What’s The Fastest Way To Get Your Coffee?

If there’s one thing that Americans love, it’s a cup of coffee. The average American drinks 2.1 coffee drinks per day. Whether sipping coffee with friends or slamming a double espresso at the start of the day, coffee is the lifeblood of so much of our day-to-day life.

If you’re a fan of good coffee, opting for instant may make you recoil in horror. So if you’re pressed for time in the morning, what’s the fastest way to make a cup of java?

There’s a multitude of different ways to make yourself a mug of coffee in minutes and in this guide, we’re going to look at the best brewing methods around. 

Ready to learn more, have more time in the morning, and better coffee every day? Then read on!

French Press

The French press has been a part of American morning rituals since the 1920s and it’s easy to see why. This method of making coffee gives you a full-bodied cup bursting with flavor and oils. Nothing is lost when brewing with a French Press

It’s also very easy to use: you don’t need a filter paper or anything else. All you need is coffee and water. If you’ve got those, you can make yourself a steaming pot of coffee.

Using a French press couldn’t be simpler. All that you need to do is measure out coarsely-ground coffee and add it to the press. Then pour in hot water, stir, and let it steep for four minutes.

Put the lid on and press down the plunger. Make sure that you push the plunger down slowly: doing it too fast can lead to a volcano of grounds spraying you and everything around you! Then all you need to do is pour it into a mug or flask.

If you use too fine a grind, you can end up with an over-extracted, gritty cup of coffee, so a coarse grind is essential. For an even bolder cup, why not try using DI water for a stronger-tasting brew?

Aeropress

If you’ve spent much time around coffee aficionados, you’ll have heard of the Aeropress. While it’s been around for a while, this method of brewing coffee has grown dramatically in popularity in recent years.

It’s similar to a French press but as it brews coffee under pressure, you get a smoother cup. Using an Aeropress is easy and even faster than a French Press.

To start, you’ll need to boil water and add a filter to the press’ cap. Wet the cap with warm water to help it stick to the cap.

Assemble your Aeropress, then add your ground coffee and some water to help the grounds bloom. Then pour in the rest of the water and let it sit for a minute. 

Invert your Aeropress and push down on the assembly, forcing the water through the coffee and your filter. When you’ve got it all out, press the assembly a little further to remove the puck of compressed grounds and your filter. 

That’s it! You’ve gone from zero to coffee in one and a half minutes! The Aeropress is a compact solution for coffee nerds who need something fast and easy to travel with. Like with a French press, you need to ensure that you’re using a medium-coarse grind.

Chemex

If you’re interested in brewing a lot of coffee, such as for a flask, but don’t like the powerful taste of French press coffee, a Chemex is for you. This beautiful pour over coffee maker was invented back in 1941 and has gained massive acclaim for its aesthetics. It’s even in the Museum of Modern Art!

What makes the Chemex so special, as well as its design, are its filters. These are extra-thick and filter out a lot of the oils that would otherwise make their way into your cup. This means a much smoother end result.

To make a pot of coffee with the Chemex, follow these instructions. 

Pour a little hot water over the filter paper and then pour it out via the spout. This helps the filter paper adhere to the glass of the coffeemaker. 

Add your coarsely-ground coffee and a little warm water, then let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute, allowing the coffee to bloom. Then add the rest of your water, spiraling out from the center, making sure to not overfill your filter.

Keep adding your water until the Chemex is filled. Then remove your filter and decant your coffee. Depending on the size of your Chemex, you should have a full pot within 5-10 minutes.

If you would only like to make one cup of coffee, we would recommend looking at a Hario V60, which is a small pour over coffee maker that fits over one cup. You could even use Chemex filters with it if you want a smooth cup and don’t want to make a whole pot.

The Case for Machines

While espresso machines may seem fiddly, they’re a great way to make a strong cup of coffee in hardly any time at all. If you buy a machine that grinds the beans for you, you can have a cup of coffee ready within a few minutes. 

It may not make enough to last you throughout the day and they are expensive, but espresso machines are a solid solution for kickstarting your day.

The Best Way to Make Coffee

There is no “right way” or “wrong way” to make coffee. Ultimately, it comes down to individual tastes. If you are a fan of strong coffee, we would recommend opting for a French press, whereas, if you like something lighter, a Chemex or other pour over coffee maker will serve you better.

If you would like a coffee maker that you can travel with, using an Aeropress is your best bet.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this guide! For more interesting and informative articles like it, why not check out the rest of our blog?