There are many reasons why one would find themselves in a situation where they need a cup of coffee, but don't have a coffee maker.
Heading out
into the wilderness
is no reason to go without your morning cup of joe. Having the power go out from a storm shouldn't stop you from starting your day with a dose of hot caffeine.
True coffee lovers know that there are plenty of ways to make coffee. All you need is a bit of ingenuity.
How to Make Coffee without a Coffee Maker (a true life skill!)
Here are some useful life hacks for making coffee without a coffee maker.
The Saucepan Method
The easiest way to make coffee without a coffee machine is to use a saucepan and water. This life hack is often called the "Cowboy Method," as it was commonly used by travelers in the past. If you think the Pilgrims made it through the Oregon trail without coffee, you'd be wrong.
Add water and coffee grounds to a saucepan on the stove or over the open fire.
According to
Owly Choice
, you can use a mortar and pestle, hammer, or even a knife if you need to grind whole beans without power. Bring the coffee to a rolling boil, then remove it from the heat source.
Use a ladle to scoop the coffee into a mug, being mindful to avoid scooping grounds from the bottom.
Pour-Over (Mesh Strainer or Tea Filter)
The pour-over method is a fan-favorite way to make gourmet coffee. The best part is, you don't need to use a coffee maker to do it.
For this method, you'll need a mesh strainer or tea steeper that fits over the brim of your cup. Fill it with enough coffee to suit your mug and boil water.
The trick to making the perfect cup of pour-over coffee is to start with just a dash of water to wet the grounds. This allows the
grounds to bloom
and enhances the flavor. After about thirty seconds, pour the rest of the water slowly over the grounds until the cup is full.
DIY Coffee Bag
Another way to make coffee without a coffee maker is comparable to making a cup of tea. If you have empty teabags or a steeper or infuser, you're in luck. Otherwise, you'll need a coffee filter or cheesecloth with a piece of waxless string.
Put a few scoops of coffee in the filter or cheesecloth and bring the sides together to make a pouch. Secure the pouch with your wax-free string and steep it in hot water. Let the coffee bag do its magic for five minutes and remove it.
Faux French Press
French presses are another trendy coffee tool that coffee-lovers flock to. If you don't have a French press available, you replicate the process.
For the faux-French press method, you'll need two mugs and hot water. One of your mugs will act as your faux French press, the other will be to drink from. Put your coffee grounds in one mug and pour in hot water. Let it sit for four minutes— five or six for a stronger cup.
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Then, gently pour the coffee from your brewing cup to your drinking mug. Use a spoon at the edge of the brewing cup to block any wayward grounds. It helps to use a bigger cup for brewing, as you'll lose some of the water at the bottom to your coffee grounds.
Fabric Filter
If you don't have anything you can use as a filter lying around, you can make a simple fabric filter and use the pour-over method. For this method, you'll need a clean handkerchief or dishcloth as well as some clothespins or bull clips.
Loosely adhere to your fabric over the rim of the cup and secure with your chosen clips. Put your coffee in the fabric, and slowly pour the water in, using the pour-over technique above.
With these life hacks, not having a coffee maker will never hold you back. That is, as long as you remembered to pick up a coffee from the store.
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