How to Make a Better Brew Using Manual Coffeemakers
Making coffee is an art as well as a science. These manual coffeemakers turn back the clock to brew the perfect cup of coffee without using electricity.
As concerns rise about the amount of power and energy that society uses for everyday conveniences, many people are turning the clock back to find non-electric ways to do common household tasks.
A generation raised on Mr. Coffee is rediscovering the older methods of making coffee and learning that coffee tastes so much better when it’s brewed with old-fashioned attention to detail.
These five coffee-making methods have stood the test of time, and yes, no need for electricity. We’ll show you how to make coffee without electricity.
How to make coffee without electricity
French Press Coffee Maker
The French press is one of the most highly regarded coffee-making methods, widely touted as the best way to brew flavorful, rich coffee. It’s a simple gadget made popular in the Seattle and San Francisco coffee houses of the early 1980s. A French press consists of a glass coffee pot with a tight-fitting cover fitted with a plunger mechanism.
How to Make Coffee with a French Press
- Put 1 to 2 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee beans in the glass pot.
- Add water that has been brought to just under a boil (192-195 F.)
- Stir coffee to distribute grounds in water.
- Cover French press and allow coffee to steep for about 3 minutes.
- Press the plunger to force coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot.
- Pour coffee and enjoy.
Stovetop Moka Pot
A stove-top Moka pot, sometimes called a stovetop espresso maker, brews rich, dark coffee that is as close to espresso as you can get without a real pump-driven espresso machine. The Moka pot consists of three pieces – the bottom water reservoir, the filter basket, and the coffee pot itself.
The stovetop Moka pot makes coffee by forcing steam from boiling water up through ground coffee in the filter basket. The steam then condenses in the top chamber, making coffee.
How to Make Coffee with a Moka pot
- Unscrew the three parts of the Moka pot.
- Fill the filter basket with finely ground coffee.
- Fill the bottom part of the pot with cold water.
- Put the filter basket in place and screw the top part of the coffee part onto the base.
- Place on stove burner and heat until water in the bottom is boiled away, and coffee fills the top.
Spanish Coffee with a Colador
A colador is a cloth coffee filter used in Spanish households to make coffee. Sometimes called a coffee sock, the colador is a long, cone-shaped fabric tube with a handle. It is used to strain coffee grounds from coffee that has been boiled in a saucepan on the stove. There are many variations of Spanish coffee. This recipe is typical of coffee made in Puerto Rico.
How to Make Coffee with a Colador
- Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer in a non-aluminum saucepan.
- Measure 1-2 teaspoons of ground coffee per cup of water into the hot water.
- Stir the coffee in water for 3-5 minutes, keeping it below a boil.
- Strain coffee through a colador into coffee cups.
- Rinse pan and fill with 1 cup of milk.
- Add sugar to taste, and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is foaming at the edges.
- Add sweetened milk to coffee.
One Cup Coffee Filter Holder (v60)
Popularized by Melitta Coffee in the 1980s – and much earlier in Europe – the single-cup coffee filter holder may be the simplest way to make coffee without electricity. The cone-shaped coffee filter is made of either plastic or porcelain and is meant to sit on the rim of a coffee mug or cup. It uses #2 cone paper coffee filters to hold and strain the coffee grounds.
How to Make Coffee with a One Cup Filter Holder
- Line the coffee filter holder with a #2 cone filter.
- Put 1-2 teaspoons of ground coffee into a paper filter.
- Pour boiling water over coffee, allowing it to drip into the cup below.
Vietnamese Top Hat Coffee Maker
As made in most US Vietnamese restaurants, Vietnamese coffee is a treat for the eyes and palate. It’s usually brewed into a tall glass using a Ca Phe, a three-piece stainless steel mug-top coffee pot that looks a bit like a top hat. A Ca Phe makes coffee that is somewhere between drip coffee and espresso in body, intensity, and flavor.
How to Make Coffee with a Vietnamese Ca Phe
- Unscrew and remove the filter top from the pot.
- Place 1-2 teaspoons of coffee in the bottom of the pot.
- Replace the filter and screw it down into place. The more tightly the filter is screwed down, the longer the coffee will take to brew and the stronger the coffee will be.
- Place Ca Phe on top of glass or cup.
- Fill with water that is just below boiling temperature.
- Cover Ca Phe and allow water to drip through.
We’ve provided all the differences on how to make coffee without electricity. Many coffee enthusiasts prefer coffee brewed by one of these old-fashioned methods to brew in an automatic drip coffee maker. It may take a little more time and effort, but the results are well worth it.
While you still need the power to boil your water, or if you’re camping, you can boil water on a fire pit; these methods of making coffee without power are probably the best way to drink a cup of coffee in the morning.
Editorial Staff
The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.
