<p>Lergnom is right. There are coffee drinkers, coffee lovers, and those people who drink flavored coffee. (OK, I’m a coffee snob.) The best answer depends on which group we’re talking about.</p>
<p>Cone filter is the safest bet. Any real coffee lover will be happy and able to make a cup they like. French press? Not for me. (Grounds, etc.) Mr. Coffee? Well, if they’re real coffee snobs you won’t like what they whisper behind your back. K-cups? Too corporate.</p>
<p>Chemex is way cool, but a cheap Melitta cone and a bag of filters is fine for an inexpensive brewing system. And with a cone filter you can make as much or as little as you like, with no effect on quality. In our local supermarkets they have a decent selection of good coffee - beans and/or ground. It’s easy enough to buy a couple of small bags of different varieties - a dark roast, a medium blend, etc. - so your guests can pick what they’re comfortable with. For decades I wouldn’t drink anything but Peet’s French Roast. In my dotage I’ve become more accepting of other things, and have had some nice medium roast blends.</p>