First of all, drinking coffee in paper cups is a total insult to your budget and your taste. You became an adult person now, and it is high time you started enjoying yourself properly and got yourself the station at home. Today, we skip all the pretenses and go straight for the purchase of the equipment for life.
The grinder is the device which makes the whole process successful or not. You better avoid blade grinders because their particles will never be consistent enough, and your drink will taste like mud. There are plenty of different grinders to choose, such as Baratza Encore or Fellow Ode Gen 2. The latter one will look much nicer on your counter and will be much quieter.
As to brewing coffee, Hario V60 is rather cheap and gives amazing results in five minutes of your work. There is Breville Precision Brewer, which takes care of all variables for you in the morning. It is rather expensive, but it definitely justifies its price through the convenience because of the same café quality without your participation. Honestly, it justifies its price completely by being convenient.
The temperature of the water is very important in this process, therefore, you have to purchase a gooseneck kettle like Fellow Stagg. It will serve your goal perfectly, and will also decorate your counter beautifully. However, do not forget to get a scale so that you would not guess your proportions anymore. If Acaia Pearl is a little bit pricey for you, you can take Timemore Black Mirror for half the price.
Do not purchase the beans from the stores where they lie for several months already. Instead, look for some local roasters or use the service of Trade Coffee to have fresh bags delivered to you once a week. Only fresh beans can make that fruitiness or chocolate people are talking about all the time.
Surely, the equipment will cost you some money at first, but in return, you will be saving much faster than before. About five hundred dollars will cover all your expenses in six months. Besides, you will not have to wait in the queue because of the guy who orders the most complicated Frappuccino ever.
