Just about everyone is familiar with automatic drip coffee makers. Here’s how to get the best possible auto-drip cup o' joe.  

Measure and Grind

• Buy fresh roasted quality coffee and grind the coffee immediately before brewing.
• Use medium grind for a flat-bottom filter, slightly finer for conical filter
• Use 1 Tablespoon (7 gm) for every 6 onces of water.  Adding an extra "one for the pot" won't hurt.

Filters

• Paper filters are disposable and the easiest to use, but may remove some coffee oils resulting in less than optimum flavor.
• Metal screen filters won't remove the coffee oils, but unless you clean them well each time will accumulate stale coffee flavor residue.

Water

• Use freshly drawn cold water, preferably filtered or bottled spring water. 

Brewing

• Allow the entire brewing cycle to complete.  Avoid using the drip-pause feature to dispense the first cup.  The majority of coffee oils and flavor will be extracted during the first minute of brewing.  Removing this from the overall pot will result in thin, flavorless coffee, and the removed coffee will taste overextracted and bitter. 
• Drink immediately.  Avoid using the heating element on the brewer to keep the coffee hot.  Brewed coffee loses its flavor very quickly.  If you must store the coffee, dispense it into a thermal carafe.  Re-heated coffee will taste burnt and bitter.
• Stir carafe to distribute coffee evenly before serving.