particle size, but I certainly don't have one!

As for making a lot of coffee at once, for the money it is hard to beat the 6-cup/30oz/#4 and 10-cup/50oz/#6 size Melitta carafe/cone sets available from Amazon. You get the glass carafe with sturdy handle, lid, filter cone, some filters and a measuring scoop for just 9-10 bucks! Heat your water and pour into filter cone, adjusting your grind and dosage for a 4-6 minute total brew time. No need to fuss about how you pour. Brew directly into a carafe if you have one that the filter cone fits atop. Good, Cheap and Fast. What's not to like?

I also use a Clever Coffee Dripper for single cup brews.

I usually get whole-bean coffee from local, midtown Atlanta coffee shops that roast on-site. Sure it's more expensive at about $13-16 a pound, but it tastes consistently better than any mass-brand coffee that I have found, especially if I get what was most recently roasted, and only buy a half-pound or less so it is consumed in a few days.

After reading this thread, I'm going to try some of the brands suggested since they are so inexpensive. As for the evil Charbucks, I bought a 12oz. bag of the House Blend (Med roast) yesterday on a whim for $6.99 at Publix (usually $9.99.)

One more interesting point. Since I began eating Paleo about 2 months ago, I am able to enjoy coffee again. For many, many years coffee would consistently cause digestive distress. Perhaps grains were stressing my digestive tract? I'm not a celiac, and I'm not sure why the diet change makes such a difference. Anyway, I'm REALLY enjoying, even obsessing about the pleasures of coffee that have not been available to me for so much of my life.

[tjmicsak]

8 O'clock Columbian whole bean. Grind fresh.

Or go through Tim Horton's drive through and tell them your brother in-law behind you is getting your cup. Make sure you look back and if it is a woman instead, just say it is your brother in law, celebrating his recent surgery.

[scuff]

8 O'clock Columbian whole bean. Grind fresh.

Or go through Tim Horton's drive through and tell them your brother in-law behind you is getting your cup. Make sure you look back and if it is a woman instead, just say it is your brother in law, celebrating his recent surgery.

If you go at Tim Horton than you really don't like coffee! Buy anything.

[antojado]

You know refills at Starbucks are only $0.50 (sometimes free with a cool barista). Wait outside and when someone is done offer to throw away their cup then take it inside and get a "refill."

They never check receipts for refills anyway so you could just keep getting refills as long as the cup holds out.

I get double cups instead of that stupid slip on insulator because it works better if I'm driving. You could also do that and save the extra cup for the next day or two.

My friend has a credit card that gives him points towards free Starbucks. You could look into that too.

[pokey]

My go to is Boyers Kona Blend w/ 10% Kona. I love the stuff. And I have bought peaberry grade kona from Hawaii so I know what I'm buying, or not buying. Sam's Club has this stuff called Pablo's Pride that ain't half bad. Really it has to be pretty bad for me to complain, I love most coffee that I drink, thank goodness.:) I'm more picky about beer. :dunno

[Turbo Gerbil]

Aeropress is by far the best tasting coffee maker I've used and is easy to clean. French press is messy, bitter, and acidic in comparison.

[GAT]

I just buy Peet's French Roast...love it. Not cheap though.

[teleman1]

I use to drink Kona. Now I drink Kona decaf,(water processed). Kona in my book is right at the top of the chain and worth the extra $,(at least for a treat once in awhile).

[sonicD]

8 O'Clock Whole Bean and get yourself a grinder (they are very inexpensive)

I've been through all the expensive stuff and the 8 O'Clock is right up there with it.

Yep, the trick with 8 O'Clock is to buy the whole beans. Very tasty, and a good third less expensive than Starbucks, etc.

I recently tried Seattle's Best French Roast. As I understand it, it's Starbuck's "budget" line. A little more expensive than 8 O'clock, but less than Starbucks. Tasty. I mixed it half & half with some cheap grocery store house brand stuff and damn, not bad...

[tnvol]

Another Yuban fan here, and slightly more is Walmart coffee.

+1. I love Yuban.

[Roark]

I use to drink Kona. Now I drink Kona decaf,(water processed). Kona in my book is right at the top of the chain and worth the extra $,(at least for a treat once in awhile).

Found some Hawaiian single estate bold dark roast (ground ) at Walmart, nice deep flavor. Cheaper than Kona but I'm sure it's in the same ballpark.

http://www.kauaicoffee.com/index.php?page=100-hawaiian-detail

[Lone Bear]

Searching out a quality coffee is like searching for tone. There are many variables that have an influence but, for the most part, it comes down to personal tastes. Probably the big three are fresh beans (aged beans are an acquired taste), clear water, and brewing method. Beans from different places or a different type of roast will taste differently. A french press is commonly mentioned as the best method but sometimes you might want to stomp on a pedal instead of playing into a clean vintage amp. As far as Kona goes, there's nothing like it. I'm not saying it's the best, but only Kona is Kona. Most coffee you buy as Kona is actually a blend containing as little as 10% Kona beans. These blends aren't necessarily bad but read the fine print.:drink

[The Funk]

french press. I've been using green mountain bought in bulk. french press needs a COURSE grind so that the grounds don't go through the filter.

Its a great cup of coffee. Coffee is free at work for me, but the stuff I brew at home is so much better that its worth it to take the time. A good cup of coffee can be a real treat.

[cardamonfrost]

Ny wife makes her own blend from Bulk Barn, but I dont think you have those in the US...

As for equipment, I own this one and love it (when I am not using my one shot).
p2P7ZQkchEU

FWIW, the guy in the video has the wrong burner, if he had the right one it would have shut itself off...

[Turbo Gerbil]

Ny wife makes her own blend from Bulk Barn, but I dont think you have those in the US...

As for equipment, I own this one and love it (when I am not using my one shot).
p2P7ZQkchEU

FWIW, the guy in the video has the wrong burner, if he had the right one it would have shut itself off...

that thing is cool.

[Beng2040]

8 o'clock.

Works for me.

[joeburke]

8 o'clock here too. You can get a pretty good deal on it at BJs.

I didn't realize that the Aeropress maker was the same as the flying ring maker. That's pretty cool! I had one of those stuck in my tree for about 3 years...

[bbrunskill]

French Press and not sure about coffee in the states. Here in NZ there's a huge range, and lots of good affordable option.

[slackandsteel]

Trader Joe's has a French roast that is already ground and comes in a sealed pouch (unlike the rest of their coffees that come in a cardboard cylinder). The French Roast is surprisingly good and the price can't be beat, $5.49 for 14oz I think here in California.

[telecopter]

Safeway. It just says "coffee" on the white can.

[Peteyvee]

Safeway. It just says "coffee" on the white can.
Is that the one that's white with the blue lettering? I prefer machine vended coffee myself...