Better coffee at home, without new gear

The biggest upgrade is freshness. Coffee peaks two to four weeks after roasting — check the roast date, not the expiry date.

Weigh your coffee and water for a week. You will find your ratio, and your mornings will become consistent.

If you buy one thing, make it a burr grinder. Pre-ground coffee goes stale in days; whole beans hold for weeks.

Store beans sealed, cool and dark. The freezer is fine for unopened bags; the fridge is never fine.