Best way to make coffee while traveling
Every coffee lover knows the feeling: You’re on a fun trip with friends or family — maybe you’re staying at a rented cottage on the beach or in the mountains — and you arrive only to find that the house has no coffee maker. Or worse, you’re left with instant coffee.
No one wants to start their morning on the wrong foot, especially if you’re on vacation or in a foreign place. So the smart traveling coffee lover will come prepared. It’s not hard to find everything you need to make delicious, invigorating coffee wherever you are after all.
What do you need to make coffee while traveling?
Depending on how particular you are about your morning brew, you may not need much to enjoy delicious coffee on the go. Here are the basics and a few nice-to-have extras to pack in your suitcase for your next trip to ensure no one feels the wrath of your caffeine withdrawals.
Basics for brewing coffee while traveling
Best coffee beans for traveling
According to the TSA, you can stash coffee beans or grounds in our carry-on or checked bags with no worries about having your precious roast confiscated. So set yourself up for a well-caffeinated vacation by bringing your own beans.
If you’re not sure that you’ll have a bean grinder at your destination, Peet’s organic dark roast coffee is a reliable and flavorful brew. It has a bold, smoky flavor with hints of caramel that your travel companions will thank you for.
If you’re looking for a bag of whole beans to travel with, try Peace Coffee birchwood breakfast blend. It’s also organic and fair-trade certified and comes in a 1.25-pound bag to hold you over for a longer trip.
French press travel mug
If you’re planning to brew for one each morning, this Bodum travel press is a total lifesaver. It works just like a normal French press but is the perfect size for one at just 15 ounces. And it has a tight-sealing lid to keep your travels spill-free. The mug also keeps your coffee warm for hours in its double-walled stainless steel insulation.
Regular travel mug for hot coffee
If you don’t need to actually brew your coffee in your to-go cup but still want to keep your joe hot during a morning of travel, this 16-ounce mug from Thermos is perfect. It keeps liquids hot for up to five hours or cold for up to nine hours. Plus, it’s shatterproof and incredibly durable, which makes it ideal for travel. A handle makes the mug comfortable to hold, and it fits snugly in car and train cup holders.
Travel mug for iced coffee
If you like to sip your cold coffee through a straw, this sleek and stylish insulated tumbler from Simple Modern is a must-have for travel. The 24-ounce cup holds plenty of coffee with room for ice. And it comes in dozens of beautiful designs and colors, so there’s one to match every luggage set. When you’re done with the coffee, the mug doubles as a stylish water bottle to keep you hydrated.
Portable milk frother
If you like to add a touch of milk froth to your morning mug, don’t leave that up to chance. Instead, this small milk frother from PowerLix is easy to pack in a backpack or suitcase. It’s battery operated, so there are no messy cords to deal with. And it whips up delightfully frothy and airy milk to make homemade lattes and cappuccinos.
Items for the advanced coffee lover to travel with
Coffee grinder-mug combo
If you can’t stand for pre-ground beans, you’ll want to make sure you have your own coffee grinder on hand for travel. This portable coffee maker from PopBabies does it all. It has a built-in motor, which charges via USB connection, to grind coffee beans at eight different levels, including the perfect grind including French press, drip, cold brew and more. Then the mug turns into a pour-over machine. Simply add hot water, and you’re left with freshly brewed, piping hot coffee. Snap on the insulated lid, and take your brew on the move.
Portable coffee maker
If you’re planning to travel with your own coffee maker, a simple pour-over is the easiest to stash in your bag. This coffee brewer from Espro Bloom is made of stainless steel so you don’t have to worry about ceramic cracking or breaking in your bag. It also brews up to 2 cups of coffee in two minutes so you can get on with your day of adventure. A dual filter means that every brew is balanced and evenly extracted for the best flavor. These large standing coffee filters are the best to use with a pour-over maker.
Best coffee makers for camping
If your travel plans include a night under the stars, don’t neglect the next morning’s coffee — you’ll likely need it more than ever. This lightweight campsite coffee maker from nCamp brews espresso over a camp stove or fire. It’s also small, which means it heats quickly and is easy to stash in a hiking pack.
If espresso isn’t your thing, this larger aluminum percolator coffee pot from Stansport can brew up to 20 cups of regular coffee at a time. Of course, it’s not quite as small and packable and might be better for RVs or campers than hikers.
Best camp mugs
If you’re camping, you want a durable yet light coffee mug that will keep your cup of joe hot. This 14-ounce insulated mug from Yeti is just that. Plus, it comes in many different colors so it’s easy to tell whose mug is whose in the dish bin. The mugs come with a clear lid to prevent spills and has a comfortable grip for relaxed sipping.
Lizzy Briskin is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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