Picture this:
Freeze-dried instant coffee at the bottom of an enamel camp cup, hot water boiled from a Billy, and a dash of communal campsite milk from the cooler.
…Bean there, done that.
It’s about time you got the best out of your brew beyond your home kitchen coffee setup. While there are some classics we could never cull, we boil it down to what matters most – from portability, durability, and functionality, to compact pack size, limited wait times, and the ultimate caffeination at sunrise!
The following coffee makers are our 2024 best-sellers in facilitating those magical mug moments on the edge of the camp mat. Be it an almost-latte on the lightweight treks or a full-bodied black with one sugar at sunrise – carry the comfort of a home brew with you on every outdoor escape, starting here…
For Brew-ability with Durability
AeroPress Portable Coffee Maker and Go Travel Coffee Press
A bold base camp brew in only two minutes! Credit: AeroPress
The original AeroPress Coffee Maker and convenient Go Travel Coffee Press are the perfectly portable and easy-to-use coffee makers for home, work, and the outdoors.
For a bold base camp brew in only two minutes, start by placing the filter in the cap and rinsing with hot water. Fill the plunger with hot water, add ground coffee to the AeroPress, stir, and plunge! Micro-filtered too, this coffee maker produces smooth, rich, and grit-free coffee, both BPA and phthalate-free for your peace of mind.
The AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press boasts a space-saving, easy-to-clean design, taking compact coffee brewing to a new level. Go big on brew without the bitterness, and enjoy 1-3 cups of hot coffee in a minute and cold brew in under two! The entire unit including accessories is designed to fit inside the mug, doubling as a carry case that fits snug in your rucksack, travel pack, or desk drawer.
For the Bolder Brews
Wacaco Nanopresso Espresso Machine and Barista Kit
Sans the milk wand, the innovative Nanopresso delivers a full-bodied brew on those lightweight adventures. Credit: Wacaco
Pat Benatar once said ‘hit me with your best shot’ – so Wacaco introduced this fully equipped espresso machine!
Sans the milk wand, the innovative Nanopresso delivers a full-bodied brew on those lightweight adventures. With optional accessories for adapting to both ground and capsule coffee, this gadget is both ergonomic and lightweight in design – sitting comfortably in the palm of your hand and snug in your camp kit. It’s capable of reaching up to 18 bars of stable pressure during extraction, guaranteeing top-quality, rich espresso on the rocks. An 80ml water tank paired with the efficient filter design also ensures fuss-free maintenance.
The Nanopresso Barista Kit takes portable coffee at the campsite to another platform, bundling even more kit bits into the handheld, ergonomically designed pod. With a 140mL water tank, a larger espresso cup, two double and one single espresso filter baskets each with a cap, a double espresso adapter ring, tamper, and instruction manual – the Barista Kit is the portable coffee cart catering for however you take your cuppa.
Your compact short black contraption, the Nanopresso delivers prime espresso beyond the matt black café table.
For the Campfire Coffees
Campfire Enamel Coffee Pot 2L
Experience the rustic, pared-back way of the outback – like coffee on the campfire. Credit: Campfire
Barista-style brew beyond the cafe bench is really something – but there are reasons why we camp, and one of them is to experience the rustic, pared-back way of the outback.
Like coffee on the campfire!
The 2L Enamel Coffee Pot from Campfire boasts an enamel-coated steel construction with a stylish speckled finish and a side handle for easy transferring. Its spout ensures a neat pour, with a handle on the lid for checking the progress of your hot water.
For the Capsule Cuppas
Wacaco Minipresso NS and GR Espresso Machines
Enjoy liquid gold from a coffee capsule on every outdoor getaway. Credit: Wacaco
The only thing that should feel the pressure of achieving top-quality coffee at camp is your coffee pod… and maybe your ears, if you’re camping high enough in the mountaintops.
The NS Minipresso portable espresso machine takes Nespresso® original capsules and those alike, having it both convenient and mess-free for those alfresco cuppas. Producing up to 45mL of espresso, simply pop a compatible capsule into the head outlet, add hot water to the water tank, unlock the piston, pump a few strokes to pressurise it – and enjoy liquid gold on every outdoor getaway.
The intuitive GR Minipresso unit is equally as easy to use. Add ground coffee into the filter basket, apply light pressure to level out the grind, and pour hot water into the tank. The next steps mirror that of the NS, producing up to 50ml of espresso that fills the built-in cup for that convenient coffee fix off the grid.
For Compact Cooking
GSI Outdoors Mini Espresso Maker (Single and 4-Cup)
This coffee maker fits the bill for the coffee fiends of the field! Credit: GSI Outdoors
For a piping hot cup at your next hiking spot, the Stainless Steel Mini Espresso Maker from GSI Outdoors is designed to be lightweight yet rugged.
Capable of brewing up to four double shots in minutes, it fits the bill for the coffee fiends of the field! Its rugged 18/8 stainless steel construction has it bearing the rough and tumble at the bottom of the pack, fitting snugly in your hiking rucksack or with your camp kitchen kit. This compact coffee cranker is also available in a 4-Cup set and, at 233g, is weightier than others mentioned in this blog – but true coffee addicts will bear the extra load for a quality cup of a joe!
For the Classic Cups
Avanti Classic Pro Espresso Coffee Maker (move to the bottom)
Stylish and traditional, this percolator overdelivers on those coffee dates with the sunrise. Credit: Avanti
For a traditional, full-bodied beverage at daybreak, the Classic Pro Espresso Coffee Maker by Avanti overdelivers on those coffee dates with the sunrise.
With a classic and stylish cast aluminium construction, this maker is the two-part coffee cart delivering hot, bolstering brew from camp stove to cup! A stay-cool handle and an easy-pour, drip-free spout blends functionality with convenience in an ergonomic model producing rich, traditional-style, Italian-vibe espresso!
This is the percolator we recommend you stay in touch with after every coffee catch-up.
For Those Campfire Conversations
Campfire Coffee Percolator 6-Cup
Your steaming stimulant from the comfort of the summit. Credit: Campfire
Offering your steaming stimulant from the comfort of the summit, you’ll want to be the first camper awake at daybreak with this coffee kit!
Thanks to its two-piece percolator system and precision parts, enjoy easy, efficient brewing – and with a 6-cup capacity, fix up fresh brew for the whole crew! A seamless, stainless-steel construction and wooden handle offer durability and exceptional percolator performance for warmer mornings by the campfire coals.
Featuring a stylish glass seeing knob too, this percolator is for the true coffee front men and women of their camping band!
For the Ultralight Drop
GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip
Delivering those magic mountaintop moments in a mug, bar the bulk! Credit: GSI Outdoors
For a taste of the trail, without the tedious setup – the Ultralight Java Drip by GSI delivers those magic mountaintop moments in a mug, bar all the bulk!
Boasting compact, lightweight, and low-profile designs, the Java Drip bodes well for convenient packing and easy storage on every lightweight escape. Made of nylon and polypropylene for a featherlight 11-gram weight, this dripper also features sturdy legs that adapt to almost any mug independent of the unit, designed to hold the drip cone above your coffee.
It’s about time you got the best out of your brew beyond your home kitchen coffee setup! Credit: GSI Outdoors
Which camp coffee maker gets you up in the morning (literally)? Let us know in the comments!
When it comes to camping, hiking, travel and adventure – the Snowys team have all the expert advice, guides, and tips on everything outdoors.
After trying an Aeropress, I’ve settled on a Wacaco NS, using Nespresso pods. While there are now numerous makers of Nespresso pods (since Nestlé lost their exclusivity to the pod design), I find Nespresso pods work best due to the thickness of the aluminium on the pod cover. Certainly D’Or pods aren’t foolproof and often fail to “pop” satisfactorily in the Wacaco. I use a Nespresso at home and drink espresso coffee, so the included cup is perfect.
I motorcycle camp a lot so find the Wacaco and a JetBoil MiniMo pack tightly and get my mornings off to a good start.
Love reading this, Jim! Huge coffee drinkers over here, so we can relate. Thanks for sharing!
Another option is the jetboil plunger.
Aeropress for me – but to really get a good cup put the plunger in and create a slight vacuum and leave to draw for about 5 mins – much better taste !
Thanks for the tip, Bruce!
ROK Presso with bellman steamer. Not for ultralight camps 🤣
I use the Kettlepot that comes with the Biolite Campstove 2 Bundle as it includes a French Press Plunger. You can make up to 4 coffees at a time and can either pregrind or grind at the fireplace when needed. Let it steep for 5 minutes and push down the plunger for that fresh coffee taste and buzz. It all fits in the kettle so takes up very little room plus you can have it with a light or phone charging port. A mix of traditional and high tech thanks to the smokeless fire driven by turbo air forced into the fire. The faster you have it the hotter the fire gets plus it generates it’s own power to recharge the inbuilt battery to run the light or charge your phone. You only need some twigs or pellets, water and your favourite coffee grind.
Hey Karl T! Ah yes, a great lil’ gadget. It JUST missed out on our best-sellers list this year! 🙁 Glad you’re enjoying it, sounds like it does a good cuppa!