Consider the following scenario: your kettle is broken, all of your pots are unclean, and you are too lazy to wash them. You only need a cup of coffee!
What if you donât have a drip machine, string, or time to waste? You can have your coffee as well, as long as you have access to electricity and a microwave. Itâs about as simple a brewing technique as youâll find.
Often, the desire for a jolt of caffeine joe is so strong that youâd need to use whatever means are at hand to make a cup. But first, letâs talk about how to make coffee in the microwave.
The methods for making coffee in the microwave
1. Heating the water in the microwave
Assuming you already have your favorite brewing equipment on hand, you can heat the water in the microwave. This method is suitable for drip press, French press, and Aeropress.
Fill a mug with 6-8 ounces of water and microwave it for 30 seconds.
Because every microwave is different, I canât say how long it will take you to get the water to the desired temperature
Youâll have to figure it out for yourself, and hereâs how:
Microwave the water for one minute, then use a thermometer to check the temperature.
Any decent probe thermometer would do the trick; these are often intended for meat and poultry, but they will suffice. A handy thermometer can also be used.
Your desired temperature range is 90-95 degrees Celsius (194-203 degrees F).
Check to see how close you are to the target temperature and re-microwave for the right amount of time
- If you have a great distance to cover, try 45 seconds to one minute.
- Try 20 to 30 seconds, or even fewer, if you only have a few degrees to go.
I canât tell you a particular number because every microwave is different. Youâll need to calculate how long it takes you to reach the desired temperature.
A word of caution:
Water has the potential to become superheated (reach 100 degrees C but not boil). In this situation, the water will begin to boil as soon as it is disturbed, and you may be splattered with boiling water.
As a result, you should heat the water progressively rather than all at once.
You donât want to boil the water, since it will burn the coffee and make it bitter.
Itâs now time to brew some coffee once youâve reached the desired temperature.
2. Microwaving homemade filter coffee
You can construct a DIY filter out of a paper filter and a fork since weâre MacGyvering around here. Fill the paper filter halfway with coffee grounds (ideally freshly ground from beans) and fold it up to make a pocket.
Once your water has been heated in the microwave, insert the folded-up part that extends out through the spaces in the fork to jam it there, then place the fork in the coffee to begin steeping.
Allow it to steep for 4 minutes before removing the fork and filter and enjoying your MacGyvered coffee.
3. Making homemade french press-style coffee in the microwave
Assume you donât have a paper filter, but you have coffee grounds. In that case, pour the coffee grounds into the water youâve heated in the microwave (pour water on top of the coffee grounds and stir to mix it evenly) and allow the coffee brew for about 4-5 minutes.
Within this time, most of the coffee grounds will have settled at the base of the cup, so you may slowly pour the coffee into a fresh mug, leaving a small amount at the bottom that includes all of the grinds.
A strainer would be a better option. Filter the coffee through it into a clean mug for a lovely, clean cup of fresh coffee.
4. Using the microwave to make instant coffee
Finally, weâll make instant coffee. I no longer go near it, but perhaps the proverb is true: anything is better than nothing. So, when nothing else is available, and youâre starving, a cup of instant coffee might just come in handy for long enough for you to get some good coffee.
The process is strikingly similar.
Using the procedure stated above, heat 8 ounces of water and add one to two tablespoons of instant coffee. Because youâre unlikely to appreciate instant black coffee, add milk and sugar to taste.
5. Using the microwave to make milky coffee
In the microwave, you can brew a creamy, frothy cup of coffee. This is referred to as a hand-beaten coffee or Indian cappuccino.
To make it, fill a mug halfway with two teaspoons of coffee, one teaspoon of water, and one teaspoon of sugar and begin beating it with a spoon. After like 10 minutes of beating, the mixture will be stiff, thick, frothy, and light. This indicates that it is done. If itâs too dry and wonât mix, add a half teaspoon of water at a time.
Use a hand blender to foam up the ingredients quickly, and youâll have thick foam in about a minute.
Fill a jar halfway with milk, screw the lid on snugly, then give it a thorough shake to induce some bubbles to form.
Remove the lid (VERY IMPORTANT!) and microwave the milk for 60 to 90 seconds.
And there you have it! Youâve frothed the milk!
Do you need a microwave?
Do you require a microwave? No, not at all. Kettles are far more efficient and can be purchased for very little money. If your kettle is defective, please replace it!
Fellow Stagg EKG
The Fellow Stagg EKG Electric is a natural fit for the kitchen fashionista, with a modern design and a matte-black finish, among other features. The built-in variable-temperature controls, on the other hand, will appeal to the experienced home barista.
On the right side of the electric base, there is a round button. It has both a knob (for adjusting the temperature) and a button (to switch it on or off). You may set the temperature to anything between 135° F and 212° F, while the EKG will keep your water at that temperature for up to an hour. This is ideal for producing many carafes of pour-over coffee throughout the morning (or the evening).
On the left side of the base, there is also an LCD that displays the temperature. The LCD appeared sleek to me, and itâs easy to read because it lights when in use.
Fellow Staggâs EKG Electric Kettle was created with the user in mind. It comes with a kettle, an electric base, and a removable cover. One small design problem is that the cable on this kettle is fairly short, measuring about 2.5 feet, so I had to plug it close to an outlet at all times. This wasnât a big concern because the kettle is modest (11.5 x 6.75 x 8 inches), so finding a place for it near an outlet wasnât difficult.
Thereâs even a built-in brew timer to help you time your pour to the second, as well as a simple toggle switch Fahrenheit to Celsius or vice versa.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. Last update on 2023-06-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.
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