How To Brew Auto Drip Coffee

If your machine has a flat bottom basket and uses flat bottom paper filters, your coffee should be ground at a medium grind. If it uses cone paper filters, your coffee should be at a fine grind. (For more information on grinds of coffee, see How To Grind Coffee).

1. Take the filter basket out of the coffee machine. If you're using a paper filter, place it in the basket.
   
   
2. Measure out 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of coffee you would like to make. (You can adjust the amount you use per cup according to your personal taste.) Place the coffee in the filter and then back in the machine.
   
   
3. Pour the desired amount of filtered water into the water reservoir of the coffee maker. Keep in mind that the numbers on the side of the reservoir generally measure for actual cups of water. (If you use large mugs for your "cup" of coffee, you may want to consider 1.5-2 cups of water per mug).
   
   
4. Make sure the carafe is in placed underneath the filter unit where the coffee is dispensed.
   
   
5. Turn the maker on and allow it to brew. As the water heats up, it will flow through the coffee into the carafe extracting flavor from the coffee grounds.
   
   
6. When you no longer see coffee dripping into the carafe, your brew is done. As long as you keep the maker on, the plate will continue to keep the coffee warm. It is not a good idea to let the coffee sit on the hot plate for too long. The longer it sits on the heat, the more bitter it will become.
   
   
7. Serve and enjoy!

For more on Drip Coffee Makers, please visit the Brewing Methods - Auto Drip page.

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