So you’ve invested in an espresso machine, but your caffe latte is bleurgh, and you’re never going to put the local barista out of business. Perhaps it’s time to test what you think you know about coffee, and see whether it holds water.

Coffee should be stored in the refrigerator.

No, it shouldn’t. If you keep opening the pack to get your daily beans, the exposure to moisture will cause them to go stale faster. Keep them in an airtight container without much space for oxygen, away from direct light or heat.

It’s OK to freeze coffee.

That depends. If the pack is completely sealed (unopened, not just clipped with a clothes peg!), you can freeze coffee for a month without any loss of flavour. When you remove the pack from the freezer to use it, DO NOT OPEN IT IMMEDIATELY. Leave it for several hours to defrost and come to room temperature before breaking the seal, or condensation will form on the beans and spoil them.

I should keep my espresso machine on at all times.

Cafes often leave their machines on overnight because it can take more energy to heat their large boilers from cold than it does to keep them running. Home espresso machines require less energy to get to brewing temperature, so switch them on in the morning and turn them off when done.

There’s little difference between pre-ground and freshly ground coffee.

Not true. “The biggest upgrade in quality you can get is to go from pre-ground to freshly ground,” says Geoff Clarke, coffee program specialist for Campos Coffee. Freshly ground coffee retains a greater proportion of volatile aromatic compounds, which are responsible for flavour in coffee – and that’s what you want when you want coffee. Once ground, the volatile aromatic compounds are exposed to air and start deteriorating. With grinders, you get what you pay for. Expensive ones can be quieter and the grind more even.

Beans from different regions have different flavours.

True. Each country’s beans have varying characteristics, depending on altitude, varietal, climate, and processing. Read the tasting notes, and factor in processing methods as well: if you like fruity notes, look for “naturals” and coffees from Africa; if you prefer classic caramel notes, look for “washed” coffees from central and South America.

The darker the roast, the higher the caffeine.

That’s a myth. Caffeine levels are more a reflection of different coffee species and varietals. Darker roasts have longer roasting times or hotter roasting temperatures, which may result in a loss of caffeine, while lighter-roasted beans retain more caffeine. Roast levels do affect flavour, however. Medium to dark roasts generally have more chocolate and caramel notes and pair well with milk. Lighter roasts typically have higher acidity and work well in black coffees.

Coffee should be hot.

Not necessarily. We perceive tastes more intensely when the coffee has cooled off a bit. Always avoid overheating your milk. “Keep the palm of your hand on the side of the jug of milk, and when it’s too hot to hold, it will be close to the correct temperature,” says Clarke. Using a smaller jug can help the steaming wand be more effective on less powerful machines.

Is it really cheaper to make coffee at home?

Let’s do the maths. One 250g pack of Campos Superior blend ($15.95) will equal 70¢ per single-shot coffee (made with 11g of ground coffee) or $1.40 for a double shot (22 grams). Milk costs about 30¢ for a small latte, and 50¢ for a large. So, a coffee made at home will set you back between $1 and $1.90. The current price of a caffe latte in a cafe: $4.50. So sure, once you’ve invested in home coffee-making equipment, it is cheaper to DIY. But you can still support your local cafe by buying your beans from them.