This week my espresso machine broke and I hand-brewed for 5 straight days

Honestly, I was so annoyed at first because my machine died on Monday morning. I dug out my old French press and a pour-over cone I hadn't touched in like a year. By Wednesday I actually started enjoying the slow routine, especially the pour-over with a medium roast from a local roaster. Ngl, now I'm thinking of keeping the hand-brew setup for weekends. Has anyone else had a breakdown that made you switch up your coffee game in a good way?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotm701mo ago

lol I gotta disagree with the "quiet ten minutes" thing. I've got a toddler and a dog so my mornings are chaos and I NEED my espresso machine to get out of the house before the little one wakes up. Waiting for a pour-over when I'm barely awake sounds like a recipe for burnt coffee or a mess on the counter. I actually think the ritual thing is overrated for most people. My buddy got super into pour-over during lockdown and now he's got like three different kettles and a scale and it feels more like a chore than a fun morning thing. I get that some folks find it calming but I personally just want my caffeine hit and move on.

the_mila22d ago

Get yourself a cheap gooseneck kettle and pre-measure your beans the night before. Takes the whole mess factor out of it when you're half asleep. I've got two kids under 4 and I grind my coffee the night before too, just have the filter in the Chemex and water in the kettle ready to go. That way I can start the pour-over the second I stumble into the kitchen and it's done in 5 minutes flat. If you're the kind of person who likes that first cup right away, just set it up so you literally only have to turn the kettle on and pour.

hannahm391mo ago

My Chemex has been in the back of the cabinet for years but I pulled it out after my drip machine gave up last spring. Found a bag of Ethiopian beans from a little shop downtown and now I look forward to the whole process, especially the quiet ten minutes before the kids wake up. A cheap gooseneck kettle from the hardware store made a big difference for the pour-over, saved me twenty bucks over the fancy coffee shop ones. I'd say try it on weekends for a month and see if it sticks, that's how I got hooked.