One of the things that is a mainstay of happiness to most adults, me included, is hot coffee in the morning. However, the sludge we buy from the local grocery store, and drink from a can that has beans that are already ground up, and eventually put in the freezer, is nowhere near the quality that we can get by doing it right. With the proper research, I’ve discovered that a good coffee maker counts a lot, especially if it can brew the water to the proper temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then a good grinder is ideal, preferably with burr blades for even, consistent grinding of the beans. Finally good, quality roasted beans are necessary to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This is exactly what I did. I did research, and discovered the Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe to be a good bang for the buck coffee maker. It heats the water up to near 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and it keeps the coffee hot without burning it using a heating plate. It also looks nice. Compared to the old coffee maker we had in here, it barely heated the water hot enough to enjoy (it was always warm unless I left it on the heating plate for a while, but then the coffee would have a burnt taste.)

For the grinder, I went old skool and got the classic KitchenAid KCG200TG Classic-Series Model A-9 Burr Coffee Mill, which is truly spectacular. In fact, it costed more than the coffee maker, but as it turns out, it’s well worth it. It grinds up the beans effortlessly, it is rugged and heavy duty, and it looks neat on the counter. I anticipate this thing lasting for a long time.

When ordering the beans, I’ve found that Peet’s Coffee & Tea is a good place for quality, fresh roasted beans. The price are reasonable, and they got a great selection to choose from. So far I’ve tried the Guatemala beans, which was real nice, very aromatic and flavorful. I’ve also tried the new African Blend, from Ethiopia, which is just as marvelous as the Guatemala beans, except a bit milder and more tangy.

I’m no expert at this point, but this new step has opened my eyes up to some real good coffee. Before, I used to put a ton of creamer and sugar in my coffee because it was so bitter, and in most cases, didn’t taste good. Now it isn’t necessary, in fact, I’m finding I can even enjoy the coffee without anything in it, and it’s just as enjoyable compared to a little cream and sugar. I never thought I’d be able to say that.