How To Make An Espresso Without An Espresso Machine: 3 Ways to Make Drinkable Espresso

Whether you are looking for an espresso solution while traveling or you are out of budget to purchase a nifty coffee machine, we are here to help.

People who absolutely love espresso can’t pass a single day without drinking it. It makes sense that you can’t carry a whole espresso machine while camping, or traveling. Besides, some folks want to test the taste profile of espresso before investing large amounts.

In such conditions, all of them have the same question: How to Make an Espresso Without An Espresso Machine?

In today’s blog, you are about to get a complete answer to your question. We will talk about 3 ways to make espresso without an espresso machine. For the sake of ease of understanding, we will provide step-by-step directions in order to make pretty good espresso without a pricey machine.

Stick around, and let’s dive right in…

For making excellent shots of espresso, a machine is a must. To be honest, these 3 ways; we are about to talk can’t provide the needed pressure that a machine can. There are 3 key factors that are crucial when it comes to making espresso: Roast, Grind, and Pressure.

It’s easy to collect darkly roasted coffee beans and grind them finely, but without a handy espresso machine, you can’t ensure the proper pressure. In order to make good espresso, 9-bar pressure is what you should look for. If you are looking for the perfect espresso, we would highly recommend you buy a good espresso machine.

In general, there are four types of espresso machines: manual espresso machines, semi-automatic espresso machines, automatic espresso machines, and super-automatic espresso machines.

A manual espresso machine is all about manual efforts. You have to do every single thing in pulling a great espresso shot. If you are willing to implement your brewing skill and time, you can go for a manual espresso machine. Along with delivering great shots, It will save some money as well compared to the other 3 types.

Many coffee connoisseurs think that a good semi-automatic espresso maker is best for every espresso lover. They will provide you with good control over the brewing process as well as convenience. If you are just starting the journey, we would recommend you go for a handy semi-automatic espresso machine and bring yourself from beginner to pro barista.

On the flip side, if you don’t have enough time for making espresso by putting in some manual effort then an Automatic espresso machine or Super-Automatic espresso machine could be a good choice. However, you may need to invest a pretty handsome amount of money in purchasing such a machine.

Enough talk on espresso machines. Our mission is to produce good cups of espresso without an espresso maker. In the following section, we will see 3 ways in order to get a satisfactory answer to the query.

In this segment, we will show you how you can make espresso using Moka Pot, French Press, and also AeroPress. You will get a step-by-step easy to follow guide for making espresso with your affordable coffee maker. Let’s not waste any more time and learn how to do so.

Moka Pot A.K.A. Stovetop coffee maker is an Italian-originated coffee maker that can produce pretty strong cups of coffee. Some folks think that it’s capable of making espresso. Although Moka Pot can make flavorful and strong cups of coffee, it can’t generate the amounts of pressure that are needed when making espresso.

Hence, you can expect an espresso-style coffee but not exactly espresso. If you use good quality beans and consistent grind size you will definitely get optimal output from a Moka Pot.

Equipment:

In order to make espresso with a Moka Pot, you need to collect:

• Moka Pot
• Good Quality Coffee Beans
• Burr Grinder
• Normal Filtered Water
• Heating Source

Step-by-Step Process of Making Espresso Using Moka Pot:

Follow these processes precisely to ensure that you are not going to make any mess:

1. Detach the whole Moka Pot. Grab the bottom chamber and fill it with some measured amount of cold filtered water. Make sure you are not filling too much water to cover the Safety Valve (which releases excess pressure).
2. Now, place this chamber on a heating source (Usually on your stovetop). Turn the fire on and wait for a few minutes until you see the water start boiling.
3. If you see that the water is boiling, fill the brew basket with some coffee grounds. Make sure to use a burr grinder and grind the beans by following very fine grind settings. It will deliver pretty consistent grind sizes that will avoid over-extraction or under-extraction.
4. After filling the brew basket, place it in the bottom chamber. Now attach the top part with the whole bottom part and wait for the coffee to come in the top chamber.
5. When you hear the gurgling sound while coffee is coming to the top chamber, grab your Moka Pot away from the heating source. This sound will let you know that the top part is now full of enjoyable espresso-style coffee.

If you take the Moka Pot more than this, the coffee will taste bitter because of the over-extraction. Enjoy your espresso-style coffee from Moka Pot.

AeroPress is a nice little coffee brewer for making pretty good coffee in no time. Folks love espresso because of its superior portability as well as versatility. Talking about versatility, AeroPress can make espresso-style coffee as well. Like the espresso machine, AeroPress is designed to brew with the help of pressure. But, it can’t produce 9-bar of pressure that is needed.

However, we can increase the pressure a little bit by implementing some tweaks. Let’s see how to make espresso-style coffee using AeroPress.

Equipment:

For making espresso using an AeroPress, you need the following pieces of equipment:

• AeroPress
• Espresso beans
• Burr Grinder
• Kettle
• Two Paper Filter
• Tamper

Step-by-Step Process of Making Espresso With An AeroPress:

1. First off, measure the needed amounts of coffee beans and grind them to fine-grind settings. Use a burr grinder for getting consistent grind size. Consistent grind size is crucial for getting even extraction.
2. Now, attach the filter cap with a paper filter. After that, place the brew chamber over a sturdy cup and pour some hot water to make the whole setup warm. Put your measured amount of finely ground coffee into the brew chamber.
3. It’s time to use the other paper filter. Wet the paper filter first and place it over your tamper (You can use a small cylindrical plastic pot as a tamper if you don’t have any). Tamp the coffee properly in order to make an even coffee bed.
4. Pour the pre-heated water into the brew chamber. Make sure that the water temperature is between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. Most coffee connoisseurs think that it’s the ideal temperature for brewing coffee.
5. After pouring the hot water into the chamber, place the plunger at the top of the chamber and press the plunger down real quick. Of course, you have to place a cup underneath the AeroPress before pressing.

If you follow these processes then you should get an espresso-like strong and flavorful cup of coffee from AeroPress. Enjoy your coffee no matter where you are!

French Press is an immersion brewing method where there’s no need to produce any pressure. On the flip side, in making espresso, pressure plays a vital role. While making espresso, a small amount of nearly boiling water usually passes under high pressure through some finely ground coffee. After that, we can get a nice full-bodied, and strong cup of espresso that everybody loves to drink.

As, In French Press, there’s no such condition for creating pressure you can’t get a good cup of espresso. However, by doing some adjustments you can get slightly espresso-style coffee.

Equipment:

For making espresso using French Press, collect the following equipment:

• French Press
• Burr Grinder
• Espresso Beans
• Kettle

Espresso Brewing Using French Press:

In order to make espresso-like coffee, first, grind the espresso beans to a very fine size. As we have mentioned earlier, use a burr grinder to make a consistent and fine grind size. It’s time to put the grind into the French Press beaker. But wait, before that, rinse the beaker with some hot water. After putting the ground coffee into the beaker, pour the hot water (195-205 degrees Fahrenheit).

First, pour just a little bit of water to extract the flavor from the coffee beans. This part is essential if you are looking for strong cups of coffee. After waiting for a few seconds, pour the rest of the water into the beaker.

Again wait for some minutes. This resting time is called steeping. 4 minutes is enough for making strong espresso. However, if you want your coffee stronger then you can wait for a bit more but not too much.

We have a detailed guide on how to make espresso with a French Press where we have provided a lot of additional information in making your brewing journey easier. Make sure to check that guide too.

We hope this comprehensive guide will help you to understand “how to make an espresso without an espresso machine.” If you find this guide helpful be sure to share it with your coffee-lover friends and let them know. Don’t forget to share your thoughts about which method would be perfect for you and why. We would love to hear from your side.

Happy Brewing!