Cleaning might not be as easy as lifting a paper filter out of a basket, but it's no harder than rinsing out a glass. You just have to keep in mind that the grinds obviously can't go down the drain. We wash these by hand at my coffee shop and it takes no time at all.
After use, fill with hot water and pour the remaining loose grinds through a strainer, or a paper filter for ease of throwing away and then wash with dish soap and done.
If you want to get fancy and use your own grind coarseness to suite your taste, you're able to. However, just about any coffee you buy off shelf will work as well. As long as it's not a super fine grind, it will work just fine.
So really, all you need is:
Press, Coffee of choice, Drinking cup, Timer(optional).
You might need a thermometer the first time you make it to figure out how long it takes to microwave water to ~190 degrees, however, once you do it the first time you should know exactly how long it takes any time after that. As long as you keep the variables constant, there's no guessing game.
Toss cup of water in microwave, heat it up to 190 degrees, put coffee in press, pour hot water over coffee, set plunger over top and wait 3-4 minutes or to taste before you plunge, plunge, done.
Mind you, you're going to get MUCH better tasting coffee out of a French Press than any drip machine, even if you're not using a special grind.
I'll be glad to show you the ropes at work and let you taste the difference if you have a minute to stop in. Nordstrom Ebar on the first floor. Shoot me a PM and I can give you my number if you don't still have it and I'll let you know when I'm there.