Imagine this: You’ve managed to make it out of bed, head downstairs, and patiently await a freshly brewed cup of coffee as you turn on your coffee maker. You take the first deliciously warm sip and place your mug down. Soon, your attention is quickly on the next thing on your to-do list, whether getting ready for work or unloading the dishwasher. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and you realize your warm cup of coffee is still sitting there, mostly full and cold. This common occurrence may leave you wondering: “Can you microwave coffee?”
Can you microwave coffee?
Instead of wasting a cup of cold coffee, you can reheat your room-temperature coffee in the microwave. However, if you’ve ever done this, you may notice that the coffee tastes different once reheated. Microwaving your coffee causes it to become more bitter, thanks to the natural acids within coffee. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quinic acid are all present when you initially brew your coffee. Yet, these compounds are released even more when you reheat your cup. In turn, you may be left with more bitter coffee than the original cup. If you can get past the slight changes in taste, your coffee is still safe to consume even after reheating.
How to reheat coffee in the microwave
While you can certainly reheat coffee on the stovetop, reheating it in the microwave is the quickest way to get a warm cup of coffee back in your hands. Many people say that reheating on the stovetop helps protect the flavor, so consider using the stovetop if you’re not in a rush. Here’s what to know about reheating coffee in the microwave if you are in a pinch.
First and foremost, always ensure you’re using a microwave-safe mug before reheating your coffee in the microwave. Not all mugs are safe to use in the microwave, especially those with fragile decals or logos sensitive to heat. You’ll also want to avoid heating up your coffee in paper or plastic. Once you’ve determined your mug is safe for the microwave, begin microwaving your coffee in short increments.
Usually, 15- to 30-second intervals are an excellent place to start. Slowly warming up your coffee will avoid overheating it and ruining its flavor. This method is also a good approach when you’re not sure of the right time to warm your coffee cup. Coffee sitting out only for a few minutes may be at room temperature, which is different from heating coffee that was cold from the fridge. Plus, the power of your microwave and the size of your cup of coffee will also impact how long it needs to be warmed up.
Keeping your coffee warm to start with
While the answer to: “Can you microwave coffee?” is yes, that doesn’t mean it’s the best solution. Microwaving coffee is more than acceptable occasionally, especially given our hectic lives. But if you don’t enjoy the taste of reheating coffee, it may be worth looking into how to keep your coffee warm. After all, you don’t want to keep wasting coffee that’s gone cold! Here are a few easy ways to keep your coffee warmer for longer.
Preheating the mug
This age-old method may be one your grandmother taught you, but it’s still a worthwhile trick. Before pouring your morning cup, preheat the mug with hot water. Adding warm coffee to a hot mug will get you a few extra minutes of warmth out of your cup, but this method won’t work if you forget about your cup of coffee for an hour.
Thermal mugs
Remember the thermos you once used to pack your lunch for school in? A vacuum-insulated or thermal mug is a great way to keep your coffee warmer longer. Unlike a traditional open mug you’d use at home, brewing your coffee into a thermal mug provides a layer of insulation to keep it warmer for longer. If you’re headed to work, your coffee will already be easy to transport in a thermal travel mug.
Self-heating coffee mugs
Perhaps the most modern and effective solution to warm your cup of coffee is to use a self-heating coffee mug, such as the Ember Coffee Mug or an OHOM Self-Heating Mug. These innovative coffee mugs have become even more popular, given their easy-to-use nature and versatility. Self-heating coffee mugs use a warming plate underneath to allow users to adjust the temperature of their coffee precisely to their unique preferences. Whether you like it just slightly warm or almost too hot, temperature-control mugs are the way to go.
Ember Coffee Mug
OHOM Self-Heating Mug
