Good coffee - like a lot of things, making coffee is easy to do, but doing it well takes some technique and practice. Thankfully, unlike a lot of things, the technique is easy, and the practice and time commitment is minimal. There are a million ways to make coffee; this is how I do it.
Supplies you need: a French press, a grinder, and decent quality beans. I also like an electric kettle. This is the French press I use:
I buy beans from Sam's or Costco. You do not need $25/lb coffee. Bad technique ruins good coffee, good technique makes decent coffee good.
Start heating the water. The French press comes with a scoop. I put four scoops of beans in the grinder. I use a blade grinder and pulse and shake it until I get a consistent course ground. That goes in the press. Your water should be boiling at this point. Take it off the heat and just cover the grounds with water. Let it sit for 30 seconds; the grounds will fizz and bubble. This is good because chemistry. Swirl or stir the grounds and add the hot water. Let it steep for 4 minutes while you make your cornflakes. Then press and pour. Total time, including cornflakes, is about 10 minutes.
The coffee will be light and almost sweet and *good*. You can add more coffee or a darker roast if you want more body, etc. Play around until you find what you like. It doesn't take long and I think it's worth it - beats the hell out of the choice of watery Aramark or sweatsock Starbucks we have at work.