How to make coffee in a coffee maker

Everyone has to begin somewhere, and a traditional automatic drip coffee maker is one of the easiest ways to get started. It’s also a reliable choice for experienced coffee drinkers. Drip brewing is popular because it is simple, repeatable, and flexible enough to work with almost any type of coffee. However, easy does not mean low quality. With the proper grind size, clean equipment, and good filtered water, a drip coffee maker can produce coffee that compares favorably with many manual brewing techniques.

This recipe is designed for a 10-cup coffee maker, but the quantities can be adjusted for a smaller or larger batch. Just reduce or increase the amount of water and coffee by the same ratio. For example, you could use 625 milliliters of water with 40 grams of coffee. Follow these steps to get the most from your coffee maker.

What You’ll Need

Coffee Maker — We’re using a 10-cup model

Paper Filter — Either a cone-shaped filter or a flat, wavy basket filter will work

45 ounces / 1,331 milliliters of filtered water

2.75 ounces / 78 grams of medium-ground coffee

If you don’t own a coffee grinder, freshly ground coffee can also be prepared for you.

1. Add the Water

Pour cold water into the coffee maker’s reservoir. If your tap water can be passed through a simple household filter, that can help produce better-tasting coffee. Bottled water is another good option.

Avoid using distilled water because coffee extraction depends on some minerals in the water to bring out its flavor. You can use the markings on the machine or coffee pot to measure the amount, but weighing the water on a kitchen scale can provide greater consistency. Remember that 1 milliliter of water weighs approximately 1 gram.

For an easy summer variation, try making flash-chilled iced coffee. Use half the usual amount of brewing water and place an equal amount of ice directly into the coffee pot. For this recipe, use 625 grams of ice. The hot coffee will drip directly onto the ice and cool immediately.

2. Prepare the Filter

If your drip machine requires a cone-style paper filter, fold the two crimped edges in opposite directions before putting it into the filter holder. For a flat-bottomed, wavy filter, simply place it into the basket without folding it.

Some drip coffee makers include a reusable stainless steel filter. If yours uses one, there is no paper filter preparation required.

3. Brew the Coffee

If you’re working with coffee that has already been ground, you can move directly to adding it to the filter. When using freshly roasted beans, choose a medium grind. Some coffee grinders include a specific setting labeled “drip,” which can be a helpful starting point.

Because many home drip machines provide limited control over brewing time and temperature, grind size is one of the easiest ways to change the flavor of your finished coffee. Keep track of the grinder setting you use so you can reproduce it later or make adjustments based on the result.

Blade grinders generally don’t provide the same level of control as burr grinders. If you’re using a blade grinder, aim for particles that are approximately the size of sand, with as much consistency as possible.

Place the measured coffee grounds into the prepared filter, then return the filter basket to the machine.

Switch on the coffee maker and allow the entire brewing cycle to finish. Some machines offer additional options, such as a coffee-strength setting, but this recipe is best prepared using the standard setting. If you prefer a milder or more powerful cup, you can change the amount of coffee in your next batch.

For most drip machines, the brewing process should take around three to five minutes, beginning when water first reaches the coffee grounds and ending when the water has passed completely through them.

4. Serve and Enjoy

Your freshly brewed coffee is now ready to enjoy. If your coffee maker has a glass carafe that sits on an electric warming plate, it’s a good idea to remove the pot once brewing is finished. Leaving coffee on the hot plate for too long can cause it to develop a bitter taste.

If you have extra coffee that you want to keep hot, transfer it to a thermos rather than leaving it on the warming surface.

Adjusting Your Next Brew

Pay attention to the flavor as you drink your coffee. The taste of each batch can help you determine what to change next time.

If the coffee tastes too bitter, try using a slightly coarser grind. If the flavor is sour, weak, or lacks sweetness, experiment with a somewhat finer grind. Small adjustments to grind size can make a noticeable difference while keeping the rest of your brewing method the same.