The 11 Easy Ways To Make Coffee Without A Coffee Maker

If there is one thing that motivates me to wake up from my bed, it is the steaming hot cup of morning coffee. Most people will agree with me on this. As you get up, make your way to the kitchen, press the buttons on your coffee maker, and wait for it to brew you a cup…and wait…and wait..and, why isn’t the coffee coming? Is there a power outage? Or has your coffee maker just stopped working? In any case, what follows is a grumpy you mumbling cuss words at everyone and everything.

    If only there were a way to make coffee without a coffee maker. As a matter of fact, there is. And I am going to tell you about not just one, but eleven different ways to make coffee without a coffee maker. Try some of these and you might just forget your coffee maker for a long time!

First things first…

For any great cup of coffee, you will need to follow some basic tips. The ingredients are as important as the method you follow:

1. Use whole beans:

There is nothing that beats the taste of freshly ground coffee. And pre-ground coffee doesn’t even come close. So, always use whole beans and grind them as close to your coffee time as possible. There are different types of roasts available varying from light to high and also very dark (Italian and French roasts). All roasts have varying levels of acidity and bitterness.

2. Store beans the right way:

If you want to preserve the fresh flavour of coffee beans for a long time, store them in an airtight container. Avoid using clear containers and keep them in a cool, dark place as direct light can compromise the taste of coffee. Always buy small batches of coffee, so you can enjoy the fresh taste frequently.

3. The Right Temperature:

Making coffee at the right temperature is important. Set a temperature too low, and the water can’t extract the flavor of coffee to the full extent. Set a temperature too high, and the coffee will have a burnt flavor. The ideal temperature to brew coffee is between 195 to 205 fahrenheit.

The 11 awesome ways to make coffee without a coffee maker:

After you got the basics right, let’s move on to learn the 11 different ways through which you can savor your morning brew, even if your coffee maker ditches you:

1. Stovetop Method

This is how our grandma made coffee when there were no extravagant machines with complicated control panels for coffee making. And it still works like a charm. It is an easy, no-complication method that you can pull off early in the morning

Things you will need: ground coffee, filtered water, saucepan, a spoon, and a mug.

Procedure:

1. For one mug of coffee, pour a little more than a mug of water in the saucepan. This extra water will be lost when you boil it and when the coffee grounds absorb water.
2. Use the same amount of coffee as you would use in a coffee maker, and stir it in the water.
3. Bring the coffee water to a boil on a medium to high flame, stirring occasionally. Boil it for about two minutes.
4. Let the coffee sit for some time to allow the grounds to settle at the bottom. Then, slowly pour the coffee into the mug avoiding any grounds as much as possible.

2. Turkish Coffee

The Turkish coffee is inspired by the famous Turkish tea. It uses a special Turkish pot called a cezve. The specialty of this coffee is that it has a foamy texture, which can be achieved by following the below method.

Things you will need: ground coffee, cezve, water

Procedure:

1. Add a cup of cold water in the cezve and stir in two tablespoons of coffee grounds.
2. On low heat, bring the coffee to a boil. When you see foam rising to the top, take some of it off with a spoon and put it in your coffee mug. 
3. Boil the coffee for some more time and then pour it into the mug.

3. Coffee Bag Method

The coffee bag method is simple, you make coffee by dipping a coffee bag into hot water. But the fun part is, you can make your own coffee bag!

Things you will need:  ground coffee, coffee filter, string (without wax), water, saucepan

DIY coffee bag:

Place two spoons of coffee grounds on the coffee filter. Using a long string, tie the filter into a bag-like shape. It does not need to look exactly like the ones you buy from the market, as long as it is secure and no coffee grounds are spilling out of it.

Procedure:

1. Heat water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. After that, let the water cool for two minutes.
2. Place the coffee bag in a cup, and pour the hot water in it. Steep the bag for 2-3 minutes for a normal cup of coffee. If you want a stronger cup, steep it for 3-4 minutes.
3. Once you are done steeping, remove the coffee bag and enjoy your cup of coffee!

4. French Press Method

Did you ever think you could replicate the French press using minimal tools from your kitchen? Here’s how:

Things you will need: ground coffee, a large bowl, mug, hot water

Procedure:

1. Depending on the number of cups you need, put coffee grounds into the large bowl.
2. Slowly pour in boiling water in small batches, until the coffee grounds completely saturate it.
3. After letting it sit for some time, add as much water as you require for the cups of coffee.
4. Let it sit for about four minutes. Then, gently press the coffee grounds to the bottom with a spoon, and pour the coffee in a mug.

5. Strainer Method

Who knew your kitchen strainer could be handy in making coffee someday? Using the strainer method is convenient for most people, but make sure that your strainer has very tiny holes.

Things you will need: ground coffee, saucepan, a strainer with tiny holes, water, mug

Procedure:

1. Pour as much water and coffee grounds as you want per cup into the saucepan.
2. Stir the coffee grounds and bring the water to a boil.
3. Place the strainer above your coffee mug and pour the coffee through it. This method saves time because you don’t need to wait for the grounds to settle.

6. Hanky Method

This rustic coffee-making method is loved by many because of how easy and inexpensive it is. A little bit of patience, and you will master the art of making coffee using a handkerchief.

Things you will need: ground coffee, handkerchief, clothespin, hot water, mug

Procedure: 

1. Place the handkerchief on top of your coffee mug, and gently press the center so you can put some coffee grounds into it.
2. Use the clothespin to keep the handkerchief in place.
3. Put some coffee grounds into the hanky and pour hot water in very small batches. Wait for at least 30 seconds between each batch, so the water can extract the coffee.
4. After pouring all the water, remove the hanky along with the grounds and enjoy the sip!

7. Microwave Method

If you thought the microwave was only for heating up food, then you are wrong. You can also make quick coffee using this microwave method. This works perfectly fine for those busy mornings!

Things you will need: coffee grounds, mug, water, microwave

Procedure:

1. First, pour water into the mug and pop it in the microwave for about two minutes. You should get hot but not boiling water.
2. Add coffee grounds to the mug and stir it.
3. Allow the coffee to steep for at least 4 minutes. The grounds will settle to the bottom and you can enjoy your cup of coffee!

8. Swedish Egg Method

If you are in the mood for some fun coffee, then try this Swedish variant! Though eggs in coffee might not sound very appealing, you will love it once you try it.

Things you will need: ground coffee, eggs, water (both room temperature and cold), saucepan, coffee filter

Procedure:

1. Crack an egg into a bowl, the whole egg, even the shell! Crush and mix it properly. 
2. Add the coffee grounds to this crushed egg mixture.
3. In a saucepan, bring a cup of water to a boil. As it is boiling, add the egg-coffee mixture to it.
4. Boil it for another 3 minutes and once the clump of egg comes to the top, take it off the heat and pour ice water onto it.
5. Slowly filter the coffee into a mug, and enjoy!

9. Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffee has become popular recently. Many people taste cold brew and become loyal converts. You can easily make this at home, and the best part is you can also store it for a week!

Things you will need: ground coffee, a mason jar, coffee filter, water

Procedure:

1. Add ground coffee and cold water to the mason jar using a 1:2 coffee to water ratio.
2. Stir and close the lid of the jar. Keep it for 10-12 hours undisturbed,
3. After steeping, strain the coffee into another mason jar and store it in the fridge.
4. Whenever you want coffee, take some extract, and either have it by directly adding ice, or dilute it with water.

10. Instant Coffee

Many people dislike instant coffee just because it doesn’t sound authentic. Even though it isn’t a match to a cup of coffee made from fresh grounds, instant coffee is very convenient, especially when you don’t have a coffee maker.

Things you will need: instant coffee powder, water, saucepan

Procedure:

1. Boil a cup of water in a saucepan and let it cool for a minute.
2. Add a spoonful of instant coffee and stir it.
3. Wait for a minute, and pour it into a mug to enjoy a quick cup of coffee!

11. Iced Coffee

This is simply a fancy, more loved version of instant coffee, perfect for hot summer mornings. It gives you the comfort of sipping something cool while also getting your daily dose of caffeine.

Things you will need: instant coffee powder, sugar, ice cubes, mason jar, milk, water

Procedure:

1. Add the instant coffee powder along with the water and sugar in a mason jar.
2. Close the lid of the jar and shake it well till the mixture starts foaming.
3. Add the milk and ice to the jar and stir well.
4. Enjoy your cool iced coffee!

For all the caffeine lovers:

To us, it is pretty much impossible to function throughout the day without sipping that warm cup of morning brew. But on days when our coffee machine ditches us? We now have a lot of ways to make our cup of goodness, and also enjoy the process!

If you master any of these methods, who knows, you might just ditch your coffee machine someday!