We’ve become a nation of coffee lovers who will spend hundreds of pounds a year on barista-made brews but don’t care what’s in our cup at home.

As we recently reported in Wake up and smell the coffee: Your morning caffeine hit could be costing you a LOT of money, a daily Starbucks habit can set you back £663 per year.

One way to keep this expense down could be to swap a takeaway caffeine hit for a cup of java in the comfort of your own home.

But it seems we’re pretty clueless with most of us (77 per cent) favouring a spoonful of instant muck over doing something more sophisticated with those magic beans.

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It needn’t be hard, though, as this handy guide to making the most popular coffees at home shows.

All you need is a good quality coffee machine or cafetiere to get you started.

The elegant - latte

Average cost: 15p per cup

How difficult: 2/5

The facts: Formally known as a caffé latte in Italy, meaning ‘milk coffee’, the latte is the nation’s favourite. You can have it iced and it is ordinarily served in a tall glass. There is even a World Latte Art Championship which takes place every year, pitting coffee artists from 36 nations against each other.

How to make it: Use one shot of espresso then add lots of hot milk and a little bit of foam. You start with the milk in the jug and tilt at 45 degrees, and keep the steam arm at the bottom of the milk jug till the last minute to avoid too much foam. Add your shot of espresso into a tall latte glass, add the hot milk, and then finish with a small layer of foam.

The classic - Americano

Average cost: 12p per cup

How difficult: 1/5

The facts: The term caffè Americano is Italian for ‘American coffee’ - powering people through their working days. Whether it’s one shot of espresso or two, the Americano is the strongest of them all.

How to make it: This is a black coffee usually made with a double shot of espresso and hot water. Always add the hot water to the cup first and then brew the espresso shots into the water, this way you will retain some of the cream from the espresso.

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The hipster - macchiato

Average cost: 13p per cup

How difficult: 2/5

The facts: The origin of the name macchiato stems from baristas needing to show the serving waiters the difference between an espresso and an espresso with a tiny bit of milk in it.

How to make it: This is a shot of espresso ‘marked’ with a small amount of foamed milk and served in an espresso cup.

The newcomer – flat white

Average cost: 14p per cup

How difficult: 5/5

The facts: This drink originates from Australia, home to some of the most amazing coffee shops in the world. Typically served in a ceramic mug, it is defined by its velvety consistently from its thin layer of micro foam.

How to make it: The same amount of milk in the jug as for latte but the frothing is different. To get the think cream consistency of a flat white, ensure you move the steam arm from top to bottom whilst you’re heating the milk to avoid separation between hot milk and foam. This milk can then be added to the espresso shot(s). Getting the exact consistency required for a flat white is something that requires a lot of practice to perfect.

And finally...

If you are adding sugar – make it white as brown sugar has too much "flavour" of its own.

Make sure your milk is as cold as possible prior to frothing for the best result.

Information from Coffee-Direct.co.uk