I hear you saying why follow a rule if your own way tastes better, but I have to disagree. Those charts come from a lot of testing to find a balanced flavor. If everyone just wings it, beginners might end up with sour or weak coffee and not know why. Sticking to the basics first helps you understand how grind size and water change things. Once you have that down, tweaking makes sense. But starting out by ignoring guidelines can lead to bad habits that are hard to fix later.

Totally get that. Had the same thing happen with a farmstay last year. They fed me breakfast and dinner every day, so my food budget basically vanished. Travel guides probably just stick to hotels and hostels because that's the easy list to make. Or maybe those places pay to get in the book. Either way, you found the real hack for saving cash and seeing how people actually live.

Why bother with glue when stitching holds up better?