what's your coffee maker?

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Oct 9, 2009
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I'm on the market for a portable coffee maker for my hiking/camping trips.
Any suggestions?

Jetboil french press, MSR, etc.
Anything goes, as long as it's not complicated, heavy, or comes with too many parts :)
 
Three that I use, Aero-press, really the best of the bunch, but bulky. Cafflano Kompresso, does good espresso as well, more compact than an Aeropress, but you can only do one double at a time (but steel filters)
Last is a GSI drip cone, super light, does what it needs to, but is a little fragile, so needs some care. Depends on the trip and how far.
The MSR Mugmate is good, but its one of their branded products (they really only have a few) so there are a lot of cheaper versions that are just as good, depends all on what you need.
I've used a few mug type french presses over the years, and they either make too much coffee, the coffee gets nasty by the time I finish it, and they need more water to clean. So I'd do a french press if I was traveling with a bunch of people (and they didn't want cowboy style) but even then, you can do immersion, and filter with a cone, like the GSI, or a mugmate. If saving weight is the goal, that's how I'd do it.
 
I have a nice french press that I use in the camper, but when I was still doing a lot of tenting, I just used an old ball-style tea infuser like below. Wasn't fancy, but it was small, lightweight, and did the job!

Globalkitchen.japan_tea_ball75_280x.png
 
Snow Peak Titanium french press, published weight 6.3oz, published 24 fluid oz. capacity, makes about two cups of good coffe which is what I need to get going in the morning or for a nice mid afternoon break. The rod and filter press (plunger) screws off easy and then I can make a meal in the pot itself, or just boil water for pouring into a bag or packet. I do have coffee ground for a french press, it is a more course grind, and I have not had problems with grounds getting through the filter.

I really enjoy coffee in the morning when backpacking, and this press makes so much better coffee than the different instants I tried.
 
I have tried most of the methods suggested here and the one thing I've found, and the reason I settled on a pour over filter, is the cleanup. Aeropress, French press, perc, etc. need water to rinse the grounds out for the next use. Except for the water absorbed by the ground coffee, it all goes into the coffee cup and the cleanup is to take the filter out of the cone.
 
https://dutchwaregear.com/product/tetra-drip/

I use Mr. Coffee filters that I've flattened out and folded in half and half again to make a cone.


I have a nice french press that I use in the camper, but when I was still doing a lot of tenting, I just used an old ball-style tea infuser like below. Wasn't fancy, but it was small, lightweight, and did the job!

Globalkitchen.japan_tea_ball75_280x.png

What I like about these 2 options: no plastic. For some reason, I am not a big fan of plastic and hot water, hot cup, etc.

cardo cardo cleaning is one aspect I haven't considered. Good point - appreciate it.
 
Three that I use, Aero-press, really the best of the bunch, but bulky. Cafflano Kompresso, does good espresso as well, more compact than an Aeropress, but you can only do one double at a time (but steel filters)
Last is a GSI drip cone, super light, does what it needs to, but is a little fragile, so needs some care. Depends on the trip and how far.
The MSR Mugmate is good, but its one of their branded products (they really only have a few) so there are a lot of cheaper versions that are just as good, depends all on what you need.
I've used a few mug type french presses over the years, and they either make too much coffee, the coffee gets nasty by the time I finish it, and they need more water to clean. So I'd do a french press if I was traveling with a bunch of people (and they didn't want cowboy style) but even then, you can do immersion, and filter with a cone, like the GSI, or a mugmate. If saving weight is the goal, that's how I'd do it.

Thank you. Will def. look into it.
 
Aeropress with pre-ground coffee, along with instant coffee as backup, and a billy can for the hot water.
 
I have tried most of the methods suggested here and the one thing I've found, and the reason I settled on a pour over filter, is the cleanup. Aeropress, French press, perc, etc. need water to rinse the grounds out for the next use. Except for the water absorbed by the ground coffee, it all goes into the coffee cup and the cleanup is to take the filter out of the cone.
I do like to wipe down my aeropress as there is some coffee drips, but its the only one I can clean straight into my trash bag or down the hole depending on location. Sometimes the puck will drop out of my Kompresso, but not reliably.
That said, I don't worry about the few bits of grounds that stay stuck to the plunger, I can see wanting to rinse that off.
 
a tin cup to boil water, and a tube of Trader Joe's instant. Creamer and sugar already included. :)
 
I used Starbucks instant Italian roast last weekend. It was very good. Just boiled water on my Coleman stove.
 
I just drink that god awful instant coffee when Im out. It isnt great but its coffee. Its better than carrying around a percolator.
 
I have a GSI H2 JO that fits on a Nalgene wide mouth bottle and it works well.

The only bad part is, it doesn’t work on the stainless Guyot Nalgene bottle. The threads don’t mate and seal.
 
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