Tips for a good coffee: A good coffee grinder.  When you grind coffee, you increase the surface area of the coffee bean that is exposed to air, hastening the release of the oils that give coffee its rich flavor. If possible, grind coffee right before you use it. If you don't have a coffee grinder, buy at a store that sells whole beans that you can grind yourself. Buy just enough for a few days at a time, and store it in an airtight container at home.Buy good coffee.The better the coffee you start with, the better the coffee you will end up with. Of course, good coffee is a subjective thing. Vacuum-sealed bags or cans of coffee beans are better. Even ground coffee in a vacuum sealed bag is a better choice. Keep your espresso machine clean. Coffee oils cling to everything, and once they are deposited they start growing rancid. Wash out your pot and filter basket every time you make a fresh pot, and clean your coffee maker once a week. Descale your machine. Use enough coffee. Use a full tablespoon of ground coffee for each 8 ounces of water. Measure it out the first few times and you will be surprised how much coffee that actually is.Use fresh, cold water. If your tap water is good for drinking, it will make good coffee. If it is not, use a water filter or use spring water.Avoid the temptation to use the brew pause.The first cup or so of coffee will carry most of the coffee flavor. If you pour that off and return the pot to fill the rest of the way, the first cup of coffee will be very strong, and the rest of the pot very weak. Please be patient and enjoy your coffee!