How to Make Espresso Without a Machine (4 Ways!)

Method 1: Portable Espresso Maker

The best way to make espresso without a machine? A portable espresso maker. This small device lets you manually push the water through the coffee into the cup. It’s small, portable, and easy to use for travel or for the office!

The flavor isn’t quite as good as espresso from a machine, and the crema isn’t as rich or abundant. But the flavor is surprisingly decent, and at $65, it’s a steal! It’s also small and easy to hide away in cabinets or take traveling.

To make espresso with a portable espresso maker, follow the instructions that come with the espresso maker you buy. Here’s the maker I use.

Method 2: French Press Espresso

The next best way to make espresso without a machine? A French press. The French press is a great way to make espresso, and it’s perfect if you have one on hand to make coffee. This is my top choice for making espresso without an espresso-specific tool, because the flavor is comparable to the real thing.

The French press can’t produce a foamy crema like the first espresso-making method, so you will end up with sediment in your cup. But for a brewed coffee method, it gets pretty close to the flavor of a true espresso. It’s great for making espresso for coffee drinks or an affogato.

How to Make It

1. Grind the coffee: Grind ½ cup dark-roast coffee beans to a medium-fine grind.
2. Heat the water: Heat ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water to hot but not boiling (200 to 205°F).
3. Add coffee and wait 4 minutes: Add medium-fine ground espresso coffee to the French press. Top with the hot water and stir. Set a timer for 4 minutes and wait.
4. Plunge: Place the lid on the French press and slowly press on the plunger all the way down.

For more details and the full method, go to French Press Espresso.

Method 3: Moka Pot Espresso

The Moka Pot is a great way to achieve a dark, rich-flavored coffee. It’s not exactly espresso, but it tastes so similar you can use it as a stand-in for espresso drinks. It’s more like an Americano than an espresso.

The Moka Pot is also known as a Bialetti, which is the brand name. It’s a stovetop method for making strong coffee by forcing steam through coffee grounds. It makes a deliciously rich pot of coffee and is popular in Europe and the US.

The flavor you can achieve with a Moka Pot is fantastic. It’s more like a strong dark roast coffee. It doesn’t achieve a crema and lacks some of the flavor richness. It makes a 5-ounce cup, whereas a single espresso shot is 1 ounce and a double shot is 2 ounces. But it works well as an option for espresso drinks! At about $35, the Moka Pot is a steal.

How to Make It

1. Grind the coffee: Grind 20 grams (¼ cup) dark roast coffee to a fine espresso grind or slightly coarser.
2. Add water: Add 330 grams (1 ⅜ cups) of cold filtered water to the bottom half of the pot until it reaches the valve.
3. Add the coffee and assemble: Fill the funnel with coffee grounds level with the top, but don’t tamp the grinds down. Insert the funnel into the bottom portion of the pot. Screw the top onto the base until it is just finger-tight.
4. Place over medium heat: Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. For a gas stove, make sure the gas flame is smaller than the width of the pot.
5. Wait while the coffee brews (about 5 to 7 minutes): The water will boil up through the coffee and fill the top of the pot. You’ll hear coffee start to bubble at around 3 to 5 minutes. About 2 minutes later, you’ll hear it boiling rapidly. Listen as the boiling sound increases in volume and frequency. Once the sound dissipates into the air and you hear a loud gurgling, the coffee is done. Turn off the heat.
6. Check the coffee: Once you turn off the heat, lift the top of the pot and peek inside. The chamber should be full of coffee. If it is not, return the pot to the heat and continue heating until the coffee is done.

For more details and the full method, go to Moka Pot Coffee.

Method 4: Aeropress Espresso

You can make espresso with an Aeropress, but it’s not my top choice for flavor. Only use this if it’s the only option you have on hand! An Aeropress is a plastic cylinder used to make a single cup of coffee. It’s portable, cheap, and easy to clean, making it an accessible way to make coffee.

The Aeropress is very cheap at $30. But this method makes major sacrifices on flavor. Aeropress espresso tastes more bitter and flat than other methods, and it lacks a signature crema. Only use this method if it’s your last resort.

How to Make It

1. Heat the water: In an electric teapot, heat water to 200 to 205°F.
2. Grind the coffee: Grind 3 tablespoons (18 grams) of espresso coffee beans to a fine grind (but not super fine, or it will be too hard to plunge).
3. Add the filter: Place the circular filter into the basket of the Aeropress and wet it so it is fully damp. Screw the basket onto the end of the Aeropress.
4. Add the coffee grounds: Pour the coffee grounds into the Aeropress and tamp the grounds lightly with a cocktail muddler. Place it on top of an empty mug.
5. Add water and plunge: Pour 85 grams of water into the Aeropress (1 and ½ mark). Wait 45 seconds. Insert the plunger into the top of the Aeropress. Gently press down until the plunger is fully pressed to the bottom; you will hear a hiss of air being released (this process takes about 30 seconds. It will be slightly harder to plunge than normal Aeropress coffee.
6. Remove grounds: Remove the Aeropress, unscrew the basket, and hold it over a compost bucket or garbage. Press down on the plunger to release the filter and grounds. Rinse the Aeropress so it is ready for future use.

More Espresso Drinks to Try

• Latte
• Cappuccino
• Flat White
• Americano
• Macchiato
• Cortado
• Breve