Discover the surprising things you can do with your coffee maker here. We’ll be focusing on good old-fashioned drip-style coffee makers instead of the French press variety.
1. Make Pancakes
The heat plate that keeps your coffee warm can double as a little griddle! Cook up some pancakes by pouring a small amount of batter on the preheated plate.
Wait until small bubbles develop on the surface of the batter, then flip to cook the other side. Coffee and pancakes, anyone?
2. Make Grilled Cheese
But your coffee pot isn’t only useful for breakfast. Make a quick lunch by cooking up a grilled cheese on the heat plate! (Toss a small piece of tin foil on the heat plate first so you don’t leave behind a mess of melted cheese.)
3. Bake Mini Cupcakes
Depending on how hot your coffee maker’s heat plate gets, you can even use it to bake a cupcake! Just spoon cupcake batter into a metal measuring cup and set it on the preheated plate.
4. Melt Chocolate
The moderate heat of your coffee maker is perfect for melting chocolate! Just pour some chocolate chips into a metal measuring cup and place it on the heat plate.
Once melted, the coffee maker will keep the chocolate at the right temperature and consistency for hours. Use it to dress up homemade treats, or as a dip for fruit, marshmallows, or other snacks!
5. Prepare “Just Add Water” Foods
One of the most functional food-related ways to use your coffee maker is to make foods that just need hot water. This includes foods like cup noodles, instant mashed potatoes, instant oatmeal, and more!
Pour water into the machine’s reservoir and make sure the brew basket is empty. Run a brew cycle to heat the water, then pour the hot water from the carafe into your food container. Easy!
You can also use your coffee maker to make foods that need to cook in water for a bit, like instant rice and oats. Just add the food to the pot, start a brew cycle to add hot water to the pot, and let it sit until the food is cooked to your liking.
6. Boil Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are simple to make in a coffee maker! Just carefully place a few eggs in the empty carafe, then start a water-only brew cycle to cover them in hot water.
Let the eggs sit in the hot water on the heat plate for about 10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. (A color-changing egg timer would really come in handy here!)
7. “Steam” Veggies
Use your coffee maker to cook up veggies as a side dish for dinner! Place chopped veggies in the basket, fill the reservoir with water, then run a brew cycle.
The hot water dripping over the veggies will gently cook them, and you can run another cycle to cook them even further. Use this method to cook broccoli florets, baby carrots, or pieces of asparagus!
8. Make Hot Cocoa
Looking for a hot drink without the caffeine? Use your coffee maker to make delicious hot cocoa!
Fill the carafe halfway with milk, then add about half a bag of chocolate chips. Add 1 cup of heavy cream, then set the carafe on the preheated heat plate.
The heating element will gently melt the chips and warm up the cocoa, and all you have to do is stir occasionally!
9. Cook Hot Dogs
Make an easy hands-off lunch by cooking hot dogs with your coffee maker. Just place the hot dogs (of the pre-cooked variety) in the carafe, then run a brew cycle with an empty basket.
After 10 minutes or so, check the temperature of the hot dogs, and continue cooking until they reach your desired temperature. Then pass the mustard!
Bonus Tip: How To Clean Your Coffee Maker
- Empty and replace the water reservoir and brew basket.
- Fill the carafe with equal parts white vinegar and water, then pour it into the reservoir.
- Run a brew cycle and let sit for 10-15 minutes to soak, then discard the vinegar water.
- Run two more brew cycles using only water to rinse the machine clean.
- Do this process weekly to keep your coffee maker clean and to prevent flavor transfer!