How To Make Coffee Without A Coffee Maker

Last Updated on 01/07/2021 by Miki

What would you do if your coffee maker has just stopped working one morning? Would you give up your daily routine and leave home without one delicious cup of coffee or two? Or would you grab a bottle of instant coffee somewhere in your pantry and try to enjoy it? No, you don’t have to. I will share 5 simple ways of how to make coffee without a coffee maker here with you. Before jumping into the methods, you need to know there are some steps that you can take to achieve your desired result(=delicious cup of coffee!).

• Use freshly roasted coffee

If you want to make good quality coffee at home, use beans that have been roasted within the last 2 weeks.

• Use freshly ground coffee

It is much better to buy whole beans and grind what’s needed to make quality coffee at home. You can also adjust coarseness according to your preference. No coffee grinder at home? No worries! Check out this article 🙂

• Watch out for water temperature

In general, the ideal water temperature to brew coffee is around 95-105°C. You don’t want water too hot because boiling water will burn the beans. You don’t want water too cold either because it will under-extract the beans.

5 Simple Ways Of How To Make Coffee Without A Coffee Maker

1. Cowboy Method

This is one of the traditional ways of how to make coffee without a machine. It is especially perfect for camping (a campfire for the heat source!). Of course, you can use the stove in the kitchen at home for the heat source.

What you’ll need:

• Ground coffee
• Water
• The heat sauce such as a campfire or stove
• A small saucepan with a lid
• A cup

How to make it:

1. Prepare ground coffee beans (medium to fine). You need about 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for 6 ounces of water or you can adjust the amount depending on your preferred strength in coffee.
2. Fill a small clean saucepan with water a bit more than your usual amount for brewing coffee as you will leave some at the end along with the grounds.
3. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.
4. Add the beans as the water comes close to the boiling point.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover it immediately.
6. Let it steep for about 5 minutes before removing the cover. You want to wait till all the grounds have settled at the bottom of the saucepan.
7. Serve carefully so that the grounds won’t be poured into your cup.

2. Makeshift French Press Method

Though a French press is not mechanical, it is still considered a coffee maker. So, what can you do to make that oily and bold-flavoured brew? Surprisingly, you can mock up your own French press with some common kitchen items to make coffee without a coffee maker!

What you’ll need:

• Ground coffee
• Water
• The stove
• A small saucepan
• A deep bowl
• A spoon
• A mug

How to make it:

1. Prepare ground coffee beans (medium to coarse). You need about 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for 1 cup of water. If you like your coffee stronger, prepare more grounds.
2. Boil water in a small saucepan on the stove.
3. Add the grounds to a deep bowl.
4. Pour a small amount of hot water over the grounds so that it will saturate them. Wait for about 30 seconds.
5. Press the grounds to the bottom of the bowl with a spoon.
6. Pour the remaining hot water over the grounds and let it steep for about 3-5 minutes. If you like your coffee weaker, aim for 3 minutes while you want to have 5 minutes for stronger coffee.
7. Carefully transfer your coffee into a mug.

3. DIY Coffee Bag Method

In this method, you need to make a coffee bag by using any type of coffee filter at home. If you have some tea bags, you can use one of them by replacing the tea with coffee grounds. If you don’t have either, you might want to just skip this method.

What you’ll need:

• Ground coffee
• Water
• A small saucepan
• The stove/a kettle/a microwave
• A coffee filter/a tea bag
• A cup

How to make it:

1. Prepare ground coffee beans (medium to coarse) the same as the makeshift French press method (2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for 1 cup of water).
2. Boil water in a small saucepan on the stove, use a kettle or microwave.
3. Remove from heat as soon as it comes to boil.
4. Add the grounds to your filter and wrap it up tightly with a string (do not use a plastic one as it will melt in hot water). Leave some room for the grounds to expand as well as an extra length of string for hanging it from a cup and pulling the bang out of it.
5. Place the coffee bag into a cup and then pour hot water over it. Let it steep for about 3-5 minutes depending on your desired strength in coffee.
6. Pull the string to remove the bag out of the cup and enjoy your coffee.

4. Cotton Cloth Method

You can use a cotton cloth or a handkerchief in replacement of a coffee filter. This method can bring a better result in that it will eliminate unwanted coffee grounds from your mouth.

What you’ll need:

• Ground coffee
• Water
• A cotton cloth/a handkerchief
• A mug
• Paper clips

How to make it:

1. Prepare ground coffee beans and boil water by following the previous method.
2. Place cotton cloth or a handkerchief over the top of a mug. Make sure to form a pouch in the middle by pressing it down so that it can hold the coffee grounds.
3. Secure the cloth with some paper clips to prevent it from dropping into your coffee.
4. Add the coffee grounds into the pouch.
5. Pour a small amount of prepared hot water over the grounds and wait for 30 seconds to saturate them.
6. Pour the rest of the hot water slowly over the grounds.
7. Remove the cloth or the handkerchief before serving.

5. Cold Brew Method

I have to warn you first that this method requires time and patience. However, the result will be absolutely delicious. It is just not for your busy morning cuppa… You can make a relatively big batch with this method.

What you’ll need:

• Ground coffee
• Water
• A jar with a lid
• A cheesecloth
• A cup

How to make it:

1. Prepare ground coffee beans (a coarse grind). You might want to have 4oz of the beans for 4 cups of filtered water.
2. Place the coffee grounds into a jar and add the water. Stir thoroughly to saturate all the grounds.
3. Cover it with a lid and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours (sorry, but you cannot have your coffee straight away).
4. Strain the coffee with a cheesecloth before serving.

How To Make Coffee Without A Coffee Maker FAQ

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to purchase something, I may earn a commission without any extra cost to you. I would appreciate it if you do so to keep this blog going!

What can I use if I have no coffee filters?

Do you ever find yourself in the middle of your morning ritual and then realise you’re out of coffee filters? You may not know what to do. Well, here’s a list of possible coffee filter alternatives you may have in your home already.

• Use paper towels. Fold two paper towels in half, and fold them in half again. Place them into the coffee pot or the cup. Add your coffee and water.
• Use a cheesecloth. Place a piece of cheesecloth on top of your coffee pot or your cup. Add your coffee and water.
• Use a paper strainer as a filter. Place your coffee and water in the paper strainer.
• Use a paper cone filter. Place your coffee and water in the filter.

It’s good to know that you can still make coffee without a coffee maker and even without coffee filters by using one of the alternatives mentioned here.

Can you drink ground coffee without filtering?

The answer to this question is that of course, you can drink ground coffee without filtering. However, it would be better to filter it before drinking. The main reason for this is in order to drink the coffee, you would need to chew the grinds, which would cause a very unpleasant taste. I would recommend using one of the coffee filter alternatives if you don’t have one.

Is Cowboy Coffee the best?

I’ve seen some blog posts that claim Cowboy Coffee is the best coffee if you want to make coffee without a coffee maker. Here is why I think it is not. -If the coffee is made in a heavy, dirty pot, it is not going to taste as good as it could. The pot may have residue from the old coffee grounds. The pot can trap heat, ruining the coffee -The grind of the coffee beans matters. Grinding them too coarse will make your coffee taste bitter, or too finely ground will result in clogged filters and overflowing coffee grounds. With that being said, if you make it properly, this coffee will satisfy you.

How strong is cowboy coffee?

Cowboy coffee is delicious but not for the weak, weak stomach. The liquid used to make cowboy coffee is usually brewed from medium to fine ground beans, heated and brought to a quick boil. Many cowboys swear by this as a way to start their day. So how strong is cowboy coffee, you ask? I’ll let you decide.

Are coffee filters washable?

Anyone who really knows anything about coffee filters should know that coffee filters are washable. It’s not recommended to wash them in a dishwasher, or the microwave, but they can be hand washed in some soapy water. One of the best ways to keep your coffee filters clean is to line them up for a quick and easy cleanup.

Final Thoughts

Here you got the 5 simple ways of how to make coffee without a coffee maker. Since we’ve got used to using a coffee maker to make coffee daily, it is quite a surprising discovery that we can actually make decent coffee with these methods. For some people, they can be applied temporarily when in an emergency situation while others can keep using the methods for the pursuit of a simpler life. Whatever the reason is, and whichever method your choice is, it is worth keeping in mind that you need to use freshly roasted coffee beans as well as freshly ground coffee to achieve the best possible result. Once you’ve got the right coffee beans and the tools, then you will be able to make coffee without a coffee maker.

Please feel free to share your own experience in the comment below.