If you’ve ever been camping then you know the most important thing to pack is your coffee. All adventures call for reliable gear, but especially when it comes to brewing your morning joe.
If you’ve ever forgotten your coffee, or worse, resorted to cowboy coffee or brewed your grounds with a paper towel, then it’s time to invest in a proper way to make coffee while camping. It’s been proven that tasty coffee always makes camping in the wilderness even better.
Investing in a proper coffee setup can help you enjoy your camping outdoors more, ensuring you savor every moment, and every drop, amidst nature’s beauty.
The best overall camping coffee maker is the AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press. Engineered to make high-quality coffee in minutes and fast clean-up, it’s your trusty companion for crafting the perfect cup of coffee wherever your adventures take you.
But wait, there’s more! Whether you’re trekking through rugged terrain or lounging by the campfire, we’ve curated a selection of the finest camping coffee makers to suit every need, from the best coffee maker for espresso, for packability, the lightest, the best for those on a budget and also one for groups. Read on to discover our top picks for the best camping coffee makers of 2024.
Author Tim Ferris described the AeroPress as the coffee maker a barista would use while traveling. If that doesn’t make it clear why we love the AeroPress for camping, you’ll soon see why.
The innovative design of the AeroPress – an airtight container and press to extract as much flavor as possible – makes it easy for you to enjoy awesome coffee right at your campsite. The quality of the coffee is so great, that some coffee shops even provide Aeropress-brews in store.
Originally introduced in 2005, the AeroPress gained a dedicated following among coffee lovers for its ability to produce a delicious cup of joe with minimal bitterness or acidity. With the release of the AeroPress Go, this portable coffee maker became the best camping coffee maker delivering some of the best-tasting coffee.
One of the standout features of the AeroPress Go is its compact design. The AeroPress Go maintains impressive brewing capacity and the inclusion of a travel mug makes it a perfect companion outside, ensuring coffee drinkers can enjoy their morning brew wherever their travels take them.
Portable coffee makers can still make great coffee with customizable brewing options. With its simple yet effective brewing process, users can adjust variables such as grind size and water temperature to achieve the perfect extraction. Whether you prefer a bold espresso or a milder brew, the AeroPress Go consistently delivers exceptional quality.
When it comes to taste, an Aeropress coffee maker consistently produces a superior cup of coffee with significantly less acidity compared to other brewing methods. Its innovative design where the user pushes the water through, ensures a smooth and flavorful extraction process, resulting in a rich and satisfying brew that rivals that of a traditional coffee maker.
While the AeroPress Go offers numerous benefits, it does come with some considerations. The device consists of several small parts, which may not be ideal for those who prefer a simpler brewing process. Additionally, the AeroPress Go brews only one cup at a time, which may not be suitable for larger groups.
The Wacaco Nanopresso camping coffee maker is among the best for those who prioritize delicious espresso. Its innovative design allows for brewing rich espresso with a caramel crema, which is the rich creamy layer of foam that forms on top of a freshly brewed espresso shot.
What coffee lover wouldn’t want a gourmet cup even while camping? Despite its compact size, the Nanopresso ensures a full-bodied coffee experience, rivaling that of others typically used at home. With its portability and ability to produce delicious coffee in just a few minutes, the Nanopresso can vastly enhance your camping experience.
Brewing coffee with the Nanopresso is a breeze, especially for those who enjoy finely ground coffee beans. Its patented pumping system delivers consistent pressure, resulting in an excellent coffee taste.
The Nanopresso is an investment, but while the Nanopresso may not be the cheapest option, its performance and coffee quality make it worth it for those seeking the best camping coffee maker. Whether you’re camping or going on a backcountry trek, the Nanopresso offers a convenient way to brew fast espresso.
When it comes to blind taste tests, the Nanopresso consistently outperforms others, providing coffee aficionados with a gourmet cup even in the wilderness. Its ease of use and ability to produce a great espresso quickly make it a favorite among coffee drinkers who appreciate good coffee while camping.
The MiiR Pourigami stands out as one of the most packable portable pour-over coffee makers available, due to its exceptional performance when making coffee and its innovative design. Crafted from stainless steel, this compact drip coffee maker is perfect for brewing delicious cups of coffee while camping. The Pourigami delivers consistently great-tasting coffee with minimal effort using the pour-over method.
The Pourigami allows you to brew coffee using your preferred grind size, whether it’s finely ground for a richer flavor or coarsely ground for a milder flavor. Its origami-esque construction makes it easy to assemble, and its stainless steel panels mean it won’t break easily. With its compact size, the Pourigami is ideal for car camping or backpacking trips, providing coffee drinkers with a convenient way to enjoy their favorite brews in the great outdoors, but also anywhere else. It’s a great tool to pack in your suitcase or just bring to work if the stale coffee pot in the break room makes you squirm.
Reviewers say the Pourigami impresses even the most discerning coffee drinkers in a blind taste test with its gourmet flavor and smooth finish. Whether you’re using the pour-over to brew a single cup or making coffee for the whole crew, the Pourigami’s easy-to-use design and efficient cleanup process make it a favorite for campers. Plus, it has the ability to produce delicious coffee quickly so that you can enjoy your morning cuppa without delay.
The Pourigami’s durable construction and superior taste make it a worthwhile investment for campers who prioritize quality and convenience. With its sleek design that’s easy to pack away and clean with a quick rinse, it’s no wonder the Pourigami has become a favorite among adventurers.
The GSI Ultralight Java Drip is the lightest and most affordable coffee accessory we have seen compared to other coffee makers. For minimalists, the convenience of the GSI Ultralight stands out.
Making coffee while camping can be a pain. This pour-over drip coffee maker also features a design with an integrated nylon filter and attached clips that are compatible with anything from a wide-rimmed thermos to narrow water bottles, just pour boiling water over your coffee and you’re good to go.
The GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip stands out as one of our favorite camp coffeemakers because it offers campers and backpackers a lightweight and compact solution for brewing delicious coffee on the trail in seconds. Its innovative design and minimalistic construction make it ideal for those who prioritize weight and simplicity when they’re camping. Weighing just 0.4 ounces, this coffee maker is perfect for adventurers embarking on multi-day backpacking excursions where every gram counts.
The Ultralight Java Drip has a simple compact design, which doesn’t take up much space in your pack. Its unique brewing method ensures that users can enjoy a flavorful cup of coffee without the risk of overstepping, making it a favorite among coffee drinkers who appreciate a well-brewed morning cup while backpacking. Additionally, the flexible filter design simplifies the cleaning process, adding to the overall convenience while camping.
Despite its lightweight construction, the Ultralight Java Drip is durable and still produces a rich and full-bodied pour-over that rivals the taste of coffee made with larger and more complex brewing methods. Its simplicity and ease of use make it a favorite among coffee drinkers who value convenience and quality when making their morning brew.
While a small coffee maker usually makes less coffee, it can be adapted by adding more grounds, allowing users to brew enough coffee for multiple cups at a time. It’s a great choice for campers who need a dependable, light coffee maker.
When it comes to selecting the best camp coffeemaker for making coffee while camping, campers who prioritize durability, and convenience, won’t negotiate on great taste should try the Fellow Clara coffee press. The Fellow Clara French press is a top choice for those who prefer brewing coffee in a coffee press.
Crafted from sturdy stainless steel, unlike other French presses, the Fellow Clara is built to endure the rigors of the outdoors but is also nice enough that you can use it at home too. It features a sleek and beautiful design that adds a touch of sophistication to any campsite, while its vacuum-insulated walls ensure your coffee stays piping hot in the French press, even during chilly mornings around the campfire.
But the Clara French press isn’t just about looks and durability; it’s also about delivering a delicious cup of coffee. With its enhanced filtration mesh, this French press guarantees a clean and sediment-free brew, whether you prefer finely or medium ground beans.
What sets the Fellow Clara apart from other camping French presses is its thoughtful features tailored for outdoor use. The inclusion of ratio aid lines on the inside of the coffee press eliminates the need for a coffee scale, making it easier for campers to measure out the perfect coffee-to-water ratio, even in the wilderness. A French press provides a different flavor than drip coffee makers, so if that’s your preference this is our favorite coffee maker for that brewing method. You can also make a cold brew overnight if you prefer cold coffee.
The Clara’s all-directional pour lid makes it easy to pour, eliminating the hassle of precise alignment – a convenient feature we appreciate when camping. And with its easy-to-clean design, you can spend less time on cleanup and more time enjoying nature.
While the Fellow Clara is quite expensive compared to other camping coffee makers, its quality construction, exceptional coffee brewing capabilities, and usefulness back home in the city, make it a worthwhile investment for coffee drinkers who refuse to compromise on taste.
As a camping coffee pot, the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Percolator emerges as one of the best ways to make coffee while camping. A percolator makes brewing a great cup of black coffee easy, just pop the grounds and water onto the stove and soon your coffee is ready.
The GSI Glacier has a robust stainless steel construction, making it a reliable choice for camping trips, backpacking when weight isn’t a concern, or for car camping. The percolator’s simple brew method is great for camping, eliminating the need for disposable filters and streamlining the process without the need to boil water separately.
The GSI Glacier can accommodate various grind sizes to achieve the desired taste and strength, whether brewing finely ground coffee for an espresso-like experience or opting for medium grind for a full-bodied cup. If you don’t want to resort to instant coffee or are being rushed to provide the morning’s hot drinks, the percolator’s ability to brew large quantities of coffee allows everyone to get their morning coffee fix and fast.
A percolator enhances the coffee’s flavor profile, resulting in a delicious and satisfying cup of coffee every time. The absence of paper filters allows the natural oils and flavors of the coffee beans to shine.
For those who enjoy the ritual of brewing coffee while camping, the GSI Glacier is a great way to make coffee over a campfire or use a camp stove on your outdoor adventures.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Camping Coffee Maker
Some of the factors you might consider when buying a coffee maker for camping are going to be weight, construction, how easy it is to use, how easy it is to clean, and what kind of coffee it can brew.
Find Your Preferred Brewing Method
Even if you’re camping, one of the most important aspects to look at when buying a coffee maker is how the coffee tastes. Each brewing method produces a different-tasting coffee.
Percolators use a cycling method where hot water continuously passes through coffee grounds until the desired strength is achieved. This method produces a bold and robust cup of coffee, with a longer brewing time.
French presses use a steeping brew method, where coarsely ground coffee is steeped in hot water before filtering the brewed coffee using a built-in plunger with a mesh filter. This results in a rich and full-bodied flavor profile with a textured mouthfeel, and brewing typically takes around five minutes.
Pour-over coffee is brewed by manually pouring hot water over coffee grounds in a filter, allowing the water to drip through and extract flavors. It offers a clean and crisp flavor profile, highlighting the nuanced flavors of the coffee beans, and brewing time can vary depending on factors like grind size and pouring technique.
Espresso makers use pressure to force hot water through finely ground coffee beans, resulting in a concentrated and intense shot of coffee known as espresso. Espresso has a bold and intense flavor profile with a thick crema layer, and brewing is rapid for a single shot.
Aeropress is a unique plunger to brew espresso using air pressure to produce low-acidity and bitter coffee compared to other methods. It’s like a French Press with a coffee filter and added air pressure which extracts extra flavor.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Look for a camping coffee maker that is easy to clean and maintain when you’re camping. Choose models with simple designs and removable parts for effortless cleaning, as you’ll want a hassle-free experience in the wilderness without the need for intricate maintenance routines.
Ease of Use
The best camping coffeemakers are simple to use. Despite all the fuss about drippers, when you’re camping you may have to compromise. Test out your best camping coffee maker at home before you go out camping to make sure it doesn’t take too long or is too complicated for the trail.
Capacity
Do you like six cups of coffee in one morning or want to travel with friends? Consider how many cups of coffee you’ll want to make. If you’re car camping or on a camping trip where you need to provide for a lot of people, a larger coffee maker that can provide multiple cups may be a better option. It’s important to check if the coffee maker is compatible with your camping setup, whether it’s a stove, campfire, or portable stove. Ensure it can handle the heat source you plan to use.
Weight and Durability
If you’re going to be backpacking, check the weight of your coffee maker and go for one that is simple to use, easy to clean, and lightweight like the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip. Make sure whatever you choose is ready to get used outdoors and is made from rugged materials like stainless steel or BPA-free plastic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best coffee maker for camping groups?
A large French press or high-capacity percolator is a great option for a camping coffee maker when you have a big group. Percolators are well-suited for brewing multiple cups of coffee at once, making them ideal for accommodating the needs of a group. Additionally, they are durable, easy to use, and can be placed directly on a campfire or camping stove for brewing. Brands like GSI Outdoors offer percolators in various sizes, including models with 12 to 14-cup capacities, making them great for camping groups.
What is the best coffee-making method for camping?
The best coffee-making method for camping ultimately depends on how you like your coffee or how fast you like your coffee while camping. Instant coffee is easy but may not taste great.
French presses are durable, easy to use, and produce flavorful coffee are can make multiple cups at once. Pour-over coffee makers are lightweight and compact, making them convenient for camping but may require paper filters. They offer control over the brewing process and can produce a delicious cup of coffee. Percolators are traditional camping coffee makers that are sturdy and can brew large quantities of coffee over a campfire or camping stove. They are great for groups and provide a classic camping coffee experience. AeroPress coffee makers are portable and versatile, allowing solo campers to brew coffee quickly and easily. They are durable and produce a smooth, rich cup of coffee.
What is the best espresso coffee maker for camping?
One of the best espresso coffee makers for camping is the WACACO Nanopresso. This portable espresso maker is specifically designed for outdoor use and is favored by campers for its compact size, durability, and ability to produce high-quality espresso without electricity. The Nanopresso features a patented pumping system that allows for consistent pressure, resulting in an espresso with a caramel crema, reminiscent of espresso made with larger, traditional machines. Despite its small size, the Nanopresso delivers a full-bodied coffee experience and is compatible with finely ground coffee beans.
How do you store coffee while camping?
Storing your coffee in an airtight canister in a clean and dry area to protect against sunlight and moisture. Airtight containers help preserve the freshness of the coffee and prevent it from absorbing unwanted flavors from the surroundings. Moisture buildup can lead to stale coffee. Avoid placing the coffee near heat sources or in direct sunlight, as exposure to heat and light can degrade the quality of the coffee.
If space is limited, consider using resealable ziplock bags to store your coffee. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bags to minimize oxidation and keep the coffee fresh. To make your coffee taste better, grind your coffee beans just before brewing. Pre-ground coffee tends to lose its aroma and flavor more quickly than whole beans. It can be helpful to divide your coffee into smaller portions that you’ll use within a few days to minimize exposure to air and maintain freshness.
The Best Camp Coffeemakers
Selecting the ideal camp coffee maker can seem like a difficult task, but nailing down your preferences will help the process along. Making sure you find the best one tailored to your needs is crucial for a great camping experience.
Whether you prefer a French press for its simplicity, a pour-over for its versatility and convenience, or a portable espresso maker for a gourmet touch, figuring out your brewing preference will help you choose the right coffee maker for you.
Consider factors like how heavy the coffee maker is, the capacity to brew enough coffee for your group, and how easy it is to use and clean before making a decision.
Our top recommendation for the best all-around camping coffee maker is the versatile AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press. The AeroPress Go stands out as the best camping coffee maker for those who want a compact, durable coffee maker with exceptional brewing performance and a great final flavor. With its ability to deliver a superior cup of coffee in any setting, the AeroPress Go has become a favorite among coffee drinkers who love to travel and camp.
Whether you’re brewing coffee solo or enjoying a cup by the campfire with friends, one of our top picks for the best camp coffee makers will be a great fit for you.
