Although many people think differently, making a great cup of coffee isn't that difficult. All it needs is a few ground rules that need to be applied. After following the steps mentioned below, there should be no more excuses for a poor cup of coffee.

1. Find a good coffee or espresso machine, they come in all price ranges from under a hundred up to several thousand of dollars. Illy, a world renowned coffee retailer,has a huge choice of quality coffee and espresso machines, they know what they are talking about as they are specialised in coffee, coffee and nothing but coffee. So a good coffee making machine comes first,now the number two and vital item on the list:

2. No good cuppa without the right ingredients, your coffee beans need to be fresh and of top quality. Speciality stores like Illy and Boca Java sell a wide variety of coffee beans and coffee blends. Always buy whole beans and grind them prior to using them, this way al the aromas stay in the beans and your coffee will smell and taste much better. Grinding the coffee will take a little more time, but really is worth the effort. I am sure you'll even start to like the ritual of grinding coffee beans, make it your Zen moment of the day.

3. An often forgotten, but extremely important thing, is to prepare your coffee or tea with pure water. Tapwater very often has been treated with chemicals, this gives it a very distinctive smell and taste. No need to say that this will negatively influence the taste of your coffee. Use mineral water or a filtering device instead, you'll taste the difference.