Better Coffee Brewing on a Budget

A better brewed cup of coffee is a better start to your day, and can easily be obtained for cheaper than you might think. If you’re sick of settling for mediocre brew, here’s some easy-to-follow, wallet-friendly advice to brew noticeably better tasting coffee at home, without breaking the bank.

Get Your Own Coffee Grinder

Pre-ground coffee may be convenient, but it’s also a guaranteed way to kill the flavor of your beans. Remember: keeping your beans whole with their flavorful oils unspoiled for as long as possible before being used is crucial for a fresh and full-bodied brew.

Of course, in order to brew whole bean coffee at home, you’ll need to invest in a basic blade grinder (they cost around $15 and can be bought in any big box grocery store). Once you taste the noticeable improvement in flavor that comes with grinding high quality, whole beans just before brewing, you’ll be happy you made the change.

Coffee: It’s All in the Bean

Most coffee in the world is either Arabica or Robusta. If you’ve ever taken a sip of coffee and thought, “Wow, this tastes like a burnt rubber tire,” then it was probably Robusta. Robusta is usually used as filler in coffee blends or as a cost reducer, and almost all instant coffee is made from Robusta beans. It has twice as much caffeine as Arabica, giving it a more bitter and acidic taste.

For a major flavor improvement, ditch the bitter bean and get with the winner bean. Arabica beans are generally sweeter and have sugary overtones, resulting in a mellow cup of coffee that just tastes better. Take your morning coffee up a notch with quality Arabica beans for a good price here.

Store Coffee Properly

You might think that storing coffee in the refrigerator will keep it fresh, but nothing sucks the flavor out of a cup of Joe like taking it in and out the fridge. Coffee will actually deodorize and dehumidify in the fridge, just like baking soda does.

Instead, keep your beans stored in an airtight container and in a cool, dark place for up to 15 days. (And remember to grind them as close as possible to brewing for a fresher taste.)

Big Flavor Without a Big Price Tag: Make Better Coffee Today

So there you have it, three foolproof tips to enjoy better coffee without spending a fortune. We’ll leave you with one final piece of advice: choose organic, shade grown beans whenever possible. After you taste the difference, you’ll never want to drink anything else. Good luck and happy coffee brewing!