Ahhhh coffee! It is one of the true joys in life, where a deep robust smell, thick crema and evocative flavor can transport us out of the hum-drum of every day living to a caf' in Italy. Indeed most people can't get through the day without their morning cup of coffee, and for coffee-lovers finding that perfect latte or espresso can be both a pleasure and a disappointment.

After all, how many times have you lined up, drooling at your local cafe, only to come away with a tepid, flavorless and utterly forgettable coffee that you would rather have rather gone without. Trying to find a decent cup of coffee really can drive coffee aficionados to fits of rage.

Making your own coffee at home is the perfect solution to the problem. In fact, we can all be world class baristas in the comfort of our own home if we invest in a good coffee maker, then master the equipment.

The first thing you need to think about is how many people you are likely to be making coffee for. The cup capacity of every coffee brewer, machine or percolator is an obvious, but often overlooked, consideration. If you only expect to be making coffee for two people on a regular basis, you are best off investing more money in a quality elite model two-cup machine, and for the rest of the time make do with a cheaper larger capacity plunger for emergencies or entertaining.

The sort of coffee you drink will also determine what sort of coffee-maker you buy. For example, you have a choice of filter drip machines; French drip filter machines (which do not use a paper filter); stove stop percolators; and counter top espresso machines. These days, counter top espresso machines are becoming more and more popular since they allow us to foam milk for lattes and cappuccinos like larger commercial machines do. So if you are a cappuccino freak, you will want one of these beauties!

With so many coffee connoisseurs amongst us, buying the right coffee maker is an important decision. Getting a quality coffee maker that suits your needs and tastes can really make the difference between starting the day on top of the world, or grumbling into another lackluster Styrofoam cup of weak coffee.