There are several ways to heat up coffee without a microwave – many of them even more effective.
It’s happened to all of us – we’ve gotten busy and completely forgotten about our cup of coffee. When we come back, it’s already cold. Of course, no one likes to drink cold coffee. At least not a mug of hot coffee turned cold.
Often, you can shove your coffee in a microwave and call it a day. However, what if you don’t have access to a microwave?
In this article, we’ll help you figure out how to heat up coffee without a microwave. You might also find our guide on how to keep coffee hot helpful.
Coffee Warming Tools To Heat Up Coffee Without A Microwave
The materials you’ll need to heat up a coffee depend on the exact method you’re using. There are several ways to reheat coffee without a microwave, depending on what you have on hand.
Here is an example of some materials you might need:
- Butter Warmer
- Stove
- Mug Warmer
- Immersion Beverage Heater
You won’t need all of these. Often, you just need one.
1. Use A Butter Warmer
You can efficiently utilize a butter warmer and heat up the coffee on the stove. Butter warmers are explicitly made for liquids, so they don’t spill or splash like other methods. This method is probably better than heating your coffee in the microwave.
With that said, you do need a butter warmer, and that isn’t exactly a device you find in the average American kitchen. This means you’ll probably need to purchase a butter warmer specifically for this task.
However, butter warmers are so helpful in the kitchen that I recommend purchasing one anyway.
You might also be interested in our How to heat up coffee without a microwave explainer.
2. Utilize An Immersion Beverage Heater
Immersion beverage heaters are specifically designed for reheating coffee and tea. Immersion heaters go inside your coffee. Once it reaches the correct temperature, it often turns off.
Immersion heaters are often found in the home, as they can be used when your hot water tank stops working for one reason or another. However, they are also helpful for quickly reheating your cold coffee.
There are many different options out there. You only need a small heater for a cup of coffee.
Unlike a butter warmer, these heaters don’t have much use beyond heating up small amounts of liquids. You may not be able to rationalize purchasing a device solely to heat your coffee – unless you end up with a cold cup a lot.
3. Use The Stove
Perhaps one of the most straightforward methods is to use a stove. Pour the coffee into a pot and heat it up just like you would any other liquid. Most people have a stove and a pot – making this method relatively easy.
For the most part, using the stove is a speedy process. You can bring a single mug of coffee to a boil quite quickly.
Once the coffee is your desired temperature, pour it back into your mug, and you’re done! Be careful while you’re pouring to prevent burns. Pots often aren’t made for directly pouring into a coffee mug (which is why we recommend a butter heater.)
Alternatively, you can put a small amount of water into a pan along with your mug. Heat it on low until the coffee is at the desired temperature. Not all mugs can handle this, though, so I don’t recommend using your favorite one.
Using a pan does eliminate the potential for burns that often come with a pot, though. After all, you won’t need to be doing any pouring.
4. Use A Mug Warmer
If you have a mug warmer nearby, you can use it to prevent your coffee from going cold in the first place. If you expect that you won’t get back to your coffee for a moment, place it in the warmer to keep it going while you’re busy.
Often, a mug warmer isn’t strong enough to thoroughly reheat your coffee, though. However, prevention is often the best strategy.
Still, I have found that using a mug warmer isn’t always the best option. Or, at least, you can’t rely on it alone. You likely won’t always know when you’ll be unable to drink your coffee for a while, and it is very easy to forget to put it in the mug warmer.
However, this method can reduce your instances of cold coffee by a lot.
5. Use A Better Mug
If your coffee is going cold very quickly, it may be a sign that you need a new mug! Your mug should help your coffee stay warm at least a little bit. If it isn’t, it could be a sign that you need a higher-quality mug.
Of course, there are many different options out there. Travel mugs are best in most cases, as they can keep your coffee hot for hours.
However, don’t necessarily purchase the most expensive option out there. Sometimes, you end up paying more for the brand name – not necessarily for the better mug.
Many coffee drinkers use Contigo. However, these are relatively expensive and come with some extra, unnecessary features.
The Zojirushi is pretty much spillproof and keeps coffee hot for hours. Plus, the slim design makes it easier to fit into cup holders!
