How to Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker: 8 Easy Methods

The easiest way to make coffee without a coffee maker is to steep it in a saucepan: heat water, take it off the heat, stir in ground coffee, wait four minutes, let the grounds settle, and pour carefully or through a strainer. That is all a French press does. If you have a coffee filter, a clean cloth, a jar or even just a mug, there are several other ways to get a good cup.

Here are eight methods that work at home, at the office or at a campsite, with what you need and how long each takes.

Which Method Should You Use?

1. Saucepan Coffee

The most reliable method, because it is a French press without the press. Steeping in hot water, rather than boiling, keeps it from turning bitter.

1. Heat 8 oz (240 ml) of water per mug in a saucepan until it boils, then take it off the heat.
2. Wait about 30 seconds, then stir in about 15 g (2 to 3 tablespoons) of medium-coarse ground coffee per mug.
3. Cover and steep for 4 minutes.
4. Stir once, then let it sit for another 2 to 3 minutes so the grounds sink.
5. Pour slowly into your mug, stopping before the grounds at the bottom. For a cleaner cup, pour through a fine-mesh strainer, ideally lined with a paper towel or coffee filter.

2. Cowboy Coffee

The campfire version of saucepan coffee, made in one pot with no filter. It is strong and a little rustic.

1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot over the fire or stove, about 8 oz per person plus a little extra.
2. Move the pot off the heat for 30 seconds, then stir in coarse ground coffee, about 2 heaping tablespoons per 8 oz.
3. Let it steep for 2 minutes, stir, then steep 2 minutes more.
4. Splash in a little cold water to help the grounds sink, and wait a minute.
5. Pour slowly and gently so the grounds stay at the bottom. Leave the last bit in the pot.

3. The Coffee Bag Method

Make your own coffee “tea bag”. It is tidy, needs nothing but a paper filter and some string, and works well at the office or while traveling.

1. Put about 15 g of medium ground coffee in the center of a paper coffee filter.
2. Gather the edges into a pouch and tie it closed with plain, unwaxed string or kitchen twine, leaving a tail to hang over the mug.
3. Put the bag in your mug and pour over 8 oz of water just off the boil.
4. Steep for 4 to 5 minutes, dunking the bag a few times, then lift it out.

Coffee extracts more slowly inside a bag than loose, so use a little more coffee or a longer steep if it tastes weak.

4. The Jar “French Press”

Steep the coffee in a heat-safe jar, large measuring cup or bowl, then strain it. This gives the same rich, full-bodied cup as a French press and is easy to scale for two or three people.

1. Put about 15 g of coarse ground coffee per mug into the jar. Warm the jar first with hot tap water if it is glass, so it does not crack.
2. Pour in a little water just off the boil to wet the grounds, wait 30 seconds, then add the rest.
3. Stir, cover with a saucer, and steep for 4 minutes.
4. Pour through a fine strainer into your mug. If you have no strainer, hold a spoon against the rim to keep the grounds back.

Our French press guide has more on getting this style of coffee right.

5. Cloth or Filter Pour-Over

A homemade pour-over. Drape a paper coffee filter, a clean cotton handkerchief or a piece of muslin over a mug, let it sag into a cone, and clip it to the rim. This gives the cleanest cup of any method here. Use a cloth that has been washed without fabric softener, or it will flavor the coffee.

1. Pour some hot water through the filter or cloth to rinse it, and empty the mug.
2. Add about 15 g of medium ground coffee.
3. Pour just enough water just off the boil to wet the grounds, and wait 30 seconds.
4. Pour the rest of the water slowly, a little at a time, so it does not overflow the cloth. It should take about 3 minutes.
5. Remove the filter or cloth and grounds.

Our pour-over guide explains the technique in more detail.

6. Turkish-Style Coffee

If you have coffee ground to a powder, the Turkish method needs only a small pot. The grounds stay in the cup and settle to the bottom, so it is strong and thick.

1. For each small cup, add about 70 ml (2.5 oz) of cold water, one heaped teaspoon (about 7 g) of powder-fine coffee, and sugar if you like, to a small pot.
2. Stir once to mix, then heat slowly on low without stirring again.
3. When a thick foam rises and the coffee is about to boil, take it off the heat before it boils over.
4. Spoon some foam into the cup, then pour in the coffee. Wait a minute for the grounds to settle, and do not drink the last sip.

Our guide to making Turkish coffee has the traditional method.

7. Instant Coffee (Kettle or Microwave)

If you only have instant coffee, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons into 8 oz of hot water. Mixing the granules with a splash of cold water first, then adding the hot water, gives a smoother cup. To heat water in a microwave, use a microwave-safe mug, heat it in short bursts, and put a wooden stir stick or spoon in the mug: water can superheat in a smooth container and erupt when disturbed.

Ground coffee does not dissolve, so do not just stir it into a mug; use one of the steeping methods above instead. Our guide to how instant coffee is made explains the difference.

8. Cold Brew in a Jar

No heat needed at all, just time. Stir 60 g (about 3/4 cup) of coarse ground coffee into 480 ml (2 cups) of cold water in a jar, cover it, and leave it 12 to 18 hours on the counter or 18 to 24 hours in the fridge. Strain it through a fine strainer lined with a paper filter or cloth, and serve over ice. It keeps for about a week in the fridge. Our cold brew guide has the full method, including a stronger concentrate.

No Grinder? How to Grind Beans Without One

If you have whole beans but no grinder, you can still break them down well enough for the steeping methods:

• Blender or food processor: pulse in short bursts, shaking between pulses, until the pieces are about the size of coarse salt.
• Rolling pin: seal the beans in a zip-top bag, lay it flat under a towel, and crush, then roll.
• Mortar and pestle: slow but gives the most control. Do a small handful at a time.

All of these give uneven grounds, so stick to the saucepan, jar or cold brew methods, which handle a rough grind best. Our grind size chart shows what each method needs.

Tips for Better Coffee Without a Machine

• Do not boil the coffee. Boiling grounds pulls out harsh, bitter flavors. Boil the water, then take it off the heat before adding coffee.
• Weigh if you can. A kitchen scale makes it repeatable; our coffee-to-water ratio guide has the numbers.
• Too weak? Use more coffee rather than steeping much longer. Too bitter? Use coarser grounds or a shorter steep.
• Fresh coffee matters more than the method. Pre-ground coffee is fine, but use it within a week or two of opening.

If you find you like one of these styles, our beginner’s guide to coffee brewing methods shows which brewer makes it best, and our guide to brewing coffee while traveling covers coffee on the road.