How to make the world's best cup of coffee while camping, traveling, or at home.

The Best Camping Coffee Maker: How to Make Coffee When Camping

Sharing is caring!

This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

I don’t know about you, but I need a great cup of coffee to get me going in the morning, it doesn’t matter whether I’m camping or not. So what’s a born and raised Pacific Northwesterner supposed to do when looking for the best camping coffee maker? Well, after much search and trial and error, here is my solution to making coffee while camping and what I’ve used for the past few years.

I love the smell, taste, and ritual of drinking a great cup of black coffee; the morning caffeine jolt is an obvious benefit, but so too perhaps are the other purported health benefits of coffee consumption.

How can YOU make the world’s best cup of coffee while camping?

Well, you don’t need a Kuerig coffee maker for camping, that’s for sure. There are a non-electric coffee makers for camping on the market that enable you to brew in the frontcountry and/or backcountry. You’ve got French press coffee makers for camping, the Coleman camping coffee maker, to lightweight percolators, to various instant coffee variations, and many, many more options…

Some are super heavy, some are ultralight friendly, some are more convoluted to use, or a hassle to clean.

So how does one best make coffee while camping while not only considering the ease of use and cleanup, but also the simplicity that most of us seek while out in nature?

The most important factors to consider, beyond how good the coffee tastes, is whether it is a portable and lightweight coffee maker that is made to be used anywhere and how difficult it is to clean up.

I looked at many, many different camping coffee makers when I was getting ready to live in my truck and travel the country, and my considerations ranged from a sturdy stainless steel coffee press, the GSI Outdoors pour over, a self-contained French press coffee mug, or one of those coffee percolators…

Those are the most common options and are widely considered to be among the best camping coffee makers by many, and what I was primarily considering using, at least until I learned about a totally new device to make coffee that I’d never heard of before…

This post is specifically about the best camping coffee maker since this blog is outdoors focused. But after years of using it, I can honestly say that this is one of the best ways to make coffee while traveling, road tripping, or even in your home or apartment.

I truly believe that there is one device that fully delivers in all those environments and makes one of the best cups of coffee you will ever have.

I’m happy to say that I’ve found that coffee maker… And I used it while exploring the American West for a year, backpacking through Colombia, and during our entire trip driving through all of Central and South America.

I’ve been using it continuously since the beginning of 2013…

So what is it, you ask?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Want to make the best cup of coffee while camping? Check this out…” quote=”Click to Tweet”]

The Best Camping Coffee Maker

Want to find the best camping coffee maker? Look no further, here's how to brew a truly delicious cup of coffee while camping and traveling... www.desktodirtbag.com

Aerobie Aeropress – The Best Camping Coffee Maker

I first heard of the Aeropress Coffee Maker while reading Tim Ferriss’ book, the Four Hour Chef. He described it as a quick, simple, easy to use, and highly portable coffee maker that baristas frequently use while travelling.

So easy that you could make an exceptionally delicious cup of coffee right on the tray table of the middle seat of an airplane. Many boutique cafes and coffee shops even offer Aeropress brews at their stores, right alongside the pour overs, siphon coffee, and espressos.

Introducing the Aeropress Coffee Maker - The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Introducing the Aeropress Coffee Maker – The Best Camping Coffee Maker

This discovery was prior to departing on my massive road trip of the United States, but immediately the bells were going off in my head that, if true, this would be the ideal camping coffee maker especially while travelling or living in my pickup truck.

Fast forward, and I’ve been using the Aeropress now pretty much every day for many years now, and I’m more than convinced that this is the best camping coffee maker you can find.

It consistently delivers a delicious, fresh, clean, and flavorful cup of coffee with none of the bitterness that you often find with over-steeped and over-extracted coffee brewed by other means.

It is quick and easy to make, and thankfully, clean up takes all of ten to fifteen seconds. I cannot recommend the Aeropress enough as your #1 camp coffee maker.

There are thousands of glowing reviews on Amazon.com, many of which say something along the lines of “I own a French Press, drip coffee maker, and high end espresso machine, and they have all been retired and relegated to the basement thanks to the Aeropress.”

No joke, read them here.

If it delivers coffee that good in a home environment with an ease of use and portability that enables the same coffee at your campsite or on the tailgate of your truck?

And the thing costs less than $30?

Count me in.

How to make coffee while camping with the Aeropress, the best camping coffee maker

How to make coffee while camping with the Aeropress, the best camping coffee maker.

Share on Twitter:

How to make the world's best coffee while camping and traveling via @desktodirtbag

How is the Aeropress Different?

The Aeropress is a unique plunger type of device that utilizes air pressure and a paper microfilter (or third party metal filters) to produce a coffee that is lower in acidity and bitterness than other conventional methods of brewing.

It looks sort of reminiscent of a French Press, but combined with the paper filter of a drip coffee maker…

The Aeropress differs from other coffee makers in a few key areas: conventional drip coffee makers tend to over-extract the beans where the hottest water contacts (at the top and the center of the grounds) while under-extracting other areas (like the sides and bottom), it is the over-extraction that produces bitterness in the finished product.

The Aeropress uses full immersion of the grounds, similar to a French Press. However, the French Press requires a coarse grind to be filtered, and thus requires a longer steeping time.

Increasing the steeping time, or (if you don’t decant it) allowing the grounds to continue steeping, produces bitterness.

Not only this, but an uneven grind also allows fine grounds to pass through into the finished product, producing the unpleasant grittiness that can be found in a French Press cup, and which will become over-extracted as you drink your cup.

You've got to get a quality whole bean that you grind fresh. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

You’ve got to get a quality whole bean that you grind fresh.

Beyond the beans and grind, there are a few key variables that change the taste of the finished product.

Namely by changing the temperature of the water, the time that you allow the grounds to steep, or the coffee grounds to water ratio, you can produce a cup of coffee that exactly suits your tastes.

The Aeropress easily allows you to modify the above variables, where other conventional brewing methods do not.

By utilizing the ideal water temperature (175 degrees F), limiting steeping time so as to not over-extract the grounds, and using a paper filter to produce a pure and grit free product, you’re left with a truly delicious cup of coffee.

Are there downsides?

The Aeropress is best used as a single cup coffee maker or for a couple (just double the grounds), and is not ideal for making coffee for large groups — but that makes it ideal as a camping coffee maker for a solo camper or a pair. The paper filter also removes the oils in the beans that you would find in a French Press or similar method.

So perhaps most accurately speaking, the Aeropress produces the best single serve, paper filtered cup of coffee you’ll ever have.

I most often use it to make an Americano style cup of coffee (diluted with hot water), but it can be used to produce an espresso-like, concentrated brew

For the past few years I’ve been using the S Filter ultra fine stainless steel filter for my coffee rather than the paper filters, and I can definitely say that the coffee it produces is as good or better than the paper filters.

Obvious PROs of the metal disc: only one filter, no need for replacements, it is durable (no visible signs of problems or damage after three years of use), and it allows essential oils to pass through the filter.

Obvious CONs of the metal disc: only one filter, so if I lose it while traveling I’m in trouble; it is slightly more work to clean, you can’t just pop it off into the trash, usually some coffee grounds stick to it that you have to brush off and wash.

But yes, I’m more than content with having added the metal filter and would certainly recommend it to others who have purchased or are going to purchase an Aeropress.

Buy the Aeropress on Amazon.com

How to Make Coffee While Camping with the Aeropress

What You’ll Need:

What I Also Use:

Supplies needed to make the World's Best Cup of Coffee on your tailgate, while camping, or while traveling. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Supplies needed to make the World’s Best Cup of Coffee on your tailgate, while camping, or while traveling.

Camping Coffee Maker Step-by-Step Directions

It may seem like a lot of steps, but I’ve really broken down the process here. Besides the boiling time and the steeping time (depending on taste), it’s actually really quick and simple.

1) Get your hot water going. I start to boil about 16 oz of water (for an Americano) in my Jetboil Sol TI.

I like the Jetboil because it is super fast at boiling water. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

I like the Jetboil because it is super fast at boiling water.

Boil water in just a few quick minutes with a Jetboil. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Boil water in just a few quick minutes with a Jetboil.

2) Grind your beans fresh–this is important. I use a hand cranked burr grinder to produce a single serving of grounds every morning. The Hario Mini Mill Slim Coffee Grinder is the one I’ve been using, and it’s great.

I use a hand cranked burr grinder, the Hario Mini Mill Slim Grind. A perfect companion for the Aeropress. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

I use a hand cranked burr grinder, the Hario Mini Mill Slim Grind. A perfect companion for the Aeropress.

I grind up to the one cup mark. I use a hand cranked burr grinder, the Hario Mini Mill Slim Grind. A perfect companion for the Aeropress. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

I grind up to the one cup mark for a single serving cup of coffee.

3) Insert the plunger into the end of the Aeropress unit and flip it upside down–this is what is referred to as the ‘inverted’ brewing method, and is not the method described in the Aeropress instruction booklet.

The Inverted Aeropress Brewing Method. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

The Inverted Aeropress Brewing Method

4) Dump your serving of grounds into the top of the Aeropress.

Dump in your freshly ground beans. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

5) Once the water reaches 175 degrees F, turn off your stove and pour the water over the grounds up to the halfway mark of the Aeropress.

Dump hot water over the grinds. 175 degrees F is the optimal temperature. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Side note: I use one of those thin espresso thermometers to determine optimal temperature. It fits nicely in the hole on the Jetboil’s lid and ensures I’m not “overheating” my water too far past 175 degrees F (and thus also wasting fuel). With no thermometer, you can bring it to a boil and then let the water cool down for a couple minutes. The cooler brewing temperature reduces the bitterness extracted from the grounds.

A pointy espresso thermometer fits nicely in the lid hole. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

6) Stir the grounds and hot water for 10-seconds or so, then top off the remaining space with hot water. Allow to steep for the desired amount of time–this is dependent on taste, but I do about 2 minutes for an Americano. If you are drinking it espresso-style, you will probably want a short steep time (some people press immediately).

Fill the Aeropress about halfway and then give a vigorous 10 or so second stir. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Mix the beans and hot water thoroughly then top off with more hot water. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

7) While the coffee steeps, insert a paper filter into the lid and wet it with a little water (this keeps the filter in place for the inverted brewing method).

Insert a paper filter into the cap. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Wet the filter with a little bit of water--this keeps the filter in place. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

8) Secure the lid with filter on the Aeropress.

Damp filter will stay in place when upside down. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Top off the remainder of the Aeropress with hot water and then pop on the lid. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

9) Using two hands, flip the Aeropress over on top of your coffee mug. Using just one hand, depress the plunger slowly and steadily over about 20-30 seconds. You will hear the remaining air escape at the end of the press.

Using two hands, quickly flip the Aeropress on top of your mug. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Slowly depress the plunger over 20-30 seconds with one hand. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

A small air chamber (thus Aero-press) will push the coffee through. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

10) It’s ready to drink espresso style or you can top it off with your remaining hot water for an Americano. If you want to get more elaborate you could use warm milk to make a latte.

You can enjoy the brew straight, or dilute it with hot water for an Americano. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

11) Twist off the cap and (over a garbage bag) fully depress the plunger to eject the filter and coffee ‘puck’.

Remove the cap. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Plunge the filter and puck straight into your garbage bag. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

Some grounds remain on the plunger, just give it a quick rinse with water.The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

12) Give the end a quick rinse with water or wipe down with a cloth or paper towel. That’s it, clean up is done. 10-15 seconds tops. The plunging action has already cleaned the coffee grounds from the rest of the device.

13) Enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, thanks to your awesome new camping coffee maker, and take in the morning glow of an awesome sunrise in a spectacular and wild setting. I couldn’t think of a better combination 🙂

Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and the morning glow on Ship Rock. The Best Camping Coffee Maker & How to Make Coffee While Camping

The process is pretty much exactly the same in your kitchen or your hotel room as it is above, but replace the Jetboil with an electric water kettle.

Video Guide to Making an Aeropress Cup

Your New Camping Coffee Maker

I’ve been using the Aeropress almost daily for the past few years and I really, really love it — it truly is the best camping coffee maker out there.

The Aeropress has allowed me to brew up a killer cup of coffee at highway rest areas, beside some of America’s most beautiful natural wonders, in the middle of the desert, the freezing Canadian Rockies, and even at 13,000 feet in the Andes.

It is quick, convenient, and easy to use. the two biggest selling points in my eyes are:

  1. The superior cup of coffee it produces
  2. The super easy cleanup method.

I’ve definitely converted a few people to the Aeropress method of brewing during my travels.

It’s an ideal car camping coffee maker and traveling set up, in my opinion, and meets almost all of my needs–although it’s not as well suited as a backpacking or backcountry companion, at least not for the alpine or ultralight backpacking crowd.

The plunger unit and end cap weigh in at only 8 oz flat–so it’s not too heavy, actually (a little more than a plastic Nalgene bottle). If I’m pushing the miles or elevation I would certainly ditch the Aeropress in favor of some ultralight Starbucks VIA packets in that scenario.

But if you are going to climb Denali or Everest expedition-style or you’re doing a casual backpacking trip and dragging along the DSLR camera, then what’s another 8+ oz in your pack for some truly world class coffee? 🙂

Buy the Aeropress on Amazon.com
How to make the world's best cup of coffee while camping and traveling... Aeropress, the best camping coffee maker.

Relevant Coffee Resources

Disclosure: I bought the Aeropress, grinder, and other associated items with my own hard earned money. None of the companies advocated for nor contributed to the above review. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you, I’ll get a small commission if you purchase after clicking through my site–thank you for the support!

The following two tabs change content below.
The Best Camping Coffee Maker: How to Make Coffee When Camping how-to, gear-reviews, cooking, camping-coffee

Ryan

Head Writer and Adventurer at Desk to Dirtbag
Ryan is an author, adventurer, perpetual wanderer, and self-proclaimed dirtbag (but that might not mean what you think). Originally from Seattle, he headed to Washington D.C. where he spent five years working for Congress before heeding the call of the wild. He set out truck camping to road trip across the American West, and then across all of Central America and South America. When he isn't on the move, you can find him living as an expat in Colombia. He is also the author of the best selling book: Big Travel, Small Budget that will help you travel more for less. Follow the adventures on social media or read more.

Sharing is caring!

Comments 65

  1. I know this is an old post but here’s an idea. Place ground coffee in a quart mason jar and cover with fresh water right after lunch. The next morning filter into a kettle through a paper filter available at roughly a gagillion retailers for less than $2.00 for a years supply. Now after spending $1.00 for the Mason jar you can take the >$27.00 you saved and buy some kick ass coffee. I’ll stack up a mason jar cold brew against yours in a blind taste test anytime.

    1. Post
      Author

      I like cold brew too, but the Aeropress still definitely wins in terms of clean up and having the reusable metal filter too… But I’ll take a cup of your cold brew whenever you want to pass some along 😀

  2. I use my aeropress every day no matter if I am home or in a hotel. As a matter of fact I use it so much that I had to replace the rubber part of the plunger because it was wearing out. It is by far the best cup of coffee I have made and it is easy to transport and clean up.

  3. Great post! … I still remember my first experience with brewing coffee on my camping trip… The taste was stale lol… Will try out the tips you mentioned

    1. Post
      Author
  4. Why you in Us not making turkish coffee? On camping you just need džezva and fire. How many peoples from here is even try turkish coffee?

    1. Post
      Author

      I’ve drank a lot of Turkish coffee, especially in college when I spent a lot of time at Arabic and Middle Eastern restaurants. But the Aeropress definitely tastes better and it isn’t gritty like Turkish coffee… Easier to make though, but we usually call it “cowboy coffee” in the US.

  5. I have to agree about the Aeropress for camping. We used to make coffee in our camper van using an electric kettle and a stainless double-wall French press. Good coffee, but the cleanup was always a bit of a pain. The Aeropress makes (in my opinion) better coffee than the French press plus the cleanup is ridiculously easy – just discard the filter and grounds to trash, rinse, and you’re done. We’ve used the classic method so far, no inverted unit, steeping about 30 seconds before pressing.

    As for grinding, you guys are serious about your coffee. We usually start the trip with a pound of our favorite, ground for the Aeropress. As we get low we look for a coffee roaster in one of the towns we’re passing through and get more beans ground for us.

    So, another vote for Aeropress. Enjoying your work.

    Dennis

    1. Post
      Author

      Awesome, thanks for chiming in, Dennis! I can’t imagine going back to coffee pre-Aeropress. It’s just so delicious and yeah, like you said, the cleanup is a cinch.

  6. I never thought about taking my Aeropress on a camping trip before, but now I’m definitely going to do it! I also take it when I travel, but for some reason using it while camping never occurred to me. Thanks so much for sharing, and a HUGE thank you for the long-form and attention to detail in your article!

  7. Love the AeroPress. Got one awhile back and it’s awesome because you just make one cup, and boom- good to go and EASY cleanup. Thanks for this post Ryan.

  8. Thanks for breaking your process down. I recently became an Aeropress convert and use it almost daily at home and work. I’m heading down to do a Grand Canyon camping trip in a couple of weeks and will be the barista for our group so getting my process down is important. I’ve been using the inverted method but haven’t played with steeping times. Looking forward to great coffee with great friends in one of the greatest settings.

    -Jake

  9. Wow! what a great post. I like it quite much. Thanks for sharing lot of informative tips here. Just want to give a thumbs up to your amazing post.

  10. Thank you for the super in-depth review! Now I know what to get my husband before our next trip. I can’t wait to try it!

  11. I love traveling and most of the time I am staying outside. As a traveler those look like good tips to make coffee for me, very helpful. Lots of thanks for all the info!

  12. I read your post with great interest. Coffee and I go back a long, long way. I drinks several, very big, cups per day. Given that I would like to offer the following.
    Some of the best coffee I ever drank, drunk, whatever; had nothing to do with how it was made, but where I was at the time. Some of the best coffee I have ever had came out of an old camp perk type. A frozen, snowy morning in the Panamint mountains, my buddies Husky shaking off the snow. I started the old Coleman stove, Yuri went off to do puppy things, shaking off the snow. When the coffee was ready, I held it outside of my buddies tent, just out of his reach. That was thirty-five years ago. He still has not forgiven me.
    Yosemite Valley. Dawn is cracking the darkness. The coffee is scalding in my old canteen cup, bacon is sizzling on the stove. The scent of bacon, chalk, coffee and pine trees stays with me forty years later.
    A blazing sunrise, anchored off the ICW in Georgia. Dolphins off the bow, just poking around. So quiet that I could hear them breathe. The same old coffee pot, perking in the background.
    A cup of not quite hot, barely warm, half dissolved MRE coffee after a long night and day and night in a foreign country. The crystals were half dissolved. The water was lukewarm, and I was shaking so badly that I needed help to sip it. It was the best cup of coffee I ever had. I was alive.

    1. Post
      Author

      You raise a very important point! Context certainly plays a role. Like how any food tastes better in the backcountry, especially after a long hard day out. I fondly remember the unexpected Coors Light some stranger gave us as we stood on the summit of Whitney after climbing the East Buttress and spending 12 hours to get there. I never drink Coors Light, but that tasted to be about the best beer in the world.

  13. Who says we should leave our coffee bone while enjoying some time with mother nature? Well not this writer! Apparently y’all coffee addicts out there this is definitely a must buy!!

    1. Post
      Author
  14. Yes true. This makes a great cup of coffee, to rival any cup of coffee from any coffee shop. I have tried many different coffee makers and being a coffee junkie I keep looking for the combination of simplicity, cost and excellent coffee – this has all three! It does take a bit of time to make, maybe five minutes in the real world, but worth it with an aromatic and smooth cup.

  15. I don’t have any previous experience how to make Aeropress cup of coffee While Camping. I must try my next trip. Thanks for sharing your experience,

    1. Post
      Author

      Interesting! I had not seen that… I look forward to seeing how it comes together. Compact is definitely nice for camping and travel.

  16. Awesome! Thank Heavens I got to see this post again. It just reminded me to get a machine like this one for my next outdoor escapade.

    1. Post
      Author
  17. Hey Ryan
    Nice share
    Well, I think this is the perfect place to be for coffee-lovers! I am forwarding this to a friend who happens to be in Melbourne for an event. She’s a certified coffee drinker who is always on the lookout for the best cafe. This will definitely help her.
    Thanks buddy for this informative article. You did a great job.
    Thumbs Up!!!

    1. Post
      Author
  18. Love this post! These are some good tips for all those who love to travel a lot.I will use these tricks when I will go camping!!Thanks for the amazing and unique tips!!

    1. Post
      Author
  19. Thanks for the great suggestion, maybe it’s time to retire the faithful Moka and try something new, only downside is I’ll need something else for heating water on the campfire. Will be worth it if the coffee is half as good as it sounds. Thanks for the excellent site!

    1. Post
      Author

      Yeah, give it a shot, Matt! You could probably just use some sort of standard pot to boil water on the fire, if that’s your method. Or get a nice little portable stove. Let me know how you like the Aeropress!

    1. Post
      Author
    1. Post
      Author
  20. Hi there Ryan, these are some good tips for campers and also for people like me who just like to test new makers. Aeropress seems to be one that I am going to try one of these days. Thanks for sharing.
    Cindy

    1. Post
      Author
    1. Post
      Author
    1. Post
      Author

      Nah, not really, it’s just that I really broke the process down. It’s not actually anything more than: boil water, grind beans (or buy pre-ground), mix hot water and coffee grounds, let it sit there for a few minutes, then plunge it into your mug.

  21. Thanks for the post Ryan. Your article is really very helpful for me. I am working a project on coffee. After read this post, I am getting some good information’s and knowledge from this blog. This is really very valuable information’s for my project.

  22. Good afternoon Ryan!
    I stumbled across your webpage today as I’m trying to find a coffee maker idea for my husband for Christmas. Out of curiosity, what makes this one better than, for example, the Titanium French Press by Snowpeak (only 200 grams) (6.3 ounces)? You certainly give a lot of detail in your coffee creations and I’m very tempted to order your the Aerobie Aeropress Coffee Maker as a Christmas gift. I do not drink coffee (never acquired a taste for it), yet my husband so enjoys his morning coffee and we do a lot of backcountry camping with currently boring instant coffee for him. Please reply to my email address too as I won’t necessarily see the reply on your webpage! Plus this way I can email you directly later (or Corey can!).
    Thank you! Patricia

    1. Post
      Author

      Hey Patricia, thanks for the questions and leaving a comment here. I prefer the Aeropress over a French press for a variety of reasons–chief among them is that the Aeropress is a snap to clean (no moving parts that can trap grounds), also with a French press you generally have to do a somewhat coarse grind in order for the filter to work, but if you have a grinder that is somewhat uneven in size (smaller parts as well) those will slip through the filter which gives the French press a somewhat grittier taste. Unfortunately those small grinds that slip through will also continue to steep as you drink the coffee and overextracting beans leads to bitterness.

      As I mentioned in the review as well, you can customize the grind size, coffee to grounds ratio, steep time, and pretty much all the factors that alter the taste of coffee in order to suite your tastes. You are slightly more limited with a French press (for instance grind size). So you might even find a brew with the Aeropress that *you* like as a non-coffee drinker. Perhaps something lighter, while your husband prefers something stronger.

      I will say it is ever so slightly heavier than the Titanium French Press you mentioned above by about 2oz. So if weight is a major consideration then you should keep that in mind. If he’s a real coffee lover I’m sure he’ll love the Aeropress. Many baristas and such use it while traveling.

  23. Having picked one of these up recently, I’m utterly with you in the AeroPress love camp.

    It’s been fantastic to read all of the different methods that are available to try.

    Still need a metal filter though and a hand grinder for longer road usage. Just a thought though, if you do run out you can probably just pick up some regular filters from a store and then just cut them to size. The thickness might not be perfect, but it’s something!

    1. Post
      Author

      That’s a great filter hack idea if something ever came up.

      The Aeropress has definitely been a game changer for me. With the metal S Filter and the Hario hand grinder, I’m all set, so long as I can find a supply of whole beans! 🙂

      Thanks for dropping in and leaving a comment, Dale!

  24. I’m glad I came back here and reread how you use the aeropress. I purchased one and brought it on an overnight river trip this past weekend and had a neck of a time getting it to work. I followed the aeropress directions and it was full of air and next to impossible to press. After wasting 3 cups, one full of grinds, another too week and the third too strong, I finally pulled up your blog, followed your directions and have an awesome cup of coffee camping for the first time ever!

    1. Post
      Author

      Great to hear, Jen! Glad you finally got a cup you were satisfied with. I’m still using mine nearly every day. Haven’t got tired of it yet. In fact, I went to a coffee shop in Medellin and was SO thrilled to see they had an Aeropress that I always ordered that, even though I have my own at home right around the corner–sometimes it is still nice to just go out to a cafe.

  25. Love the Aeropress and plan to take it on a long bikepacking trip, subject to pack space. I found a grinder than actually fits inside the Aeropress when packed – its amazing. Its the Porlex Mini Mill (https://amzn.to/3cXuywm). If you remove the silicon ring, and take the top cap and place it on the bottom of the grinder, the whole thing then slides top first, into the hollow plunger of the aeropress. The handle has to be packed separately, but even so its a pretty amazing fit!

    1. Post
      Author
  26. Hi! This is @moteviolence from Twitter. Just wanted to comment on this and say that I used to work for a coffee shop that used Able coffee’s metal discs and those things are like God’s gift to the AP. Seriously, the flavor difference is so much better with the oils in it versus the paper filters (in my opinion). So you should start drinking a ton more coffee and use up the paper filters. ;o)

    1. Post
      Author

      Awesome, thanks for the feedback, Brittany! I’d like to pick one up and try it out here soon. It’s good to hear that it makes the coffee even better yet!

      1. Oh, yeah, totally worth it! You will love it! (I promise I’m not multi-platform stalking you now. First Twitter, then your blog, dun dun duunnnn….)

  27. I’ve not tried the “inverted” brewing method (seems more trouble than it’s worth), but I can tell you I definitely don’t throw away the filter. They’re fine for a few uses (especially if you’re making coffee back to back for friends). Just give it a quick rinse and be careful not to tear it.

    1. Post
      Author

      Good point, Jay. The filters are perfectly good for a few uses. Generally I don’t reuse them unless I’m making back to back cups though.

      1. I’m old, most likely as old as most of your fathers. I hunt, fish, golf, RV and etc year round.

        I’ve been making coffee the same way over a campfire and it always tastes great, but these days i do pour it through a paper strainer in a large ss strainer.
        Getting old makes you picky I guess.

        I have an old coffee pot, porcelain steel. Set it on a rock in the fire till it boils.
        I put the correct amount of coffee grounds right into the boiling water and let it work for 3 or so minutes.
        Then I take an egg and crack it, stir it up like I was going to make scrambled eggs and pour it into the coffee pot and let it boil/roll a little longer.

        The egg grabs the grounds from the coffee water and settles to the bottom of the pot when you take it off the fire. Yeah there are some grounds that the paper filter takes care of but when you grind your coffee fresh, right before you put them into the boiling water, it makes great tasting and great smelling coffee. I let it set for a few minutes and just pour slow if I’m out of paper filters.

        I have people coming in from all over the park or campgrounds asking what kind of coffee I’m making.

        try it, it’s unique and something you can impress your buds and buddetts some day if you are out on the trail.

        Cya

        1. Post
          Author

          That’s definitely unique! I’ve never heard of that approach to making coffee before… I’ll have to give that a try one of these days!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *