When you’re out camping, be it near the calm blue waters or amid the wild jungles, that morning coffee fix is an absolute must! If you’re a die-hard coffee lover, it certainly won’t matter to you if you’re waking up in a portable tent set up somewhere on the side of some gigantic mountain. All you need is a steaming cup of delicious and rich coffee to kickstart your day and truly enjoy that golden morning sun with the cold breeze around you.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
But to be able to do that, you need a really good coffee maker that you can easily take with you on your camping trip.
The best coffee maker for camping is one that is easy to carry, easy to use, brews a delectable cup of coffee, and packs down flat. It should also be light and easy to carry around, have a well-conceived design, and provide good value for money.
The 4 Best Coffee Makers for Camping
To help you get your much-needed coffee fix on your camping trips, we have come with some of the best coffee makers for you, each of which boasts unique features and qualities.
1. AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
This is one of the most popular coffee makers among coffee enthusiasts, primarily because it features a ‘total immersion brewing process,’ which is extremely swift and smooth.
The AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker is a great substitute for all those French Press coffee machines as it doesn’t create the high acidity and bitterness levels that are characteristic of the French Press. This coffee maker comes with a filter holder, the press, 350 microfilters, a funnel, and a handy stirrer. All these accessories greatly help campers make a full-flavored cup of coffee that is void of any acidic or bitter aftertaste.
A great feature of this machine is that it also allows you to brew espresso shots that you can use to make cappuccinos and lattes. In addition to that, a single press produces about 1-3 cups of American Coffee in less than a minute, which is great for camping!
It is super lightweight, portable, compact, and durable, making it an ideal coffee maker for camping.
Pros
- Comes with a zippered nylon tote bag for traveling
- Easy to clean in just a few seconds
- Excellent value for money
- Has a paper microfilter that eliminates grit
Cons
- The dark color makes it hard to see the amount of water
- Requires extremely precise measurements
- Doesn’t have an automatic brewing process
2. GSI Outdoors French Press Coffee Mug
This product has been touted as the ‘most reliable’ coffee maker for camping that you will ever find, and for all the right reasons, too.
The GSI Outdoors Coffee Mug allows you to escape the daily grind with the help of its press filter design. This design helps campers make mouthwatering French Press coffee by following a very simple process; just hold the base and then lower the coffee plunger in a swift, gentle motion.
This coffee maker is BPA free and is made using copolyester, which is an extremely durable and shatter-resistant material. It also has a double-walled insulated lid that keeps your coffee perfectly hot for a really long time. Another impressive feature is that the handle of the coffee mug is made of a water-resistant cloth that helps protect your hands and also keeps the coffee hot.
Pros
- The coffee plunger has a good mesh and metal rod
- Incredibly lightweight and easy to carry
- The sleeve keeps the hands from burning
- Produces a rich, decent amount of coffee
- Has a nice, tight seal
Cons
- The main component is made of plastic
- Might produce a subtle, plastic-like aftertaste
- The square-shaped spout makes it hard to pour the coffee
3. Primula Coffee Brew Buddy
This is a great coffee maker for camping because it fully serves the purpose of ‘coffee-on-the-go’ and has mainly been designed for all the coffee lovers and enthusiastic campers out there.
The most striking feature of the Primula Coffee Brew Buddy is its slim and sleek design, which makes it extremely portable and easy to carry on camping trips. The design also makes it possible for you to brew a delicious, steaming cup of coffee wherever you may be, in less than even 30 seconds!
It comes with an extra-fine mesh filter that is reusable and easily fits all types and sizes of coffee mugs. The best part of the filter is that it effectively prevents the coffee grounds from entering your cup of coffee.
As the name suggests, this coffee maker is your true ‘brew buddy’ as it has an easy-to-use and hassle-free coffee brewing mechanism. All you need to do is place it over your coffee mug, add your favorite coffee blend over the mesh and then pour hot water over it.
Pros
- Folds out small and compact
- Can fit inside your purse or pocket
- Produces an excellent cup of coffee
- It is completely dishwasher safe
- The mesh filter is top-quality and is reusable
Cons
- Only makes a single cup of coffee at one time
- The coffee grinds tend to get stuck in the seams
4. Planetary Design Table Top French Press
This coffee maker is like a revolutionized version of a French Press with its amazing Brü-Stop press technology that helps produce the perfect cup of coffee. This feature stops the brewing process once fully pressed down and perfectly prevents the grounds from entering the piping-hot brewed coffee.
The Planetary Design Table Top French Press comes with a vacuum-sealed exterior along with a double-layered wall, together which provides optimum heat retention and helps keep your coffee hot. A great feature of this product is that it has a double filtration system that produces a fine, clean brew without any coffee grounds or residue.
Some of its basic accessories include a plunger press and a stainless steel mesh screen that plays a key role in brewing a good cup of coffee.
Pros
- Available in multiple colors and sizes
- Has a glossy, scratch-resistant surface
- Features a stylish, rugged design
- Provides optimal insulation and heat retention
- Makes use of updated technology that provides superior durability
Cons
- Creates a mess while pouring
- The plunger doesn’t always work
- Filter tends to clog with repeated usage
What to Consider When Buying a Coffee Maker for Camping
It is very important to know what features to look for when buying a nice, portable coffee maker for your camping trips. The last thing you want is to wake up in your camping tent to bad, distasteful coffee, which is enough to ruin your morning.
Therefore, you must consider the following features when making your purchase.
Weight
Camping calls for a very lightweight and easy-to-carry coffee maker because you don’t want to end up with a heavy machine that is hard to carry. You need a brewing device that you can easily fit in your camping backpack and one that also packs down flat and easy.
Brew Strength
Some people like really intense-bitter-flavored coffee while others prefer a mild-tasting brew. The best coffee maker for camping allows you to control the intensity of your coffee without having to keep changing the coffee beans. This is a very important feature to consider, keeping in mind the fact that different campers are not likely to prefer the same kind of intensity of their coffee.
Ease of Use
When you’re camping, you want a quick coffee fix without any elaborate or fancy brewing mechanism. Look for a coffee maker that is easy to use, produces delicious coffee in a matter of seconds, and is completely hassle-free.
Our Final Thoughts
Now that you know our top picks for the best coffee maker for camping, you can easily pick one that fits your needs and preferences. The key is to choose the one that perfectly suits your camping style and has all those features that you’d want in your coffee maker.
While you’re at it, enjoy a rich, mouthwatering cup of coffee and kickstart your camping mornings with a powerful caffeine hit!