WIP blog

Salt? That’s right, salt. I was watching a show on TV about a restaurant called “Salt” in Florida that adds salt to their coffee because they claim it mellows it out and removes bitterness. I did some research online about this and found some people asking about it. The odd thing was, everyone was asking but noone seemed to be trying it. I admit, I was a bit hesitant to add salt to my precious morning cup. I don’t like to add anything to my coffee. But, curiosity and science got the best of me. I was pleased with the results.

In cooking I use a lot of salt to do different things. I’ve also observed when eating certain foods like eggs (which I make with cheese and add salt) with coffee that my coffee takes on a very nutty flavor. I never made the correlation between the salt in the eggs affecting the coffee flavor, but now it makes a lot of sense.

Ideally, the perfect cup of coffee should not be bitter. But, things don’t always go as planned. Even with all the perfecting I’ve done over the years, I still end up with a sub-optimal cup from time to time. When this happens, I recommend adding a little salt. Like magic, it can actually take a slightly bitter cup and mellow it out. I know this sounds crazy. I was skeptical. What do you have to lose? Here’s my story of how I tried it.

Two days ago, I ground my coffee and added a tiny pinch of salt to the grinds. I didn’t measure the salt. It was definitely less than 1/8 teaspoon for a single serving of coffee (slightly shy of 1/4 cup whole beans). I added the hot water, brewed it, and poured it into my mug. The taste? It was not salty. It tasted good. It had hardly any bitter flavor. Now, this could have been because it was a good cup to begin with. The next day, I realized that adding it to the coffee grinds probably wasn’t necessary. Instead, I brewed the coffee as usual. My coffee came out tasting pretty good. But, the filter in my Brita pitcher is getting a little weak so the coffee had the slightest edge. Out came the salt. I poured a tiny bit of kosher salt into the palm of my hand. I sprinkled a little in the cup. No need to stir. This small amount dissolves readily. I tasted it — better. I added just a tiny bit more — perfect. There’s no salty flavor whatsoever because it’s below the threshold of human detection. It’s just enough salt to mellow out the flavor.

Next time you get a slightly bitter cup, what do you have to lose? I’m not saying you should add salt to your coffee every day. But, if you find your cup of coffee unpleasant, instead of reaching for sugar, reach for the other white stuff: salt.

Summary

CFL spotlight with foil shroud

I recently bought the largest CFL (compact fluorescent) bulb I have ever seen. It’s a monster that costs $14 for a single bulb. It uses 65 watts of energy, which is a lot for a CFL. The incandescent equivalent light output is around 300 watts. The light color is soft white, the only color available. My bulb is a Bright Effects brand from Lowe’s. There is a nearly identical one you can get on amazon.

65 watt CFL inside spotlight

In the summer, I like to cook at night on my Weber charcoal grill. I usually end up cooking after it gets dark so I need a lot of light outdoors. On my patio, I don’t have any light fixtures installed. Last year, I bought a 250 watt halogen work lamp. It has a clamp so I can temporarily mount it up high on the roof fascia. I used this for the entire summer last season. This year when I turned it on, the bulb blew. I put a new bulb in and it didn’t work either. I determined the fixture was broken. Instead of replacing it with a new halogen unit, I decided to see if I could find an alternative that would use less energy and last longer. My answer was a 65 watt CFL in a standard reflector housing with a spring loaded clamp.

Energy

65 watt CFL label

The bulb is rated at 65 watts. I did several controlled tests where I turned it off and on and observed my power meter that shows current kilowatts being used. It consistently showed around 65 watts. The label on the bulb indicates a draw of 1.08 A (amps) at 120 VAC (volts, AC), or about 130 VA (volt amps). The discrepancy of 130 VA and 65 watts is exactly a factor of 2, which means the power factor is 0.5. This is very typical for CFLs. While there is a lot of controversy surrounding poor power factors and the actual long term costs to the consumer, I think it’s hard to argue this bulb uses relatively little energy compared to its 250 watt halogen counterpart that outputs similar light. You can read more on this topic in this post.

Size

65 watt and 14 watt CFLs

This bulb is large. I laughed when I took it out of the box. I laughed again when I screwed it into my reflector fixture because half of the bulb extends beyond the rim, making the reflector fairly useless. I countered this by extending the reflector with an aluminum shroud shown above. As you can see in the image to the left, the 65 watt CFL is more than twice as long as a normal 14 watt CFL (65 watt incandescent equivalent). A lot of fixtures can’t accommodate this large size bulb, so make sure you do your homework before getting one of these beasts.

Color Quality

The box of my bulb indicated a color temperature of 2700 K and called this “soft white”. I agree with their assessment. The bulb produces a nice, soft, somewhat yellowish light that you’d expect from a very bright incandescent bulb. It’s not as white as my 250 watt halogen. I originally wanted a hotter color temperature (more white) like the halogen, but after 10 minutes of getting used to the new bulb I really liked it. I find the color pleasing. When used for my grilling task, I had no problems seeing my food and everything looked like it was the correct color.

Temperature

I was a little surprised that this bulb ran rather hot. Usually when you think of a fluorescent bulb, you think cool to the touch. After 10 minutes of warmup time, this 65 watt CFL averaged around 180 F (temp taken with my infrared thermometer). I should reiterate that this reading was done with the foil shroud around the bulb, which probably increased the temperature. Although, it still had plenty of ventilation. In comparison, a 75 watt incandescent floodlight averaged around 360 F after 2 minutes and a 250 watt halogen averaged around 460 F after 2 minutes. So, the CFL is still considerably cooler, but you need to be careful when handling it after it’s been on. It also attracts a lot of bugs outside, a combination of the brightness and the temperature. In fact, there were a few dead bugs on the bulb after running it outside for three hours. One concern I have is how long the bulb will actually last since high temperatures shorten balast life. This remains to be seen.

Brightness

65 watt CFL in action at night

The bulb manufacturer claims the light output is equivalent to a 300 watt incadescent. I don’t have a meter to measure lumens so I can’t verify this. Qualitatively, I can say that the bulb provided plenty of light for my night time grilling. It was the only light source on my grill and it’s mounted at a height of around 9 feet. When I was using my 250 watt halogen for grilling, the lighting was similar. It takes about two minutes for the giant CFL to reach full brightness. When it does, be careful not to look at it. It’s really bright! I’m totally satisfied with the brightness. I didn’t think a CFL could get this bright.

Noise

The 65 watt CFL I bought is totally silent when powered on. I always test my bulbs by putting my ear right up to the ballast. A CFL should never make any noise. If it does, return it.

Conclusion

If you need a very bright light source, such as for a work area, this 65 watt CFL is a good choice. A 250 watt halogen is also a good choice, but it does use a lot more energy and bulb life I expect will be superior for the CFL. The 65 watt CFL can be placed in a regular light socket which makes it very versatile. As a bonus, it can be placed in fixtures that read something like “use 100 watts max bulb” since the wattage and heat are relatively low compared to a 100 watt incandescent bulb.

Black, elongated, quiet toilet seat

Summary

Just when you thought the most mundane of inventions, the toilet seat, couldn’t be reinvented, introducing the quiet toilet seat. When you close it, it doesn’t slam. It closes slowly and gently. You give it a gentle nudge and down it goes. The seat quietly taps against the toilet and the transaction is complete.

This isn’t a new concept. These whisper close toilet seats have been around for years. However, I haven’t yet found one in someone else’s house. The toilet seat is a neglected bathroom fixture. We spend lots of money on fancy faucets and they can be hundreds of dollars. I think people should consider these quiet toilet seats.

Benefits

• Hygiene : It’s cleaner because you don’t have to touch as much of the seat to ease it down.
• Noise : It’s quieter, of course. No slamming.
• Safety : No pinched fingers. In addition, when you sit on it, you won’t fall over.
• Novelty : You’ll be the talk of the next dinner party: “psstt, did you see his toilet seat? I wonder where he got it? Does he have a blog?”

What to Look for

When you are buying one of these seats, there are a few things to look for:

• Material. Get something solid, either solid wood or Coralink. Coralink is a plastic like material that is very durable. dense, and wood-like. I have one of each material. I prefer the wood since it’s warmer on a cold day. Although, I was impressed by the Coralink and it’s the only material in which I could find the black, elongated whisper seat. Don’t settle for a flimsy seat. The seat should weigh a few pounds. The seat should be strong enough such that when you sit on it with the lid closed, it feels like it’s not going to break.
• Hinge style. The hinges of the models I recommend are stronger than the typical hinge on a cheap toilet seat. Cheap hinges break easily and lead to toilet seats that move all over the place. Nothing is more frustrating than broken hinges or hinges that allow the toilet seat to slide around. I like a strong, sturdy hinge that holds the seat in a fixed position no matter what. These usually have a metal bolt (not plastic) and screw into the thick of the toilet seat for a firm foundation.
• Shape. Standard or elongated are the two shapes of toilet seats. I have one of each. You can see the videos in this article to see the difference. Get the shape that matches your commode.
• Color. I have one white and one black seat. White is by far the most common. Black is hard to find, but not impossible. A few other off white colors are also available. Get the color that matches your toilet.

These seats are ideal for people with kids. Kids love to slam toilet seats which makes a lot of noise, could damage their ear drums, and could lead to crushed fingers. Kids will love the novelty of the slow closing toilet seat. Noone wants to be woken up at 6am by a slamming toilet seat.

Where to Buy

I have two toilets. Each one has a quiet closing lid. For one bathroom, I have a black, elongated quiet toilet seat. This is a very difficult seat to find but you can get one on amazon here. It was exactly what I had been searching for for years to replace my flimsy plastic black seat which moved all over the place. Here’s a video of it in action. Crank up the volume:

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My other seat is a standard shape, quiet closing, white colored model. You can find one online here. You can see it in action here:

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Summary

Spiral CFL

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (typically referred to as CFLs) have finally come into their own. They are available in a variety of styles, colors, and color temperature. Bulb costs have come down from what they were a few years ago. In this blog, I will discuss each of these topics in more detail. If you are thinking about replacing some of your incandescent bulbs and saving some money on energy costs, you’ve come to the right place. I will discuss the pros and cons of bulb replacement. In the end, you will find that it makes sense to replace some bulbs but probably not all.

Energy

The primary reason to use CFLs instead of incandescent bulbs is they use 1/4 (25%) of the energy of the comparable incandescent bulb. For example, a 15 watt CFL will output roughly the same amount of light (lumens) as a 60 watt incandescent bulb.

As one reader commented, there is some controversy surrounding the topic of energy consumption of CFLs. When I get my utility bill, electricity is charged by the kWh (Kilowatt hour). I suspect most people are billed this way. If this is the case for you, a CFL that claims to be “13 watts” will indeed draw 13 watts and be billed as such. However, if you are charged based on volt-amps (VA), your realized savings for CFLs will be reduced by a factor of around two, depending on the power factor (most CFLs have a power factor of around 0.5 whereas 0.85 or higher is desired, 1.0 being ideal). For example, a 13 watt CFL might use around 26 VA. If you are billed by VA, CFLs only effectively use 1/2 the energy instead of 1/4 the energy of a comparable incandescent bulb. This is a confusing topic that is surrounded by debate. I can tell you that I personally verified on my electric meter, which reports current watt usage, that a 13 watt CFL uses around 13 watts and a 65 watt CFL uses around 65 watts. The devil is in the details, but I still feel the energy savings of CFL bulbs is real and good. For more information, you can read here and here.

Life expectancy

In addition to CFLs using less energy, the other great thing is they usually last considerably longer than their incandescent counterparts. On the packaging, you’ll see a number of hours for the bulb rating. Common CFL ratings are 6,000 to 15,000 hours. For incandescents, 750 to 1000 hours is common. However, it’s a little more complicated than this. Both CFLs and incandescent life is shortened by turning the light on and off. In the case of incandescents, the life can be considerably extended by use of a dimmer for two reasons: first, if you turn the bulb on by making it dim first and then brighter, the filament is not shocked as much. Second, operating an incandescent at a lower temperature extends the filament life. So, you can exceed the 750-1000 hour rating by 5-10x with proper dimming, perhaps even longer. For CFLs, if they are operating in a hotter, enclosed environment (e.g. poor ventilation), life can be reduced significantly. One example is the CFL spotlights I discussed below. I’ve had mixed results with bulb life on these. Because the bulbs are enclosed in a glass casing, they tend to wear out prematurely. Also, having the bulb in a spotlight reduces air circulation and bulb life. My longest lasting CFLs I bought over 5 years ago. They get used for 2+ hours a day. They have good ventilation. On the other hand, I’ve had some regular spiral CFLs last less than 3 months when operated for 1 hour/day. So, your mileage will vary.

Styles

Incandescent bulbs have been around for over 100 years. As such, they have evolved into many different styles and form factors. CFLs have only become really mainstream in the last 5 years. For example, pretty much anywhere you go these days you’ll see CFLs if you look up. CFLs are quickly becoming available in different styles. The classic CFL is the spiral. Actually, all CFLs are spirals inside. A very popular style is CFL spotlights. These too have spiral bulbs inside with a glass housing to give them the same appearance as their incandescent cousins. A few years ago, CFL spotlights were ridiculously expensive. Now, you can get a 4 pack of R30 15w CFLs (equivalent of about 65 watts incandescent lighting) for $23 which is on par with the incandescent pricing for R30 bulbs. R30 CFL spotlights are great because they are so versatile. Many rooms use this mid-sized spot light. I have replaced many of my R30s with CFLs. Similarly, R20 (small) and R40 (big) spotlight CFLs are also available. I haven’t purchased either of these sizes yet, but I intend to. Currently, R30 is the sweet spot as far as bang for the buck is concerned.

R30 CFL Spotlight

Plain spiral CFLs make up the majority of the market since they are the least expensive. Stores are constantly running specials on these bulbs. My recommendation is if you see such a special, pick up a pack. Interestingly, I have seen spiral CFLs installed in the oddest of places. Many stores put spirals in their spotlight fixtures instead of an R30 CFL. I imagine this is because of cost. It creates for an unusual look. However, I can’t help but think this is just a paradigm shift and that before long, spirals in spotlight fixtures will become stylish and R30s will become antiquated. But, I’m no expert in trends. I am happy to see so many spirals being used, as they save tons of energy. In my house, the first incandescent bulbs I replaced were those inside a fixture where you can’t see the bulb. These are prime candidates for spiral CFLs. I’ve used spirals in my garage, hallway, bedroom, and kitchen.

Chandelier with "A" shape CFLs and one incandescent

Another style I really like that I feel is highly underrated is the classic “A” shape CFL. This CFL is designed to look like the ubiquitous classic incandescent bulb. Of course, the “A” shape incandescent bulb got its shape as the result of “form follows function”. It could be argued that the spiral CFL is the successor. However, for old fashioned people like me, I like the “A” shape CFL. But, I think it goes beyond just the shape. The light that exits the “A” shape CFL is more distributed whereas the light from a spiral CFL can be downright blinding if you look at it. I have a chandelier in my living room whose bulbs are readily visible. It originally came with “A” shape incandescent bulbs. I have since replaced them with “A” shape CFLs. I would not dare put spirals in there because I believe five spiral bulbs hanging down from a chandelier looks tacky. That’s just my 2 cents. Two thumbs up to the “A” shape CFL, even if they cost four times more.

There are many more styles I haven’t tried including those with a mini base, globe vanity bulbs, 50w halogen replacements (with two prongs at the end), and 3 way.

Testing

After buying a bunch of CFLs, I recommend testing them when you get home. You don’t need to test every bulb, just one from each style/brand. Look for light quality, warm up time, and noise. Chances are, if it is an Energy Star bulb, it’s fine. Always buy CFLs with the Energy Star logo. More on this below. If the bulbs you picked up are no good, return them immediately. Some brands or runs are inferior, although the trend is getting better since all the manufacturers just copy everyone else’s (better) design over time. Note that when CFLs are very new, they may take slightly longer for light to first appear. It seems the ballasts need to be “seasoned”. I had one brand of bulb that took about a quarter second for light to appear after flipping the switch. After running it for a few hours, it comes on instantly now. Of course, it still needs a warm up time for full brightness.

Energy Star

Look for the Energy Star Logo

When buying a CFL, make sure it has the Energy Star logo. This logo can be placed on a product when it meets guidelines determined by the DOE (Department of Energy). The first thing that comes to mind when you hear Energy Star is, well, energy. Sure enough, CFLs bearing this logo need to use 75 percent less energy than their incandescent counterparts. That’s all good, but most CFLs will meet or come close to this just by their nature. To me, the two most important things about the Energy Star logo are it ensures the bulb makes virtually no noise and that the color temperature is reasonable. Some of the earlier CFLs made a slight hum. Every bulb that I’ve gotten with the Energy Star logo has been silent. Light quality from bulbs with the Energy Star rating have been true to their label (e.g. soft white gives a convincing soft white. See more on Color Temperature below). Although the Energy Star program has undergone criticism, I still feel it’s a good standard for CFLs. I also feel it’s better to have some standard vs. no standard. So, don’t forget to look for the Energy Star logo when buying your next CFL!

Colors

Like incandescent bulbs, you can now buy CFLs that emit different colors. This should not be confused with Color Temperature which I talk about next. I haven’t tried any of the colored CFLs because I haven’t had a need to yet. I’ve seen them on the shelf so it’s worth mentioning in case you are looking to replace a colored incandescent. So far I’ve seen red, black, and yellow (bug light) and I so no reason why other colors can’t exist.

Color Temperature and CRI

You can buy CFLs with different color temperatures, too, so your whole house doesn’t look like a 24 hour Safeway. Color Temperature and CRI (Color Rendering Index) determine the quality of light the bulb emits. Temperature refers to the area on the color spectrum the bulb is emitting. For example, a candle emits a yellowish light with a temperature around 1500 K. Sunrise/sunset emits a warmer light, around 3200 K. Midday sun is very warm, around 5500 K. There’s a good chart on color temperature here. But, just because a bulb emits light at a certain temperature doesn’t mean it’ll look good. For example, a tube fluorescent bulb with a color temperature of 4100 K doesn’t necessary look like sunlight at 10am (somewhere between sunrise and midday). This is because the CRI of that tube fluorscent may be in the 70s. Some guidelines recommend a CRI above 80. To be safe, I’d get one around 85 or higher, even if it’s a premium. The CFL will last a long time, so why not spend an extra dollar or two and enjoy the light? Note that by definition, incandescents have a CRI of 100. More information on CRI can be found here and here.

This topic can get confusing quickly because CRI is often ignored. Some manufacturers only put the temperature (usually in Kelvin) on the packaging. Again, we look to our friend the Energy Star logo. You will often see terms such as “Soft White” or “Warm White” or “White” or “Bright White” or the classic “Cool White” or “Daylight”. There’s a good temperature chart that describes these. While I prefer to see both temperature and CRI on the packaging, you often have to rely on just the color label. In general, if you are looking for a CFL that outputs light similar to the classic incandescent, get a “Soft White”. This has a yellowish light that we’ve become accustom to. I’ve been quite satisfied with the Soft White CFLs I’ve bought recently. They are great for the living room and bedroom. If you are looking for something more white, such as for the garage, “Bright White” is a good choice. Truth be told, I have Cool White and Soft White in my garage and it’s all good. What’s most important is that the CRI is in the mid 80s. CRI is ultimately what will make the light feel good or feel empty.

Dimming

I am a huge fan of dimming lights. I use them in the bathroom so I can turn on the light at night and not get blinded (which also interrupts your sleep). I use them in the kids room to signify it’s bed time. I use them in the living room when watching TV. I really like CFLs, which is why I wrote this article. But, my main issue with CFLs is they are not ideal for dimming, not even if you buy a CFL designed for dimming. Before I go on, it should be noted that I haven’t actually bought a dimming CFL yet. If/when I do, I will post a follow-up here. However, I’ve researched it extensively and will summarize my findings.

Packaging

Most CFLs have packaging that has fine print stating “not suitable for dimmers”. If you see no mention of dimming on the package, it can not be dimmed. Some newer CFLs are designed specifically for dimming and are marked prominently on the packaging.

Mechanism

The typical CFL can not be dimmed. Ones marked for dimming work with a modern dimmer, say one bought in the last 10 years. Most modern dimmers use an electronic circuit that contains a triac (an electronic component). They work by altering the frequency of the current. This trick works, for the most part, for incandescent and halogen bulbs. When applied to a regular CFL, the electronic ballast can’t handle it, behaves erratically, and can damage the bulb. CFLs marked suitable for dimming have a more elaborate ballast that can work with the triac circuit.

Cost

Dimmable CFLs are noticeably more expensive than the non-dimming standard CFL. I’ve seen less expensive dimmable CFLs on amazon. I saw a some at Lowe’s, Orchard Supply, Home Depot, and my local hardware store but they are quite costly. I was discouraged by the cost combined with the other limitations of the dimmable CFL.

Dimming Range

The dimming range determines how dim the bulb can get. An incandescent bulb on a modern dimmer circuit can practically go from 0%-100%. In other words, you can get the incandescent bulbs pretty darn dim to where they are a dark orange and emit almost no useful light. In contrast, dimmable CFLs at best go down to 10% or 20% of the maximum light. Some are worse and only go down to 50%. The packaging won’t tell you so it’s impossible to know the dimming range unless you either try it or read a knowledgeable review on the specific brand bulb.

Light Quality

The biggest drawback of dimmable CFLs is the light quality is not good throughout the dimming range. When incandescent bulbs are very dim, their color temperature changes and becomes very orange or red, similar to a sunset. In contrast, when a CFL is very dim, the color tends to be more like the normal color of the bulb. That is, the color temperature does not change much throughout the dimming range. At full dimness, some are slightly pink, like some CFLs when first turned on in a cold house. Humans tend to be more comfortable with the dimming characteristics of the incandescent bulb. When a bulb emits less light, we expect the color temperature to change towards the red. If it doesn’t, it has an eerie feeling. Thus, your dimmed CFL may not produce the light you expect.

You can find more information on dimmable CFLs here and here.

Warm up time

When you turn on an incandescent bulb, you get light immediately. The bulb also reaches full brightness right away. If you’ve purchased at least one CFL, you probably noticed it doesn’t have the same behavior as an incandescent when you turn it on. There are two factors to consider here when you hear about “warm up time”:

• Time to first light : When you flick the switch to “on”, how long does it take before you get any light? This depends on the bulb, whether or not the bulb has been broken in, and ambient condition. Different makes of bulb will inherently exhibit different turn on times. Some bulbs out the box turn on pretty much instantly. Others can take 1/2 second to show light. I’ve also noticed on many of my bulbs that when they are brand new, they will take about 1/2 second to light up. But, after a few hours of use they turn on immediately. This is because the ballasts need some burn in time. In any case, the time to first light is typically not an issue since it’s never more than 1/2 second. However, I wouldn’t recommend using a CFL for applications like a really dark stairway or, worse, a refrigerator, where you really want the light to come on right away.
• Time to full brightness : After the CFL first lights up, it typically takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes to reach full brightness. It depends on the bulb brand and particularly the ambient temperature. To observe the impact temperature has on CFLs, try this: turn the bulb on and let it reach full brightness. Turn it off and then turn it on 10 seconds later. You’ll notice it is at full brightness right away. In the winter, some of my CFL R30s are pink and dim when I first turn them on. They take a good two minutes to reach full intensity. On other bulbs, even when cold they only take 30 seconds. The time to full brightness is important based on the application. If you are keeping the bulb on for a while, it’s not an issue. For applications like the dark stairway, you probably are better served with an incandescent.

One alternative bulb configuration I use a lot is to mix incandescent and CFLs in the same fixture (or on the same switch). I do this for several reasons. First, it ensures I get some decent light when I first flick the switch on. Second, even after several minutes have passed and CFLs have reached full intensity, I get a nice balance of color temperature by using both CFL and incandescent. It’s true it uses more energy than 100% CFLs, but I find it a good compromise. If you are really concerned, you can also use a lower wattage bulb in the incandescent to offset some energy costs.

Noise

Some earlier CFLs (from 5 years ago) hummed. If you buy a CFL nowadays and it has the Energy Star logo, it’s safe to assume it will be silent when on. As mentioned earlier, when you first buy a batch of CFLs, test one for noise. Return it immediately if it makes any noise.

Conclusion

CFLs are here to stay. The quality has improved over the years and is quite good now. CFLs have a place in most homes. Most likely, you should replace some incandescent bulbs with CFL if you haven’t already. However, it’s probably not practical to replace all of your bulbs. Some applications are better suited for either incandescent or CFL. In the future, I look forward to LED lighting, which promises to address shortcomings in CFL.

Summary

The Perfect Cup

I have a love/hate relationship with coffee. When someone asks me “would you like some coffee?” I usually want to respond “is it good coffee? how is it made? when was it made? was the equipment clean?” Alas, etiquette dictates otherwise. I usually look around and try to find what kind of equipment they are using. Are the beans whole or pre-ground? How long has it been sitting around? A good cup of coffee is divine. A bad cup of coffee rots the core of my soul. I think a new word for bad coffee should be invented, like “boffee”. “Would you like some boffee?” “No thanks, but if I’d love to have some coffee.” You get the idea.

Over the last 15 years, I have perfected coffee making. In this blog, I will explain my method. If you follow my rules, you will make excellent coffee. The best part is, it’s not even that hard and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. I think anyone interested in drinking good coffee will be able to learn this procedure in less than a week and enjoy good coffee for the rest of their natural lives. There is one catch, however. You have to follow the rules. If you try to outsmart the rules and take shortcuts, you will insult the coffee and possibly end up with boffee. That said, let’s dive in.

Beans

Coffee Beans

When it comes to marketing coffee, beans are the #1 thing you hear about. From Juan Valdez to Consumer reports, you hear about beans. Some of the ads make it sound like they are selling magic beans. So, how does one buy a good bean? The first thing you need to know is that cost should not be the driving factor. Don’t buy beans because they are exceptionally inexpensive or expensive. Folgers is inexpensive but it’s never good, sorry. It’s just not possible for a company with such a large operation to have a fresh, high quality bean. If it were, probably everyone else would be out of business. Kona beans from Hawaii are very expensive and can be excellent. However, since coffee shops don’t sell a lot, it’s often not that fresh. What’s more, unless you are in Hawaii, they probably don’t have enough experience with it to understand how to properly roast it. I typically buy whole coffee beans for $14/pound. I live on the San Francisco Peninsula where everyone gouges you, so you can probably do better. In any case, $14/pound is really not a lot of money when you think about the cost for a good cup of coffee. A 14 ounce cup of my homemade coffee is around 50 cents.

Where should you buy your beans from? Whenever possible, buy from a local roaster. This has many advantages. Coffee has many enemies: time, oxygen (air), high temperature, humidity, and sunlight. When coffee is roasted elsewhere in the country and shipped, it encounters these enemies somewhere along the line. Not all local roasters are infallable, however. Some are mediocre, some are exceptional. Finding a good source of beans is ultimately trial and error. I offer guidelines within. Follow them and follow the directions to making a good cup of coffee. If you’ve done everything right and the coffee is still not divine, then try a different roaster. Over the years I have tried many roasters and have finally settled on Peet’s Coffee, which started out in the Bay area but is now available through the west coast and I believe headed east. I buy their coffee from a local Peet’s coffee shop. They also sell in grocery stores. However, I can’t really vouch for how good their coffee is in the grocery store or in parts elsewhere in the country. Just because it says “Peet’s” on the label, doesn’t automatically make it good. The enemies of coffee don’t care what the label says.

There are two classes of beans out there: Arabica and Robusta. You want Arabica. Robusta is an inferior grade that typically ends up in pre-ground cans of Folgers with flavor crystals. To be honest, I don’t know if you can even buy Robusta whole beans. If you are buying whole beans from a coffee shop that roasts their own beans, it’s Arabica.

There are many different roasts out there. In the general sense, there is a light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. Light roasts are beans that are light brown in color and have a dry appearance. Very dark roasts are black and usually look shiny or oily. Since the roasting process actually volatilizes the caffeine, light roasts (which are roasted less) have the most caffeine and dark roasts have the least. This means that the darkest roast, espresso roast, has the least caffeine. Espresso, the drink, tends to have a higher concentration of caffeine per volume because the grind is super fine and high pressure water is forced through tightly packed grounds. This results in more caffeine extraction during the brewing process even though the source bean has less caffeine. So which roast is best? This is a matter of personal preference. I used to like medium roasts. For the past 5-10 years, I’ve switched to primarily darker roasts. If you are buying beans from Peet’s, you’ll notice all of their roasts tend towards dark. I usually buy Mocha Java beans that have a slight sheen to them. Dark roasts tend to work best in the French Press, so that’s what I recommend.

Independent from roast, there are different bean varieties just like wine has different grape varieties. All coffee beans actually originated in Ethiopia and slowly spread throughout the world. Now, notable coffee is grown in Central and South America, parts of Africa, the Middle East (ie. Arabia), and Southeast Asia (particularly Indonesia). See wikipedia for more background on the history of coffee. Which geography grows the best bean? That’s a long debate. I’ve had good beans from all of these places. When you are getting started out, I recommend buying beans from different locations and see what suits you. I used to only buy Ethiopian, but now I’ve branched out. For a long time I thought I didn’t like beans from Central America. Then, one day I stumbled upon the annual run of Las Hermanas at Peet’s which is one of the tastiest coffees I’ve ever had. You should always be on the lookout for seasonal runs as they can be quite rewarding.

Always buy whole coffee beans. I repeat, always buy whole beans. Never buy pre-ground. If you buy pre-ground and follow the rest of my instructions, you will get boffee. Why? Coffee has thousands of very delicate chemical compounds that are all locked into the bean. These compounds are transformed from the minute the bean is picked and processed and roasted. Unless you are Juan Valdez and roasting your own beans, the roasted bean you buy from the coffee shop is ground zero. When you buy that bean, you don’t want to alter it whatsoever until you absolutely must. Besides from the enemies of coffee, once you grind coffee, all of those precious, delicate compounds start to volitalize and oxidize. This means the flavor begins to be altered, for the worse. In fact, I’m very careful about grinding my coffee as close as possible to when it’s about to hit the water. So, again, I repeat, always buy whole coffee beans.

Shelf Life & Storage

Ceramic Container

After you bring home the perfect whole bean, you need to store it correctly. I keep coffee for up to two weeks. Recall the coffee enemies from above: time, oxygen (air), high temperature, humidity, and sunlight. As such, I store my coffee in an airtight ceramic container. I keep that container on the kitchen counter. I only open it when I am scooping out beans and close it immediately after. I like ceramic because it’s non-porous which means it doesn’t retain odors. It can be put in the dishwasher and come out free of odor, staining, and residue. You can find airtight ceramic containers here.

Alternatively, you can store your coffee in a vacuum canister. You can get one here. I haven’t actually tried one of these, but I am intrigued. It got good reviews (once you get past the complaints about battery life on the earlier models) and has a removable inner container for easy cleaning. If you have one, please comment and let me know how it’s working.

Burr Grinder

Solis Burr Grinder

You’ve bought your whole beans. Now, you need to grind them before they go in the French Press. There are two types of grinders: blade and burr. The blade costs less, about $20. The burr costs $100-$120. You want the burr grinder. The burr grinder lets you adjust the size of the grind. For a French Press, you want a coarse grind. The burr grinder passes the beans through it in a one step crushing operation. It does this at low rpm relying on torque for the crushing action. The blade grinder is no good. Don’t waste your time. You can’t control the grind size whatsoever. You’ll end up with some fine powder and some chunks. I was cheap and tried it for a year and gave up. It takes a lot of guesswork and always fails. Also, the blade spins at high speeds and cooks the coffee which totally destroys the flavor. The burr grinder is foolproof.

Grind Setting

You set the dial for coarse level and press go. You get superior, consistent results every time. What’s more, the burr grinder can do espresso grind if you are so inclined.

Solis Logo

I have a Solis brand burr grinder. I’ve had it for over 10 years and it’s worth every penny. I highly recommend it. It’s the most expensive investment in the perfect cup of coffee. But, you need to have it. Amortized over the life of the grinder, a $120 grinder over 10 years adds 3 cents to each cup of coffee. The Solis brand can be hard to find, but there’s a nearly identical looking version made by Saeco that you can get on amazon. Other highly rated models are the Capresso or Breville.

I am a big believer of reviews on Amazon. If you read the reviews on the Saeco, Capresso, or Breville there are a few repeating themes I would like to elaborate on:

• Static Electricity. My Solis is subject to static electricity issues. After grinding, there is often ground coffee stuck to various parts. It seems to depend on the bean type, bean age, humidity, and perhaps even the solar wind. Some grinders claim to have an anti static mechanism. I haven’t tried one with this so I can’t vouch for whether or not it works. What I can say, however, is that static electricity buildup in your grinder isn’t the end of the world. Mine’s been like this for 10 years. It means a few grinds get on the counter when you make coffee. It’s no big deal, just wipe it up with a dish rag. Most things I cook in the kitchen make some kind of mess and this is no exception.
• Grind container moves and makes a mess. Due to the forces involved in grinding, on some models, including my Solis, the container where the grinds exit into will move a little bit during grinding. This results in some grinds getting on the counter or behind the grind container. Again, it’s not really a big deal.
• Grind size. French Press coffee requires a coarse grind, but what is coarse? This requires a bit of experimenting and varies based on personal preference. If you put too fine a grind into a French Press, you get a bitter, muddy cup. If you use too coarse a grind, you end up with weak coffee (and brewing longer won’t help, either). Through experience, I have found the Solis when set on the coarsest setting is just right for the French Press. Some reviewers have commented about grind size. When reading these comments, make sure they are addressed towards a French Press grind. There are a lot of complaints about fine grinds for espresso and Turkish coffee, but that’s beyond scope. This article is about French Press coffee, which I believe is the simplest and best coffee. For that purpose, coarse grind is what you want.
• Grinds get stuck. This is related to the static electricity issue. After grinding, not all of the grinds exit into the grind container. Some stay in the grinder. On my Solis, I gently tap the side and this helps some come out. Overall, I think the volume of coffee that’s left in the grinder is negligible. Also, if you are running your grinder every day, the worst case scenario is a very small percentage of grinds will be from the previous day. It’s not ideal, but in practice it hasn’t prevented me from making the perfect cup.
• Capacity. Some people like to grind a ton of coffee because they grind once per week. I don’t condone this behavior. I think you should grind seconds before you use the coffee. For this purpose, all of the grinders have enough bean capacity for even a large French Press that serves three people.

Water

Water Pitcher

Coffee only has two ingredients, beans and water. We already discussed how important the beans are. Not surprisingly, the water is equally important. The water should be filtered. I use tap water drawn through a regular Brita water filter (active charcoal). Always use the coldest tap water when filling your water filter. Ideally, you want to use water that has just gone through the filter as opposed to water that’s been sitting in the Brita pitcher all night long. This gives it a higher oxygen content. Oxygen level in the water is very important for flavor.

The filter should be as new as possible. My best coffee is made after changing the water filter and for the next two weeks. After that, I notice a gradual decline. The Brita model I use has an indicator on top for filter life. When it shows two bars remaining (50% left), that means you can no longer get good coffee using water from it. This means it’s time to change the filter. I like this brain dead operation since it simplifies the coffee making process. You can get a Brita model with indicator here. If you don’t have an indicator, note that 50% = one month. You’ll go through a lot of filters, so I suggest buying them in bulk on amazon or from Costco. To be honest, after the filter is at 50% the water doesn’t taste good anyhow. Also, the filter begins to fester bacteria at this point and does more harm than good.

I do not recommend bottled water for making coffee. Bottled water does not have the same strict guidelines that tap water does. A lot of it is just municipal water that’s been run through a reverse osmosis filter. It’s all overpriced, as well. Worst of all, most bottled water comes in plastic which imparts a horrible flavor into the coffee.

I heat my water in a tea kettle on a gas stove. An electric stove should produce the same results. An electric tea kettle, such as one with a submersible element, should work as well provided it’s metal. Never use hot water from a hot tap or a water cooler (many work places have a hot tap on the water cooler). These are very bad because they continuously reheat the water to maintain the temperature. During this process, they are destroying the oxygen content in the water. Also, they tend to have a sulfur smell. They also aren’t hot enough, so you have to heat the water in a kettle anyhow. Just don’t use hot taps. When heating the water in your tea kettle, ideally you want to heat it on a high light until it gets to the ideal brewing temperature of 200-202 °F. This can be difficult and even I often overshoot or the water boils. This is OK. Just let the water cool for a few minutes and monitor the temperature until it comes down to the ideal brewing point. Be careful not to let it get too cool. If it does, you really don’t want to reheat it as this begins destroying the oxygen levels. But, you can reheat in a pinch, just be aware that the further you deviate from the ideal, the more oxygen you kill and in turn the more flavor you kill. Don’t heat the water on too low of a light, as this will extend the overall heating time and drive off oxygen. Heat only as much water as you need for the coffee and pre-warming (discussed below).

Tea Kettle

Tea Kettle

To heat the water, I recommend a tea kettle. There is a large variety of tea kettles available and it can be maddening buying one, so here are some characteristics to look for. The kettle should have a removable lid to allow the water to be easily added. Some kettles only allow you to add water through the spout which isn’t a lot of room and could lead to spilling. You don’t want any obstacles during the coffee making process. This will distract you from your mission and could result in improper execution of other steps. The handle should be large for easy grabbing. Some handles connect at both sides to the kettle, some stop part way. I prefer the former since there’s more for me to grab and it’s easier to find a balance point. The handle should have a high clearance over the lid. This makes it easier to take the lid off and makes the handle cooler when the kettle is hot (since it’s further from the heat source). The spout should have a flap on it and the flap should be controllable with the hand that’s holding the handle. As a bonus, on my kettle you can stick the thermometer probe through the whistle hole. This makes it easier to take the water temperature. Kettle volume is the final factor to take into consideration. This is personal preference and should be based on the primary use pattern. If you are mainly heating water for coffee for 1-3 people, a 2 1/2 quart kettle is sufficient. Larger kettles can be more difficult to handle and impractical for heating small volumes of water. Here’s a link to a kettle that meets all the criteria listed above.

French Press

French Presses

The French Press is the ideal way to brew coffee. I’ve tried a lot of coffee devices. Ironically, the French Press is the simplest and least expensive of coffee devices, yet it’s the best. It’s also the most portable. It provides the most honest rendition of the bean. A bad bean cannot escape the press. Along those lines, a good bean is rewarded in the press. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, inexpensive, and makes the best coffee. I can’t say enough good things about the French Press. It can even be used to brew loose leaf tea! In fact, I brew tea in the same presses I use for coffee. You would never dream of brewing tea in a drip coffee machine because the tea would taste like coffee (boffee, to be exact). With the French Press, you run it through the dishwasher after every use and it’s like new. You see, the French Press is the ideal brewing device.

Here’s how the French Press works. It has two main parts: the vessel (aka the glass carafe) and the plunger. The plunger consists of the lid, rod, and filters. You grind your coffee and dump it in the carafe. Add water. Place the plunger in the carafe such that the top of the filter kisses the top of the coffee brew. Wait the prescribed amount of time and pour the coffee. It couldn’t get any easier.

Buying a French Press is pretty easy, too. The one I use every day for a single serving is the Bodum 4 cup. You can get one on Amazon here. I own two of these and recommend you do as well. You never know when one might be in the dishwasher or worse, might break (remember, it’s made of glass). In addition, I own three medium presses (8 cup size, serves 2 people) and one large press (12 cup size, serves 3 people). You can also buy a press at Target and many coffee shops. As for brand, I highly recommend Bodum. You can buy spare parts from their web site. The most common spare part to buy is the carafe. They are made of glass and do sometimes break. Many coffee shops sell replacement carafes. Ask someone at the counter. They usually have them but don’t keep them on display.

There are a lot of different style presses, but they are all basically the same. The most important characteristic is that the carafe be made of glass. Some travel models are plastic. I would not use plastic for everyday use since it will not produce the best coffee. Glass is the ideal substance for coffee because it is non-porous and comes out of the dishwasher completely oil free.

Some presses have a metal lid, some a plastic lid, and others a metal/plastic combination. I have all three types. My favorite is the metal/plastic combination. Although, I use a press with a pure plastic lid every day and it’s totally fine. It has no odor after the dishwasher. My only complaint is one of our nannies put the plastic lid near the hot stove one day and partially melted it. Otherwise, plastic lids are OK. All metal lids are great too, although they have two caveats. First, the metal against glass does run the risk of breaking the glass. This has never happened to me, but I fear it could. Second, the metal lid gets hot after 3+ minutes of brewing. When you go to plunge, one hand should hold the lid to stabalize the press. You might want to use a potholder to prevent getting burned. In the picture of French Presses in this section, you’ll see three of my presses. From left to right you’ll see an all plastic, all metal, and metal/plastic combination.

Finally, there’s the filter which is attached to the bottom of the plunger. The standard filter has three pieces: a plus shaped backing, a silver screen, and a spring plate to provide tension. Some filters have a fourth, basically a fine mesh. It took me seven years to realize the mesh was not only unnecessary, but actually over complicating the process and impacting the coffee flavor in a negative way. It doesn’t come out of the dishwasher properly odor free. If you have this fine mesh (it’s usually gold and flimsy), simply place it in a drawer and forget about it. Don’t worry, it’s not necessary. A little grit in your coffee won’t kill you. On the contrary, it adds body and feel to the tongue.

Temperature

Temp Reading

Ideal coffee brewing temperature is 195-205 °F. I brew mine anywhere between 200 and 202. I find if the water is too cool, the flavor is flat. If the water is too hot, the coffee tastes burnt and bitter. The ideal temperature will vary based on the bean and even the ambient temperature. For example, when it’s particularly cool in the house, I tend towards 202 °F since the cold glass of the french press will lower the temperature slightly. On a normal day, I like to strike at 200.5 °F.

Digital Thermometer

To measure the temperature of the water, you will need a thermometer. I highly recommend a digital thermometer. They are inexpensive, take nearly instant reads, accurate, and are consistent (i.e. allow for reproduceable results). You can get one here or from a place like Bed Bath and Beyond. The thermometer I use has an LCD readout that is perpendicular to the probe. This makes it easy to stick in the tea kettle and read without putting your head in an awkward place (like over the hot kettle). Make sure you calibrate your thermometer. Check the temperature extremes by placing in boiling water and an ice water bath. It should read 212 and 32 °F if you live near sea level.

Time

Timer

Brewing time in a French Press should be between 3:20 (minutes:seconds) and 4:00. After it’s brewed, you need to slowly plunge the french press and then pour it into the cup. Don’t let the coffee sit in the press any longer. At that point, you are over extracting and will not end up with a “sweet” cup.

To brew the coffee for the correct amount of time, you will need a digital timer that has minutes and seconds. I recommend a timer with a memory setting so you can recall your preferred coffee time with the push of a button instead of having to manually set it each time. The timer I use allows you to start and stop with a single finger. You don’t want to be fumbling around when you’re making coffee. It should beep loudly when it gets to zero, just in case you are not in the room (although you should be). The timer I use has two countdown timers and one count up. It has large numbers so you don’t have to strain your eyes. You can get one here.

Measure

For a single serving, I use my small French Press (note: the title on this page says 3 cup, but the 4 cup model is pre-selected). It’s rated as holding 4 European cups = 2 US cups = 0.5 liters = 16 fluid ounces. My mug is 14 ounces, so this size press is perfect. When I’m done pouring, I have about 2 ounces of liquid left in the press which is mostly dregs anyhow. I measure just shy of 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of whole beans. It’s hard to measure whole beans in a tablespoon measure, so I recommend using a 1/4 cup measure.

I have a dedicated 1/4 cup measure I keep attached to my coffee storage container. This measure should be washed in the dishwasher periodically to remove rancid coffee oils. The measure should be sturdy and made of a thick metal. This makes it easier to scoop the beans. If you store your measure on the side of the ceramic container, it’s easier to get in and out if it’s solid. You could use an existing 1/4 cup measure but keep in mind you really want a dedicated measure just for the coffee. Again, I always strive to make the coffee making process as convenient as possible since you will be doing it over and over. If you’re in the market for new measures, I highly recommend these sturdy All Clad measuring cups. You won’t be sorry.

Pouring

There are two stages of pouring during the coffee making process: pouring water into the press and pouring the coffee into the mug. When you pour the water into the press, do so slowly. It should take 10-15 seconds to pour the water in for a small size carafe. As you pour the water in, move the water stream to coat all of the grounds. You will notice the coffee grounds stay at the top and form a head. You should also notice an orange layer at the very top. This is the crema and it’s a sign things are going well. Finish pouring the water after you’ve reached about 75% of the total volume of the carafe. The fill line varies based on the French Press model. You don’t want to overfill the carafe as this could result in spilling and, worse, an accident when it comes time to plunge.

Pouring the coffee from the carafe into the mug should be done at a moderate pace. You don’t want to go too slowly because it will volatalize the coffee mid stream. On the other hand, if you go too fast that can “bruise” the coffee. For pouring 14 ounces of coffee, it should take about seven seconds which is faster than both the plunge time and the time it takes to add the water into the carafe.

Stirring

Immediately after pouring the water into the press, stir the brew. I’ve tried with and without stirring throughout the years. In the end, I go back to stirring. When you give the coffee a brief stir, it opens it up and forms a better crema. This in turn results in a sweeter cup. I stir mine medium-slow with a small metal spoon for five rotations (I go clockwise, but I don’t think it matters). Stirring takes about five seconds. Some people use a chopstick to stir. If using a metal spoon, be careful not to bang the glass.

Pre-warming

After you pour the hot water into the French Press and stir, pour the water into your mug and fill it about 80%. This will pre-warm the mug. Why 80%? If you fill it more, you will burn your lip when you drink your coffee. At 80% full, just enough of the heat will conduct through the ceramic mug during the coffee brew time to pleasantly warm the lip of the mug. It also makes the mug easier to handle from the top and when you pour out the water, it’s less likely to spill. This pre-warming of the mug is extremely important. If you don’t believe me, try this experiment. Boil water to 212 °F. Pour it into your cold mug. Wait 10 seconds and stick your digital thermometer in the mug. It’ll read below 200. Ceramic holds a lot of heat and thus a cold mug can suck away a lot of heat on a cold morning. When you finally pour your brewed coffee into the mug, you want that mug to be the same temperature as the coffee or slightly lower, but not hotter. You never want to increase the temperature of the coffee. That will kill it completely.

Drinking

After you pour the coffee into the pre-warmed mug, start drinking it in about a minute. During this minute, admire the crema, that magical orange layer of coffee oil floating on the surface. This is your reward for following all the steps correctly and is a good indicator that you are about to have a good coffee experience. Savor this minute. Take a deep breath of the aroma. This coffee foreplay is arguably better than the coffee itself. Now that a minute has passed, take your first sip, slowly. It’s OK to make a sipping noise. In fact, if you don’t, you aren’t properly tasting it. This sipping is important as it will cool the coffee as it enters your mouth and spread it over all parts of the tounge, allowing you to taste all of the chemical compounds you were careful not to destroy in the coffee making process. Take another sip. If all has gone well, it should be extremely pleasant and you should be motivated to take further sips. If the first few sips taste off or bitter, something has gone wrong. It could be any number of things. It could be bad beans, bad technique, bad water, or dirty equipment. At this point, unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do but analyze the situation and try to understand where you went wrong. Keep trying, you will get it right.

Assuming you ended up with good coffee, you want to finish the cup while it’s still very warm. No more than 20 minutes should elapse between the first and last sip. You’ll notice every sip tastes different. As the coffee sits, it goes through all kinds of transformations. After 20 minutes of this business, it’s lost its edge. It will taste flat. You can keep drinking if you like, but definitely don’t bother saving it. And, again, to repeat, never, ever try warming it up such as in the microwave. The coffee police will come after you.

Maintenance

I talked about coffee’s enemies earlier. When whole coffee beans, ground beans, or brewed coffee sits around, it turns rancid. Thus, it’s imperative to run a clean coffee operation. Every few weeks you should do the following:

• Clean out your ceramic canister. The best time to do this is when you buy new coffee and the canister is empty. Put it in the dishwasher. This will remove the oils that have stuck to the side and prevent them from mixing with the new batch.
• Take the burr out of the grinder and wipe it down. You can use a wet wash cloth with a little dish soap (like Palmolive) to cut the grease. To remove any unpleasant odor, spray a little white distilled vinegar (full strength) on the wash cloth and wipe the burr. Vinegar is one of my favorite cleaners because it is natural and leaves a neutral odor behind.
• Clean the water pitcher in the dishwasher.
• Clean your measuring cup in the dishwasher.

After every use of the French Press, take apart the filter and rinse in the sink. Discard the beans either in the compost or trash. Rinse out the carafe. Put all parts (filter, lid, carafe) in the dishwasher, bottom shelf. When it comes out, all parts including the filter will be totally void of smell and oils, as it should be. Then, the press is ready for its next run.

Procedure

Coffee Brewing

Now that I’ve given you all the information and supporting explanations for making good coffee, it’s time to summarize it in an exacting procedure. This procedure will make 14 fluid ounces of perfect coffee:

1. Pour freshly drawn cold, filtered water into tea kettle. Use enough water to fill your mug 3x.
2. Heat water on stove top using the highest light.
3. When water reaches 205 °F or higher, turn off heat.
4. Measure just shy of 1/4 cup whole coffee beans.
5. Dump beans into the hopper of the burr grinder.
6. Set burr grinder on a coarse grind and grind beans.
7. Dump grinds into the carafe of a small (16 ounce) French Press.
8. Set your timer for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Do not start it yet.
9. When the water cools to 200.5 °F, pour water into French Press so that it fills 75% of the carafe. As you pour, be sure to coat all the grinds.
10. Press start on the timer.
11. Stir the coffee five rotations or until you see the crema form.
12. Place plunger in French Press so the filter gently touches the top of the brewing coffee.
13. Pour water into your mug for pre-warming.
14. Listen to Leggy Blonde by Flight of the Conchords.
15. When the timer indicates 15 seconds are remaining, pour the pre-warm water into the sink.
16. When the timer reaches zero, you need to plunge the coffee. Use two hands. Place one hand on the lid to stabilize the carafe. Put the other hand on the plunger and with firm pressure slowly press down. It should take 10-12 seconds to fully plunge.
17. Pour the coffee into your mug.
18. Wait one minute (see Drinking section) and then consume coffee within 20 minutes.

Signs of Good Coffee

Like wine, there are many ways to describe a good cup of coffee. How do you know if you have a good cup of coffee? Obviously, your taste buds and nose are the ultimate judges. In addition, there are several dimensions I try to appreciate in each perfect cup and I’d like to share them now.

Crema

When you get a good cup of espresso from a coffee shop, it has a think orange layer on top known as the crema. This is from the coffee oils and is the result of proper extraction technique. Brewing in a French Press also reveals a crema, although not as intense. If you can get a thin crema in your cup from a French Press, congratulations, you are well on your way to good coffee.

Strong

A lot of people talk about their coffee being strong. I define strong as being far from water and posessing a lot of coffee flavor instead a lot of water flavor. Strong doesn’t mean bad or bitter, it just means a lot of coffee flavor. I believe coffee should be strong. Otherwise, you are just drinking coffee flavored water. You get strong coffee by using a lot of beans per cup. The amount I state in my procedure yields strong coffee.

Bold

I describe a bold flavor as one that deviates from the typical coffee flavor. The boldness sets it apart. When you drink your perfect cup, it should taste different from what you get in most coffee shops.

Deep

The flavor should be complex and deep. This means there should be different flavors dancing on your tongue, not just a single flavor. In addition, the flavor should excite different areas on the tongue. When you take a deep sniff, you should get visions of coffee fields.

Chocolate overtones

Deeper roasts and certain bean varieties, most notably Mocha Java (my favorite), have an almost chocolate like taste. If brewed correctly, this chocolate-ness will blossom. Note, Mocha Java does not have any chocolate in it. It gets its name from the unique chocolately flavor it naturally posesses. You should never buy beans that have any sort of flavoring. That is an unspeakable coffee crime.

Nutty

Similar to the chocolate flavor some beans posses, many beans have a nuttiness to them.

Sweet

Coffee is often described as a sweet drink. If brewed correctly, it actually tastes a little sweet. This is not because sugar has been added. In my pureist opinion, sweetener should never be added to coffee as it masks the flavor. It does not enhance it. The opposite of coffee being sweet is coffee being bitter. It should not be bitter. If it is, something went wrong. See the troubleshooting section.

Never burnt

A burnt taste is perhaps the most offensive of all tastes. Every month or so I get a burnt cup. You’ll know it because it’s painful to drink. The burnt taste isn’t necessarily because the coffee actually got burnt, such as from water that was too hot. Although, that could be a cause. If you followed the brewing directions, a more likely explanation is that the beans are past prime or the equipment is dirty and your coffee is tainted with rancid flavors.

Troubleshooting

Even the best intentions can result in sub-par coffee. Even after monkeying and perfecting my technique over 15 years, I still end up with a bad cup a few times each month. It only takes one variable to go wrong to upset the chemistry of a good cup. You could do the exact same steps on one day and make an excellent cup, repeat the steps two days later and end up with an unpleasant brew. Coffee starts with the beans and it’s the beans that tend to be the most variable. They are shape shifters. The best bean may not produce the best coffee on the first day you take it home. Sometimes, it needs a few days to ripen and open up. Then, you might get 3-5 days of bliss from that batch. After that, quality and freshness starts to taper off. The water filter can also degrade faster than you think over time. Once the active charcoal (if you’re using that kind) loses its punch, the water starts taking on an unclean taste. This translates directly into flat, uninteresting coffee with no pop. Cleanliness of your equipment can also sneak up on you. When was the last time you cleaned out the gunk in your burr grinder? So, if your coffee doesn’t turn out perfect or even great, re-read this blog. Review it from time to time to re-familiarize yourself with the fundamentals. Like anything, the more you practice, the better you will become.

Parts List Summary

I am a tool guy and love equipment. Coffee equipment, sometimes referred to as paraphernalia, is no exception. The great thing about making the ideal cup of coffee is you don’t need a lot of equipment. You don’t need fancy espresso machines, pumps, vacuums, gauges, or dials. You don’t need a fancy kitchen. Here’s a summary of what you need. Details are discussed above.

• French Press
• Burr Grinder
• Timer
• Water Filter/Pitcher
• Replacement Filters
• Thermometer
• Tea Kettle
• Measuring Cup (1/4 cup)
• Ceramic Container or Vacuum Canister

Note:

I have recommended the above items based on my experience and research. If you find this information useful and would like to purchase these items, please use the above links as I get a small commission which helps fund my web site and blogs like this one.

Ingredients Summary:

• Beans
• Water

8 foot fixture with four 4 foot T8 bulbs

Fluorescent bulbs have long been the choice for lighting a garage. Garages typically don’t have many windows so they need all of their light from an artificial source. What’s more, if your garage is like mine, you need it to be very bright so you won’t get killed as you navigate through the mess. Historically, fluorescent lighting has been the least expensive in terms of energy costs. Like many home owners, when I moved into our house our garage was lit by a single 8 foot fluorescent light fixture. It took two 8 foot T12 bulbs, 60 watts each. Replacing these bulbs requires a gentle touch and a hazmat suit in case one of the bulbs breaks and releases mercury.

My old 8 foot T12 bulb fixture was ridden with problems including:

• Noise: that annoying buzzing sound which varies in intensity
• Flickering: light that flickers or snakes
• Dim: When the bulbs are new, the light is somewhat bright. As the bulbs age a little, the light gets noticeably dim
• Inefficient: The old magnetic ballasts and T12 bulb combination doesn’t produce a lot of light for the wattage, despite the fact they are fluorescents
• Short lived: The old magnetic ballasts and T12 bulb combination tend to prematurely wear out bulbs. Being fluorescent bulbs, they should last a long time, but die early.
• Unwieldy: Handling the 8 foot bulbs is difficult and dangerous
• Hard to find: When you do have to replace one, not every hardware store has them. The big box stores usually do, although even they are sometimes out of stock. The local hardware stores don’t like to stock them because they are so big and demand is waning.
• Hard to recycle: It’s hard to find a place that wants to take a giant bulb
• Selection: Since they are less common, bigger, and being phased out, you don’t see as much variety (e.g. color temperature, CRI) in 8 foot bulbs as you see in 4 foot bulbs

Noisy, flickering Magnetic Ballast

The above problems are rooted in two main causes: the magnetic ballast and form factor. Let’s start with the former. All fluorescent lights have ballasts. These are the devices that supply the energy to the bulbs in a controlled fashion. For most of fluorescent lighting history, ballasts have been magnetic. They are big, heavy, and not sophisticated. For example, they operate the bulbs at the same cycle as the AC power. In the U.S., this means your magnetic ballast driven bulbs refresh 60 times a second. This may sound like a lot, but it’s like a strobe light. Some people, myself included, can see the flickering. In contrast, modern electronic ballasts use high frequency circuits and operate the bulbs at frequencies around 20,000 Hz. That’s a lot more than 60! At such high frequencies, even I can’t see the flicker. The high frequency also eliminates the humming. While it’s true that some of the earlier electronic ballasts hummed a little, the newer ones are totally silent. I can’t stand humming noises, be it from cheap incandescent bulbs in a dimmed state (that’s a future blog) or fluorescent light ballasts (including those in CFLs). The 8 foot fixture I recommend below does not make any noise. It’s almost eerie. I put my ear directly against the electrified ballast — silence, golden silence.

Like a magic pill, the electronic ballast also fixes the dimness, efficiency, and short life problems mentioned above. They are all related problems, again rooting back to the frequency. I’m oversimplifying the problem a little, but rest assured the electronic ballast is a modern marvel. Read here for more information on ballasts.

Form factor is the other problem I was determined to address. I like the idea of an 8 foot fixture — it’s narrow and long. It spans the garage and illuminates most of it. The narrowness was key for me because it is situated between two clotheslines. However, the 8 foot bulbs have the problems mentioned above — unwieldy, hard to find, hard to recycle, and selection. I was pretty much set on getting 4 foot bulbs instead of 8 foot since they would be easier to handle. During my research, I saw fixtures that had four 4 foot bulbs side by side. That’s a nice amount of light, but too wide. I saw many other form factors, but none really had the right shape or provided enough light. This changed when I found this gem on the Lowe’s web site.

It has the exact same dimensions as my original 8 foot fixture. I even used the same drill holes to install the new fixture. It takes four 4 foot T8 bulbs. Two bulbs are arranged end to end with two other bulbs. It’s ingenious, really. Each bulb is rated 32 watts. The 4 foot bulbs are easy to handle. They are easy to buy, too. All of the stores carry them and there are many different color temperatures available. I got the GE premium bulbs with a Color Rendering Index of 86. They are bright. The quality of the light is pleasant. It doesn’t feel ghostly and sinister like the old fluorescent bulbs. The bulbs are T8 instead of T12. T8s are thinner than T12s. T8s are also more efficient. In fact, T12s are being phased out. Here’s a good thread on T8s vs T12s. Everything they say is true. The T8s really output a lot of light. In fact, two of the 4 foot T8s (total of 64 watts) seem to provide as much if not more light than two of the 8 foot T12s (total of 120 watts). Some of this efficiency gain is from the T8 vs T12 and some of it is from the electronic vs magnetic ballast. Now, I have four 4 foot T8s (128 watts total) and it’s like daylight when I turn on the switch (and that includes the fact that daylight is silent, as well)!

Parts List Summary:

• Metalux 97-1/4″ Utility Fluorescent fixture
• GE 2-Pack Premium Cool White 32-Watt T8 Fluorescent 48″ Bulbs

Disclaimer

I am in no way affiliated with Lowe’s or any lighting technology. I shop at different hardware stores based on where I can find parts. I own a variety of fluorescent, halogen, and incandescent lighting. I have designed and built a few lamps and they run on 50 watt halogen bulbs because they are superior for dimming.

If you signed up for an FSA (Flexible Spending Account) Health Plan through your employer and no longer work there, you may be entitled to some free money. These plans are “prefunded” by employers. If you leave your job before the end of the year or are terminated, you can claim as much money as you planned to contribute when you first signed up. Here’s an example:

Suppose you signed up to contribute $5000 to an FSA Health Plan for the year. On March 5, your employer terminates you (e.g. get laid off). At this point, you’ve only contributed about $833 (pre-tax)to the plan: 2/12*5000=833. However, you can get reimbursed for the entire $5000. This is possible because the plan is prefunded by the employer, which means they are paying the difference. In this case, they would foot the bill of 5000-833=$4167. What’s more, this free money is not even taxed since the IRS considers FSA Health Plan reimbursements like insurance payments. This is completely legitimate under today’s tax code. If it sounds too good to be true, then go ahead and try it (if your situation is similar to this, of course).

Is there a catch? Well, there’s one small catch, which is you have to incur the expense by the termination date. If you get laid off without notice, this can work against you. You may not have incurred any qualified expenses and actually lose the $833, which is what the employer is betting on. In fact, it’s this game of chance that the employer relies on in order to offer this plan without it costing them extra money. To mitigate your risk, when you get an FSA Health Plan you should attempt to incur as many expenses as possible as soon as possible.

For more information, wikipedia has a good writeup on Flexible Spending Accounts.