I second Bodum's french presses. I have one at home and I use it all the time. The biggest difference between a FP vs. an auto drip is that the coffee usually has more body and character with a FP. Some might describe it as "muddy looking" if they were used to drinking late night diner coffee. This would be due to the fact that some of the very fine sediment and oils make it through the metal screen that wouldn't otherwise have made it through a paper filter. Since we're on this site, think K&N vs. AC Delco.
Also, a FP allows you to tailor the temperature of the water you use with your beans. Generally, the optimum temperature for extraction is about 200 degrees (Farenheit), whereas the temperature of the water in an auto drip machine can swing all over the place depending on which brand you buy.
There is one drawback (or not, depending on how you see it) to using a french press if you drink a lot of coffee at one time, however. Mine only allows me to brew about two full cups at once. I personally don't think this is a bad thing, as that's all I would drink in one sitting anyhow, or for me + one friend having coffee. They make larger french presses, but don't be fooled by their size if you are looking to make coffee for 5 or 6 people in one shot. I have to use about 12 oz. of water to get a full cup of brewed coffee. The grounds soak up a lot more water in a french press than they do in an auto drip, so be prepared.
Also, if you use a FP, you MUST use a grind that is specifically for a french press. If you are at one of those coffee grinding stations in a grocery store, it is usually the coarsest grind available on the machine. If you are doing it at home, a burr grinder works better than a blade grinder, because a blade grinder tends to produce a somewhat uneven grind. Either way, don't sweat it, because your coffee will turn out a **** of a lot better than if you buy pre ground.
As for beans, well, I roast my own using a popcorn popper (I don't like coffee or anything) to get exactly what I want, but even pre-bagged coffees turn out pretty well [Starbucks whole bean Columbia always turns out good in mine, and it's only about $7.00 a bag]. I generally make an honest effort to drink Fair Trade coffees as much as possible, and there are so many quality varieties available now that you almost have no excuse. Any way, 1 TBS. beans to 3 oz. of water just off the boil for 4 -5 minutes. Happy brewing.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/
http://www.ineedcoffee.com/