Best Camping Coffee Makers We’ve Found

We care a lot about making great coffee at home. At a campground? Our standards shift a little.

The goal isn’t to recreate a dialed-in home setup next to the fire. We want a decent cup of coffee without hauling a ton of gear, creating a pile of dishes or spending half the morning brewing… 

We’ve camped in tents and campers and traveled with plenty of coffee gear. What makes sense depends enormously on how you’re camping — for instance, most backpackers would be wise to pack in instant coffee. An RV camper with electricity can absolutely bring a Keurig. Neither needs to prove anything.

Here’s the TL;DR summary of our best camping coffee maker findings:

• For backpacking, we’d bring instant coffee and call it a day. Unless the having a great cuppa while yonder is *part of the point,* then we’d take our trusty AeroPress Go or Hario Zebrang (silicon collapsible pour over) with the Jetboil system.
• For car/tent camping, we’d pack an AeroPress Go, pre-ground coffee and whatever we’re already using to boil water. We’d consider taking advantage of the extra storage space and bringing the OXO Venture French Press too.
• For an RV, we’d consider plugging in a Keurig K-Mini. And in a motorhome with ample power and counter space, we’d consider a full drip coffee maker, like the Bonavita 8 Cup.

Keep reading to learn more about our picks for great camping coffee makers.

What makes a good camping coffee maker?

• How you’re camping: The difference between backpacking, car camping, van life, and RV camping goes far beyond where you sleep. Each style of camping comes with different space, power, and cooking setups that can dramatically change which coffee maker makes the most sense.
• Electricity: If you have it, take advantage of it. Consider low wattage for solar power.
• Cleanup: Wet coffee grounds become considerably more annoying without a kitchen sink, in our experience.
• Capacity and group size: One AeroPress is great for two people but less great for six.
• Space and weight: Critical for backpackers, but considerably less important when you’re car camping or rolling around in a motorhome.
• Ease: The brewer should make your camping trip easier, not create another back country activity.

The best compact coffee maker, regardless of how you camp: AeroPress Go

We love everything about the AeroPress Go. It’s part French press, part pour-over, and part espresso maker, so it can be whatever you need it to be while you’re traveling. Easy to clean, easy to pack, and capable of making a genuinely great cup of coffee? Check, check, and check.

If you’re building the best camping coffee setup without wanting to haul half your kitchen into the woods, this is where we’d start. It’s also a great portable coffee maker for anyone who camps in more than one way, from car camping to backpacking. For anyone wondering how to make coffee when tent camping, the AeroPress should be in your toolkit.

Our full review of the AeroPress Go »

best car camping coffee makers

You can still have great coffee while car camping, and since you have a little more room to work with, you don’t have to limit yourself to the smallest portable coffee brewer out there.

OXO Venture French Press — Best for making multiple cups

If you want four cups of coffee in the morning, or you’re simply making coffee for a group while car camping, the OXO Venture French Press is your best bet. This French press makes up to eight 4-ounce cups and is super durable, with a shatter-resistant, BPA-free Tritan carafe.

​It’s not the smallest portable coffee pot on this list, but that’s hardly a concern when you’re tossing it into the trunk. It’s a good option for group campsite coffee, too.

GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Steel Percolator — Best for classic camp coffee

Choose this brewer if you want that classic camping coffee experience. The GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Steel Percolator can go directly on a stovetop or campfire, and its stainless steel construction is built to handle the rougher side of camping.

​The pour spout minimizes dripping, while the glass PercView dome lets you keep an eye on the brewing process. You can also choose from sizes ranging from 8 cups to 36 cups, so it is a standout camping coffee pot for a crowd.

If your ideal morning involves a campfire, a big pot of coffee, and absolutely no concern about fitting everything into a backpack, this is your guy.

Best RV/motorhome coffee makers

RV coffee makers afford you a lot more flexibility than options for someone sleeping in a tent. You can bring something that feels much more like your setup at home, or go small and simple to save precious counter space.

Keurig K-Mini — Easiest RV coffee maker

For an easy cup of coffee in an RV, choose the Keurig K-Mini. Coffee snobs may turn up their noses, but we find this coffee maker for RV life to be incredibly convenient.

​It’s super lightweight and slim at only 5 inches wide, so it won’t eat up your limited counter space. Just add fresh water for each brew, and you can make any cup size between 6 and 12 ounces.

Bonavita 8C — Best for a home-like coffee setup

Choose the Bonavita 8C if you need a full carafe, just like home. It makes a full 8 cups without much fuss, and the brewing process takes about six minutes.

​When brewing finishes, the double-wall stainless steel thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours without a heating plate. Think of it as a full-size coffee maker that happens to work beautifully in an RV.

​Oh, and if you’re boondocking, we’d skip the electric coffee maker entirely and bring our AeroPress Go instead.

Read our full Bonavita 8 Cup Coffee Maker review »

Best coffee makers for van life

Making coffee in a van can get tricky when counter space, electricity, and storage are all limited. These options keep your camping coffee setup small without requiring you to sacrifice your morning cup.

Salton 1-Cup — Best low-wattage coffee maker

Low wattage is not a problem with the Salton 1-Cup. This single-serve coffee maker is rated at just 300 watts, compared with roughly 650 watts for many small four-cup machines.

​It includes a permanent nylon filter and even comes with a ceramic mug, so you don’t need to bring quite as much gear. It also works for tea, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks, making it a handy little portable coffee maker for van life.

Coleman QuikPot — Best propane coffee maker

No electricity? No problem. The Coleman QuikPot runs on propane, making it a great campground coffee maker when you’re off-grid or don’t want to use your van’s electrical system.

​It holds 10 full cups and uses InstaStart ignition for matchless lighting. The removable, dishwasher-safe filter basket also makes cleanup much easier than you might expect from a propane coffee maker.

​We also love the aforementioned AeroPress Go as a zero-watt alternative. No propane, plug-ins, or batteries required​.

Best coffee makers for backpacking

The best coffee maker for backpacking is lightweight, compact, and simple enough that you won’t regret bringing it along after the first mile.

Specialty instant coffee — Easiest and lightest

We’re not above packing instant coffee on a backpacking trip. After all, the weight you’re carrying becomes more important than your morning cup (well, maybe).

​If you’re really scrimped for space, instant coffee is hands down the easiest option. All you need is hot water, so there’s no bulky brewer, gas, or electricity required.

Hario Zebrang V60 — Best if you want freshly brewed coffee

If you’re not into instant coffee, go with the Hario Zebrang V60. This flat dripper is about as compact as it gets for a backpacking trip, folding down neatly when it’s time to pack up.

​It’s easy to set up, easy to clean, and still gives you the experience of brewing a fresh pour-over at camp. For anyone who wants ultralight camping coffee without resorting to instant coffee, this is one of our favorite options.

​It’s also a great coffee maker for backpacking because you can pair it with a small hand grinder (or, honestly, pre-ground coffee if you want to save even more space).

Best camping coffee makers by brew method

Different camping situations call for different coffee makers. If you already know exactly how you like your coffee, these are the coffee pots for camping we’d pick by brew method.

• Best French press for camping: OXO Venture French Press — If you’re making coffee for multiple people, this durable French press is hard to beat. The shatter-resistant carafe makes it much more practical for camping than a traditional glass French press.
• Best pour over for camping: OXO Collapsible Pour Over — Want the control of a pour-over without bringing a full-size brewer? The collapsible design packs down small, making it a great choice when you want freshly brewed campsite coffee without sacrificing much packing space.
• Best AeroPress for camping: AeroPress Go — Our overall favorite for a reason. The AeroPress Go is lightweight, versatile, fast, and incredibly easy to clean, making it a great portable coffee pot whether you’re car camping or backpacking.
• Best cold brew maker for camping: Toddy Go — This option is compact, durable, and designed specifically for making cold brew on the go. If you want something a little more elaborate, the OXO Rapid Cold Brew Maker is another option worth considering.
• Best drip coffee maker for camping: Bonavita 8C —  The Bonavita 8C makes a full carafe without much effort. It’s much less portable than an AeroPress, but that’s hardly a concern when you’re parked at an RV site.
• Best single-serve coffee maker for camping: Keurig K-Mini — It’s slim, lightweight, and makes one cup at a time, so you don’t need to deal with a full camping coffee pot when you’re the only one drinking it.
• Best instant coffee for camping: Sightglass Variety Pack — The Sightglass Variety Pack lets you bring several different coffees without packing a grinder, brewer, or filters, making it a great instant coffee for backpacking.

Additional camping coffee gear we actually use

A camping coffee maker is only part of the equation. You still need a way to heat water, carry coffee, and actually drink it. These are the accessories we actually bring camping—and the ones we’d happily leave at home.

A camping coffee grinder (if you really want one)

Let’s get this out of the way: pre-grinding your coffee before a camping trip is completely reasonable.

Unless you’re heading out for an extended trip, we’d rather spend five extra minutes grinding coffee in our kitchen than sit outside hand-grinding beans before breakfast.

That said, we know some people enjoy the ritual. If that’s you, here are the camping coffee grinders we’d pack.

• JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder: An affordable option that gets the job done for under $30. It’s the best camping coffee grinder we’ve found.
• OXO Hand Grinder: A noticeable step up in grind quality and ergonomics.
• TIMEMORE Chestnut C3 ESP: Our favorite upgrade if you want excellent grind consistency without spending a fortune.
• Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill: Comfortable to use and easy to pack, making it another solid travel companion.

A reliable way to heat water

Your fancy camping coffee maker isn’t doing much without hot water.

Fortunately, this is one area where most campers already have a solution.

• Backpacking: Bring a Jetboil.
• Car camping: Use your camp stove and a kettle.
• RV or motorhome camping: Take advantage of your electric kettle or stovetop.
• Boondocking: Keep it simple and use whatever you’re already cooking with.

We’ve had great luck (except for that time we almost set a tree on fire in Glacier National Park… but that’s a story for another day) with a Jetboil system because it boils water incredibly quickly and doesn’t require any extra equipment beyond the fuel you’re probably already carrying.

Camp-friendly mug

A good insulated mug solves another common camping problem: your coffee getting cold while you’re making breakfast, packing gear, or chasing kids around the campsite.

For camping, we pack these:

• Klean Kanteen Low Ball Tumbler: Great for coffee, cold brew, cocktails, and basically anything else you’ll drink around camp.
• Owala SmoothSip: Our favorite option if you’ll be walking around the campground with coffee in your hand.
• Otterbox Elevation Tumbler: You can even laser-engrave these for extra fun at the campsite, like we did.

Pre-portioned coffee

Skip the coffee scale entirely. Instead, measure your coffee before you leave home.

A dedicated camp coffee kit

The easiest way to lose your filters is to throw them into the same tote as your marshmallows, headlamps, and bug spray. Keep your coffee gear together.

Instead, dedicate one pouch to your coffee kit. We actually prefer a lightweight dry sack, like the Osprey Ultralight Waterproof Dry Sack, because it molds around the rest of your luggage instead of taking up rigid space.

How to think about your camp coffee set up

• Car camping: You have cargo space, but probably no electricity → durable manual brewers.
• Van life: Space + battery capacity are limited → compact, low-power gear.
• RV: More amenities but space still counts → Keurig K-Mini + compact pour over.
• Motorhome: Closest to a real kitchen → automatic drip / other countertop machine.
• Backpacking: Every ounce counts → instant + ultralight option.

wrapping Up

There isn’t one “best” camping coffee maker. There’s only the best coffee maker for the way you camp.

Find the one that fits your camping style and go from there.

Have you found other camping coffee pots and set ups that work for you? Let us know in the comments!