Cheapest way to have good coffee

[Coughee]

I have discovered a liking for coffee quite late in life. I prefer a black coffee or espresso. We have a pod machine at home and coffee from there definitely tastes nicer than instant. However, when I've had coffee in a restaurant it's a lot nicer. I don't want to buy a bean to cup machine when I'm only just starting to drink the stuff and would probably only have 1 or 2 cups a day. What would be a good cheap alternative that may be nicer than a pod machine? Is there such a thing?
Thanks!

A stovetop coffee maker might be the best option for you, as many have suggested. But I got one of these for my DH for Christmas and we love it. Much smaller and cheaper than most machines, but makes great coffee. You will need a seperate grinder though

www.delonghi.com/en-gb/ec785-az-dedica-metallics-manual-espresso-maker/p/EC785.AZ?gclid=Cj0KCQjwlemWBhDUARIsAFp1rLUztMx-oqcH8kuFEP2t4KaAdFEg5yIhtMgTK2AxSOZeM0CB4plEezIaAgjeEALw_wcB

The best coffee I've ever had was made by my friend with a very simple metal pot on the hob - maybe a Moka type pot? I didn't actually ask her what it was. But all the flavours in the coffee came through and it was amazing.

I also find that the coffee from a cafetiere is just as good as machine coffee. Get a milk foamer for extra coffee shop feeling.

I assume you need to combine with decent beans (I tend to buy whatever random ground beans are on offer at the supermarket) and grind them yourself for ultimate freshness. We do have a local roaster nearby and I keep meaning to try theirs.

This channel is amazing BTW - this man is some kind of coffee expert and he explains things really well. If you want to learn about coffee, it's a great place to start.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb0O2CdPBNi-QqPk5T3gsQ

90% of the pleasure of coffee is the smell,.so I think having a hand grinder is important.

I have one of these: smile.amazon.co.uk/Bodum-Coffee-Maker-Filter-Borosilicate/dp/B00LOCYKIQ/

You don't need paper filters and it makes brilliant coffee.

I also have a tiny stovetop espresso maker for iced coffees and espresso, like this: smile.amazon.co.uk/Bialetti-Express-Espresso-Maker-Silver/dp/B0019M4H16/

Would recommend both.

We bought this one about weeks ago, for dh & dc, (they are the coffee drinkers) and they said that they like it. It's an electric drip coffee maker. Dh uses the 1 cup side often. The carafe is in the dishwasher, the cup I only put there to show the size

hamiltonbeach.com/flexbrew-trio-coffee-maker-49976

Bialetti stove top for espresso. I use Illy ground coffee.

Add more boiling water if desired.

Boil milk in a small pan on the stove and froth with a tiny hand whisk. The milk froths as it comes to the boil anyway. Makes a delicious cappuccino. I like the slowness of the process - it always feels like a treat.

There are some great quality instant coffees too.

the improvement I noticed when we switched from glass to metal was that we didn't keep breaking the damn things

@ErrolTheDragon Ditto! They now bounce off the floor beautifully...

I've had quite a few coffee making paraphernalia but I always revert back to the cafetière. It's quick, easy to clean and a good way to try out different coffees

I use a handheld milk frother like this:
www.amazon.co.uk/aerolatte-Milk-Frother-Storage-Black/dp/B0001RT2C4

Very easy to use, just rinse clean after each use and it comes with a case to store it in.

I started using an Aeropress during lockdown to try and replicate lattes from my local fancy cafe. I order the same brand of coffee that they use and it gives pretty good results.
The Aeropress is brilliant, have had it for 2 years now and it's pretty sturdy, easy to clean - just rinse after using and leave to drip dry. I now have a lovely frothy latte every morning at home.

Overall it's saved me a fortune.

I have similar to this this sort of thing and it is great! Takes ground coffee in the top (reusable mesh filter that doesn't need replacing). I've had it for 3½ years (got it Christmas 2018) and it's still good. There's the ability to put any coffee mug under and you just pour in the amount of water you need for your mug (I like a larger mug). I previously owned a coffee machine with a jug under but it was a minimum number of cups and I was getting too much coffee. If you like constant coffee it's an option though as it holds the coffee warm whereas this machine does not.

This. You can treat yourself to amazing beans sometimes, or ask for them at birthdays. But mid price beans still give good value and you can look out for offers. Cafe direct do a big bag at a reasonable price that I really rate. Aeropress is tiny and portable and very simple.

If we're on holiday in a cottage we take some beans, the Aeropress and a little hand grinder.
For hotels, we've started taking some Taylors coffee bags in case what they serve at breakfast is dire.

I think the cheapest way is to loiter around the counter at Costa or Starbucks and grab a cup of the counter before the original customer gets to it and then run like hell.

NB : make sure it has a lid.

But it might be some monstrosity with sickly syrup or fake milk in it. Not worth the risk.

I swear by my percolator. You can get decent ground coffee for a few quid in Aldi these days. I'm up at 5am for work and set the timer so I have a cup of coffee to wake me up when I'm out of the shower.

I rate the Aeropress as others have here but after 3 years use the seal is perishing and it doesn't work effectively anymore so I've gone back to a cafetiere for longevity. I don't want to have keep replacing parts so often and a cafetiere is just fine with good quality beans for at home. I don't mind supporting my local coffee shop to get a really good flat white once a month or so.

@Blackdiame you can buy replacement parts for aeropress and it’s important to store the parts separately. We had to replace our ‘plunger’ rubber but because of this.
We’ve just bought a travel aeropress for when we go away as I’m sick of terrible coffee when I’m away.