What are the steps to brew coffee and what coffee-to-water ratio should I use?

Fill the water reservoir with cold, fresh water up to your desired cup marking, place a reusable gold filter or #4 cone-shape paper filter in the filter basket, add ground coffee (generally 1 tablespoon per cup, adjustable to preference), close the top cover, place the carafe on the warming plate, and press the 'Brew/Off' button. You can select your brew strength (Regular, Gourmet, or Bold) by pressing the 'Strength' button before brewing, and use the '1-4 Cup' button for smaller batches.