Please define what you mean by specialty coffees. There are quite a few things called coffee these days. In terms of things like lattes, etc, they are mostly meant as breakfast drinks. If you're talking about better beans, then that's something different. I've drank a ton of Green Mountain coffee and really don't like it. The best way I can describe it is that it has a dirty taste to it. I like Vermont products and spent a lot of time drinking the stuff (was served at a place I worked), but I really never found it to be anything special.

In terms of advice in general, I would suggest a few things.

1. Buy a burr grinder and use fresh beans. The fresh grind does the most to help your effort.

2. Find out what kind of roast you like. Can you handle dark roasts or do you just like light roasts. If you don't like dark roasts, then it won't matter what kind of coffee is used if it is roasted that way.

3. Get a machine that does expresso. I always prefer an Americano (expresso with water added) to a standard drip. There's just more flavor.

There is a large cost to buying expensive coffees every day. It eats up disposable income quickly. There are plenty of better things you can do with the money if you make the coffee at home such as travel or giving it to people in need.

"3. I use drip most of the time but french press for entertaining guests."

Good post. I'm sort of torn on the french press. It's great if you drink the coffee quickly, but the strength changes as you drink it if you drink it slowly and you always end up with sludge in the bottom of your cups. I'm not sure that guests would appreciate that. I do use one from time to time though.