The 10 Best Portable Coffee Makers

Dripkit's disposable pour-over coffee packets are the simplest, best-tasting pour-over coffee you're going to get on the road. Tear open the packet, set it atop your mug (or hotel room cup), and pour over boiling water. The company's own coffee wasn't strong enough for my tastes, but Dripkit partners with Portland's Stumptown Coffee Roaster to make a pour-over kit that brews an excellent cup of joe. The packets are disposable, so use these sparingly.

We've linked to the 5-pack below, but you can also opt for a 10-pack or go the subscription route and save some dough. It can get pricey, but when you want to travel light without sacrificing taste, this is the way to go.

The Delter Press bears some resemblance to the AeroPress, but it adds something to the equation: pressure. The Delter Press is not an espresso maker, but it does, in my experience, brew stronger than the AeroPress. I also found it possible to control the strength (taste-wise) to an almost infinite degree by varying the grind, the amount of coffee, and the amount of water. One thing I like better with the Delter is the ability to add more water without starting a new brew, something that's not possible with the AeroPress.

Delter suggests starting with a medium to fine grind, but I got enjoyable results even with a very fine espresso grind. To me, this is the best part of the Delter—it offers a wide variety of brewing possibilities, making it easy to tailor the results to your individual tastes.

The Espro Ultralight Press is the simplest and lightest French press I tested. It also produces the least amount of sediment, a common problem in French press brewing that leaves a gritty mouthfeel every time you drink. This didn't happen with the Ultralight Press. It's double-walled and vacuum insulated, which means it will keep your hot coffee hot and iced coffee cold (about three hours on hot and five on cold in my testing). One of my favorite parts of the Espro is that with a quick rinse it can double as a water bottle when you're done with your coffee.

The Palmpress is a press-to-brew solution that packs up small and is pretty lightweight as well. One of the nice things about it is there's nothing extra needed: no filters and no cleaning brushes. It's simple to brew, and once I got the ground dialed in (a finer ground works best, but it's worth experimenting), the result is a clean, bright flavor with almost no bitterness. This was especially true with medium roasts, which I found to be the best choice for the Palmpress. My only concern is that it does require pressure, so you'll need a sturdy mug. Flimsy hotel cups won't work.

Planetary Design appears to have run out of vowels, but that's OK because it has managed to turn out a great French press for when you're at camp. The Ovrlndr is solid, if a bit heavy, and unlike every other French press I've used, it's super easy to clean. Unscrew the bottom, dump the grounds in the compost, rinse, and you're done. As with other Planetary Design presses, the Ovrlndr features the Brü-Stop filter system. It consists of an extra-fine screen and silicone ring that creates a tight seal against the side of the mug to prevent grounds from escaping into your coffee. I still also like our former Planetary Design pick, the Double Shot 3.0 mug ($42), but I prefer the larger capacity and easier cleaning of the Ovrlndr.

This Wacaco gadget has the most unusual brewing method out of all the testing I've done. It's a vacuum-pressure brewer that works by twisting. You fill a brewing chamber with coffee, and the insulated container with water, and then you drop the coffee chamber into the water and let it settle to the bottom. Once the air bubbles are out, you begin twisting the brewing mechanism up and out of the mug portion (which doubles as a mug, keeping the coffee hot for hours). I highly recommend watching the video to get a better sense of how it works. It may be odd, but the results are great. I found it works especially well with milder coffees, picking up the subtlety of lighter roasts.

When you want to go ultra-light and ultra-compact but still want to brew quality coffee, GSI's collapsible pour-over coffee maker is your best choice. It weighs a mere 5 ounces and collapses down to about the size of the lid of an old coffee tin. It's also made of durable silicone.

When extended, it's around the height of your standard drip cone filter. Technically it takes #4 filters, though in a pinch you can use just about any filter (you'll need to be more careful with smaller filters). The bottom has a series of rings that mean the GSI balances well on any container, including wide-mouth water bottles, Jet-Boil pots, your standard cheap insulated camping mugs, and even my favorite drip-free, spill-free Contigo mug ($17). This version includes a handy hand-grinder, too. 

I have tried several dozen different ways of making coffee, and I always come back to the Moka pot. The classic Moka pot is the Bialetti 6-cup model, which you'll find in nearly every house in Italy, but I prefer this stainless steel version. A Moka pot is not quite espresso. The pressure is generally about 2 to 3 bar—to qualify as espresso you need to hit 9 bar—but it's less effort and easier to clean up. It's not the most portable way to make coffee, which is why it's not my top pick. Still, nine times out of 10, this is what you'll find me using at home, at campgrounds, and even in hotel rooms with a portable camp stove. (Yes, I'm that guy, please don't tell the hotel manager.)

There are three basic, vital coffee brewing tips I'll impart.

Find good, fresh beans: Great coffee starts with high-quality beans. Quality beans can make even cheap brewing equipment shine. High quality means fresh. Find a local coffee roaster in your area. For testing, I used beans from Jittery Joe's Roasting Company in Athens, Georgia, specifically the Wake-n-Bake blend. (Disclosure: I worked for Jittery Joe's for many years, it's a favorite of mine.)

If you don't have a coffee roaster nearby, you can order beans online from reputable sellers like Blue Bottle Coffee or try a wide variety through a coffee subscription service like Atlas Coffee Club or my new favorite, Trade Coffee, which works directly with local roasters. I also recently tested a low-acid coffee from Trucup. It's made especially for people who have trouble with the acidity of regular coffee.

Get a quality grinder: Once you have good, freshly-roasted beans you need to grind them. You'll want a burr grinder, which grinds your beans evenly rather than chopping them like a blade grinder. I upgraded to a Hario Skerton Pro ($38) hand grinder, but if you want to go electric I recommend the Baratza Encore ($179). If you're not sure which is right for you, be sure to read through our Best Coffee Grinders guide.

Experiment: Pick one of these coffee makers and start experimenting with it at home. If you want to have reproducible results, make sure you weigh out your beans and water using a good scale like the Apexstone scale with timer so you can track your pour-over pace, and take notes. It may sound nerdy, and it is, but after experimenting for a few days you'll likely find something you love. If you have notes, then you'll know how to make your perfect cup of coffee every time—no matter where you are.