Instapundit is discussing coffee makers.

As a non-coffee drinker who makes the coffee for Her, she objects to me performing initial preparation the night before, because the grounds aren't fresh. I have to get up before her, and make a latte on a little two-cup Krups (model 872-42), complete with milk steamer, which has worked fine except the plastic cover over the carafe broke off the little tabs that clip it on within a few months of purchase (it's about a year and a half old now), and requires careful cleaning of the little pinhole at the end of the steam nozzle with a safety pin (or if one is more bold, a straight one), lest one end up with naught but unfoamy warm mammary juice into which to lovingly pour the sacred sludge.

Lest one think me a true hero of domesticity, let it be known that I work at home while she has an often-ugly commute.

OK. I too will admit to being the coffee maker for "she that would be obeyed". If you do the set up over night the coffee gets dry and the water gets flat.

5:58 A.M. weather on th 8's

6:00 A.M. start the coffee

I no longer work, but my better half does the 5 by 8 thing as a hardware/software type. I am proud to say that my wife likes my coffee better than anyone elses, and I make it Navy "snipe" style.

Strong, sometimes with a pinch of salt to take away the bitterness.

Domestic I ain't, Coffee God I am.

Hm. One day I'll try that salt thing. I know it enhances flavor, but I didn't know it took away bitterness.

I am a coffee connoisseur. I roast coffee beans out in my garage with a hot air popcorn popper. So, I am picky not only when it comes to the preperation of my coffee but also as to whether a particular bean tastes better city roast or full city roast.

One thing I've learned about most retail quality drip coffee makers is that they don't get the water hot enough to extract all the flavors from the bean. Proper brewing starts to take place at 185 degrees yet most retail coffee makers only get the water to about 140-150 degrees due to class action lawsuits from burnt tongues and scalded crotches. A commerical quality drip coffee maker should get the water up closer to a proper temperature. I routinely bring my good coffee up to work and slip it into one of the BUNN coffee machines and find they do a really good job.

I think the best method, albeit messy, is the coffee press carafe. I also have found that an electric water kettle is the fastest way to boil water, faster then the microwave in fact. This method is superior since you can control the water temperature and the brew time.

Also, as I'm sure everyone has heard, is that good coffee is all in the grind. If you grind your own coffee then a burr mill coffee grinder is the best bet. It will produce a consistent grind and can handle larger quantities if needed. Save the whirly grinder for nuts and seasonings.

I know it enhances flavor, but I didn't know it took away bitterness.

That's how salt enhances flavor, Andrea.