Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Digital nomads who love coffee soon discover that not everyone enjoys coffee or even serves the hot beverage.
As a 12 year digital nomad and coffee lover I figured out that most people whose paths I crossed do love coffee. Being house sitters we often have access to various devices for making cafe. Keurigs, French Presses and traditional drip machines are common choices.
However, some people drink tea. Others drink no piping hot beverage on waking.
I encountered this issue a few times as a house sitting digital nomad. This basically meant giving up coffee for a few weeks. Being open-minded allowed me to let go the beloved coffee bean for short stretches. But I knew that there had to be a way to enjoy coffee as a digital nomad if I lacked access to devices for preparing it.
I eventually came across one homeowner who used a funnel and pour over tactic to make coffee. A light bulb instantly popped off in my mind. A few months later I observed another homeowner use the same funnel and pour over method to enjoy her coffee during another house sit.
No matter where you are in the world you can enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Follow these steps to get your coffee fix as a digital nomad.
How to Enjoy Coffee Anywhere as a Digital Nomad
What You Need
- plastic funnel
- ground coffee
- electric kettle or range
- paper towels
Purchase a plastic funnel from Amazon. This costs about $5 for an inexpensive, reliable funnel.
I prefer plastic funnels to avoid breakage during travels. Fragile funnels do not travel well after being tossed around in your carry-on or suitcase.
Buy ground coffee.
Use your electric kettle or boil water on a range
Tear 2 pieces of paper towel.
Place the plastic funnel over the coffee cup.
Fold the 2 paper towel sheets over each other to create a durable filter.
Place the paper towel filter inside of the plastic funnel.
Add a few tablespoons of ground coffee.
After the water boils, pour it slowly over the ground coffee inside of the plastic funnel to percolate. Note; for an 8 to 12 ounce cup I suggest pouring 2-3 small portions of water and allowing it to slowly travel down the funnel for the strongest cup of coffee and to avoid tearing the paper towel. Consider filling the funnel halfway then wait a minute or two before adding more water to the emptied funnel.
Allow the fresh, hot coffee to reach near the cup brim.
Add milk, sugar or condensed milk to taste.
Benefits of Using the Pour Over Method
Other than a Keurig, I feel like that using the pour over method makes the strongest, stoutest cup of coffee because the slow, steady method creates a concentrated hot beverage.
This is the most inexpensive way to make coffee. Most people reading this post can afford to invest 4 USD in a plastic funnel.
The pour over method can even be used in a location without electricity. If you have access to a propane tank you can boil water. A plastic funnel, paper towels, ground coffee and coffee cups can be acquired across most of planet earth.
Plastic funnels fit seamlessly into backpacks, carry-ons or suitcases. Being plastic, none cause issues at security stops within the airport.
Video
I recorded a short video to step you through the process:
How to Enjoy Coffee Anywhere in the World as a Digital Nomad
Conclusion
Now you can enjoy coffee anywhere as a digital nomad.
Whether you’re house sitting for someone who’s not a fan of coffee or staying in a hotel or apartment without anything to make your beloved morning beverage, the pour over method with a plastic funnel is a cheap, easy way to make coffee on the road quickly.
