Good coffee isn't just as easy as percolating water through coffee grounds though. Bad coffee, of course, is really simple to make. But if you want the tastiest and freshest java for your morning wake up call, you need to take certain precautions before it even gets anywhere near your coffee mugs.

First of all, start with fresh cold water in your coffee machine if you want something delicious in your coffee cups. Steer clear of using water from the hot tap or water that has already boiled. For the best results in your coffee cups, fill your carafe with bottled or filtered water, especially if your home has old plumbing. Old pipes can leave an unpleasant flavor in your coffee mugs. This will also happen if you live in an area that heavily chlorinates its tap water or has very hard water.

The temperature of the water is also important to deciding what ends up in your coffee mugs. The best temperature for brewing tasty coffee is between 195 degrees and 205 degrees. If the water is too hot, it could leave a bitter taste in your mouth when you drink from these coffee cups. Water that is too cool, on the other hand, won't suck out all of the flavor from your grounds, leaving no flavor in your mouth at all after sipping from these coffee mugs.

If you press brew your morning coffee cups, reach this optimal water temperature by letting your water wait for a moment after it comes to a boil. For your typical dip coffee machines, you can get a similar effect by pre-heating the pot. Do this by pouring hot water into the empty carafe, which will warm it, and then dump this water out to start brewing. This attention to detail will help to ensure that first mug of coffee is just what it should be.

Next, make sure you have the correct grind for your particular coffee machine. There is no, one all-purpose grind. You need to choose your coffee grinds from the two main groups, depending if you are using a press pot or an electric machine to fill your coffee cups. For press pots, you'll want to grind your own beans for about 10 seconds in your typical, inexpensive blade grinder. This will leave your grinds at a medium to coarse consistency and make for delicious coffee mugs. For electric brewers and other drip machines, you'll need to grind your own beans for about 15-20 seconds. This will result in a medium to fine grind, not to mention perfectly steamy coffee mugs.

There is nothing nicer after a hard days work to come home, put your feet up and relax with a delicious mug of coffee. Follow the simple guide above and be sure that what comes out your coffee mugs will hit the spot. Enjoy your coffee.