A good coffee is the best part of a morning at camp, and you don’t have to settle for instant. The right coffee maker depends on what you like to drink, how much room you have and how much washing up you’re willing to do.
We’ve reviewed eight camping coffee makers: three hand-pumped espresso makers, an electric one that heats its own water, three filters that sit on your mug and a pack of disposable drip bags. Here’s how they compare and which one suits which kind of trip.
Quick picks: the best camping coffee makers comparedQuick picks
| Product | Score | Price | Weight | Type | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best overallWacaco Minipresso NS2 | 9.3 | High | 290 g | Capsule espresso | Check price at Amazon |
Most durableBoundless Voyage Titanium Drip Filter | 9.3 | Mid | 13 g | Drip filter | Check price at Amazon |
| 8.9 | Low | 50 g | Pour-over | Check price at Amazon | |
Best for ground coffeeWacaco Minipresso GR | 8.9 | High | 379 g | Manual espresso | Check price at Amazon |
Best budgetCollapsible Pour Over Coffee Dripper | 8.8 | Low | 91 g | Pour-over, paper filter | Check price at Amazon |
Lightest to carryPortable Drip Coffee Filter Bags | 8.6 | Low | 2 g each | Disposable drip bag | Check price at Amazon |
Heats its own waterPortable Electric Espresso Machine | 8.1 | High | 700 g | Electric espresso | Check price at Amazon |
For espresso fansPortable Espresso Machine | 6.4 | Mid | 336 g | Manual espresso | Check price at Amazon |
Price bands are based on what we paid.
Best overall: Wacaco Minipresso NS2Best overall: Minipresso NS2
The Minipresso NS2 scored highest of the coffee makers we’ve tested. It takes NS capsules and delivers steady pressure for a proper espresso with crema, with no loose grounds to deal with, and it’s small enough for any drawer.
You need a separate source of hot water, each shot is small and non-original capsules can be tricky. For a real espresso at camp, it’s the one.
Wacaco Minipresso NS2
Scored 9.3 out of 10Our take: The hand-powered Minipresso NS2 weighs only 290 grams and fits in a pack easily. It reaches 18 bar with a smooth pumping action and makes a consistent espresso with good crema. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Compact (12.9 cm long)
- Very light for backpacking (290 g)
- Consistent, rich 18 bar pressure
- Integrated water tank for less fuss
- Eco-friendly biomass materials
What we don’t
- Need separate hot water source
- 80 ml capacity is a small shot
- Non-original capsules can be tricky
Most durable: Boundless Voyage Titanium Drip FilterMost durable: BV titanium
This titanium drip filter weighs almost nothing and needs no paper filters. The fine titanium mesh is easy to clean, dries fast and has no moving parts to break.
It brews one cup at a time and doesn’t fold completely flat. It’s a simple filter that should last for years.
Boundless Voyage Titanium Drip Filter
Scored 9.3 out of 10Our take: Our favourite pour-over filter: light, tough and very simple. Put it on your cup, add the coffee and pour hot water over it, and it tastes a little better than instant. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Very simple to use
- Better than instant coffee
- No paper filters needed
- Light at 13 g
- Titanium, very durable
What we don’t
- Rinse with fresh water after use
- Pricier than a plastic filter
Best for ground coffee: Wacaco Minipresso GRGround coffee: Minipresso GR
The Minipresso GR is the ground-coffee version of the Minipresso: a hand-pumped espresso maker that needs no power. It’s compact, feels really solid and comes with a good storage pouch, so it can live in the drawers with a bag of ground coffee.
The coffee isn’t fantastic, but it’s definitely better than instant. The hand pump makes it a bit cumbersome, each fill makes one shot, and cleaning it uses some of your fresh water.
Wacaco Minipresso GR
Scored 8.9 out of 10Our take: Not fantastic coffee, but definitely better than instant. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Compact: it stays in the car
- Robust: nothing electric to break
- Feels really solid
- Good storage pouch included
- Better than instant coffee
- No power or cartridges needed
What we don’t
- Hand pump makes it a bit cumbersome
- Uses fresh water to clean up
- The coffee isn’t fantastic
Fastest: Gocoffun Pour Over Coffee MakerFastest: Gocoffun
The Gocoffun is very light, folds flat and sits on most mugs. The reusable double-layer mesh needs no paper and brews quickly.
The flavour isn’t the deepest and the mesh needs careful cleaning. It’s an inexpensive step up from instant coffee.
Gocoffun Pour Over Coffee Maker
Scored 8.9 out of 10Our take: A cheap, simple pour-over filter that works just as well as titanium. Put it on your cup, add the coffee and pour hot water over it, and it tastes a little better than instant. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Very simple to use
- Better than instant coffee
- No paper filters needed
- Cheap at $16
- Bracket folds away
What we don’t
- Heavier than titanium
- Plastic, less durable
- Rinse with fresh water after use
Best budget: Collapsible Pour Over Coffee DripperBest budget: Collapsible
This collapsible dripper folds flat into a disc, pops up into a cone that sits on your mug and takes ordinary paper cone filters. It comes as a pair, so a couple can each have one.
You need to bring paper filters, which aren’t included, and it makes one cup at a time. The paper lifts the grounds out in one go, so cleaning up is a quick rinse.
Collapsible Pour Over Coffee Dripper
Scored 8.8 out of 10Our take: A cheap, simple way to make filter coffee at camp. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Folds flat: takes next to no space
- Pretty sturdy once it’s popped up
- Takes ordinary paper cone filters
- Paper filter lifts the grounds out
- Two in the pack for $15
- Fits our Sea to Summit Detour mugs
What we don’t
- Paper filters sold separately
- Makes one cup at a time
- Coffee is alright, nothing special
Lightest to carry: Portable Drip Coffee Filter BagsLightest: Drip filter bags
These drip coffee bags hang on the rim of your mug: fill one with your own ground coffee, pour hot water through and bin it afterwards. They pack flat, weigh next to nothing, need no washing up and cost only cents a cup.
The coffee tastes OK and depends a lot on the grind you use. It can take a while to drip through, and the bags are single use, so there’s rubbish to carry out. For hiking, travelling or as a backup in the kitchen box, they’re hard to beat.
Portable Drip Coffee Filter Bags
Scored 8.6 out of 10Our take: Disposable drip coffee bags that hang on your mug: fill with your own ground coffee, pour, then bin the bag. $16 for 100, with nothing to carry or wash. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Nothing to carry but a few flat bags
- Hangs on the rim of your own mug
- Use the ground coffee you like
- No washing up: just bin the bag
- About 16 cents a cup
What we don’t
- Single use: more rubbish to carry
- Can take a while to drip through
- Coffee is OK, depends on the grind
Heats its own water: Portable Electric Espresso MachineHeats water: Electric
This electric espresso machine is the only one here that heats the water itself: pour in cold water, add a capsule or ground coffee and press the button. It makes an espresso with crema and charges over USB-C or from the car.
The shots are small, and the build quality isn’t at the level of a Wacaco. It’s the heaviest coffee maker here, so it’s one for the car. It works really well, and the coffee tastes really nice.
Portable Electric Espresso Machine
Scored 8.1 out of 10Our take: A self-heating espresso machine that takes capsules or ground coffee and recharges over USB-C. It works really well and the coffee tastes really nice. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Heats the water itself
- One button heats and brews
- Takes capsules or ground coffee
- Coffee tastes really nice
- USB-C charging, also from the car
- Brews into its own cup
What we don’t
- Small shot: 60 ml of water at most
- A few minutes to heat cold water
- Build isn’t at Wacaco’s level
For espresso fans: Portable Espresso MachineEspresso fans: Portable
This portable espresso machine is hand-pumped and makes an acceptable espresso with crema, with no electricity or gas, and it fits easily into a drawer system.
It brews one shot at a time, needs separately boiled water and cleaning is a chore. It scored lowest here, so it’s one for dedicated espresso fans only.
Portable Espresso Machine
Scored 6.4 out of 10Our take: It works fine, but it isn't the greatest quality. It's compact, needs no power and pulls a real espresso shot with crema in the middle of nowhere. Read review
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.What we like
- Acceptable espresso with crema
- No electricity or gas needed
- Light enough for a backpack
- Good for solo campers or couples
- Fits easily into drawer system
What we don’t
- Only brews one shot at a time
- Requires separately boiled water
- Takes a minute to clean properly
How to choose a camping coffee makerHow to choose
Start with the coffee you like. If it’s a short, strong espresso with crema, you need an espresso maker; if a long black is fine, a filter does it for a fraction of the weight and with almost nothing to clean. Then think about how you travel: a filter disappears in a pack, an espresso maker is better in a 4WD drawer.
Hot water is the other thing to plan for: most of them need a kettle and a stove. Camping coffee makers come in three types:
- Filter
<100 g
Sits on your mug and makes a long black. Light, simple and quick to rinse.
MakesA long blackHot waterFrom the kettle - Hand espresso
300–400 g
You pump it by hand for a short, strong shot with crema.
MakesEspressoHot waterFrom the kettle - Electric
500 g+
Heats its own water and makes a shot at the press of a button.
MakesEspressoHot waterHeats it itself
Also check
- Capsules or groundCapsules leave no loose grounds; ground coffee lets you use the coffee you like.
- Paper or meshA mesh filter means nothing to restock; paper lifts the grounds out in one go.
- Cleaning upAn espresso maker has more parts to rinse, which uses some of your fresh water.
- How many cupsMost make one cup or shot at a time. For two people, you brew twice.
To heat the water you’ll need a kettle, like the Boundless Voyage titanium kettle, and something to boil it on: see our guide to the best camping stoves. For a mug and a filter to go with it, see our titanium camping mug and titanium coffee filter reviews.
How we test
We buy the gear ourselves and take it on camping trips around Australia to put it to the test in real outdoor conditions, in the 4WD and at camp, and to see how it holds up over a few trips. We weigh everything on our own scale and photograph it ourselves. If we haven’t used something, we say so, and if anything fails later on, we update the review.
Scored out of 10 on
- Ease of use
- Performance
- Portability
- Durability
- Value
