I love dark beer and whiskey, I drink at least a french press of coffee a day and break out the vac-pot on special occasions.
I used to use a pyrex percolater I got at a garage sale for $1.50(I don't like auto-drip because of all the plastics involved) and had to add lots of honey to combat the bitterness but it took way too long so i started using a french press and found the flavor to be superior if done properly, with little bitterness but it wasn't consistent enough.
After a while I got tired of all the "mud" in my cup and invested in a nice hand mill that produces consistent ground size and Hario vacuum brewer. It turned coffee from just a drink to an almost erotic, full sensory experience. It produces an ultra clear, sweet, red amber liquid that tastes exactly how the beans smell and sometimes even better(which I never quite thought possible). Having it any way other than black is almost a sin.
I got a really nice electric kettle for my birthday with tea and french press settings; it's taken a lot of the temperature inconsistency out of it, and has shortened my total brew time to about 10 minutes or less. Coupled with the hand grinder it dramatically changed the french press and now I use it as my daily workhorse and only break out the Hario for special occasions or when I have time to clean it immediately after. Plus the cloth filters can get pretty expensive but it's pretty versatile and if done properly can brew an espresso like coffee. Part of it's magic is no two cups taste alike and the flavor changes throughout cooling.
I get my beans from either TJMaxx or costco, and depending on my mood and time of day switch between Jamaican, Columbian, and Sumatran.