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How to Make Coffee without a Coffee Maker
Left without a coffee maker? Here’s how to make great coffee without one.
Published December 7, 2021
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Jennie Backteman
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
It is a frustrating feeling if you need some coffee but don’t have a coffee maker to make some and can’t get to your favorite coffee shop. Whether you’re out of town with no coffee shops around or your regular coffee maker at home has just given up on you and simply isn’t working, the good news is that if you are wondering how to make coffee without a coffee maker, it is not as impossible as it might sound at first. There are several great hacks that you can use to make a good cup of coffee even if you don’t have a coffee maker at hand.
The Basics of Making Good Coffee without a Coffee Maker
No matter whether you are or are not using a coffee maker, the trick to making great coffee is to make sure that all the parts come together well. If you want to know how to make coffee without a coffee maker, then it’s important to do the following:
Use Good Quality Coffee Beans
No matter how great your skills are when it comes to brewing coffee, you’re going to struggle to extract any decent flavor from coffee beans that are poor-quality or old. If you want to make coffee without a coffee maker, the first step is to make sure that you are using coffee beans that have been freshly roasted. Pick beans that have been roasted to the consistency that you prefer the most, whether that’s light, medium, or dark.
Grind Freshly
If you’re making coffee without a coffee maker, the grind size is just as important. The grind size will have the biggest impact on how well the coffee combines with the water, so if they are not ground properly, you could end up under- or over- extracting the coffee oils and flavors, leaving you with a cup of coffee that is weak, bitter, or even sour. Grinding your beans just before you brew your coffee will make sure that the grounds are as fresh as possible, which is important since they will begin to lose their freshness just thirty minutes after being ground. When it comes to how to make ground coffee, a burr grinder is the best option.
Use the Right Temperature
Finally, make sure that the water you use is at the right temperature for how to brew ground coffee when making coffee. Boiling water will burn the coffee, which is why it’s important to remove the water from the boil and even allow it to cool a little if necessary, before adding the coffee grounds. The ideal temperature for brewing coffee is between 195- and 205-degrees Fahrenheit.
So, now that you are aware of all the basics that you will need to cover in order to make great coffee without a coffee maker at home, what are some ways to make coffee?
Stovetop Method
This is the most basic method of how to make coffee without a coffee maker, and you can actually make rather good coffee with it. You don’t need a filter or paper towel to use this method to make coffee, which makes it a popular choice with campers. All you need to make coffee using this method is a heat source, saucepan or pot, and your coffee.
To get started, boil some water in a saucepan on the stove. Use a little bit more water than the amount of coffee that you want to make. Once the water begins to boil, turn of the heat, and add your coffee grounds before covering the pan. The coffee will have brewed in around four or five minutes, and the coffee grounds will have settled to the bottom of your pan. Then, you can use a ladle to pour your coffee out to prevent grounds ending up in your drink.
DIY Filter Coffee
Compared to stovetop coffee, you will require some equipment to make this type of coffee, but there is no coffee maker needed. How to make coffee from grounds? It is similar to the popular drip coffee method and produces coffee that tastes really nice. You will need a kettle, coffee grounds that are ground to the right consistency for drip coffee, a coffee filter or handkerchief, and a binder clip or similar to make sure that the filter is secured in place.
How to make coffee with a kettle? Start by heating up your water to around 195 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have brought the water to a boil, leave it for around 30-60 seconds for the temperature to come down. Place your coffee filter or handkerchief on the top of your mug and secure it. Add coffee grounds, and pour your water over gradually and slowly, making sure that you get all the coffee grounds as wet as possible. Then, add some more water, and finish your coffee with two more pours. Wait for the water to filter through the coffee into your cup and enjoy.
Microwave Coffee
Making coffee in a microwave is an even quicker version of stovetop coffee that might be worth considering if you are pressed for time. To use this method, you will need a microwave, coffee grounds, two cups or mugs, a spoon, and a strainer or filter. You can also use a thermometer to check the temperature of the water.
To use this method, heat up some water in your microwave for around two minutes, which should result in water that is very hot, but not quite boiling. If you want to make sure that the temperature is perfect for coffee, check it with your thermometer. Stir in around two tablespoons of your ground coffee and leave it for around three to four minutes to settle to the bottom of your mug. You’ll usually find some foam left at the top of the mug, which can be scooped off using a spoon. Then, you can either drink the coffee immediately, or decant it into a second mug using a strainer to get rid of all those coffee grounds.
Strainer Coffee
How to brew coffee without a coffee maker? Strainer coffee is a DIY method of French Press coffee, that involves making coffee in a pot similar to stovetop coffee. However, the main difference here is that you do not need to wait for the coffee grounds to settle at the bottom of your pot or saucepan. All you need to do is wait a couple of minutes for the coffee to brew and pour it straight away through a strainer. To use this method, you will need coffee grounds that are ground to the right consistency for drip coffee or French Press, water, a heat source, a pot or saucepan, and a strainer. The finer the mesh of your strainer, the better.
To get started, measure out the correct amount of water that you will need for your coffee, and bring it to a boil on your stove before removing it from the heat. Add the coffee grounds, and allow it to steep for around two minutes, before pouring the liquid through the strainer and into your cup. The strainer will catch all the coffee grounds, leaving you with smooth coffee that is ready to drink.
Coffee Bags
This method is inspired by tea, which is commonly brewed using a tea bag, so why not make a coffee bag? It’s a very good option for making coffee by hand. In fact, you can actually get pouches of coffee that are brewed by being thrown into hot water, which can be a great alternative to consider if you’ve not got a coffee maker. But if you can’t get your hands on these for any reason, it’s easier than you think to make your own coffee bags at home. You will need hot water, coffee grounds ground to drip coffee consistency, a coffee filter or handkerchief, and string.
Start by making your coffee pouch by adding two tablespoons of coffee into the filter and then pinching it closed just above the coffee level. Twist the filter a couple of times to make sure that it is secure and tie some string around it to hold it closed. Then, heat up some water to 195 degrees Fahrenheit and pour it into your cup. Drop your coffee pouch in and allow it to brew for around three to four minutes, or longer if you prefer a stronger or more bitter coffee. Once your brewing time is up, use the string or a spoon to remove your pouch, and your coffee is ready.
While you might not be able to make coffee that tastes exactly the same as your favorite coffee if you don’t have the coffee maker, the good news is that there are several ways to make DIY coffee at home without any special equipment if you’ve been left without a coffee maker and need to satisfy your coffee cravings. Many of these methods to make coffee without a coffee maker are also an ideal choice for camping and other situations where a coffee maker may not be immediately available.
About the author
Jennie Backteman
I´m a ultramarathon runner, landscape designer and a coffee lover.
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