7 Best Travel Coffee Makers | Perfect for Travelers
Most of the time when you travel you always think about having some decent quality coffee with you, or which could be made while you are out! Problem is, you don’t know what the best travel coffee makers are that can fulfill this need.
Whether you’re off on a camping expedition or just wanted to head out and do some mountain biking or hiking, you’ve probably come across the thought of enjoying some quality coffee or espresso that can sharpen you up.
However you will most likely come across instances where you have no access to having coffee at all, so if you’re a caffeine lover like me you need to check out these portable coffee makers.
I’m not meaning the Full Monty, but more of a solution that can serve up one or a couple cups of joe.
These makers just need a bit of hot water, coffee grounds and you are good to go! So let’s dive right in and explore some of these awesome portable coffee makers for camping or any other activity.
7 Best coffee travel coffee makers for those on the go!
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Top Pick: What is the Best Travel Coffee Maker?
Editors Rating :
This travel coffee maker is all you need to have some seriously good espresso on the run.
An Amazon's choice product that is bound to deliver some seriously good caffeine to your system.
#1 - Wacaco Minipresso Portable Espresso Machine
[amazon box="B00VTA9F6U"]
The best travel coffee maker is this Wacaco Minipresso portable espresso maker which is suitable for any person on the run or perfect for camping, hiking and just about any travel.
All you need is hot water, espresso grounds and your off to enjoying an espresso shot of up to 3 fluid ounces of coffee.
You don't need a charged battery to operate this gadget, as all it needs is some hot water from a thermo flask.
What we liked about this is that it is really easy to operate, simply add some grounds, hot water and push the button to get your instant shot of espresso. It is also very easy to clean and makes for a life saver on any camping trip.
The only dislike we have is that we wished it produced a little more coffee, since we are seriously addicted to coffee! Nevertheless, making more is quite simple and easy so it is not a big deal.
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Cons
#2 - Bodum Portable Pour Over Coffee maker
[amazon box="B01LQ2PZDW"]
Another best seller from Amazon is this Bodum pour over coffee maker that is perfect for travel. If you like stylish portable coffee makers then this one is for you!
This coffee maker, which consists of a single glass carafe and permanent stainless steel filter, will have you never buying coffee filters again.
It more resembles older style manual pour over coffee makers, so if you like pour over coffee then this is your best go to.
What we liked about this coffee maker was that it had a built in stainless steel coffee filter, which can be removed and cleaned quite easily. The fact that it had a built in coffee maker meant that if you were travelling and you forgot coffee filters, then you wouldn't have to worry, because you can still get your fix.
The biggest disadvantage of this coffee maker was that it used a glass carafe, so when you brew coffee keep in mind that if you leave it to long it will get cold, unlike a thermal carafe.
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#3 - Gator Pour Over Travel Coffee Mug
[amazon box="B06XTWT3BC"]
Another best portable pour over coffee maker is this cool little thermal travel cup by Gator! Perfect for taking your coffee on the run and just about anywhere.
If you don't want to take a thermo flask with some hot water in it, then simply make a pour over style coffee at home and take it on the go. It doubles as a travel cup so you can literally keep your coffee warm for up to 6 hours in the stainless steel thermal cup.
Besides making coffee at home, if you did take this travel cup out and about and you had some hot water on hand then you can definitely also make a good pour over coffee. That's because it comes with a paperless filter to help you make a decent cup of joe.
What we liked about this one was the fact that the travel cup had an add on filter, which means you can make your coffee on the go. Besides that it keeps your coffee warm for up to 6 hours!
Our only dislike was that the filter was an add on and not attached to the travel cup, as in built into it! It can be a nuisance if you forget this vital piece, however you can user coffee paper filters instead if you do forget it.
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Related Article: The Best Pour Over Automatic Coffee Makers
#4 - Wacaco Pipamoka Portable Travel Coffee Maker
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Another best travel coffee maker has to be this Wacaco Pipamoka portable coffee device. All you need for this all in one device is ground coffee, warm water and away you go.
It is a sturdy little brewer, that delivers brilliant pressure and is really simple to use. Perfect for fueling your days and enjoying that long lasting warm coffee.
The coffee maker works by using a vacuum pressure that draws down the water through the grounds and that's how the brewing process works.
What we liked about this is that the vacuum seal is really tight, I mean so tight it doesn't leak at all! Besides that it comes with a nice little scoop so that you can scoop the right amount of coffee for a given serve.
The only thing we disliked was that it was an under rated coffee portable coffee maker! Seriously not a lot of people have purchased this, that's why I'm reviewing it here.
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#5 - Mueller Portable Coffee Maker for Travel
[amazon box="B07JGBK6XV"]
A great affordable portable coffee maker for travel is this Mueller coffee maker. This was a little larger compared to some of the previous ones we mentioned, but hey, we had to consider it!
After all this is technically a portable coffee maker! Not so much perfect for a hike or a fishing trip, since it is a bit bulky compared to the other options.
What we liked about this coffee maker was that it had volume behind it, delivering a whopping 34 ounces of coffee in a serve. It definitely makes for a perfect travel coffee maker for camping on the other hand.
Our biggest dislike was that it is not ideal for packing in your bag and doing a fishing or hiking trip with, which is shame because it packed some serious volume to it.
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#6 - Espro Portable Travel French Press Coffee Maker
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If you love french press coffee, but don't want to lug around a large french press maker on a hike then this Espro P1 double walled travel coffee maker is for you.
What we liked about this coffee maker is that it was the best equivalent to getting french press coffee compared to a larger volume maker. So if you love french press and outdoor hobbies this one is for you.
Our biggest dislike is that it can be quite hard to remove the plunger from the machine, but when you can do this it is really easy to clean. It does take a little bit of elbow grease to get it out initially.
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#7 - Bodum Travel Press Portable Coffee Maker
[amazon box="B008TYX1DW"]
Another good portable french press travel coffee maker is this one from Bodum!
What we liked about this one was that, like the Espro coffee maker it has a thermally insulated carafe! Which keeps the coffee warm for long. The plus side about this press coffee maker is that it's a little cheaper than the Espro one, which is a huge pro.
The only dislike we had about this coffee maker was that, it has a large opening and curved spout, which makes it impossible to sip from. So if you wanted to drink safely, you'd have to wait for it to cool or bring along a spare cup, which seems a bit cumbersome.
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What to Consider When Buying the Best Travel Coffee Makers
Now that you know what some of the best travel coffee makers are you probably want to know what else you need to consider when buying one.
That’s not a problem at all, I have you covered and managed to give you a little buyer's guide to making a decision in getting a good travel coffee maker.
This small guide focuses mainly on the needs of having or needing a travel coffee maker, which considers some aspects such as convenience and portability to name a few. If you do see something we’ve missed out, just email us and we’ll be sure to add it when we update this article.
Convenience
When getting a travel coffee maker, you need to ensure that the coffee maker is convenient to use. The last thing you want with a coffee maker that is supposedly portable is that it has too many bits and bobs to operate.
When I look at replacing my current portable coffee maker, I always keep convenience in mind, and how well it would integrate with my hobbies such as fishing and camping.
So that is definitely something to keep in mind.
Related Article: Why are Espresso Cups so Small?
Portability
Having a portable coffee maker is a big must when getting one for travel. However it really depends on where you are traveling to and how portable you need it to be.
Coffee makers that are purely to be added into a hiking backpack for example would need to be as small as possible. This is because you wouldn’t want to be lugging around too much weight.
Similarly if you went camping and you went on a camping trip in a car, you’d be able to store your portable coffee maker in the trunk alongside all your other things, like a selection of coffee grounds.
Related Article: How to Make Black Coffee without a Machine
Cleanliness
Most portable coffee makers are quite easy to clean, they simply need a bit of water in them with a sprinkle of dish-washing liquid. Give it a shake and rinse with clean water and you’re good.
Having a travel coffee maker that is easy to clean is definitely a bonus, as this will take the hassle out of cleaning it out for the next use.
Affordability
Another thing to consider when getting the best travel coffee makers is to ensure it falls within your budget.
I’ve given a range of portable coffee makers, some more expensive than others, but it all boils down to whether it fits in your budget and what you’d like from it.
Most of the small travel sized makers, with built in presses, are perfect and affordable for most.
Quality of Coffee it Makes
Although it is cheap, you need to ensure you can get some decent coffee out of it. Otherwise what’s the point!
Most travel coffee makers are not bad because they actually have good parts such as a built in press or extraction method that resembles more expensive full sized machines.
The biggest part in the quality it produces is to have quality coffee grounds! Seriously, this is really important and I stress not to skip on this, as it can lead to some awful tasting coffee.Related Article: Best coffee For French Press
Travel Coffee Makers F.A.Q
Now with that buyers guide aside, you are more clued up in what you need for your travels. After all, what would travel be if you didn’t have some decent coffee to jumpstart your day.
Most of you will probably have a few more burning questions about travel coffee makers, so I searched around in forums to find out some frequently asked questions about portable coffee makers.
Below are a few that seem to be very common, so I decided to put them together to help you a little more.
Are coffee makers allowed in carry on luggage?
Travel coffee makers in general are allowed in carry on luggage since they are portable and can fit in a bag or purse for that matter.
This is quite similar to having a phone in your bag! The only downside is that you will need to ask for hot water from flight attendants in order to make your own coffee.
The coffee on planes is horrible, so taking it on board is definitely something to consider. However be sure to check with your flight attendant if you can brew your own coffee!
Is there a battery operated coffee maker?
Yes, there are battery operated coffee makers available to buy, they are also portable and you definitely take them around because of their lightweight nature.
One portable espresso maker that has a built in battery is the CONQUECO Portable Electric Espresso Maker!
The idea behind this is great, since you can just use cold water and the electric power from the battery is what makes the water warm.
However, be careful when you purchase these as the amount of energy needed to warm water is quite a bit, and in my opinion I think a rechargeable battery can get drained quite quickly.
The other issue you may experience with this is that the charge will dissipate with time, so when you leave home on a fully charged espresso maker, when you get to your destination the charge may not be fully charged anymore.
So that is definitely something to consider when looking at these devices. Personally, I’d prefer using warm water from a thermo flask, which actually can keep water warm for quite a long time.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, the 7 best travel coffee makers that are perfect for any outdoor hobby where you need a quick fix of caffeine.
Our personal top pick has to be the Wacaco Minipresso Portable Espresso Machine which again, ticks all the boxes of our little buyers guide.
If you’re new to caffeinated face, be sure to check out our other articles of coffee, coffee makers and also our coffee facts
So until next time, let’s get caffeinated!
