The Best Portable Coffee Maker For Camping – Reviews and Top Picks

You can’t stop drinking coffee. You love the aroma and the flavor so much that you always need a cup of coffee near you as you work or play. It is a good thing for you that there are coffee companies who make the best travel coffee makers.

These portable coffee makers allow you to have the great smell and taste of coffee everywhere you go. They are also great for camping. You do not have to miss out on your favorite beverage just because you go on holidays or on a business trip.

Taking your coffee maker is a perk you have earned. In this round-up, we review 5 different best portable coffee makers. For the best camping coffee maker, we liked the Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker.  For the best portable espresso maker, we liked the WhyNotCoffee Portable Espresso Machine.

Just continue to read our review to find out why.

Reviews of the Best Portable Coffee Makers for Camping

Position

Product

Cup capacity

Water tank capacity

Editor’s rati​ng

#1

10 cups

Approx. 60 oz

#2

5 cups

Approx. 13.5 oz

#3

2 cups

10 oz

#4

5 cups

2.3 oz

#5

1 cup

6 - 8 oz


#1. Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker (Best Camping Coffee Maker)

Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker Review

Coleman has a great camping reputation. They have been making camping equipment for decades. This portable propane coffee maker will not hurt that reputation.

One 16-ounce approx. propane tank will last you up to 4 ½ hours. You can enjoy your favorite coffee flavor by the campfire till it is time to turn in for the night. The coffee maker comes with instant on technology. Just push the button and it should ignite right away.

Then its perfect flow technology makes sure that your coffee grounds are brewed evenly. The unit is designed to perform in all weather conditions. With about 4,000 BTUs working for you, you can brew a pot of coffee in about 18 minutes.

A 10-cup carafe means that there will be enough coffee for everyone. Also, you can pause the brewing cycle if you cannot wait to have your cup of coffee. This feature along with all the other included technology works at all altitudes, even when the weather is cold.

Weighing less than 10 pounds and measuring only 13 x 17 x 9 inches approx., the unit is not hard to pack in and out of your campsite.

What We Liked

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    Its 4,500 BTUs of power
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    Its 10-cup capacity
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    Its propane fuel

What We Didn't Like

  • Carafe capacity does not match water tank’s capacity
  • No automatic shut offs
  • Gets too hot for plastic tables

#2. WhyNotCoffee Portable Espresso Machine (Best Portable Espresso Maker)

Anther contender for the best portable espresso maker crown.  This competitor holds roughly 400 ml and can make up to 5 cups of your great tasting espresso.

It comes with its own stainless-steel filter, a mug and a place to hold your coffee. But what makes this product stand out is that it also has a built-in grinder. You can have the freshest espresso around with your newly ground coffee beans.

The fold out handle on the grinder makes short work of your favorite coffee beans. Also, you can get different grind levels by clicking the setting into place. The filter holds the coffee as you grind.

Once you finish grinding just pour your hot water over the grounds in the filter. The conical shaped filter helps bring you the full rich flavor of your coffee beans. Measuring approx. 19 x 9 cm you should still have enough room to fit this portable coffee maker into your bags.

When you need an espresso and there isn’t an espresso machine within walking distance, this portable unit will make a great cup or two of your favorite pick me up hot beverage.

What We Liked

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    The size
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    The built-in grinder
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    The coffee storage section

What We Didn't Like

  • Made of plastic
  • The hole in the side of the top portion

When you are in the mood for some French press coffee, you can make 300ml with this French press coffee bottle. It is lightweight and not too large, so you can put it in your backpack and have your French press coffee wherever you are.

The filter is made from top-quality stainless steel. This construction gives you durability and a clean coffee result. To keep the weight down, the rest of the coffee maker is made from food grade plastic.

Its spill-proof design makes sure you get all the coffee you made. Also, if you want more than just one cup, you can store extra coffee in the special holding area at the bottom of the cup.

You only need about 25mgs of coffee to make your French press beverage. A little goes a long way. Also, if you are in the mood for tea or hot chocolate, you can use this portable coffee maker to make those drinks as well. Versatility is always a key to be the best.

Measuring only 10 by 2 ½ inches approx., you can find a spot for this best French press coffeemaker somewhere in your luggage.

What We Liked

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    The stainless steel filter
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    The extra storage bin
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    Its versatility

What We Didn't Like

  • The plastic construction material
  • Small pad for holding the cup
  • Only makes 2 cup

When you need that shot of espresso to pick you up but not near an espresso  machine. This portable espresso coffee maker is ready to fill the void and meet your need.

The espresso maker is larger enough to hold about 70 ml of water and make roughly 5 cups of espresso at one time. Be prepared though, the process is all done manually. You get no help from electrical power or other powered technology.

Measuring roughly 8 x 2 x 2 inches, the food grade plastic construction material keeps the weight down. This means you can find a spot in your luggage, travel bag or backpack for it with little difficulty.

Depending on how strong you want your espresso will determine how many times you press the espresso maker. 13 times for medium; 18 for Italian style and 28 for double Italian style.

A uniquely placed pop-up dial feature opens and closes the pour spout. This helps to prevent any leaks from taking place.  It also makes it easier to pack. The pour spout is designed to pour into your cup and not make a mess of your work area.

What We Liked

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    Pop-up open and close dial
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    Easy to use
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    Doesn’t use any electricity

What We Didn't Like

  • Pour spout design
  • Small coffee ground capacity
  • Made from plastic

Primula single cup coffee brew review

When you find yourself needing some alone time but you do not want a large pot of coffee or a lot of strangers around. This single serve portable coffee maker should meet that need.

When you use this to satisfy your needs, you can get your coffee your way in about 30 seconds. It will fit over almost any cup mouth, within reason, and provide you with a great cup of coffee.

Just put the coffee maker over your cup, fill the mesh filter with your favorite coffee and pour your hot water inside. That is all there is to it to this portable coffee maker. Even when you travel or go camping, you can have great coffee in no time.

It is a good travel buddy and won’t take up much space in your luggage, travel bag or backpack.  Plus, it is dishwasher safe. That makes it easy to clean. Your pour speed helps determine how strong or weak your coffee will be.

Measuring only about 4 x 4 x 2inches and weighing less than an ounce, you may forget you even have it in the house.

What We Liked

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    The convenience
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    The overall size and weight
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    Its simplicity in use

What We Didn't Like

  • Dumping the grounds and cleaning
  • May not hold finely ground coffee
  • May not be that strong or durable

The Benefits of Using the Best Portable Coffee Maker

When you think of coffee makers you usually think of the home versions or the ones you see in your favorite coffee shop. They are great products to make coffee. But there are some great benefits to using one of the best travel coffee makers you may not know about:

  • You get your coffee your way - there is no fuss, no mistakes, no bad taste.
  • You get your coffee where you are at - camping, a hotel room, in the park, at the beach you can have your coffee your way
  • Packing is not an issue - these portable coffee makers are designed to fit in your camp gear, backpack, travel bag or larger luggage.  It doesn’t matter to them where you put it as long as they are with you
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    They are very convenient - if the weather is bad or cold, you do not have to go outside to get a cup f your favorite coffee. Just make it where you are.
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    Easy to use - you do not need a degree in rocket science to work one of these portable coffee makers
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    The cost is minimal - making your own coffee means you can save some money and avoid buying expensive coffee shop or hotel coffee.
Using Coffee Maker While Travelling

What to Look For in a Portable Coffee Maker

With so many different portable coffee makers on the market today, it pays to have some hints to know what to look for. When you are looking for one of the best portable coffee makers around, hints help you cut the chaff away from the wheat.

Here are some tips to look for:

  • Need - what are you going to use the coffee maker for? Camping, travel or when you are at the park or beach?
  • Cup capacity - again depending on your situation find one that brings you the most coffee for the best price. Sometimes a single serve is all you need and should not be dismissed
  • Water capacity - again, larger is always better but those smaller ones may work for you. This is up to your preference as well
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    Construction material - are they made from top quality construction material? Will it last a long time?
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    Design - what kind of coffee will it make? French press, espresso or just plain old regular coffee?
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    Warranty - do you get any coverage and for how long? What are the return details in case something legitimately goes wrong?
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    Cost - make sure they fit your budget. Most portable coffee makers are affordable so this shouldn’t be a problem

What We Found

During our research for this article, we found that there is just about enough portable coffee maker variety as there is with regular coffee makers you find at home. You can get a camping version, an espresso one, a French press one and even just a normal portable coffee maker.

No matter how you like your coffee, you do not have to leave home without a maker to make it. We also found that their design varies, just like the ones at home. You can get them with a built-in grinder, a press, a mug and even a place to store extra coffee.

When you go shopping for a new portable coffee maker, you will have a very difficult decision to make. That is once you see all the styles, varieties and colors you can choose from.

Coffee making has reached new levels and we are glad we are a part of it.

Final Words

Satisfying your coffee craving is not going to be that difficult. Not when you have one of the best portable coffee makers on hand to help you. These compact units are designed to make sure you get your favorite coffee wherever you may be located.

You could be camping; backpacking; in the car on holidays or wherever. There is a high quality travel coffee maker that will fit your activity. The only difficulty you will have is trying to decide which one you should buy. There is a portable coffee maker for you.

We have two winners in this round-up today. The award for the best portable espresso maker went to WhyNotCoffee Portable Espresso Machine. Its built-in grinder could not be topped in this category.

The winner for the best portable coffee maker for camping went to Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker. Basically, we liked everything about it. It stood head and shoulders above the competition.

Try them out for yourselves and see why they are the best of the best.

One Response

  1. Jessica
    October 9, 2018

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