When you saw the title of this article, the first thing that probably came to mind was, “can’t you just put it in the microwave?” Technically, you can put a lot of things in the microwave — but just because you heated up doesn’t mean it will taste the way it should.

If you make or order a big ol’ cup of Joe with plans to revisit it later you’ll want it to taste just as good as it did when it was freshly brewed. In that case, our first piece of advice is to steer clear of the microwave. Though this will bring your drink from hot to cold quickly, it doesn’t do much for the flavor. In fact, it does the complete opposite.

Reheating your coffee in the microwave breaks down any of the aromas that are left from when the coffee was first brewed. When we say aroma, we’re not just talking about the smell. Coffee aroma is responsible for everything that gives coffee flavor. This includes the salt, bitter, sweet, and sour tastes in your cup. Breaking down the aromas will kill the flavor and make your coffee taste stale. At that point, you might as well brew another batch or make another Starbucks run.

The best way to reheat your coffee is by heating it up on the stove top on low temperature. This doesn’t require any special spoons or pots, (though there are some available for purchase), simply use any pot in your kitchen cabinet.

If you are sure to keep it on low temperature, you don’t have to hover over it and constantly stir it with a spoon. This way, you can enjoy your coffee without literally frying away all of the flavor. But please, be patient! If you try to heat it up at a high temperature, it may burn the pot or taste like burnt liquid. Make sure you keep the temperature on low and don’t rush the process, because the only thing that taste worse than cold coffee is burnt coffee.

The accompanying slideshow is provided by Jess Novak.