The Wirecutter Show: Stop Making Bad Coffee
Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Christine Cyr Clisset, Rosie Guerin
Guest: Marguerite Preston (Wirecutter Editorial Director, Kitchen Coverage)

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, the hosts—Christine Cyr Clisset and Rosie Guerin—team up with Wirecutter's kitchen gear expert Marguerite Preston to answer a key question for every home coffee drinker: How can you make better coffee without the fuss (or the bad tastes)? The focus is on actionable gear upgrades, common mistakes, and matching your brewing method to your lifestyle—so you can finally stop making bad coffee and start every day with a cup you love.

Key Discussion Points & Expert Insights

1. Why Your Coffee Tastes Bad: Grind, Beans, Gear

• Start With the Grind

  • [04:41] Marguerite explains: "The first thing a coffee expert or a coffee nerd will ask you is how are you grinding your coffee? Are you grinding your coffee? Are you buying pre ground coffee?"
  • Key takeaway: Freshly ground coffee tastes much better. Pre-ground degrades in flavor fast.
  • Blade grinders (like spice grinders) create uneven grinds, leading to uneven flavor extraction—and muddy or off-tasting coffee.
  • Burr grinders crush beans evenly, leading to a more balanced brew.

• What’s a Burr Grinder?

  • [05:36] Marguerite: "A burr grinder... has these burrs. Often they're kind of... cone shaped... and they're ridged, so the cone kind of spins around, pulls the beans down... and crushes the beans...[it's] crushing into a relatively specific piece of size, right."

• Better Beans Matter

  • [06:25] Freshness is crucial. Avoid stale grocery-store beans. Higher quality (and fresher roast) brings out nuanced flavors.
  • Bad beans will taste bad no matter how good your gear is.

2. Does Better Gear or Better Beans Matter More?

• [07:27] Marguerite: “It really is both. ...If you have bad or low quality beans and you brew them in a really nice brewer...the end result...might be sort of qualitatively better…but the flavor itself might still not be very good.”

3. Best Gear Upgrades for Your Home Coffee Setup

• Drip Coffee Makers

  • [09:31] Marguerite: "The baseline, the kind of, like, easiest route is a coffee brewer, a nice drip coffee brewer. ...The good ones...are very expensive."
  • [10:09] The Technivorm Moccamaster is a top Wirecutter pick—excellent but pricey ($200+; often around $400).
  • Cheaper models tend to lack consistency in water temp and saturation.

• Cutting Costs

  • Manual burr grinders are more affordable ($100 range) but require effort.
  • Some coffee shops will grind your beans (better than grocery-store grinders, which often aren’t clean and retain flavors).

• Maintaining Your Gear

  • [12:14] Christine: “If people are thinking about getting a grinder is that you need to maintain a burr grinder. You actually have to clean it and sharpen those burrs.”
  • [12:23] Marguerite: “Cleaning is something you need to do regularly. Oils will build up on the burrs... What you'll notice if you don't clean it is...it might start running really slowly.”

• Weighing for Consistency

  • [12:47] Christine: "I weigh my grounds, I weigh my beans. Do you recommend doing that or is that like, overly fussy?"
  • [12:54] Marguerite: “As someone who was formerly a baker, I'm like, weighing everything is good for cooking. Like, just makes everything more precise, more consistent...just look up the ratio…and it'll just immediately make things so much better.”

4. Alternative Brewing Methods: Pour Over, Moka Pot, French Press, Cold Brew

Pour Over

• [14:17] Marguerite: "Pour over is the other sort of like really simple...and people who Love coffee, love pour over. Because you have a ton of control in theory."
• You control grind, water ratio, pour pattern, water temperature—maximum precision.
• Best for: People who like to experiment and don’t mind spending a bit more time per cup.
• Wirecutter pick: Kalita Wave dripper—more forgiving and consistent for beginners.
• [15:43] Larger models (Chemex) available for multiple servings, but beware: a “cup” is only 4–5 oz in coffee terms.

Moka Pot

• [17:07] Marguerite: “So the moka pot is, it's very Italian. The classic is the Bialetti, which is...this...hourglass shaped, small kettle. ...Supposed to make a sort of espresso like coffee.”
• Produces a thick, concentrated, slightly “muddy” cup—a texture many enjoy.
• Finer ground coffee, no paper filter = more intensity and flavor.

French Press

• [32:10] Marguerite: “French press...is another brewing method that'll make a thicker, something muddier cup of coffee...because it is not using a paper filter. … The French presses that we recommend are from a company called Espro. Espro has developed this special filter [that]...does a better job of separating the water from the grounds...so you get a little bit of a cleaner cup.”

• Best for: Those seeking simplicity and a rich, full-bodied cup. Good for multiple servings; also ideal for travel or camping (metal models available).

Cold Brew

• [37:06] Marguerite: "The great things about making cold brew at home, a, it really solves that problem of like, oh, I have to make coffee every morning. ...These brewers...make this really, really concentrated brew where...you want to dilute it with water and ice, so you'll get like a little carafe of it and it'll last you a week. Two weeks, depending on how much coffee you're drinking."
• Wirecutter cold brew makers: Oxo and Filtron.
• Cold brew extracts fewer bitter flavors and works well with lower-quality beans, making it cost-effective. You can even “double brew” with the same grounds (second batch is weaker, but mixing both yields plenty of drinkable concentrate).
  • [38:36] Christine: “Wait, what does that mean?”
  • [38:37] Marguerite: “You make your brew...drain it, then you refill it. …The second brew is a little weaker...we like to mix it all together.”

5. Choosing The Right Method For You

Drip Coffee Maker

• [21:36] Christine: “Let's focus on the drip coffee makers first. Who is this for?”
• [21:43] Marguerite: “The drip coffee maker is for lots of people. Maybe it's just because you want to make a lot of coffee in the morning. You live in a multi person household...It's also just easy and convenient.”
• Downside: Takes counter space.

Pour Over

• For those who prioritize control, nuance, or have limited space. Can be as fussy or as simple as you like.
• [26:25] Marguerite: “It is for the person who wants like the maximum control...But it also doesn’t have to be that. ...As long as you’re grinding it well and measuring, it can just be, make a good cup of coffee.”

French Press

• Least fussy method; easy clean-up; ideal for full-bodied, rich cups and travel.

Moka Pot

• For espresso lovers wanting easy, stove-top intensity.

Cold Brew

• Great for summer and batch-making; most forgiving of lower-quality beans.

Instant Coffee

• [35:15] Marguerite: “There is very good instant coffee right now. ...The big one is called Swift...they are all, you know, they're not quite at the level of a fresh brewed cup…but they're quite good.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gear vs. Beans:
  [07:27] Marguerite Preston: “It really is both. …if you have bad or low quality beans and you brew them in a really nice brewer...the flavor itself might still not be very good.”
• On Pour Over’s Allure:
  [04:38 & 15:24] Christine Cyr Clisset: “The method that attracts people who really, really want to perfect the art of coffee making.”
• On Weighing Your Grounds:
  [12:54] Marguerite Preston: “As someone who was formerly a baker, I'm like, weighing everything is good for cooking. Like, just makes everything more precise, more consistent.”
• On Gooseneck Kettles:
  [30:45] Christine Cyr Clisset: “A lot of people use a gooseneck kettle...Do you think to get the best pour over, you really need to have one?” [31:01] Marguerite Preston: “To get the best pour over? I think it's really helpful...”
• Camping/Travel:
  [27:31] Christine Cyr Clisset: “I'm long term testing with a metal Kalita Wave and I take it camping because it's just...you can throw it in the gear and it's all good.” [34:49] Christine Cyr Clisset: “I also have a metal French press that I take camping and that's a great way to make coffee for a crowd on a camping trip.”
• On Gooseneck Kettles as an Aspiration:
  [40:09] Rosie Guerin: “I won’t lie, it feels good in the hand. I like the controlled pour. Just makes you feel kind of nice.”

Practical Takeaways & Timestamps

• [04:41] Start with improving your grind—fresh and even grinding = huge flavor bump
• [05:28] Get a burr grinder if budget allows (manual options exist)
• [06:25] Buy fresher beans; avoid stale, bargain coffee
• [09:31] Quality drip machines cost more but provide much better, more reliable coffee
• [12:47] Weigh your grounds (and water) for better and more consistent results
• [14:17] Pour over is for maximum control, but can be as simple or as fussy as you want
• [17:07] Moka pot and French press are richer and less filtered; personal taste will determine your preference
• [34:49] Consider portability for travel/camping setups; metal gear recommended
• [35:15] High-quality instant coffee is now surprisingly good and available
• [37:06] Cold brew is easy and can be double-brewed for extra value

Final Thoughts

• Regular cleaning—grinder and machine!—is non-negotiable for great-tasting coffee.
  • [40:17] Rosie Guerin: “Don’t forget to clean your stuff, your grinder, your machine, all of it.”
• Upgrades like a burr grinder or gooseneck kettle truly pay dividends for coffee quality.
• Coffee brewing can be a hobby or just a morning necessity—Wirecutter’s advice scales for both.

To Dive Deeper:
Check Wirecutter’s official guides and product recommendations.
Look out for their companion episode on how to choose coffee beans!

This summary captures all essential content, humor, and expert tips—skip the bad coffee, and start enjoying your daily brew!