Coffee beans are little flavor bombs, but they don’t stay fresh forever. The sweet spot is 7–10 days after roasting, and after about 3 months, those beans start tasting like cardboard.

• Pro Tip: Buy from a local roaster or a trusted online store. Supermarket coffee often sits around for months before it hits the shelves.
• Yes, it might cost a few extra bucks, but one sip of fresh coffee, and you’ll know it’s worth it.

Pre-ground coffee? Might as well be sawdust, mate. As soon as coffee is ground, it starts losing its mojo.

• Use a burr grinder, not one of those cheap blade grinders—they heat up and burn your beans before the water even hits them.
• No grinder at home? Ask your local café or roaster to grind it fresh for your machine.

Coffee-to-water ratio is the difference between liquid gold and caffeinated regret.

• Start with a 1:15 ratio. That’s 40g of coffee for 600mL of water.
• Don’t eyeball it—use digital scales. Scoops and spoons are for baking, not brewing.
• Too strong? Try a 1:17 ratio. Too weak? Go 1:13. Find your sweet spot

A dirty coffee machine is a crime against humanity. Coffee oils and limescale build-up will ruin your brew faster than you can say “flat white.”

• Daily: Rinse the pot and wipe down the machine.
• Weekly: Wash the pot, filter basket, and water tank with mild soap.
• Regularly: Descale your machine using the manufacturer-recommended solution. And yes, rinse it well after—no one likes soapy coffee.