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.

  • atomic peachA
    2·
    10 months ago

    Since you mention wanting to filter really well, I would recommend you take a look at chemex. It’s a pour over type of brewer but their smaller model is for a single serving and will be more lenient with the pour method since the chemex filters are so dense. Other pour over brewers will require more of a setup to maintain consistency (but you can also tweak the brew to your exact liking in this regard!).

    Water temp and grind size are somewhat critical for quality coffee but you don’t need it right off the bat of course. I would get a grinder before a kettle, tbh; fresh grounds make a bigger difference than a few degrees difference in water temp. Do work on “calibrating” your water temp in whatever method you use, though. If you microwave the water, figure out how long to let it cool before it reaches 200 or whichever temp you find brews best for your beans.

    Search for local roasters and buy some beans from them. Keep searching until you find a brand you like. Grocery store beans are very mid. (There are many weekly “drop” style bean shippers that are pricey but let you discover online roasters that will ship you beans; it’s been invaluable for me to find really good roasts!)

    As for cold brew, it’s a separate beast entirely and I wouldn’t explore it just yet. I used to make large batches for my nitro setup and did that in a bucket. Definitely super smooth but a bit more work. You can make smaller batches with a French press. I’ve always gotten my presses from IKEA because they’re cheap yet effective. Far from fancy. I would never consider heating up cold brew personally.