Coffee maker for Hiking
BEST COFFEE MAKERS for hiking
There’s nothing like sipping a steaming, hot cup of coffee in a scenic outdoor setting. Whether conditions are beautiful and balmy or dreary and drizzly, you can always count on liquid energy to put a little pep in your step.
When you start looking for the best way to brew the perfect cup of joe, you’ll quickly find that there are a ton of products out there. We tested the best instant coffee and coffee makers on the market for camping, backpacking, and travel to make it easy for you to find the right one for your adventure style.
Best Overall Camping Coffee Maker
MiiR Pourigami
The elegant and stylish MiiR Pourigami stole our hearts and the show. We love this cleverly designed and aptly named brewer because it is the most compact pour-over brewer that delivers gourmet-level flavor. It features three interlocking stainless steel panels that affix to each other to create a solid base for filtering your coffee. While it is on the heavier end of the spectrum, it is very compact, and we appreciate that it eliminates the need to pour hot water over plastic when making coffee in the backcountry. For all these reasons, we happily award the Pourigami our coveted top spot.
While we love many aspects of this brewer for making excellent pour-overs at home or while camping, at 4.89 ounces for the dripper alone, or 5.52 ounces for the dripper and the case, it is one of the heavier compact models we tested. Additionally, making consistently great coffee with a pour-over requires some technique and finesse, and this one is no different. That said, we love how the Pourigami proves you can have form and function in a compact dripper with gourmet flavor that is ideal for car camping, van-living, or even cozy mornings at home.
Best Bang for Your Buck
Hario V60 Plastic Dripper
The Hario V60 Plastic Dripper delivers consistently delicious coffee at a fraction of the price of other brewers in our review. It should come as no surprise that the plastic version of the adored ceramic cone used by coffee-nerds worldwide is also one of our favorite options for camping. The V60 makes delicious coffee and is straightforward to use once you’ve honed your pour-over technique. Plus, this little cone is lightweight, weighing a mere 2.95 ounces (3.37 ounces with its measuring scoop). The AeroPress ranked slightly higher in our taste tests, but it is triple the price, more than double the weight, and a bit more complicated to use – especially when brewing for multiple people.
The downsides for the V60 are minimal and inconsequential. It may take more time and intention to finesse your technique than your average French press, and you will need to find V60-specific filters. You will want to use uniform, finely ground coffee for the best tasting coffee, best achieved with a burr grinder. If you want to take your brewing game to another level, then you will also want to weigh your coffee and water and time your bloom and brew. That said, once you’ve mastered the pour-over process, this brewer will produce one of the cleanest and best-tasting coffees you can have, whether on the back of your tailgate, several miles into the backcountry, or on the kitchen counter. in your home.
A Great Deal for Backpacking
Primula Coffee Brew Buddy
If you are searching for an economical and lightweight camping coffee maker for backpacking and through-hiking, look no further than the Primula Coffee Brew Buddy. This tiny brewer is compact, durable, and weighs about as much as a stroopwafel. Pour after pour, the Brew Buddy provides a tasty cup of coffee without the fuss of paper filters. Other pour-over contenders require a precise pour, which is challenging with a JetBoil or camping pot, but the forgiving nature of this filter is much easier to master.
One of the few downsides to this brewer is that you must be sure to remove it from your cup in a timely fashion. If you forget about it, your coffee will continue to steep, leaving you with a bitter, over-extracted cup. Minimal drawbacks aside, the Brew Buddy is a lightweight and cheap option for brewing excellent coffee, making it an excellent option for backpacking on a budget.
Best for Gourmet Taste
AeroPress Coffee Maker
The AeroPress emerges as the consistent leader in our taste tests, year after year. With this fun and functional brewer, you can create smooth espresso-like shots as well as clean, satisfying americanos. We know a handful of folks who use this as their exclusive coffee maker, even at home, yet this press is portable enough for travel or making camp coffee. Cleaning is as fast as popping the puck of grinds out of the tube – the squeegee action of the plunger cleans effectively without the use of extra water.
There is a slight learning curve with the AeroPress, and it has more pieces than many other camping coffee makers in our review (though many of them are not necessary). You will also need to make sure you have a wide enough cup for it to properly nest into for pressing, and it requires the use of special round filters, available in paper, stainless steel, and even cotton. While not for everyone, coffee geeks will fall head-over-heels for this versatile brewer and its delicious results.
Best for Camp Espresso
Bialetti Musa
If the thought of going without delicious espresso is as horrifying as a life without adventure, the Bialetti Musa is a must-have. The folks at Bialetti have outdone themselves with the Musa, revamping their classic stove-top espresso maker for a 21st Century crowd. This stainless steel redux of the iconic Bialetti Moka Express brews a delicious cup of espresso in a matter of minutes. It is easy to clean, easy to finesse, and was a crowd favorite among nearly all of our taste testers. It delivers in terms of function but in form as well; This elegant brewer is the most stylish of the ones we tested. Indeed, one of our reviewers loved this brewer so much, it became her go-to coffee maker for daily brewing at home or the campsite.
The downsides with the Musa are few and far between. The plastic handle that lends to easy maneuverability and pouring makes it an odd shape for travel. Additionally, it is not an ideal candidate for accommodating a big crew, though Bialetti does make a 6-cup and 10-cup option. Despite this, it does make coffee quickly and with minimal fuss – in a pinch, it could power through several rounds of coffee before leaving camp. Finally, at almost 20-ounces, this brewer is too heavy for backpacking, though it proved to be an ideal companion for car camping and river trips. Bottom-line, the Musa is our favorite brewer for camp espresso.