by Laurie Boris

Created on: March 23, 2009   Last Updated: August 22, 2009

Those ginormous cups of mocha-frappa-whatsa-cinos can add up to mucho dinero. You could save money by making your java at home, but how are your barista skills? Can you rock a cup of joe or does it come out tasting like dishwater? Here's how to make a great cup of coffee:

1. Consider your caffeine delivery system. If the last time you used your coffeemaker, you were able to check your e-mail, pay your bills on-line, and watch a whole episode of Seinfeld before the coffee was done, then you need to clean your machine. Get yourself a jug of white vinegar. With no filter in the basket, fill the carafe with a mixture of one quarter white vinegar to three quarters of water, dump it into the water chamber and hit "start." Do this a couple of times, then cycle through clean water (changing it each time) until the machine doesn't smell like vinegar anymore. As for the type of coffee maker you use, most java aficionados agree that for the money, a basic auto-drip machine (like the ones made by Krups or Braun, available at most big-box stores or at kitchen supply stores) produces the best-tasting cup of coffee.

2. Get the best coffee your budget allows. Yes, a can of Chock full o'Nuts is relatively inexpensive (and one of the best of the canned coffees), but for only a few dollars more, you can get fresh, and possibly locally-roasted beans, even organic or fair trade coffee. In many places, you can get these at your supermarket or local health food store. Just make sure that the place where you purchase your beans has good turnover, so the coffee isn't stale. If you don't have a grinder at home, you may be able to grind it yourself at the store or have someone do it for you.

3. Speaking of grinding, no-frills coffee grinders can be had for about 20 bucks at most big-box stores like Target or Wal-Mart. For major coffee hounds, this is the only way to go. Store your beans in an airtight container away from light (not in the freezer or the refrigerator - this can degrade their flavor). Grind the beans as you need them for the freshest possible cup of coffee.

4. Use cold, filtered water for best results. Just like in the world of computers, garbage in equals garbage out. If your municipal water reeks of chlorine or tastes like the inside of a rusted pipe, get some bottled water or buy a filtering pitcher or faucet tap like the ones made by Brita. You will not regret it.

5. Filters make brewed coffee taste better by filtering out its bitter oils. But do your body a favor

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