I started with a cheap coffee maker, moved on to an Aeropress and then graduated to a Bonavita 1900 drip machine and burr grind my whole beans before I brew them every morning. Weigh the amount of beans I use down to the half gram even. I started dark but mainly drink Peet's light roasts now, straight black no milk or sugar. I can drop it cold turkey without crashing now, but I used to not be able to.