How I Replaced My Microwave Without Buying a New One

So, we’re still without a microwave, and I still don’t think we’ll get one. We lost an old, but reliable, car recently, so there really isn’t room in the budget. The space formerly occupied by the microwave has been filled with a few things, including kids’ art, bread and plastic wrap. This lack of a replacement hasn’t been that big of a deal, except for one thing: reheating coffee.

I am one of those gross people who reheats her coffee more than once. I’m not proud of this, but I bet a few of you who work at home will admit to doing the same thing.

I thought the loss of the microwave would cure me of this habit. We use a stovetop moka pot to make coffee, and mine only makes two American-sized mugs. Drink it or don’t, right? But I let it get cold, every single day. I hate waste, so I end up reheating it on the stove, in a makeshift bain marie.

My bain marie is not a proper one. It’s usually whatever pot is closest, filled with an inch or two of water. I end up using it more than once in a day, to melt butter, re-heat coffee or tea, warm milk, or steam some frozen vegetables, so I’ve stopped dumping the water after the first use. As a result, there is pretty much always a small pot of water on the stove.

What do you think? Will I get past the loss of the microwave or is the little pot of water on the stove just a permanent quirk in our kitchen?

And if you also get by without a microwave, what do you use for its regular functions like heating up food and defrosting meat?