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Coffee is my life, and these are my 5 favorite coffee makers for camping adventures
So you're going away for a camping break, but the thought of being separated from your coffee machine is giving you sleepless nights – what can you do?
Don't worry, I'm here to help. I test the best coffee makers for a living and am the former editor of a camping website, so over the years I've learned a thing or two about brewing up in the great outdoors. If you're wondering how to get your caffeine fix under canvas, I've put together a list of five of the best tools that make preparing coffee outdoors quick, easy, and convenient – with minimal washing up to worry about.
Whether you're backpacking and need something ultra-light,. or you're indulging in a spot of glamping and can afford to take some extra weight, there's an outdoor coffee maker for you.
1. Yeti Rambler Pour-Over
Brewing coffee doesn't get much simpler than good old pour-over, but this smart dripper from Yeti is a step above your average brewer. The Yeti Rambler Pour-Over made from kitchen-grade stainless steel, is puncture- and rust-proof, and has double-wall insulation to keep your coffee as hot as possible when you're brewing up in cold weather.
It's specially designed to fit snugly on top of most Rambler drinkware, making it a good choice if you already have one of Yeti's insulated cups or bottles, but it also works just find with camping mugs from other brands. A raised rim around the bottom helps prevent it slipping if your mug is on a slight incline, or it's a particularly windy day.
It's dishwasher-safe, but it's so easy to clean by hand that there's no need to wait until you get home to clean it. Just wash it down under clean water and it's good to go again, which is very handy when you're at camp.
At 9.6oz / 272g it's the heaviest dripper I've used, and if you're backpacking then a simple plastic V60 will be a more practical option, but if you can afford the weight then it comes highly recommended.
A V60 dripper can only make a single serving though, and if you're camping as a group, you might want something more capacious. Enter the Yeti Rambler French Press...
2. Yeti Rambler French Press
The Yeti Rambler French Press, which launched last year, is the most expensive coffee-maker in this guide, and its weight (starting at 42.3oz/ 1.2kg) means it's not for backpackers, but its tough build and dual-wall insulation mean it's ideal for family adventures and car camping. It looks great too, and I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up seeing daily use in your kitchen too.
The Rambler French Press is available in two sizes (34oz / 1 liter and 64oz / 1.9 liters) and comes in a selection of striking colors, including a couple of limited-edition options (ultramarine violet and black forest green).
The filter has an unusual soft top, which is an interesting design feature that's designed to prevent your brewed coffee staying in contact with the grounds after you've pushed the plunger, effectively stopping the brewing process and preventing your drink from becoming over-extracted. In my tests it worked well, and didn't impede the movement of the plunger at all. In fact, the plunger pushed very easily, with little resistance thanks to the pitcher's non-stick coating.
The lid locks into place with a small twist, and the insulated pitcher retains heat well even though there's no way to cover the pouring hole. During testing, I found that half a carafe was still drinkable 122F / 50C two hours after plunging.
The Yeti Rambler French Press is dishwasher-safe, so you could wait until you get home to clean it, but in my experience the old coffee and grounds practically fall off, so you can easily clean it anywhere with a clean water supply.
3. Aeropress
The trusty Aeropress is a hugely popular choice among campers, and for good reason. It's easy to use, extremely tough (have you ever actually seen a broken one, because I haven't) and weighs only 7.75oz / 220g including the cap, scoop, and stirrer. Once only available in black-tinted plastic (shown above), the Aeropress now comes in an array of candy colors, plus an XL-sized version that can brew enough for two, and comes with a plastic pitcher so you can easily split the coffee between two mugs.
If you're a frequent camper, it's worth taking at look at the Aeropress Go, which includes a holder for 20 filter papers, and a mug that double as a carry case.
In terms of brewing, the Aeropress works in a similar way to a French press, but with a small circular filter paper rather than metal mesh, meaning you can use a finer grind. You get 100 papers included with the standard kit, and the Aeropress's popularity means you should have no trouble stocking up with more when you run out.
Place the filter paper inside the perforated bottom part of the Aeropress (dampening it will help it stick), then screw it onto the tube section. Place this assembly on top of your camping mug and add your coffee using the long-handled scoop; Pour in your hot water and gently agitate the grounds using the T-shaped stirrer (or a spoon if you don't want to carry a single-use utensil).
After a couple of minutes, place the plunger into the top of the tube and press down to force the coffee through the filter. The resulting coffee is consistently delicious, and if you have a portable coffee grinder like the GSI Javagrind (below) you can experiment with grind size to change the flavor.
When you're done, just unscrew the bottom of the Aeropress and push the plunger all the way to eject the used grounds. You can get away with just rinsing the press during a week-long camping trip, then give it a more thorough wash with hot water and dish soap when you get home, or on the top rack of your dishwasher.
4. Barista & Co Strong Brew
The Strong Brew coffee maker from Barista & Co works in a very similar way to the Aeropress, but its design means you only need to gently twist its two handles to extract your coffee, rather than exert strong downward pressure, which you may find more comfortable and easier without a stable, flat surface – perfect for campers on rough terrain.
The brewer comes in three parts: the top section which contains a rubberized plunger, the middle (basically a tube with a screw thread), and the bottom, which holds a circular filter paper. Having examined both, I found that these papers are exactly the same size as those used by the standard Aeropress (the only difference is that those provided with the Strong Brew are unbleached). It's a smart move from Barista and Co, because Aeropress filters are easy to find online, or in outdoor gear stores.
Place your paper in the bottom section, screw on the middle part (it locks into place without too much force), then place it on top of your cup and add your coffee grounds. The Strong Brew makes a single serving approximately the same as a double espresso, so about 18g will work well.
Now you're ready to pour in your hot water, taking care not to overfill the brewer (if you do, it'll overflow when you tighten it). Put the top plunger section in place and begin to twist it, stopping when it starts to turn, and leave the coffee to brew for a couple of minutes before pushing the two handles together to force the coffee through the filter. The Strong Brew fitted snugly into the top of my camping cup, so there was no leakage at all
It might cost a bit more than an Aeropress, but it works very well, and takes barely any effort, making it a good option for anyone who loves a strong pick-me-up, but perhaps doesn't have full mobility or strength in their wrists.
5. GSI Outdoors Javagrind
OK, I'm cheating a little here – this isn't strictly a coffee maker, but it will make your brews taste better. It's tempting to take a bag of pre-ground coffee to camp, but with this compact little device, you can grind your own fresh whenever you want to brew up.
GSI Outdoors offers a huge range of coffee-making equipment for use in the wild, including percolators, drippers, and kettles, but the Javagrind is one of the most interesting. It weighs only 8oz / 227g, and has a cleverly designed handle that can be removed and re-positioned so it lies flush with the grinder's body.
Inside, you'll find conical ceramic burrs, which is surprising for such an affordable little grinder (you might expect the burrs to be steel instead at this price). You can adjust the grind size by turning a small dial on the bottom. This isn't labelled, but look closely and you'll be able to see the burrs moving closer together or further apart to grind finer or more coarsely.
Beans are loaded into the top section, which is a little fiddly due to the grinder's tiny size, so I recommend doing it over a camping bowl or plate in case you drop any. There are markers on the side to give an indication of weight, but this is only a rough guide. I loaded the grinder to the 15g mark, then tipped the beans out onto an electric scale and found I'd actually added 20g.
The burrs turn easily, with the blue handle providing a comfortable grip, and you'll soon have a capful of fresh grounds to add to your brewer of choice. You won't get the super-fine, even grind you would with a high-end grinder, but for pour-over or plungers at camp, it works just fine.
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