So I have drank coffee on and off since I was a teenager, and I recently took probably a 2 year break from it. When I was drinking coffee, it was usually because they had a pod system at work, and it was an excuse to get up from my desk and take a break. With that said, I have been watching this Netflix show Resident Alien recently, and there is a lot of coffee drinking in it, and I started craving a hot cup. On my way home from dropping my daughter off at daycare, I stopped at the local gas station\market and got a cup and was like “Man, I miss coffee, and this coffee is pretty terrible.”

So this got me thinking that I want to get back into morning coffee tradition, but I no longer work in an office, I work from home. I don’t want to go pod system because they are wasteful, weak, and a pain in the but to clean\maintain. My wife doesn’t drink coffee, so I don’t need to make a whole pot. So I was thinking of going French press, as that seems to be suggested in a lot of places for single-serve.

Do you folks have a suggestion on French press brands? I know it’s a pretty simple mechanism, but I’m not against spending a couple extra bucks to get something that will enhance my coffee making\drinking experience. Additionally, I am looking for something that will filter out as many grounds as possible. Are you guys for\against paper filters? Should I get a metal one? Do I need one of those things that goes on top of my mug to hold the filter? Where do I start?

I know coffee can get really mad scientist really quick, and I’m not trying to go that route (yet). My brother-in-law has one of those electric kettles that gets to an exact temperature, and he grinds his own beans and weights them, and does the whole swirly pour to get “the perfect cup” and while that seems cool, I am not ready to take it to that level.

So what is your suggestion on “starter builds”?

Also, what about beans? Do I grind my own? Do I start with store bought stuff (I always liked Cafe Bustelo)?

Any and all advice is welcome.

Edit: I also forgot to add - I have read about cold brewing being really smooth. How do I cold brew and heat it back up? Do people do that? Would love to hear more about it.

Edit2: Oh man, this community is awesome! I didn’t expect so many great responses. Pulling the trigger on an Aeropress after reading all the comments here and watching some James Hoffman videos about it. It definitely looks like the right fit for me. I’m not going to get a grinder quite yet, as I feel like I am just beginning my journey and I don’t want to go balls to the wall right out the gate. There is a coffee shop right down the street from me that sells\grinds beans, so that sounds like the best bet for trying different things.

Sxan mentioned the Toddy’s kit, and that also has my interest. Maybe that’s next after a grinder. I have a feeling I am about to go down an expensive caffeine fueled rabbit hole. Wish me luck. I will report back.

  • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    20·
    10 months ago

    You are the perfect fit for an Aeropress. Paper filter, dead easy to clean, super versatile (can make strong coffee, normal coffee, can have a ton of variance or be stupid simple), and a single cup with no huge space requirements.

    I recommend not grinding coffee yet. See if you like using the aeropress! If you do, consider purchasing a 1zpresso ZP6, which is your best bang for buck hand grinder.

    Blade grinders are going to be worse than just buying pre-ground, but freshly ground coffee is an amazing treat. That said, getting an entry-level burr grinder is far more than an aeropress, so that’s why I recommend testing the water first.

    • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world
      2·
      10 months ago

      I really agree with this. Aeropress is super easy, allows you to experiment, relatively affordable and bulletproof. You can do drip coffee type drinks, or espresso style drinks.

      I also agree about grinding. It’s unfortunate cause it’s such a step up in taste, but cheap grinders are all so awful.

      OP, if you want to get a grinder eventually, come back to this community for some recommendations. Depending on what kind of coffee you like (and if you mind hand grinding), there’s a bunch of options, but they cost more than you’d think, and I’m assuming you don’t want to drop $150 on something.

      For what coffee to use, I’d say to get a small bag once at a time from a local roaster and have them grind it. Keep it airtight; lots of coffee roasters use bags that are airtight and resealable. Air is the enemy of flavor. Avoid supermarket coffee because it is often months old. That’s bad for whole beans, and really bad for preground coffee. Try to only buy from places that include a “roasted on” date.

      You said you liked bustelo. If I remember right, that’s preground espresso thats roasted dark. Most of us here are going to steer you towards lighter roasts, but if that’s something you really liked, there’s no reason you can’t get darker roasted coffee.