To save you a little bit of time, if you purchase pre-ground coffee (say roasted coffee) then you will not have to concern yourself with this question. If not and you have regular coffee beans, there are a few ways you can grind them before placing them in your coffee maker. The most obvious way is with a coffee grinder, as they are specifically designed to grind up coffee beans. But, if you do not have one or know someone with one (and do not want to invest in one) there are alternative methods.
A food processor or blender will accomplish the same feat as a grinder. All you need to do is smash them up so they will work in the coffee maker, so you do not need anything fancy. Alright, so let’s say you do not have a grinder, blender, or food processor. You still have a chance for success, as long as you have a hammer or other smashing tool. Use this tool to manually smash each bean until you have enough grounds. Sure, this is the cheapest method but also the most tedious and annoying. For your sanity, do everything in your power to grind them with a machine.