The Coffee Maker Hack For Better Mornings

A trip to the coffee maker is many people's first task after waking up. Few consider, though, that this everyday kitchen appliance can help get your day started in more ways than just brewing your morning dose of caffeine.

Anyone with an automatic drip coffee maker can take advantage of these benefits, especially if they're often behind schedule. At its core, this hack relies on the heat that emanates from the top of your appliance while it brews. Just set your cup atop the coffeemaker while it's working and take advantage of the radiating heat.

The easiest and most common use for this heat is warming your mug. This way, you can sidestep the issue of pouring hot coffee into a cold vessel, which can lead to more than just rapid heat loss and the resulting cold cup of joe. Such a dramatic temperature change may negatively affect the taste and aroma of your coffee, as evaporation can dull the grounds' bold flavors.

Using this same simple principle in other ways can yield surprising results for busy mornings. For example, try placing a pastry, bagel, or other baked treat on top of your coffee machine. It'll gently warm them, providing a fresh-baked experience with a hands-off method.

Don't be too quick to switch off your machine after you've poured your cup, either. As long as your coffeemaker stays on, setting your cup on top of it is a convenient way to keep your drink warm, even after you've already started sipping. This is a critical (and easy) step that helps you avoid one of the most common coffee mistakes out there: reheating your cup of joe in the microwave.

Unfortunately, not every home coffee preparation technique lends itself to these benefits. Even though pour-over is one of the best ways to make coffee, fans of this method are out of luck if they want to try this tip, as are apologists of the French press and moka pot. Other coffee or espresso makers may not radiate enough heat to make a significant difference in your mug's temperature — as such, these folks might want to try out some other helpful coffee hacks, like filling your mug with hot water beforehand. Exceptions aside, this tip can be a lifesaver for tired, behind-schedule coffee lovers.