Coffee makers are among one of those trendsetters that are here to stay- ever since they were first introduced, they have only increased their sphere of influence and have become more and more of a favorite choice for everyone out there.
However, that doesn’t mean that people didn’t drink coffee before these were here right? There are, naturally, several ways in which people used to prepare coffee back then as well- methods that are still used and are actually a good idea if you don’t happen to have a coffee maker or just are in for some experimenting.
In today’s article, we are going to walk you through some of the best methods that you can use to prepare coffee for yourself, the same good old coffee that you love, without using a Coffee maker at all! So, are you ready? Let’s get started then!
Method 1: Using Instant Coffee
One of the methods that most people tend to go with in order to save both time and effort, and something that I personally recommend if you really don’t know too much about making coffee yourself, is going with Instant Coffee.
You can purchase instant coffee at almost every store and you can easily mix up one to two tb spoons with every 180 ml of fluid! That makes it super easy to make. Of course, if you’re a lover of milk coffee, you might want to use milk/milk powder in the right proportion and add some sugar as well, the amount depending on your tastes.
Method 2: Using Filter to make a coffee bag
Another method that’s used by some people, and according to me is a fun method, is using the filter that you can buy to make a coffee bag. You just need the filter and some string to prepare it, and it really feels like an adventure if you ask me!
Now, all you have to do is heat up your water and then let the tea bag sit in there for a while (say 2-3 minutes) and then taste to see if you’ve got the required density and pull it out. The filter will prevent any grounds from getting inside your coffee, ensuring that you can enjoy your coffee without having to worry about getting dust coffee in your mouth!
This method, although really fun, is seriously a little time consuming if you set out to prepare the coffee bags every time, and that’s one of the main shortcomings because of which this process isn’t used as much as it could have been otherwise. So, if you’re mostly in a hurry and aren’t looking for adventure but just your cup of coffee, then you might want to continue reading.
Method 3: Using a Pot/Saucepan
Now, this is the oldest and the most conventional method of actually making Coffee. This is one of those methods that people mostly use when they don’t have a coffee maker. In fact, you can use this with both ground coffee as well as instant coffee, giving this method a certain level of versatility as well!
Here, all you have to do is actually heat up your water using the pot or the saucepan and then put in your coffee grounds or instant coffee in it. Once this is done, you just have to let the flavor be extracted if it’s ground coffee (or let it properly mix if it’s instant coffee). After this, you might want to add milk/sugar according to your tastes and you would be ready with your coffee.
While this seems like hard work, this is actually one of the simplest methods and is the one that is actually used by professionals because it has room to actually put your abilities to use to make the coffee taste really awesome! So, if you’re planning on being an expert or if you don’t want to let those classes for making coffee go to waste, this sounds like the perfect option for you!
Speaking from personal experience, since my family mostly prepares coffee this way using Instant coffee, I assure you that it’s actually one of the best methods out there, and is something that you can use! But pay close attention to the kind of coffee grounds you’re using as it really affects the taste. Click here to read our article on the best coffee grounds you can get for preparing your cup of espresso!
Method 4: Instant Coffee + Microwave Oven.
Now, this is something you might not have heard of before, but it’s something we do at home and so I can tell you about this one from personal experience.
What you have to do is get your water (and milk, if you want milk coffee) in a cup and put it in the microwave oven, and then you have to let it heat up to the required heat you want your coffee to be. Just keep in mind that don’t put it in the fridge if you’re looking for cold coffee, because you need to keep it warm in order to mix the coffee properly.
So, once you’ve heated it up, you just have to mix the sugar and the instant coffee with it, and it’s ready. Yep! It’s just that. It’s fully prepared in the very same cup- making this process super awesome because you don’t have to do almost any clean up after it’s done, and there’s almost no wastage.
Now, it’s worth making it clear here that some of you might be wondering which process is better, using the pot or using the microwave. This honestly depends on how much coffee you’re about to make. If it’s for up to 2 to 3 people, using the microwave seems like a great idea. However, if you’re making coffee for a lot more people, sticking to the pot is a lot easier. Both the processes pretty much work in the same way, and are equally effective as long as you don’t forget that you can’t prepare coffee from ground coffee using a microwave.
Method 5: Using a Moka Pot
Now, there are also Moka pots that are specially designed for this purpose. There are a lot of them so you might want to check our article on the The Best Moka Pots Available Out there if this is your first time buying one.
These actually have been designed to help you prepare your coffee properly and with the same comfort of a coffee maker, without actually using a coffee maker. This makes these really useful, and so a lot of people who make coffee manually stick to these even now.
So, if you’re planning to try out some new methods of preparing coffee without a coffee maker, the Moka pot is one of those things that you simply cannot exclude from your list of things to try out!
Method 6: Using a French Press
Now, this method does not require any introduction, does it? So, if you’re on the lookout of preparing coffee without a coffee maker, you might also want to go with the French Press, one of the best methods out there. In fact, a lot of people aren’t actually shifting to coffee makers yet because they believe that the French Press is way better!
So, if you haven’t used the french press yet and are looking for another alternative, there’s no way you can miss out on the french press! Using it is like having a new experience altogether, something you can’t miss out on! Click here to read our article on the best single cup French Press Coffee makers out there!
Gamble Bay Coffee is here for you!
Now, you must keep in mind that all of these methods are really great methods. But the best method for you depends on your exact needs and exact tastes, which is exactly why you must judge them by yourself before you finally go for one!
We here at Gamble Bay Coffee are here for you and are always eager to help you out with anything that you might have for us, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any queries! We hope you could learn something new from this article and would stay tuned for more upcoming articles- till then, we take our leave and wish you a great day!
No Coffee Maker? No Problem. Here’s How You Can Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker
You don’t know you’re a coffee addict until you are deprived.
Caffeine headaches.
Mental fatigue. Not to mention the physical fatigue.
And the short temper that is direct result of both.
These are a few of my least favourite things.
If you got up late, you can always pop through a drive thru. If you ran out of beans, you can always run to the store.
But the worst scenario for every coffee drinker is not having a coffee maker…
Or is it?
If this is your dilemma, you are in luck.
You remember the 80’s icon Angus MacGyver, don’t you? Fabulous hair? Handy with a paper clip?
His character was FAMOUS for his ability to use every day items to get himself out of trouble.
All you have to do is channel your inner MacGyver and nothing will ever come between you and your cup of joe.
W.W.M.D
“What Would MacGyver Do?” is the question that I found myself asking in the summer of 2011.
Let me tell you a little story about a rag tag band of misfit coffee fiends that didn’t have a machine.
In the summer of 2011, my mentor, who happens to be my mother-in-law now, invited me to go on a mission’s trip to Okinawa, Japan. Our team of 10 would go and run a summer camp for the military kids that live overseas.
So after 15+ hours of traveling by car, plane and mini-van packed to the ceiling, we were absolutely wiped out. We hit the hay as soon as we got to the facility in hopes that the time difference wouldn’t get the better of us.
The next morning, we stumbled ourselves into the kitchen in search of a power packed cup of love.
We were smart enough to bring our own coffee grounds, just in case all they had was decaf, or the bile of Satan that is instant coffee. But we did not anticipate an absence of an on demand coffee maker.
We were up a creek without a paddle.
Caught between a rock and a hard place.
One of the guys tried to pitch the idea of using a clean tube sock as a filter.
And we were starting to get grumpy.
The lot of us scoured the cupboards and found only a sauce pan, and some old coffee filters
So the 10 of us put our jetlagged heads together, boiled water on the stove, and tried 3 brewing methods that were worthy of a MacGyver Episode.
The simplest of attempts was easy as 1-2-3: brew it like a cup of tea.
Here’s how we did it:
- measure a bit more than the standard 2 TBSP to 6 fl. oz.
- Place that in the center of a coffee filter. Tie the top.
- Pour hot water over the top and brew to your liking.
The next idea was to try and recreate Turkish coffee.
One of the guys tried this in his travels. He walked us through every step.
- Measure 2 heaping TBSP of sugar
- Add 2 heaping TBSP full of grounds
- Cover with about 1 ½ cup of water
- Warm until foam. DO NOT BOIL
- Pour half
- Warm again.
- Pour the rest
Admittedly, this method didn’t turn out well because the diameter of the saucepan was too wide. Classically, you would use a “cezve.” But if you could find a pot that was similar in shape, and size, you should yield better results.
Our final attempt was a pour over apparatus.
It would have made MacGyver proud.
Fashioned from a plastic pasta strainer held up by two chop sticks scotch taped to a plate which was then taped to the backsplash, a filter, and, of course, paperclips, our rig looked like an elementary school science project.
BUT! It worked!
We followed regular pour over protocol.
- pre-moisten sides of filter so that the water flows through the grounds, not down the sides.
- measure typical pour over coffee to water ratio. 3 TBSP to 10 FL OZ water.
- pack cone
- moisten the grounds so that they “bloom,” ensuring that the water will flow evenly as you pour.
- pour in a spiraling motion, starting in the center and moving outward toward the edge.
Here’s the best part:
You never have to resort to these wacky methods.
Though they worked in a pinch, there are much easier ways to get your necessary caffeination.
There are an array of single cup pour over cones available on the market. Check out some of our reviews to find the best ones.
But if you ever find yourself in a hotel room that doesn’t have a Keurig, or God forbid, you go camping, and forget the french press, keep my story and tips in mind.