For many coffee lovers, the day doesn’t truly begin until the first brew is drunk. If you love quality coffee, you've probably got a coffee machine at home, but what if you find yourself without one?
Whether your machine is busted, you’re out camping, or are on holiday without one, the absence of a coffee machine doesn’t mean you have to resort to instant coffee. There are plenty of creative ways to brew fantastic coffee without a machine.
In this article, we explore five brewing methods that involve minimal utensils and no coffee-specific equipment. Get ready to discover a range of simple techniques that'll save you from a bland, instant morning brew…
1. Cowboy Coffee (Stovetop Coffee)
Cowboy coffee is a traditional brewing method used by cowboys who are camping on the trail. It's traditionally made in an enamel or stainless steel pot over a campfire, but it can be made in a regular pot or kettle on the stove.
Here's how to make cowboy coffee:
Ingredients
- Ground coffee
- Water
Equipment
- Cooking pot or stovetop kettle
- Stove
- Measuring cup
- Coffee mug
1. Heat up the Water
Heat up around 900 milliliters of water in a pot or kettle — this will make around two cups of coffee. Bring the water to a rolling boil, and then turn down the heat to a simmer.
2. Add the Coffee
Add 50 to 60 grams of coffee grounds to the water. Pour it in slowly to ensure the water doesn't boil over.
3. Brew the Coffee
Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. Let the coffee brew for around four minutes.
4. Let the Coffee Settle
Remove the brew from the heat. Stir it once, and then let it sit for four to five minutes. This will allow the grounds to settle to the bottom of the pot.
5. Pour and Serve
Pour the coffee into your cup extremely gently so as not to stir the grounds from the bottom of the pot. Pour it slowly until the cup is filled — avoid pouring anything from the bottom of the pot.
Leave the cup for one or two minutes after pouring to allow any fine grounds to settle. Sip the coffee slowly and avoid drinking the last sip.
2. Pour-Over Coffee
Pour-over coffee is made by pouring hot water over ground coffee within a paper cone filter. Although pour-over coffee makers such as chemex brew kits make great coffee, you can make pour-over coffee without any brewing equipment.
With a simple funnel and a cheap pack of paper cone filters, you can make delicious pour-over coffee anywhere.
Here's how to make pour-over coffee in five simple steps:
Ingredients
- Ground coffee
- Water
Equipment
- Funnel
- Coffee mug
- Paper coffee filters
- Kettle
1. Boil the Water
Boil a cup of filtered water in a kettle or pan.
2. Prepare the Brewing Setup
Place the funnel on top of the coffee mug. Dampen the paper filter and place it inside the funnel.
Pour 30 grams of ground coffee into the filter.
3. Bloom the Coffee
Pour a small amount of hot water on the coffee to bloom it. This allows the gasses to escape from the coffee, leading to a more even extraction.
Wait for 30 seconds before moving on to the next step.
4. Brew the Coffee
Slowly pour the rest of the hot water over the coffee until the cup is filled with freshly brewed coffee.
5. Serve and Enjoy
Once the final drops fall through the filter, remove the funnel and serve the coffee. Add milk and sugar if desired, or consume black.
3. Immersion Brewing (French Press Alternative)
It's possible to brew coffee through immersion without a French press coffee maker. The process involves brewing coarse-ground coffee in hot water and straining it with a cheesecloth or fine sieve.
Here's how to brew “French press coffee” without a French press:
Ingredients
- Coarse ground coffee
- Water
Equipment
- Kettle or pan
- Water jug
- Cheesecloth (or paper filter)
- Coffee mug
1. Boil the Water
Boil a kettle of filtered water.
2. Prepare the Coffee
Pour two to three tablespoons (around 17 grams) of coarse-grind coffee into a heat-proof water jug.
3. Brew the Coffee
Pour two to three cups of hot water over the coffee. Stir the mixture to combine and allow it to steep for three to five minutes. Leave the brew for longer if you prefer a stronger, more bitter cup of coffee.
4. Strain the Coffee and Serve
Gently pour the coffee through a cheesecloth, funnel cone filter, or fine mesh sieve to strain into a coffee mug. Serve the coffee and enjoy it black, or combine it with milk to taste.
4. Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brew coffee is made by immersing coffee grounds in water for several hours. The result is a complex-tasting coffee with a low acidity. Although cold brew coffee is often made in a French press, it can be made in a water jug. When made correctly, cold brew coffee doesn't require filtration, as the grounds settle to the bottom of the jug overnight.
Here's how to make cold-brew coffee:
Ingredients
- Coarse ground coffee
- Cold water
- Ice (optional)
Equipment
- Water jug
- Spoon
- Refrigerator
- Serving glass
1. Prepare the Coffee
In a water jug or large glass jar, add two to three tablespoons (17 grams) of coffee and two to three cups of cold, filtered water. Stir with a spoon to combine.
2. Brew the Coffee
Put the brew in the refrigerator and leave untouched for 18 to 24 hours. It's vital to leave the brew completely still — this ensures the grounds completely settle to the bottom.
3. Pour the Coffee
Carefully pour the coffee into a tall serving glass, being careful not to stir up the bottom of the jug.
4. Serve and Enjoy
Add ice to the glass (optional) and enjoy the cold brew black or with a dash of milk and sugar if desired.
5. Coffee Bag Brewing
You can brew coffee using fillable tea bags. These come as paper disposable bags or reusable silk bags — either option works.
Coffee bags suspend the grounds in water and filter the brew. Although you may have to buy coffee bags, they're inexpensive and can be used to make fresh, great-tasting coffee anywhere.
Here's how to make coffee using a coffee bag:
Ingredients
- Ground coffee
- Water
Equipment
- Coffee bag
- Kettle
- Coffee mug
- Teaspoon
1. Prepare the Coffee Bag
Fill a coffee bag with ground coffee and seal, ensuring no grounds can escape.
2. Boil a Kettle of Water
Boil a kettle of filtered water.
3. Brew the Coffee
In a coffee mug, add the coffee bag. Fill the cup with hot water and steep for five minutes. Stir the brew gently once or twice — this disturbs the grounds inside the bag, improving extraction.
4. Strain, Serve, and Enjoy
Strain the bag with the back of a teaspoon and remove. Discard the coffee bag or empty it (if reusable).
Stir in milk and sugar if desired, or enjoy it black while piping hot.
FAQs: Making Coffee Without a Coffee Maker
Want to learn more about making coffee without a coffee maker, filterless brewing, and other ways to make coffee?
Check out the answers to the frequently asked questions below, or head over to the Cafely blog:
1. What Can You Use Instead of Coffee Filters?
You can use a cheesecloth, a fine mesh sieve, or a fine fabric instead of a coffee filter. You can also skip the filter entirely, and brew extra fine coffee grounds. The fine grounds settle to the bottom and the brew can be gently poured from the top.
2. What's the Best Way to Make Coffee?
There is no “best way” to make coffee. There are several different brewing methods and thousands of ways to serve coffee. The best coffee is made from freshly ground, highly-quality beans rather than instant coffee or pre-ground store-bought coffee. In terms of brewing methods, espresso machine, moka pot, French press, pour-over, and phin filters produce great-tasting brews.
3. What is French Press Coffee?
French press coffee is made using a piece of equipment called (you guessed it) a French press. This brew is made by submerging coarse-ground coffee beans in hot water before plunging a mesh filter through the brew to strain. French press coffee has a full body and a rich yet mellow taste. Arabica coffee is traditionally used, but robusta and blends work great too.
4. How is Espresso Coffee Made?
Espresso coffee is made by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground arabica coffee. Espresso machines produce strong, concentrated shots of coffee with smooth, sweet, and dark flavors and a rich, creamy crema.
5. What's the Difference Between a Flat White and a Latte?
The main differences between a flat white and a latte are the ratio of espresso to milk and the texture of the milk. A flat white has a higher concentration of espresso and uses a fine milk microfoam, which produces a coffee with a fine, velvety texture and a stronger coffee flavor. Lattes have a lower concentration of espresso and more steamed milk with less foam. This creates a milder, creamier beverage with less of a coffee flavor.
6. Can You Make Espresso With Instant Coffee?
Yes. It's possible to make espresso with instant coffee. However, it won't have the same body or complexity as a brew made from freshly ground arabica beans in an espresso machine. Opt for a high-quality instant espresso such as our Vietnamese Instant Espresso 2.0 for the best instant experience.
7. What is Drip Coffee?
Drip coffee is a simple brew that's made in a drip coffee maker. Ground coffee is placed in a filter inside the machine, and hot water is slowly poured over the top. The brew drips through the filter and is collected in a carafe below. Drip coffee is a bold, thin coffee that can be consumed black or with milk and sugar.
8. What is Pour-Over Coffee?
Pour-over coffee is similar to drip coffee. However, it’s made “manually” instead of with a machine. Pour-over coffee is made using coarse-ground coffee placed inside a paper filter. The filter sits in a basket over a cup or collection chamber. Hot water is manually poured over the coffee until a thin-bodied, dark brew is collected below.
9. Do You Need an Expensive Coffee Machine to Make Good Coffee at Home?
No. Fantastic coffee can be made with simple equipment. For espresso-like beverages, a moka pot or Aeropress is a good budget option. French presses, pour-overs, and phin filters produce similar brews to expensive coffee makers but cost a fraction of the price.
10. What's the Difference Between Arabica and Robusta Coffee?
Arabica and robusta are two types of coffee beans. They come from two separate species in the Coffea genus — Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. Arabica beans produce sweet, smooth coffees of moderate strength. Robusta beans produce dark, bold, bitter brews with high strength.
