10 Best Camping Coffee Makers (Review) In 2021

We’ve looked at the best coffee makers for camping, but now it’s time to see what makes them tick, and how we arrived at this list of the top tent. Your camping coffee maker is easy to use, but it’s just a tool: you need to be equipped with the working knowledge to not only get that fantastic cup of coffee, but to also maintain your coffee maker, and keep everything fresh. To get started, let’s talk about how we arrived at this point.

Features To Look For In The Best Camping Coffee Makers

Taste – Coffee makers are tools that you use to make the right cup, but nobody’s ever made a gourmet meal with a can of spam, right? Your ability meets an apex at the equipment’s capabilities, and some coffee makers just don’t produce a great-tasting coffee. From personal use to user reviews, we stuck with the very best brews that you can get. Nothing’s going to sour your mood worse than a bitter cup, so while there are more inexpensive models out there, do yourself a favor and stick to those that produce the best flavor.

Strength – The strength isn’t all in the beans or the grinds you choose. The machine has a fair amount to do with that. For instance, you can use espresso beans to make a cup of coffee and not feel the same effect as espresso. Why? Because espresso machines are high pressure, and work to make a stronger flavor. The same mindset can be applied when searching for a camping coffee maker. We’ve done our best to highlight models that maker stronger brews, or at least have the option to make them.

Speed – I want coffee in the morning, but I also don’t want to wait for fifteen minutes. We’re willing to bet than you don’t either. The faster you can get great tasting coffee without compromising on quality, the better. Older models of camping coffee makers (drip feed versions) could sometimes take between twelve minutes and seventeen minutes for a small batch, but we’ve done what we can to avoid those fossil-aged machines on this list. Speed matters, so long as the coffee still comes out just as good.

Capacity – The total volume of what you’re able to make in a single batch. It’s not like having a coffee pot at home: brands make these with a specific use in mind, whereas buying a plug-in coffee maker, manufacturers don’t know if it’s for use in a single person’s home, or for an entire office to use. You’ll generally see a two to six-cup capacity for most camping coffee makers. As a note, those aren’t fluid ounces: those are 6 oz cups they’re talking about, so getting a six cup coffee maker doesn’t give you 48 oz of coffee, and so on.

Size – We’re all trying to adopt the minimalist mindset out here, but it’s hard. You can look at your coffee maker and say, “Well I don’t really need it,” but let’s both be honest here: you do. Size matters, especially when you’re trying to pack compactly. We’ve done what we can to add small coffee makers to this list.

Ease of Use – What good is a quality coffee maker if you don’t know how to use it? Unlike many of the modern-day $100 tier coffee makers for home use, camping coffee makers aren’t out there trying to be exquisite and plan your morning with alarms. Most of them are easy to use, so this is a simple attribute to run into.

Portability – We talked about packing compactly earlier, but being portable refers to more than just the size of the coffee maker. You want something that’s not too fragile that can withstand the bumps and bruises that are synonymous with camping. Portability is about being lightweight and resilient.

Camping Coffee Maker FAQ

Q: What are the different brewing methods to use while camping?

A: We wanted to give you a full spectrum of what to expect when you brew coffee on the campsite. Some of these methods aren’t practical for all users, but it does give you a wide range of options.

Instant - Yeah, we’re cringing, too. Not all instant coffee is bad, but it’s hard to find really good brews in this category when you’re a caffeine connoisseur. It’s still an option you can run with if you don’t have another way to get your java.

Cowboy Coffee - If you’ve ever made coffee this way, you have our condolences. Cowboy coffee is when you just boil non-dissolvable coffee grounds in water, and then that’s it. You sip it so you’re obviously not swallowing the grinds, but it’s still not an ideal way to enjoy coffee on your camping trip.

Pour Bag - This is when you get a camping coffee maker that has a teabag-style mesh sack in the lid, where you store your grinds. You pour water through it slowly to filter and become coffee in the bottom, and if you want your coffee to be particularly strong, you fill it up until the water meets the bag.

French Press - A classic way to enjoy coffee: use the interior press to separate the grinds and coffee, and pour into your cup. It’s as simple as that. Depending on how long you leave it steeping in the grinds, you can enjoy stronger coffee. This also works for espresso.

Percolator - We explain this a bit more in-depth below, but this is one of the most popular methods of making coffee on the campsite. Percolators cycle water through the coffee until you stop it, so you can control your strength and flavor.

There are about half-a-dozen other methods that require either electricity or a very convoluted process that would not be ideal for camping. Stick to one of these, and you’ll be able to enjoy your morning brew without losing your mind.

Q: What is the difference between a camping coffee maker and a percolator?

A: The best way to discern the differences between a camping coffee percolator and a standard coffee maker is to simply list them, side by side.

Percolators are used directly over a flame, or come with a self-heating base that needs to be plugged in most of the time. Percolators repeatedly cycle water through the coffee grounds, so the longer you “cook” your coffee, the stronger (and essentially more bitter) it will become.

If you go for a camping espresso maker or a stand coffee maker, you’re going to get a much more mild, light flavor to your coffee. If you’ve ever heard of the term double brewing, that’s when you run the coffee back through the grounds as if it were water, and coffee makers give you this option, but start you off with a universally enjoyable robustness to each cup. Coffee makers drip down from the top, whereas percolators heat from the bottom.

Q: Can a French press be used over a campfire?

A: Most camping French press models can be used over a fire. They will have a metal vent on the bottom to heat the water, but it’s not the most efficient way to take care of business. Instead, try boiling water separately and using it like you would an at-home French press.

The ideal temperature to create coffee is between 190 F and 200 F. While it’s not practical to assume you can maintain this heat range over an open flame, holding a French press over the fire may radically change the contents and take it in and out of this ideal temperature zone. Water boils at 212 F, so even if your French press isn’t boiling, it could still be in that gray area between boiling and the top of the ideal range, and make your coffee taste bitter.

Q: How do you grind the beans while camping?

A: When you’re using a camping percolator, you’re dropping the grinds right into the hot zone. That is, if you can actually grind them up. There are plenty of handheld, manual coffee grinders available, but right off rip, we’re going to tell you that they’re far more trouble than they’re worth. Yes, you can have fresh-ground coffee on the campsite, but it’s going to be in your best interest to grind it up before you leave for your trip.

You’re roughing it in the outdoors, remember? We can still get close to coffee nirvana, and retain a nearly identical fresh-ground taste. If you’ve ever purchased pre-ground coffee, then you know all about those reflective 1 lb bags with the air pressure valve located somewhere on the front of the packaging. That locks in the freshness for as long as possible, and most of these pre-ground coffee bags are on the shelf for three to nine months before people bring them home.

Now, we’re not saying they’re getting the same flavor or sharpness that you get in your coffee, but we can learn something from this method. Grind up the coffee at home within an hour before you actually leave for your trip, and get an airtight container to pack it in. The key is to not leave any empty space, because the remaining air will oxidize the coffee grounds, and create a bitter flavor.

Q: How do you clean a camping coffee maker?

A: Sometimes even the best camping coffee maker can still be difficult to clean. Don’t worry, this little guide will show you how to clean it out for a maximum of about a dollar, and a ten-minute process. Any backpacking coffee maker type will apply to this cleaning method.

Boil water from a separate container that you’re going to use for cleaning. The main chamber, whether it’s a French press or a percolator, is going to have residual grease from the coffee beans that needs some heavy-duty cleaning.

Take a fresh cleaning sponge, and submerge it in the hot water for about five seconds. Squeeze out most of the remaining water, and immediately apply the abrasive side to the interior of the main chamber. Scrub to get any remaining coffee-colored stains from the inside.

Repeat step two until all coloring has been removed, and the water runs clear.

Drain the chamber of the hot water, and fill it with a 16 oz bottle of distilled white vinegar. Depending on your system, you might need to run the white vinegar through the other components manually. This acts as a sanitizer, and removes remaining grease.

After letting the vinegar sit for five minutes, drain the vinegar and rinse with hot water until the aroma has disappeared.