Ways to Make Espresso at Home Without a Machine
Espresso machines, even consumer grade ones, can be extremely expensive
No Espresso Machine? No Worries
Making espresso at home without an espresso machine is possible, regardless of what some people might say. All you need is a stovetop pot, some grounds, and some water, and with a little bit of patience, you can make a delicious cup of espresso without any fancy equipment.
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There are many fantastic ways to brew an espresso-like beverage without shelling out hundreds of dollars for a dedicated espresso machine and grinder.
These methods are (in order of espresso like-ness):
Moka Pot
AeroPress
French Press
Instant Coffee
If you are however looking for an inexpensive machine that can make a great cup of espresso then I would recommend the Breville Bambino which is the one I use. It’s a small and compact machine that is capable of producing quality shots of espresso! It’s only $350 USD, and out-performs every other machine in it’s price range. A little heads up, you will have to buy an expresso capable grinder to go along with it though. The grinder I use is the J Max Manual Grinder by 1Zpresso. I know manual grinders can be a chore but honestly the J Max makes grinding so much fun.
Mimicking the Taste of Espresso
When you think of espresso you are probably thinking about the strong, concentrated, and bitter flavors. No?
Then you are probably thinking about the rich and creamy texture with that golden layer of crema on top.
Either way, I’m sorry to burst your bubble but it’s practically impossible to produce an exact replica of a shot of espresso without a dedicated machine. However, you can get pretty close.
Throw texture and creaminess out of the window, because what’s important here is the taste. None of these alternatives will be able to replicate the texture but they can sure replicate the strong and intense flavors that you can find in a regular shot of espresso.
For the coffee I would recommend you use a medium or darker roasted coffee bean as that will provide the intense coffee flavor that you are looking for.
Method 1: Moka Pot
Strong coffee spewing out of a moka pot
Ah the classic Moka Pot. You can find these anywhere and you probably already have one hidden away in your kitchen cabinet. If you do not own one, then no worries as they can be purchased for dirt cheap.
Popular in the United States and Europe, A moka pot can be found for around 35 USD or your regional equivalent.
Traditionally a stove top kitchen appliance, thanks to modern technological advancements, you can even get one that is compatible with an induction stove, the Bialetti Venus is the one I use for this very reason!
A moka pot is able to create a strong and concentrated cup of coffee with flavors similar to that of espresso, however the texture is not there and you will lose some of the more complex flavors.
However, this is a great method to substitute for espresso if you are making espressos-based drinks.
Grind Coffee: Grind 20 grams of dark roasted coffee a bit coarser than an espresso grind.
Add Water: Add water to the water chamber until the water level is just under the valve.
Add Coffee and Assemble: Fill the funnel with coffee grounds and gently level, assemble the moka pot back together.
Brew Over Medium Heat: Brew for 5-7 minutes. Close the lid to avoid coffee spewing everywhere, after about 3-5 minutes you’ll hear some bubbling. Once you hear some sizzling it’s time to take the moka pot off the heat.
Serve: Enjoy your moka pot espresso!
Method 2: AeroPress
A smaller travel-friendly version of the regular AeroPress, AeroPress Go
A relatively recent invention in the world of coffee, the AeroPress is a neat little device that can produce a strong cup of black coffee.
These are also popular and can be purchased for extremely cheap as well, around 30 USD or your regional equivalent. Although they may be harder to find outside of the United States, so you may have to order these online.
If you are looking to purchase an AeroPress there are 2 options: AeroPress (normal) and AeroPress Go (for… obviously on-the-go). Both work exactly the same, the Go is just more compact and travel friendly.
Although strong like espresso, the texture will be watery, more so than the moka pot. So I would not recommend you use coffee from an AeroPress to make any espresso-based drinks.
However if you are just looking to replicate a strong, bitter flavor then an AeroPress is a good way to go about it.
Grind Coffee: Grind 18 grams of dark roasted coffee to a medium-fine grind (slightly coarser than espresso).
Add Filter: Place the paper filter into the basket of the AeroPress and add water to dampen it. Screw the basket back onto the end of the AeroPress.
Add Coffee: Pour the coffee grounds into the AeroPress and level. Place it on top of an empty mug.
Add Water: Pour 85ml water into the AeroPress. Wait 45 seconds for the coffee to pre-infuse.
Plunge: Insert the plunger into the top of the AeroPress. Gently press down until you hear a hiss of air.
Serve: Enjoy your AeroPress espresso!
Method 3: French Press
The classic French Press device
Much like the Moka Pot, the French Press is literally everywhere and I bet that you also have one laying around at home.
Usually used with darker roasted coffee beans, a French Press will definitely produce a strong and bitter cup of coffee akin to what you would get with a shot of espresso. Although it is not as concentrated in flavor as a moka pot.
Be wary however, you will find sediments of coffee in your cup so I would not recommend you use a French Press to substitute for espresso in any iced espresso-based drinks. It’s going to be a very unpleasant experience if you suck up the drink through your straw only to be met with a mouthful of sediment.
But if you are looking for a strong and bitter cup of coffee to fix your espresso itch then a French Press is a good substitute.
The French Press that I recommend are ones from Bodum. I use their famous Chambord French Press. You can’t go wrong with it as it comes from a reliable company and you probably already have one of these lying around in your house.
Fun Fact: You can use a French Press to froth milk for your Latte! Yes no joke. Just pour in some warm milk and start plunging to incorporate some air into your milk and voila!
Grind Coffee: Grind 15 grams of dark roasted coffee to a coarse grind.
Brewing: Transfer coffee to French Press and gently pour in 250ml of boiling water. Put the lid on the French Press and plunge just a little bit ensuring that the coffee is fully submerged under a thin layer of water. Let it steep for 4 minutes.
Plunge: Plunge all the way.
Serve: Enjoy your French Press espresso!
Last Resort: Instant Coffee
A handful of coffee pods, they come in a lot of flavors so have fun trying them all!
If the above methods are not available to you then you could use instant coffee as a last resort, although I do not recommend it as you will be offending all the coffee enthusiasts out there (including me).
Alright, elitism aside, instant coffee is a quick and easy way to get your coffee fix in the morning and the barrier to entry is almost non-existent. Anyone can afford to get instant coffee!
So if you just want to make your favorite Starbucks coffee drink without much hassle then instant coffee is a great option.
Nespresso / Keurig Machines (Coffee Pods)
If you drink coffee on the daily, then you might have a coffee pod machine laying around somewhere, perhaps they are even available in your place of work.
Although I personally do not own a coffee pod machine I understand their versatility.
Walking around my local supermarkets I see plenty of coffee pods that advertise an “espresso-like” experience, so why not purchase some and give it a try.
In addition, I watched a lot of internet home cafe videos where they used coffee from a coffee pod machine to make espresso-based drinks, so I’m sure that this is a viable option.
Powdered Instant Coffee
This is truly…
A last resort.
I wholeheartedly do not recommend using powdered instant coffee to substitute for espresso.
In fact, I do not recommend drinking powdered instant coffee at all. Although great for quick and easy coffee, you are missing out on a whole beautiful world of coffee beans and flavors.
I’ll admit there are some brands out there that do instant coffee really well but they’re not really coffee, they’re more like sweet drinks with coffee essence.
But if you must… then alright, no problem.
Like, coffee pods, there are many flavors out there so try them out!
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