7 Best Camping Coffee Makers

For this year, we have compared 19 of the bestselling coffee makers in the market so that you won’t have to. These brewers aren’t only for those looking for some camp brew but even for those who just want some great coffee in the comfort of their homes. 

Without further ado, here are our reviews!

This wins the top overall camping coffee maker! This champion of a coffee maker is made of plastic and comes in a cone shape. It’s easy to use and serves you some great cups of Joe. It weighs around 2.95 ounces (3.37 ounces with its measuring scoop), so it’s definitely on the lighter side.

Compared to this Hario V60, the Aeropress actually creates better-tasting coffee, but it’s thrice the price, twice the weight, and is less easy to use.

One of the drawbacks of this dripper is that it may take some time before you master the finesse and technique required. It also needs V60-specific filters to function. To help you with the taste, consider using a finely ground and uniform coffee which is best achieved using a burr grinder.

Some more things to consider are your coffee-to-water ratio and the time of your bloom and brew. But, once you get the hang of it, you will surely enjoy your clean and delicious coffee every time!

• Weight: 2.95 oz
• Brew type: Pour over
• Gourmet
• Great design
• Lightweight
• V60-specific paper filter requirement
• Requires mastery of technique
• Odd shape

Melitta 1-Cup Pour-Over

If you’re on a budget, this one will definitely serve you best. The Melitta 1-Cup Pour Over looks like the Hario V60 but is only cheaper. It’s lighter than the Hario, and it has a thoughtful hole that allows you to see what goes on inside to ultimately avoid overflow. Plus, its filters are more accessible.

The downside, however, is that the V60 undoubtedly produces a more delicious cup of coffee than this dripper. But, most people won’t even recognize this since the difference is not that significant. With this one, you basically get what you pay for!

If you want some decent cups, but you’re working on a budget, check this out as soon as possible.

• Weight: 2.01 oz
• Brew type: Pour over
• Lightweight
• Simple to use
• Affordable
• Has a view hole for overflow prevention
• Requires paper filters
• Mastery of technique is required
• Bulky

Primula Coffee Brew Buddy

The Primula Coffee Brew Buddy is especially great for backpackers. It is lightweight, so carrying it won’t be a burden. This guy is compact but durable!

It also does not require any filters, so it’s low maintenance without compromising the coffee quality. 

One of the tricky parts of using this coffee maker is that you should have precise timing when removing it from your cup, or else your coffee will be at risk of overstepping. I guess nobody wants so over-extracted and bitter coffee, right?

The Brew Buddy definitely is worth looking into if you’re a backpacker who does not want to shell out lots of money.

• Weight: 1.1 oz
• Brew type: Pour over
• No filter requirement
• Affordable
• Lightweight 
• Compact
• Easy to use
• Must lift out of the cup to avoid over-steeping
• Delicate filter

Aeropress Coffee Maker

The Aeropress Coffee Maker easily wins and tops the gourmet department. If the taste is your top priority, this is our best offer. With this brewer, you will have some delicious espresso-like shots to create your lovely Cafe Americano.

This is not only great for camping but is even a great addition to your home kitchen. The good thing with this is that it’s so portable without compromising the quality of caffeine it serves. Cleaning it is a breeze: just remove the grinding residue and let the plunger do its thing!

One of the downsides of this coffee maker is that it takes a while before fully mastering its use. You also need to ensure that your cup is wide enough to cover all the coffee that will flow out of the brewer. 

• Weight: 7.98 oz
• Brew type: Espresso/ Pour over
• Delicious flavor
• Various brew strength
• Portable
• Multiple compartments
• Special filter requirement
• Brews for one person at a time only

Bialetti Musa

If you can’t take any less than an espresso, then you have to invest in a Bialetti Musa. The company has overhauled its timeless stove-top espresso maker, so it’s made just perfect for the people of today. In a span of a few minutes, you will have your glorious espresso cup.

It’s a definite crowd favorite because it’s easy to operate, and it does not take a whole lot of technique to get the best taste. Additionally, it sits elegantly wherever you go with its stainless steel finish. 

But it does not come without some cons. It has been tested that its plastic handle actually comes in a strange shape for travel. Also, although it does have a 4-cup and a 6-cup option, it still may not be enough.

Take note as well that this weighs almost 20 ounces, so it may be quite heavy for backpacking. But for us, the pros definitely still outweigh these drawbacks. 

• Weight: 19.19 oz
• Brew type: Espresso
• Fast brewing
• Delicious coffee even for beginners
• Easy to clean
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Stainless steel
• Brews for one person at a time only
• Odd shape
• Heavy

MSR Mugmate Coffee Maker

For all the backpackers out there who need some no-fuss coffee maker, the MSR MugMate may be the perfect one for you. Its lightweight nature and ease of use without compromising the taste make this coffee maker a great companion for your backpacking trip.

To use it, simply add the coffee grounds of your choice along with hot water, allow it to steep for a few minutes, and there you have it! For some quick cleaning, all you have to do is tap into the trash. But you will need some rinse once in a while for obvious reasons.

Another winning feature? It can also function as a loose-leaf tea brewer but make sure you’re ready to clean it properly to avoid any mixing of tastes.

For all the good things this coffee maker can do, it still isn’t the best at producing the most delicious cup of coffee. But its ease of use makes it the best for backpackers who enjoy some decent cup of Joe. It is built rigidly. Thus, it may take some space.

However, some state that it can sit perfectly in cooking pots and mugs. Just like the other variants, the brewer must be lifted out of the cup to avoid overstepping. 

• Weight: 0.7 oz
• Brew type: Espresso/ Pour over
• No filter requirement
• Lightweight
• Compact
• Easy to clean
• Easy to achieve a consistent taste
• Durable
• Must lift out of the cup to avoid over-steeping
• Brews for one person at a time only
• Odd shape

Planetary Design French Press

Camping in large groups? Well, say no more because the Planetary Design French Press is here to cater to your needs. Most of the brewers for travel don’t have a large brewing capacity for obvious reasons. But with this coffee maker, you will not have that dilemma.

If you want to serve everyone with one single brew and still get an incredibly delicious cup, this one is an investment you can’t get wrong. It is huge, durable, and insulated. It also comes with a thoughtful “bru-stop” screen that stops the brewing to prevent over-extraction. With this, you also have good size options as it comes in 20-, 32-, and 48-ounce variants. 

A disadvantage is obviously its size. It’s large, so bringing it around is a hassle. It actually is the heaviest camping coffee maker we have tried, but it’s the price to pay for a large brewing capacity. Another setback is that it comes with a rather high price tag. 

• Weight: 30.8 oz
• Brew type: French Press
• Double filtration for a cleaner taste 
• Insulated
• No filter requirement
• Quite heavy
• Odd shape
• Water requirement for cleaning

Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

Have you ever dreamt of having the camping trip of your dreams with a coffee with some delicious crema on top? Well, that doesn’t need to stay as a dream anymore. With Wacaco Nanopresso, this dream is within reach. In fact, this Nanopresso performed outstandingly in all the blind taste tests going neck-to-neck with the AeroPress.

This is great even for beginners because it’s easy to operate. Simply fill the mini-portafilter with fine coffee grounds, tamp down with the scoop, pour in hot water, and pump until you get your beloved espresso shot.

The fact that this coffee maker comes with a lot of tiny parts is a drawback to a lot of users. It can be tedious since these are easy to lose. If you do not have a van or a camper car, access to water may be limited, so that may be a problem.

Plus, the high price tag didn’t help too! But if your priority is some delicious espresso with crema on top, we’d say that this one is an easy go. 

• Weight: 12.35 oz with all accessories
• Brew type: Espresso
• Brews the tastiest espresso with some great crema
• Straightforward
• Compact
• Comes with a handful of tiny parts
• Relatively difficult to clean
• Time-consuming

Analysis and results

There are great variations on how you can brew your coffee: dark and light roasts, espressos and pour-overs, plastic and stainless steel… there are a lot of things to consider when buying a coffee maker. Overall, this is largely dependent on your personal preference.

Value

One of the biggest fish to fry is, of course, the price. Ideally, you’d want the best coffee maker for the lowest price possible. But that isn’t always the case. Before jumpstarting your search, you have to know what your priorities are first. Is it the flavor?

Where are you going to use it? Is it the price point? The weight? The durability? And the list goes on and on and on. In line with this, we love the Hario V60 for its incredible performance for a relatively low price tag among all our contenders. 

Taste

We will not be surprised if, on top of your priority list, the taste. Of course! If you’re already investing in a coffee maker, then best believe it should be the one that satisfies your coffee cravings. 

Through our series of blind tests, AeroPress never failed and still is the reigning champion in this department. But take note that Hario V60 and the Wacaco Nanopresso come close as well. Next in line are the ESPRO Travel Press and the Bialetti Musa. 

Our winner, the AeroPress, brews a great non-bitter but smooth and robust caffeine cup, while the Nanopresso offers a rich espresso shot topped with a gracious caramel crema. Meanwhile, the Bialetti Musa is known for its flavorful coffee, as long as you do not let it overstep.

When it comes to french press, ESPRO wins the best-tasting title. Its double mesh filter is so fine that it gives you a clean taste with every brew. If you want an even cleaner cup, the ESPRO also comes with special paper filters to insert between the mesh filters. The resultant coffee actually resembles that of the V60s and Chemex. 

Now among our pour-over options, the V60 also offers a competitive taste. The vibrant flavors and the clean taste without bitterness can easily steal hearts. Add to this the 60-degree angulated cone that ensures even saturation of the coffee grounds so that you can easily avoid over-extraction. 

If you’re not a fan of paper filters or plastic pour-overs, you may enjoy the stainless steel Cafellisimo Paperless Pour Over and the Snow Peak Collapsible Coffee Drip. These are options for lesser waste produce. 

Additional thoughts on pour-over methods

If you ever choose one that utilizes the pour-over method, you have to realize that the amount of ground coffee, grind size, water temperature, beans quality, and the manner of water pouring you put in there will greatly affect the taste. Thus, it takes some mastery and finesse to perfect the technique.

Ease of use

Who doesn’t want a no-fuss, easy-to-operate machine? It’s perfect for mornings when you’re the type who can’t function without your first cup of coffee. 

Generally speaking, French press brewers offer simplicity of use as they do not require filters. However, they are difficult and tedious to clean. If your camping site offers some water source, this will not be a problem. But if not, you might have to consider other options. 

AeroPress is known to be extremely easy to clean. It can be done by simply removing what holds the filter and then pressing the plunger to remove the coffee grounds. But there’s a slight learning curve to mastering its parts.

On the other hand, Bialetti Musa and the GSI MiniEspresso are both simple to use and clean as well. Just pound the portafilter into the garbage and then wipe off the coffee grounds caught on your finger. 

We have reviewed different cone-shaped pour-over brewers, and they are also easy to use and clean. Those with paper filters are especially easy since you just have to simply lift out the filter and throw it away. 

Now, if you end up choosing a coffee maker that’s filterless, such as the Cafellissimo and the Sea to Summit X-brew, it requires more cleaning than the others. The level of difficulty depends on the filter design.

Some are easier as you can get a hold of 90% of the coffee with a quick pouring of water, while others may take more tries. Among the filterless coffee makers we’ve tried, the Brew Buddy made it to the top of our easiest-to-clean list.

Since it’s small, just turn the filter inside out, and you’ll have yourself a clean brewer. A close second is the MugMate which only takes a tap to remove the grounds so you can rinse it thoroughly with water. 

But of course, to no surprise, instant coffee is still at the very top of our list when it comes to ease of use. We all know the drill: empty the packet into your cup and pour hot water. As simple as 1, 2, 3. But because of this ease of use, the taste is almost always sacrificed.

But don’t worry! As we have discussed, the First Ascent is a type that uses specialty-grade beans, and it actually tastes almost like a fresh brew!

Group cooking

If you always camp in groups, it would be such a hassle to keep brewing again and again to serve everyone coffee. In this situation, it’s best to find a coffee maker that can brew multiple cups at a time. 

The winner in this department, as discussed previously, is the Planetary Designs French Press because it comes in three versions: 20-, 32-, and 48-ounce variants. So you have a large crew? That’s not a problem with this one!

Most of the pour-over drippers are ideally used to brew for 1 to 2 people, but if you need to brew for more, you can always add in more grounds. However, keep in mind that this can affect the extraction process, thus, the flavor of your coffee.

The GSI Collapsible Java Drip holds the greatest brewing capacity among all those that we’ve tried. It can brew up to 4 or even more! There’s also the GSI Personal Java Press that works well for two. 

Portability

If you’re in activities where you have to be on the go, portability should be one of your biggest considerations. In this department, it’s a brainer that instant coffee wins. Next in line is the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip, which is so compact and lightweight that carrying it around is a breeze.

Another lightweight option, but even more durable, is the Brew Buddy. Plus, it needs less amount of coffee to brew a cup that’s full of flavor, so that cuts down even more weight. 

Mugmate is another ultralight and sturdy option. It may not be collapsible, but it can sit inside your mug without holding much eight. Now, if you’re willing to add in some more weight, the Sea to Summit X-Brew, the GSI Collapsible Java Drip, and the Snow Peak Collapsible are all worth looking into.

For the flavor, we’d go for Snow Peak. But for portability, X-brew and GSI are both compressible, so that’s some space you can save.

If you have a carabiner where you can clip on some stuff, the V60 or the Melitta both have handles that can do the job. 

Weight

Again, as always, nothing beats instant coffee in this category too. Relative to what instant coffee you choose, you can have a delicious cup with a weight of less than ¼ ounce. Our top picks? You already know it: First Ascent and Kuju instant coffee packs!

Now let’s move to our brewers. Upon testing all that we have, the MugMate was deemed to be the lightest at 0.7 ounces without its lid. Coming close are the Brew Buddy and the GSI Ultralight, which are at 1.1 ounces each, and the Melitta at 2.01 ounces. 

Next in line are the V60, Cafellissimo, and X-brew, weighing at 3 ounces. Take note, however, that among the three, only the 460 requires filters that may add up to the weight.

The GSI Collapsible Java Drip and the Snow Peak Collapsible run next at 4.76 and 4.80 ounces, respectively. Plus, these two require filters too.

Final say

There are endless options with whatever activity you enjoy doing. Just make sure to do extensive research to truly enjoy your money’s worth. Happy shopping!

If you click on the Amazon link or Add to Cart and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Last Update: 2023-06-02