I suggest the hardy 3 Cup Traditional Aluminum Macchinetta to be used with Bustello. Its the best way to start the day. Its simple and easy to clean. The stove top espresso Machinetta is the way to go. Stick with 1 or 3 cup model, the Italians know coffee and its best made in small doses.

Though no way near automatic, the next best thing to a really good machine is a #4 filter cone holder ($5), good paper filters ($3), and your surviving thermal carafe. True, you'll have to boil water in the morning and then pour it through the filter, but you won't get a better cuppa with any automatic machine at any price.

If the reality is that you will likely scald yourself into the emergency room attempting to deal with boiling water before you are totally awake in the morning, you've got a bit of a quest before you. Most all coffee makers are made crappy. They just don't heat the water up enough to extract the best taste from the grind and they die in a year or so.

I suggest skipping the down payment on a house an buying a Jura Capresso Impressa Z6 - $3,600 ;)

What exactly does the fancy pants jura do that is so special?

You don't like the French Press? Pour quoi?

a) messy
b) gets cold way too fast

At the push of a button, the Jura grinds the beans; dumps and tamps the grind; makes espresso, coffee, latte, cappuccino, etc.; dumps the spent coffee puck; drinks the coffee and then pisses for you.

It's primary function is to impress your friends and neighbors with your uncanny ability to spend money without regard for value or common sense. Just like that Viking range or Sub-Zero refrigerator that breaks down every 3 months and costs a fortune to repair, it shows that you have risen above mundane concerns like money and have arrived at the higher plain of self-indulgent, preening trophy worship.

i want something that pisses for me!

the coffee making part is unnecessary though.

We have the Cuisinart Grind & Brew, which eliminates my nemesis, the coffee grinder. The only problem is that there are 6 million parts you must wash before each use, but being able to fill it with beans and water at night and set it to go off in the morning is a fairly even trade.

I am of the mind that as long as it is not one of those free machines from a coffee club (aka Gevalia), most machines are pretty decent. My last machine was a Mr. Coffee, I think, with a timer and whatnot. It worked pretty well.

I actually bought one of my friends a Technivorm several years ago when I found myself on the losing end of a multi-year bet over whether he would be married by a certain date. He loved it so much that he promptly went out and bought another one for his brother.

Shortly thereafter, my friend's lonely, still-single butt was scooped up by the beautiful, clever, sophisticated, and warm-hearted woman who is now his wife. You may not be able to have your cake and eat it too, but quality coffee makes the world go round. (Remember, the first four letters of "amortize" do spell "amor".)

Perhaps your pusher (a.k.a Padre) should send you a Technivorm as a Groundhog's Day present...

I've found that the plain old Braun Aromaster Coffee Maker has been a pretty good one. My parents has been going for the last 8 years, and mine is still chugging away at 5 years old.

a) Understand the mess, but it's worth it.

b) Thermal carafe.

You should consider the Bodum Santos, with a little Bodum burr grinder to go with it. It's some of the best coffee you can make at home.

I have the kind that's made out of glass that you heat up on the stove, but they also make plastic ones that plug in. Much less maintenance that way.

go for a chemex. they rock and make better coffee than any machine can or will make. all you need: the filters, the chemex, and a tea kettle. low maintenance, easy to clean, and they never break unless dropped.

www.chemexcoffeemaker.com

I second the Cuisinart Grind & Brew. I've really gotten used to the feature where you set it up at night and have it automatically make your coffee in the morning. Makes weekday mornings almost bearable.