Many coffee enthusiasts claim that their biggest nightmare is the crippling sensation of having a dysfunctional coffee maker that was up and running the night before but somehow committed suicide this morning. But is the end of the coffeemaker the end of coffee drinking? Definitely not!
We aren’t going anywhere without the morning caffeine boost, so we picked up an alternative: making coffee on the stove. (And we’re desperately hoping that you have a working stove for this. Otherwise, you may have to leave for the office and stop at Starbucks on the way.)
So, exactly how to make coffee by hand?
4 Methods On How to Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker
We have 4 methods for that purpose: The Cowboy Coffee, Regular Brewing Method, Stovetop Percolator Method, and Moka Pot Method. Let’s dig deeper into these in the procedural and ingredients sections.
01. Cowboy Coffee
There could be three possible reasons for you to opt for this method: you liked it when you heard it and wished to try it, you are out camping, or you’re in your apartment with a dead coffee machine. Whichever it is, cowboy coffee is an excellent method to learn how to make coffee with coffee powder.
Ingredients
- Two TBSP medium or finely ground coffee or coffee powder.
- Two cups of freshwater.
- One spoon for stirring.
- One pot.
- One mug.
- One pair of cowboy boots just for the feels. (Optional.)
Procedure
- Use more water than you would normally use to fill the pot. If you are going to drink a cup, use 2 cups to fill the pot.
- Once you have filled your pot, place it on the stove and turn on the heat, keeping it on low-medium. Let the water come to a boil before you add your coffee grounds. We are planning to add 1 tbsp of coffee powder for 8 oz of water. Some people like to add the coffee beforehand and not wait till the water comes to a boil. Depending on the intensity of coffee you want to drink, you can add the coffee before or after the boil.
- Time to remove them from the stove and let the grounds settle at the bottom. For this, allow the boiled mixture to sit for 3-4 minutes. When you see the residue settling, it is time to pour the coffee.
- Pour the coffee straight from the pan into your cup, no fancy ladling, and straining in the middle for a raw, unfiltered cup of cowboy coffee!
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02. Regular Brew
This method is almost like the previous method of cowboy coffee brewing; only here, you have the option not to offend the traditional coffee recipe of others. So if you were wondering how to make coffee on the stove with milk and sugar and everything nice, here’s your guide:
Ingredients
- One cup of boiling hot water.
- One TBSP coffee grounds. (or more if you prefer stronger coffee)
- One Sugar Cube. (or as many as you prefer while maintaining the taste of coffee)0
- Milk or creamer to preferring.
- One-pot or kettle.
Procedure
- On the stovetop, place your kettle or pot and fill it with 1.5 cups of water (which will later boil down to 1 full cup as required.)
- Let the kettle sit for as long as it takes to reach the desired water amount (or more) and add your cup of ground coffee. You could let it boil for a couple for minutes before switching off the stove.
- Once you bring it down, set it aside for the grounds to settle and pour the mixture in your cup.
- Add milk or creamer to your taste, and lastly, add sugar cubes to your taste.
- Stir the mixture as you listen to Baroque music and enjoy your cup!
03. Stovetop Percolator
The method sounds a little intimidating and even off-putting to the point that not many have tried making their coffees using this method. Just to notify you, the technique itself isn’t as hard as it sounds. You aren’t up for execution, and it doesn’t need decades to do. So, if you have time in hand, you may as well try out the method on how to make coffee on a stovetop percolator.
Ingredients
- One/two TBSP Coffee
- Two cups of water
- Percolator
- One-pot
- Towel
- Milk to taste.
- Sugar to Taste.
Procedure
- The ratio of coffee to water should be 1 tbsp: 8 oz. With this in mind, fill your pot with water and fill the percolator with coffee as indicated. There should be a basket where you have to put the coffee in. The coffee grounds should be medium to large and not so fine for reduced grit.
- Now, put the percolator on the water pot after closing the percolator basket’s lid. When your setup is ready, it is time to put in on the stove.
- Keep time properly to keep track of the strength of your coffee. The regular brew time of eight minutes is decent enough. If it is longer than 12-15 minutes, you may be staying awake for the next 2 nights. But that is entirely to personal taste.
- Once you’ve brewed it, time to remove the percolator using the towel. You can add milk or sugar if you want, but the plain coffee tastes just fine!
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04. Stovetop Moka Pot
The last method on the list that you need to know of if you want to learn how to make coffee with milk and sugar, but without a coffee maker, is using a Moka pot. Here are all the ingredient and procedures to follow:
Ingredients
- Moka pot.
- Ground coffee according to your Moka pot type.
- Water.
Procedure
- Start by dismantling the espresso Moka pot to find the parts you need to put your things. The coffee will go to the filter, and the water will go at the bottom basket.
- You will now need to place the filter onto the bottom area and twist the two together to secure things up while making them tight to prevent a coffee burst in your kitchen.
- Turn your stove to low-medium and place the Moka pot on the oven.
- Do your chores and set your brew time. You should return to hear bubbling sounds from the Moka pot. Check, and your coffee should be ready as strong and fragrant!

Our Easy and Essential Coffee Making Tips
You need to remember the three keywords: freshly roasted, freshly ground, and the perfect brewing temperature.
No matter how good your beans’ quality is, they shouldn’t be over 2 weeks roasted. Otherwise, the taste just dies. Again, if you are going to ground the beans yourself, make sure that they aren’t past 20 minutes stable or unused, to make sure that the richness of taste lingers in the coffee sips. Lastly, when you’re brewing the grounds, they should be in water boiling in between 195-205 degrees for the perfect taste.
Conclusion
Yay! You learned how to make coffee on the stove without losing it halfway down the processes because they were simply that easy.
We were hoping you could do now to take our steps, make sure you have the necessary ingredients and equipment, and of course, coffee, to make your own cup as you like it.