New Coffee Maker

My Christmas Present coffee maker shit the proverbial bed a couple of weeks ago. While I'm not a die hard coffee drinker, I do enjoy a cup on the weekends with breakfast and lately have been drinking more at work. Also, as more of a lazyness than taste preference, I've also been drinking it black for some time....now, I can't drink it with sugar or cream. So, equipped with a Bed Bath and Beyond gift card 50$, we set out to find a coffee maker. Well, since I'm on a budget trying to save some money, I couldn't get the Bunn or Technivorm with the thermal caraf drip maker, so I bought the next best (or better?) thing. A Bodum french press.


I have to be honest, I haven't quite got the hang of it. Some say french press is supposed to taste stronger, but to me it doesn't taste as strong as I'd like it. Albiet I've only tested with a course ground cheap supermarket Kona.

is the size of my grind, I'm putting in 200 degree water (maybe even a little hotter) and letting it steep for about 5-6 minutes. I'm putting in 1 scoop with the Bodum spoon for each 4oz I'm making (so 4 scoops, 16oz). Any suggestions.

Perhaps I'm just used to drinking bitter burnt D&D or Starbucks house blends at work....