A good cup of coffee is the first thing many people think about in the morning.

The pursuit of perfection begins with the beans.

Try to find a good local roaster freshly roasted,'' said Vincent Gentile of Caf� Del Casa.

"When you find a blend that you like, stick with it,'' he said.

Gentile recommends grinding beans as close to brew time as possible.

"Buy enough just for a week .Do not over extend yourself, grind only what you need and you'll have freshness, keep it in an air tight container, no refrigeration,'' he said.

Some coffee machines have built-in grinders, which sound like a good combination - but they have drawbacks.

"The combos can be annoying to use and to clean. And if you haven't ground all the beans, it's an extra step to take the beans out,'' said Bob Karpel of Consumer Reports.

So consider a stand-alone grinder instead.

"There are basically two types of grinders,'' said Karpel. "There's a burr grinder, which has two gears and they crush the beans, and then there are blade grinders, which actually have a blade and that blade chops the beans," he said.

Blade grinders are cheaper, but not as consistent.

"You'll notice that some are a little finer, some are a coarser. You won't get an even grind so your extraction when you make your coffee is going to taste different," said Gentile.

Burr grinders are more expensive, but they hold more beans and grind more uniformly and consistently. The Cuisinart Supreme Grind is a good choice for an inexpensive burr grinder.

Vincent Gentile recommends cleaning your grinder regularly, once a week if you can take it apart like this high quality machine.

"Use a toothbrush or a brass brush and diligently clean all the old coffee and oils off of this. Same thing with inside and vacuum it out and put it back together and you are good to go," he said.

Or use a commercial cleaner like Grindz. That is a food safe product you can run though a grinder without taking it apart. But always read your owner's manual for cleaning instructions

With the right beans, grinder and regular cleaning, you might just think you're in a cafe when you taste the coffee you make at home.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen