Help, there's a metal taste in my coffee!

Question: "My sister's coffee always smells and tastes like tin. No matter what she does. I have recently started using my daughter's coffee pot and find the same thing happening to me. Is it the pot or are we doing something wrong?  Thank you very much." - Donna

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Answer:Hi Donna,  Thanks for the question.  I'll try to narrow it down by pointing out three different possibilities and some remedy for each.The Machine: Give the coffee machine a cycle of one part vinegar, two parts water.  Vinegar has a non-toxic cleaning power that may clean the metallic flavor out of the system.  Then, run a couple water-only cycles to rinse the vinegar out.  You will either notice an improvement or nothing at all.  If you don't notice a difference, move on to the next steps.  If you do notice an improvement, run one or two more vinegar-water cycles, we've isolated the problem.Read: Vinegar Cleaning the Coffee MachineWater: More than likely, it's the water that's the culprit.  I've even heard stories of cities changing some piping, causing the water to have a metallic tinge to it (at least in the short term).  Use filtered water instead of filling the coffee pot from the tap.  There are alot of minerals in tap water that could stand to be filtered out before you drink it, and coffee is 99% water.  I suggest buying a Brita pitcher for your fridge.Read: Does the Coffee Maker Purify My Water?Read: Why Water is So Important to CoffeeThe Filter: This is the least likely culprit, but worth trying for good measure.  Try using a paper filter, if you haven't already.  The mesh "perma-filters" will not cause a metallic taste in the coffee, but paper will pick up more from the coffee before it drips into the pot so you may find that it helps.Read: Paper Versus Mesh Filter...fight!When I first read your question, it sounded like the coffee pot itself was the constant.  If it's a steel pot, it's possibly to blame.  In this case, you may consider buying a universal glass pot.  If your daughter's pot is glass, then it wouldn't cause the metallic taste.Everybody deserves great-tasting coffee, and no food or drink tastes good with something metallic in it.  I hope these suggestions help you get back to drinking great coffee.