Wake Up With A
Camping Coffee Maker
A good camping coffee maker makes mornings better.
"If it weren't for the coffee, I'd have no identifiable personality whatsoever."
David Letterman
Looking for a new camp coffee maker? Tired of burnt, bitter percolated coffee or bland instant coffee? There are a variety of portable coffee makers available.
I'm a coffee lover too, although I wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur. I love a good strong latte or mocha, but when I'm camping I don't want to waste a lot of time on preparation and cleaning.
The easiest solution, of course, is a good instant coffee. (I can hear the groans already: "Did he say good instant coffee? That's an oxymoron!") I wouldn't touch instant coffee at home, but in camp or on the trail I'm more concerned about convenience.
Medaglia D'oro makes an instant espresso that is actually quite good. You can get it in your local grocery store coffee aisle or at JavaCabana.com.
I like to mix it with a premium flavored hot cocoa mix like Land O' Lakes Cocoa Classics, add hot water, and I'm good to go. (The "poor man's mocha".)
If the thought of instant espresso is too horrible for you to contemplate, choose a camp coffee maker from the following options:
Camping Coffee Pots
The Coleman camping coffee maker
Although it's pretty slow, it makes drip coffee as well as an electric brewer. It can make 10 cups of coffee at a time, it's easy to use, and it's easy to clean.
Unfortunately, it has a few design flaws. The pot handle must be turned straight out or it can melt over the stove, and the swing-out basket does not stayed closed well.
Also, it's heavy (nearly 6 pounds), needs a large burner, and does not keep the coffee warm after it's been brewed. (Drink it right away or put it in a thermos.)
My friend Phil swears by the Bialetti Moka Express
He uses it at home and on his hunting trips.
He says it makes the best espresso, it's light (made of aluminum), and it's durable--he's been using the same Bialetti camp coffee pot for years.
Are you passionate about having the best-tasting coffee?
French press camping coffee pots are the way to go. They make the most flavorful brew and and are very simple to use.
Just put your (very course) coffee grounds in, add very hot (not boiling) water, let it sit for 3-4 minutes, press the grounds to the bottom, and pour.
The Planetary Design French Press
It is durable (stainless steel) and well-designed, with a tight-fitting filter that doesn't let grounds through and double-wall insulation to keep the coffee hot.
It comes in different sizes and colors to fit your needs.
Personal Camping Coffee Makers
The GSI Outdoor Personal Java Press
The press and its companion mug are tough, fairly light, and have lids and removable insulating sleeves to keep the coffee hot.
The mugs nest together for easy packing.
Here's a simple, very light, and cheap option for making fresh coffee: the GSI Outdoors H2JO! coffee filter.
It attaches to any Nalgene-type water bottle. Just fill the bottle with hot water, screw the filter onto the bottle, and add coursely-ground coffee to the filter. It doesn't get much easier than that.
Only 1.8 oz., this filter can do double duty as a camping coffee maker and a backpacking coffee maker.
The MSR Mugmate Coffee Filter
Despite its ultralight weight, the Mugmate isn't flimsy. It will last through many camping and backpacking trips.
As you can see, there are many different camping coffee makers to choose from.
Don't sleep through your time outdoors. Get a good camping coffee maker and get your buzz on!
