Sorry, I can't help you with instant, but since you will be able to boil water you could just get a cone and filters and make your regular coffee. Hope Irene will be gentle to all in the path.

Have you tried the Starbucks Ready Brew? I have some in my cabinets for days I'm really in a hurry or run out of regular. Definitely not as good as brewed coffee, but it's passable.

On days I'm not in a hurry, I do as above and use a single cone brewer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Starbucks Ready Brew

I second the Starbucks Via recommendation. Side-by-side against fresh-brewed, I agree that it's not as good. But I'd say it's the best instant I've ever had.

That's a good idea abuntantblessings--can I just use the cone from our Technivorm or do I need to purchase something made for this purpose? I'll have to remember to grind a bunch of coffee before Sunday!

Thanks for the Starbuck recs guys, but DH and I don't particularly like Starbuck's coffee--does their instant coffee taste much like their brewed coffee?

We used the cone drip filter when we were without power after Ike. We also use a large one when we need extra coffee for a crowd. You can get the plastic cone for $1-5 depending on the size (usually single cup or pot sized) and where you buy it and a box of cone filters if you don't already have them. It would be less expensive than the Starbucks route, especially if you are outside hanging around with neighbors and you're one of the few with coffee. ;-) Makes it easy to be a good neighbor.

Also, pick up some disposable coffee cups in case washing cups is an issue for a while (whether power or boil water orders, etc.) Hope you don't need them, but it's cheap insurance or convenience.

It's good to see that with an impending disaster (and I hope it's a tiny one) you've got the important things in mind. I'm not joking. When things are rotten out it really does help to have a few of the comforts around.

A French press makes a darn nice cup of coffee and you can use your regular coffee for it. But setting up your regular drip coffee maker so that you pour the boiling water into it is doable. Use the carafe and the filter basket and prop them up and be very careful. You might be able to use the machine if the basket swings out. It can be hard before your first cup of coffee though!

Can't help with the instant I'm afraid but I do believe instant is way better than going without coffee.

I'm not familiar with your particular basket, but I bet you could use that cone if you can set it steadily above the container you brew into. We use an espresso maker so we didn't have that option, but that's being resourceful!

What will your heat supply be? Assuming you have gas, it is less likely to go out than electricity, but do have a lighter since the auto ignite will not be working. If possible, have a camping stove or grill for outdoor cooking too.

I have a gas range and when we were without power during an ice storm I could still cook etc... For coffee I just put a pan of water on the stove and let it come to a boil then turned it off. I put coffee in the regular filter and scrunched the top up and tied it shut with a bread tie and tossed it in the water and let it sit for about 5 minutes or so. That was really good coffee too.. believe it or not.

As a not-coffee drinker, I do keep some Folger's single serve instant in the house. Our coffee drinking kids and relatives say it's OK/good, but it's always hard to tell if they're just being polite.

Growing up, my parents always had a little 2-cup drip coffee pot where you poured the water over the grounds and the water trickled through into the bottom reservoir. It was 3 simple pieces: bottom reservoir, coffee grounds piece, and top water reservoir. I looked on google for something similar and don't see it. I guess the newer designs look more like a French Press or this:
{{!gwi}}

I love the idea of putting the coffee into a filter and tying it up and brewing for 5 minutes! It is so much neater than how I make coffee for large parties. I bring a large pan of H2O to a boil, take it off and let is sit for a few seconds then just throw the coffee in loose. After 3-4 minutes I strain it into my large carraff. It's like french press coffee without the press.

I am loving all these suggestions!!!

Yes, priorities include having coffee in the morning--esp for DH who HAS to have his 2-3 cups every morning! I drink a half-cup (to 3/4 cup) that's it, and you will all get a laugh out of this--I was never a (morning) coffee drinker until our kitchen reno 4+ yrs ago! Somehow the reno did me in!

We have a Technivorm Moccamaster coffee maker. I think I could use the set-up as is, and just pour the boiling water into the basket/filter and let the coffee drip right into the carafe. Off to grind some coffee!

Nescafe Tasters Choice classic gourmet. It's in a red container.

I use Folger's Coffee bags perked in the microwave by pouring water over them and then letting them sit before putting milk and sweetener in the cup. To me it takes almost as good as a great cup of coffee.

cat_mom, yes the Starbucks Via does taste a lot like their regular brew.

fori's French press suggestion is a good one - if you can boil water, you can make great coffee that way. Best if you use a coarser grind. I've used cone drip filters with success, too. If things get stressful with the storm, I would imagine that it would be extra nice to be able to drink your usual preferred coffee.

Thanks all!!! I ground a bunch of our reg stuff. I will ask DH if he thinks our set-up is doable or if we'll need to hit BB&B tonight to get something else to use.

You guys rock!

While I have been kitchen-less, I have been drinking Maxwell House (not bad, really) and using my Moka pot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Moka pot

Sorry. I was out, cat_mom, but you already got great responses with various methods to get your a.m. caffeine. Although many mornings I use an electric brewer, I also have the Melita cones and a small one person metal drip basket that goes over a single cup. I often travel with the metal on and my coffee grounds as I enjoy the flavor of rich strong coffee so most hotel brews don't taste good to me. I'm from New Orleans and prefer to drink coffee & chickory, though usually I brew 1/2 decaf and 1/2 high octane to avoid caffeine overload. Since you're pre-grinding, it may help to keep the grounds in an airtight container in the freezer. If the electricity goes out you'll need to store elsewhere so you won't have to keep opening the freezer door in order to keep it cold as long as possible.

I thought of another option which my 100 yr old aunt routinely uses. She brews a large carafe of coffee, drinks her one cup and refrigerates the rest. The next day, she gently heats another cup and continues until it's time to brew a fresh pot. Other friends use the cold brew method which produces an extract almost of really strong coffee, store it in the refrig, and just before serving add boiling water then gently heat. Their coffee is wonderfully smooth. So there are lots of ways to brew a great cup of java in case the electricity goes out. You may find that you actually prefer the rich flavor from some non-electric methods.

I was on a month-long cruise recently where had been warned that the coffee was dreadful. I brought along a travel french press, and the coffee from it was better (IMHO) than that from most automatic drip coffee makers.

I'll 3rd or 4th the french press recommendation.

I didn't want our ugly old black plastic braun machine (which made nice coffee) sitting on my pretty new granite.

So I got DH a French Press for xmas. It's attractive and the coffee is really nice. Takes about the same amount of time as the drip guy too.

Pretty isn't it?! A Frieling.

{{!gwi}}

Starbucks Via. Even the via decaf is good. And, I am not a fan of the regular Starbucks brewed coffee but the Via is the best there is

Do you happen to have a Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker? If you do, you might not have to go out and buy anything.

I am in Ohio but got hit by the huge IKE winds that put our city out of power, some for weeks!

I had a gas range and boiled water. Then I put a filter with ground coffee in the iced tea pot. I poured the boiling water through it...it does not need power to work. My neighbors LOVED me during the outage!

French presses work great too!

Here is a link that might be useful: iced tea makers

If you will have access to a gas burner, use a stove top coffee percolator. Makes the best coffee in the world. Mine is not as nice as the one I am linking - just a cheapo I have had for years to take camping. Occasionally, on the weekends, I will brew stove top coffee.

I have always had a burner on my outdoor gas grill to use during power outages.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stove top percolator

Yes, the stove top percolator works great and you will be very, very popular in your neighborhood, too. :)

Enough of the coffee talk..... I assume you have a supply of red wine since the white won't be chilled without the electricity.

and take care. I will be thinking of you, your DH and all the cats.

Thank you all again! DH thinks what he have will work, but if we happen to get out to the store tomorrow, will check out what they have as well. I'll be sure to savor my freshly brewed 1/2 cup tomorrow morning, just in case it's the last decent coffee we can make for awhile!

kk--don't you know it--though our red wine supply is dwindling, and then I accidentally broke two bottles of wine a week and a half ago! :-(

("All" the cats = two )

Glad to see I'm not the only one worried about the lack of coffee! My mom always used a melita -- I went to several stores yesterday and couldn't find one. So I bought a french press--Bodum. After brewing, the cup was loaded with coffee grounds. I know you are supposed to use a coarse ground, but looking at the actual holes in the press, I noticed that they are very large--apparently I didn't grind the beans properly. Though I have the say the coffee tasted great after I strained it.
Love the tied up filter idea and will try that today:) Just in case...

Enduring,
Your coffee was called tramp coffee in the old days. Although they actually just dumped the coffee in the water and boiled. I didn't have the nerve to suggest it since a stove top percolater would work or a French Press. But you reminded me of the old days when my husband really thought the tramp coffee was a delight during outages and claimed it was far better than any other around.

Medaglia d'Oro Instant Espresso coffee is the best instant. Also, another thing you can try in a pinch. Put a teaspoon (or more) of unsweetened cocoa powder in hot water. Very nice dark unsweet tasting hot drink.