The perfect cup of morning coffee often revolves around the bean or blend you use.

For a bold, caramel-tinged flavor this time of year, I chose the classic Eight O'Clock Coffee dark Italian espresso roast.

An Aeropress uses air pressure, fast immersion, and a micro-filter to brew a quick, full-bodied cup of coffee or tea.

The travel version I have, which costs around $50, includes the main appliance, a scoop, a stirrer, paper micro-filters, and a travel mug. Different models range between $40 and $150.

That 2-tablespoon scoop portions out the perfect amount of coffee grounds, so I really didn't need anything else from my kitchen.

To start the process, I put the plunger inside the main casing and pulled it until it was secure at the edge. Then, I flipped everything over and added one scoop of coffee grounds in the designated slot.

Hot water goes on top of the beans, then I used the stirrer to combine everything and ensure an even distribution.

The microfilter is a crucial component of this appliance because it prevents annoying coffee grounds from infiltrating your cup.

I placed one inside the filter cap before twisting it onto the top of the Aeropress. I ensured it was secure before moving on to the next step.

After letting the coffee steep for about two minutes, I flipped the Aeropress over on top of the included travel mug.

You can use any mug for this, but I knew the Aeropress one would be a perfect fit, so I thought it would help reduce any user error.

Then, I pushed the plunger down until the appliance started hissing and stopped dispensing liquid.

The coffee was smooth and caramelly, just how I like it. However, it also had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

I'm new to using the Aeropress, so I'm not sure if this is typical or due to my own skills.

A regular coffee maker may be old-school, but it works.

I like that you can even preset it so it brews in the morning, and you can find basic models for as little as $20.

Other than the appliance itself, I just needed a filter, the grounds, and some water. For comparison's sake, I used the Aeropress 2-tablespoon scoop to add grounds to the filter.

Once I added the coffee grounds and filled the water compartment, I just hit the "brew" button and let it do its thing.

When my pot is finished with its magic, it sputters and steams (and stops dispensing coffee).

This mug of coffee tasted fine, but it tasted weaker than the others — almost watered down, even though I used the same ratio of beans and water for everything.

After adding 1 tablespoon of creamer, I could visually see the difference in color compared to the other cups.

French presses always seem fancy, but the process is relatively straightforward.

There are luxury models out there, but affordable versions of the basic appliance go for around $10 to $15.

I started by adding a 2-tablespoon scoop of coffee grounds to the bottom of the pitcher.

Like with the Aeropress, I needed to add already hot water to the French press — 200 degrees Fahrenheit is evidently the optimal temperature for this process.

You can heat the water in a kettle, but I just used my microwave.

Once it was heated, I poured it over the coffee grounds in the pitcher.

After one minute, the grounds should float to the top of the water.

I stirred everything with a wooden spoon, then placed the lid and plunger on top and let the pitcher steep for three more minutes.

When it was ready, I slowly plunged my pitcher.

Because this brewing process doesn't use a paper filter, the coffee bean's natural oils have more opportunity to break through, adding dimension to the flavor.

Right away, I could tell this was going to be the boldest cup. With its impressive depth of flavor, the coffee from my French press would be hard to beat.

If you're looking for the quickest option for coffee, a Keurig can't be beat.

The cheapest models start around $50 and larger/newer versions go up from there.

To start, I just popped the top open and added enough water to the basin.

In my experience, though, Keurig machines can be fickle. Although I put 10 ounces of water in my machine, it only dispensed about 8.

I had the same blend of Eight O'Clock Coffee in pod form, so the comparison should be fair.

I turned the Keurig on and popped open the pod compartment. When I closed the compartment, it secured with a click.

After putting my mug under the dispenser, I pushed the start button and walked away while it brewed.

The cup of coffee from my Keurig was fine.

I didn't think I could taste the full flavor of my coffee, but I wouldn't say it tasted was watered down, either — just a little one-dimensional.

A Keurig is always going to be an easy option, but that doesn't necessarily make it the best one.

For me, choosing the best at-home brew was relatively simple. The French press made the darkest cup with the boldest flavor.

I was also glad that my favorite coffee-brewing appliance was the cheapest of the bunch.

The Aeropress cup produced a near-perfect cup, but its slight bitterness landed it in second place.

The classic coffee pot wasn't as impressive, comparatively, and the Keurig was best for efficiency — less so for taste.

Instead of crowding my fridge with holiday-cooking ingredients, I just get two things: Brie and premade dough.

For this recipe, I purchased a wheel of double-creme Brie and a tube of crescent dough from Aldi.

I think it's easier to neatly wrap the dough around the wheeled cheese, but this recipe can also be made with a wedge or slice of Brie.

One of the most difficult parts of this recipe is peeling the paper off the crescent-dough canister and waiting in anticipation for it to pop open with a loud "thwap."

I take half of the dough and lay it out flat on my countertop. If it's perforated — as many crescent doughs are — you'll want to overlap those lines a bit and smooth it out.

The goal is to get the dough as smooth as possible so there are no holes for the cheese to escape through.

After laying out the dough, I place the wheel of Brie directly in the center of the rectangle.

Then, I take the second half of the crescent dough and smooth it out like I did with the first layer.

This rectangle of dough goes on top of the cheese. Be sure to line it up so that the edges of the bottom and top layers of dough come as close to touching as possible.

Before proceeding, I seal any holes between the two sheets of dough and ensure the cheese is securely wrapped.

I think the dough ends up looking a little nicer if I brush it with a quick egg wash before placing it in the air fryer.

Crack one egg into a glass or bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. This mixture can be brushed directly on the dough.

I like to line my air-fryer basket with a piece of oiled aluminum foil to prevent any sticking.

Once that's prepped, I place the wrapped cheese inside and cook it at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

At that point, I open the basket, flip the doughy disc with a spatula, and pop it back in for another four minutes to ensure both sides are even.

I frequently bake Brie in my oven and toaster oven, which takes closer to 40 minutes (not including prep time). In comparison, this method was absurdly quick, and I enjoyed it right out of the air fryer.

The air-fried dough baked up similarly to how it does in the oven, and there was no noticeable difference in flavor or texture.

Going forward, I'll definitely be using the air fryer for my Brie, especially during the busy holiday season.

If you want to spruce up the dish for a specific event, you can easily add a layer of jam or preserves — sweet, savory, or spicy — on top of the cheese before you cover it.