The best camping coffee makers 2023: compact and convenient

Collage of the best camping coffee makers
(Image credit: Future)

Having the best camping coffee maker means you’ll be able to efficiently brew up an invigorating hot drink in the campsite or on the trail. Smells are just more vivid in the outdoors and few are as enticing as a waft of freshly made coffee in the morning. It’s enough to get you out of your cozy sleeping bag on even the most miserable of weather days.

Our selection of the best camping coffee makers all pack down small, enabling you to stash them away for backpacking missions or giving you more space in the car for your other camping essentials. They’re also simple to use, easy to clean and, of course, make delicious brews.

Paired with your best camping stove, these coffee makers mean you can enjoy coffee anywhere. We’d also recommend getting hold of an insulated drinks bottle so that you can keep your brews warm while out on the trail.

Regardless of whether you’re a short, sharp espresso kind of person, or you like to luxuriate in a long coffee, our guide to the best camping coffee makers has you covered. There’s everything from portable dippers you can use with your camping mug to models that fit right in with a glamping setup.

The best camping coffee makers

Comparison table

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Best camping coffee maker comparison table
Camping coffee makerPriceWeightBrew capacityBest use
Aeropress coffee maker$39.95 (US) / £36.99 (UK)13oz / 368g10ozCar camping, glamping, road trips, home use
Wacaco Nanopresso portable espresso machine$69.90 (US) / £59.90 (UK) 0.74 lb / 336 g2.5oz / 71mlCar camping, glamping, bikepacking, road trips, home use
GSI Outdoors MiniEspresso Set 1 Cup$39.95 (US) / £47.50 (UK)11oz / 311g2.5ozCar camping, glamping, bikepacking, road trips, home use
AeroPress GO travel coffee maker$8.50 (US) / £39.95 (UK)11.5oz / 326g8ozBackpacking, car camping, glamping, travel
Hario V60 Plastic Coffee Dripper$8.50 (US) / £6.50 (UK)2.95oz / 83.6g1 cupBackpacking, car camping, glamping, travel
GSI Outdoors Microlite Java Press$34.95 (US) / £36.95 (UK)12.5oz / 353g14.3ozCar camping, glamping, road trips, commuting

How we test camping coffee makers

These coffee makers were tested by people who are serious about their coffee on car camping and backpacking trips in Scotland and California during a variety of weather conditions.

For more details, see how Advnture tests products.

How to choose a camping coffee maker

Needless to say, a good cup of coffee is a very subjective experience and you'll want to put some thought into what you really want out of your camping coffee maker. What you should never do is sacrifice the quality of the coffee, but fortunately camping coffee makers have come a long way. It's a good idea to start with the type of coffee you love – espresso, cold brew or pour over – and then consider what type of camping you'll be doing. 

Naturally, if you're going backpacking you're going to want a camping coffee brand that's as packable and lightweight as possible, and while you may have to sacrifice a few frills, you can still ensure a great cup for coffee. However, if you're more a fan of car camping or glamping, you can probably afford the extra weight and splurge on something versatile and a little more high tech. The following are a few areas you'll want to consider when choosing the best camping coffee maker for you.

You can also check out our guide to making coffee while camping.

Coffee

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We all have different ideas about what makes a good cup of coffee, but make sure yours brews the type of coffee you like and consider one that uses a predetermined amount of water and coffee so that you know you can depend on getting the same quality of coffee every time. If yours doesn't come with pre-set measurements, make sure you experiment with it at home before you head to camp to figure out your perfect recipe.

Ease of use

A great camping coffee maker is easy to use and doesn't require you to carry the user manual on every trip. Not only should it be easy to operate, but you want one with easy clean up too – requiring nothing more than a quick rinse or wipe.

Durability

Some camping coffee makers are more intricate than others, and when there are small parts, you want to make sure yours is robust. Look for coffee makers made using stainless steel or hard plastic and make sure to pack them away correctly. Some coffee makers even come with their own protective carrying case.

Portability

Naturally, you don't want your best camping coffee maker to take up too much space on your trip and fortunately they're generally pretty packable. For backpacking adventures, look for something extremely lightweight that might even clip onto the outside of your backpack. For car camping, look for one that packs up inside itself or a carrying case so you can easily fit it in your storage bin and don't lose track of smaller parts in transit.

Brew capacity 

Another thing to consider is how much coffee you want in the morning. If you're happy with a single shot of espresso, you can definitely size down, but if you like a few shots or you're brewing for a group, you'll need one meant for larger quantities, or one that cools off quickly so it can be handled again straight away.

Value

The question of value somewhat depends on how much you value your coffee in the first place, but you might be willing to pay more for a coffee maker that offers multiple functions or makes specialty coffee like espresso. Another thing to consider is whether your coffee maker requires paper filters  – a coffee maker that seems really affordable might actually become more expensive over time if you're buying paper filters every year.

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.  

With contributions from