My Stupid Life Hacks #1 - Coffee

I don't know a lot about coffee.  I've learned enough to know what I like, and that's about it.  Still, there are a couple of things that might help other people.

First, grind your coffee.  Even if you buy Folger's on sale and it's already ground, go ahead and get yourself a ten-buck grinder and grind it again.  To powder.  You'll get more flavor out of it and even if it has gone stale, it won't taste so much like it is.

Second thing is, use two filters.  It will help keep grounds out of your coffee.  This is a common solution to weak coffee filters.  The office I work in has signs posted in every break room: Use two filters.  The extra layer helps keep the filter rigid, so that it won't collapse onto the grounds and allow them through the basket.  But everyone does it wrong, both filters on the bottom.  They really should be putting one on top.

Pull the basket out of your coffee maker after the water's run through.  I bet you see one or more little divots in the grounds.  The force of the water dripping down makes these divots and shortens the distance subsequent drops have to travel, so you get weaker coffee.  With a filter on top, the water is slowed down, and spread evenly throughout the grounds.  You get more flavor.

While you have the basket out, get a paper towel and wipe the underside of the coffee maker, where the basket normally sits.  It will probably come away very dirty.  Again, this is the result of water hitting the grounds and spattering, which hits the underside and stays there.  But not if you have a filter on top!  Your Mister Coffee stays cleaner.

There you go, my first stupid life hack.  I wouldn't even bother with them, but I haven't seen these hints anywhere else.