"Maaaaakin' Coffeeeeeee"

Lets get real. We can't all afford to buy coffee out everyday.

Okay, well maybe I'm the only one who can't afford it- my college budget currently allots for ramen noodles and powdered orange drink.

Just because my budget is limited, does not mean my pallet is. I still look for quality coffee to brew at home (for less).

I'm going to break down some of the most popular brands and rate them according to my taste preferences. Not yours, because I don't know yours.

As a general rule, my coffee has to be arabica. If your coffee is not, you are not drinking coffee; you are drinking caffeinated arsenic.

Robusta coffee (the caffeinated arsenic) is cheaper to produce and often used as a filler for blended coffee grounds, its just not my style.

The next thing I look for in a good brew is its boldness, I like my coffee pretty bold. I want to know that I am drinking something that tastes like the energy I want to have. It also gives me more flavor to play with; more depth to enjoy.

And finally, I like faint, very light flavor- especially if its caramelly or nutty. I don't like citrus or acidic undertones.

Lets break it down now.

According to a 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, Eight O'Clock Coffee ranks the best out of 19 different ground coffees tested, because of its great taste for a great price. A close second is Caribou Coffee (a delicious franchise mostly in the North.)

The bottom of the list? Unsurprisingly, Folgers and Starbucks.

I have said before I will stand by Starbucks to the (quite literally) bitter end; BUT I am not a fan of their ground coffee. Maybe its all a part of a greater money-making scheme that the at-home grounds do not taste the same as the in-store grounds, or maybe I just can't brew it right, either way I usually pass on the often pricey Starbucks brands.

And as for Folgers, I started off drinking Folgers and I recommend it to anyone who is looking to get into the coffee-drinking habit, but can't stand the taste. Folgers offers many varieties of flavored coffee to appease even the most coffee-adverse person. But beware, you will grow out of the Folgers taste, probably quite quickly too. So don't buy it in Costco bulk.

I stopped drinking the French vanilla flavored Folgers years ago and I've never looked back. Ever. I can't even stand the smell of it.

Ever.

My favorite ground coffee is Texas Pecan, and I have only ever seen it sold at my favorite supermarket/mecca Costco. But you can only pay in cash at Costco and I'm cash poor and credit rich, so it's to the regular appropriately-packaged grocery store I go.

I've been on the hunt for the perfect ground coffee. My local H-E-B has plenty of coffees to choose from and that's the trouble; there are almost too many options. The coffee aisle can be a pretty overwhelming place to mull over a purchase. You don't want to look like someone who has never drank coffee before and stand dumbfounded at all the fragrant and vacuum-sealed options, but you also don't want to make a rash decision and end up grabbing an overpriced bag of mud.

What are your favorite at home brews?