We all long for that perfect cup of coffee, don’t we? That is, after all, why we spend so much money going to our favorite coffee houses and spending a fortune on those designer coffee’s that we could honestly re-create at home for a lot less. Here are a few frugal money saving tips to creating the perfect cup of coffee at home and not having to pay the high prices to do it!
Coffee Pot Maintenance – This is important because a coffee maker that is not working properly will never make the perfect cup of coffee, and usually it is taking more electricity to run it (costing more) if it isn’t in proper working order. A great way to check is to run your coffee pot with just water once a year or so. Using a water testing thermometer (candy thermometers work fine too), test the temperature of the water in the pot. If it isn’t somewhere around 200 degrees, you really need a new coffee maker. Shop around for the best deals. Holiday time is a great time to find a good bargain on a coffee maker.
Freshness – Everyone knows that fresh coffee beans are going to make a better cup of coffee, purchase a grinder so you can buy coffee beans rather than ground coffee. It costs less for whole beans too. My coffee maker has a grinder built in, so its easy. Only grind the beans when you are ready to make a pot. You will be in heaven when you taste the difference between freshly ground and pre-ground.
Water – Many people use hot water in their coffee makers. I asked a friend why she does and she said because she noticed it brewed faster. This is actually true. However, I highly recommend using cold water for a full bodied flavor cup of coffee. It is amazing the difference between hot and cold water. The hot water does tend to brew faster which makes for weaker coffee. The colder water allows the beans to slow brew and makes for an awesome cup of coffee.
Designer Coffee – Use creamer, whipped cream, chocolate powder, or whatever fun festive touch you’d like to give to a cup of coffee. Extracts work well too, except you only need a tiny bit per cup. You can use your grater and grate some chocolate over the top for an extra treat.
Have any good coffee tips for us? Anything fun you do with your coffee that makes it taste great?
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