I can say it was Starbucks and the crazy commercialism it gave to consumers with their brilliant invention and promotion of the frappucino that made me addicted to coffee, but the truth is I have been addicted to it, before I even discovered Starbucks. Back in college, when students went to the mall or to a bar after school, me and my friends would go to a coffee shop and hang out there. We were amongst college professors, med and law students.

It would be convenient for me to invest on a great coffeemaker, really. Given how much I pay for coffee every week, I am better off stocking up on coffee blend I can purchase at the grocery. I have never tried whole coffee before (read: I do not have a coffee press).

I did my research and came up with three great coffee makers under $50:

The Manual Filter Cone

This a plastic cone that sits on the top of your cup. Place a paper filter in the cone, add ground coffee and then pour hot water over the coffee grinds. Perfectly cheap!

The French Press or Press pot.

It’s simply a glass beaker with vertical sides, with a plunger that includes a mesh filter.

You can buy a French press for anything between $10 and $30, depending on the size.

Best of all, it’s easy to use and will make a better cup of coffee than many brewers that cost several times as much.

A regular drip brewer. You can use coffee pods – coffee beans in their own filter here.