11 Things You Can Make With A Coffee Maker Besides Coffee

In the age of fancy espresso makers, Keurigs, and smartphone-friendly coffee brewers, a classic coffee maker is a breath of fresh (well, coffee-scented) air in an overly-complicated world.

Along with the obvious benefit of simple, American-style coffee, there are actually tons of other uses for your common coffee maker. Covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert with one appliance, you'll wonder why the hell you even bother with a stove.

1. A Hot Toddy

Put two tea bags in your coffee pot, let brew, add a shot (or 10) of fine whiskey and some honey. Baby, you've got yourself the hottest toddy this side of the Mississippi! 
 

2. Hot dogs

Can you call such a simple recipe a recipe? Put a few thawed hot dogs in your coffee pot and let it sit for an hour. Then stuff those dirty dogs down your gullet. 
 

3. A grilled cheese sandwich

Set your burner on warm or, if your coffee maker is a bit older, brew a hot cup of coffee and immediately after, put the sandwich on the burner. Pro-tip: spray that sucker down with some Pam for maximum buttery goodness. You can also do this by putting a pan on the burner if you don't want to get it gross.
 

4. Oatmeal

Instant oatmeal? Easy. Pour 10 oz of water into the carafe, turn it on, wait five minutes. Boom. Done.

5. Ramen

Perhaps the easiest recipe in the bunch, all you need to do is put your dried noodles in the coffee pot and set to brew. Add the flavor packet and anything else you desire and wait a few minutes for delicious results. 
 

6. Scrambled eggs

On a little one-egg frying pan, crack open an egg, and cook to your heart's content. Is there anything eggs can't do?

7. Jimmy Dean sausage

Don't want to use ol' Jimmy's sausage? Too bad, cause that's the good stuff. Pam up your burner, throw on that sausage and cook. Pro-tip: you're going to want to clear your schedule for this one; it'll take a while. 
 

8. Rice

Here's what you need for this gem: 1. instant rice, 2. water, 3. 10 minutes. Toss it in the carafe, make sure the filter area is clear from coffee residue, and set it to brew.

9. Hard-boiled eggs

Toss a few eggs into your glass carafe. Brew and let sit for 10 to 12 minutes, then douse the eggs in cold water. So easy a baby seal could do it. 
 

10. Broccoli 

The basket at the top of the coffee maker is perfect for steaming broccoli, cauliflower, or any other vegetable you're keen to steam. Throw it on top, set your coffee maker to brew the maximum amount of cups possible, and enjoy your steamed broccoli.

11. The best hot chocolate ever

Fill half your carafe with heavy cream and dump in an entire bag of chocolate chips. Brew two cups of water and let it sit, stirring occasionally. Share with friends or drink by alone. It tastes good either way!


Jeremy Glass is Supercompressor's prized staff writer who moonlights as a show dog on weekends.

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