My morning ritual:

Go in to Kitchen. Switch on the DeLonghi Magnifica S machine. Wait for it to warm up and do its rinse cycle. Get a coffee cup out of the cupboard. Place it under the output. Press the button for a regular coffee sized distribution. Curse as I realise the bean hopper is empty. Fill that up with fresh beans from my sisters firm. Press button again. Wait about 30 seconds for the machine to do its magic. Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee.

So my sister has run a commercial tea / coffee wholesalers for about 25 years. When I was younger I used to work for her a bit doing pickups / deliveries / machine repairs etc. I was addicted to coffee so badly, I just love the smell of roasted beans. I had to scale back my intake of about 15 cups a day, to what I drink now, which is no more than 2, and none after midday.

There are so many techniques to making a good coffee, that it can seem overwhelming. The DeLonghi machine I've had for the last 12 years just makes it easy, it's almost cheating.

Sage bean to cup. Union house blend, 10 second grind. Frothy milk to 65 degrees, spoon on and drink.

At home.

DeLonghi BTC long and unadulterated. I don't have a favourite bean as I like variety. Followed swiftly by another before the DeLonghi switches off.

On the ship (for that is where I work) French Press, very coarse, something citrusy like Ethiopian Yirg. Left to stew for about 10 to 15 minutes.

I want to change out my DeLonghi for a Sage. It'll happen someday.

Weigh beans. Grind. Hopefully grinder was set correctly since yesterday. Weigh grinds in portafilter. RDT. Tamp. Brew button and stopwatch simultaneously. Hopefully I remembered the cup. Watch flow and timer - hopefully I don't need to open the steam valve to lower pressure due to too fast brew. Stop at around 25 seconds. Facegasm. Couldn't be simpler.

You guys are making me feel ashamed. I tip some amount into my John Lewis basics grinder, somewhere about the blades worth, and pour some nearly boiled water over it in my V60 with a re-usable filter into a tall pint mug.

I do this every morning. Maybe I should check out one of this clever drippers. I have wanted to up my game for a while.

One scoop (measured, came with one of my machines) of Barcelona Espresso beans (Roast and Post for the win, hit me up if you want a code) into the grinder. Boil the kettle and start the espresso machine heating.

Head to cupboard and choose my cup for this morning. I have a few different sizes from long black down to single espresso.

Back to machine, warm the cup from the kettle, then clean out group and load it with the fresh grounds.

Tip out the water from the cup, add 1/4 tsp brown sugar, and then attach the group and get the cup in place.

Start water - 2 - 3.

Stop - 2 - 3.

Start - 2 - 3 - ... - 13.

That about makes an espresso, then its a swirl of hot from the kettle if the cup is a little larger.

Grinder: Encore Baratza. Loud as hell and no timer, but works well.

Espresso machine: Gaggia Cubika Plus. Had it about 15 years, never gone wrong.

Wow, by comparison to some of these, I feel lazy on a morning (I am near useless until at least one coffee down). I typically grind (using a Bodum electric grinder) some beans the night before, tend to go for a darker roast for a nicer morning kick. Then, and this is the lazy kicker, I have pods I fill to drop in my Tassimo. I do tend to go for a stronger blend but less water (approx. half a mug).

Weekends I am happier to go for a slower drip blend as less of a rush. Much richer for sure.

Locally grown coffee in an Italian electric moka pot, made into an americano by topping up with hot water, splash of whole milk on top. Delicious.