Best Coffee for Camping: 7 Ways to Make Great Coffee Outdoors
There's something about camping that makes coffee taste better. A quiet foggy morning spent warming your hands around a coffee cup is one of my favourite parts of any camping trip. As someone who works in specialty coffee, and has spent a lot of time camping, I've tried a lot of the ways you can brew a cuppa in the outdoors.
And every great camping trip deserves great coffee. In this guide, I'll run through some of my favourite ways to brew, and help you find the best coffee for camping, wherever your adventures take you.
QUICK ANSWER
What is the best coffee for camping?
The best coffee for camping is one that's easy to pack, simple to brew and tastes great outdoors. But ultimately the best coffee for camping depends on how you're camping, and the style of coffee you enjoy. For many campers, myself included, Coffee Drip Bags strike the best balance of taste, convenience and importantly, the most minimal clean-up! If you're happy to carry a little more equipment, an AeroPress, French press or MokaPot (also known as a Bialetti or Stovetop Espresso Maker) are all excellent options, each with their own strengths, depending on how you like to camp.
Table Of Contents
- What makes great camping coffee?
- Drip Bags (Best Overall)
- AeroPress (Most Versatile)
- AeroPress XL (Great for Groups)
- French Press
- Moka Pot
- Should you take instant coffee camping?
- What about handheld espresso makers?
- Which brewing method is right for you?
- Final thoughts
What Makes Great Camping Coffee?
Your coffee setup at home might involve a grinder, scales, and an espresso machine. But when you're camping, your priorities change. Your standards definitely don't (please don't resort to instant coffee), but when you're camping, every piece of gear needs to earn it's place.
In my opinion, the best coffee for camping needs to tick five main boxes:
- It needs to taste great.
- It needs to be simple. (The least amount of gear required, the better.)
- There's not too much clean-up (I didn't leave the city to spend my time doing dishes.)
- It suits the style of trip I'm on.
- The coffee is fresh
That last one is crucial. However or wherever you make your coffee, no brew method or fancy piece of equipment can rescue stale coffee that's been sitting on the supermarket shelf for months. If you're making the effort to brew coffee outdoors, it's worth starting with coffee you'll actually want to drink.
Drip Bags (Best Overall)
If someone asked me for one recommendation, it's Coffee Drip Bags. Even if they didn't ask, I'd probably still tell them.
I recently took these on an 8 day hike, and I got more than a few envious looks from other hikers using instant coffee that had probably been in the back of their pantry since 2003.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Moore @andrew.exploring
Drip Bags make a specialty filter-style coffee, without all the gear required to get it. They don't weigh much at all, there's virtually no clean up, and whether I'm going backpacking, or settling down at a campsite for a few days, I'll grab a handful of them on my way out the door, and coffee for the trip is sorted.
What are Drip Bags?
Drip Bags are a fairly new invention - and they're a little different to the coffee bags that you may have seen around for years. Instead of steeping coffee like a tea bag, Coffee Drip Bags contain freshly ground coffee inside a paper filter, that hooks over your cup. You tear open the filter, and hook it over your mug, and slowly pour water over the ground coffee. The result is a really clean-tasting filter coffee.
Why Drip Bags are my top pick
- Taste great
- Virtually no washing up
- As lightweight as you can get
- No other gear needed
- Ideal for any camping trip
AeroPress
When I'm camping for a few days in the one place, my Aeropress usually comes with me. This one has earned a bit of a cult following amongst campers, and for good reason.
It's small, sturdy, and quite versatile - if you want a stronger coffee, you use a darker roast, and a bit less coffee, if you want something closer to a pourover coffee, a lighter filter roast goes great. It's also one of the most forgiving methods. If your brewing isn't perfectly precise, or if you've left your coffee scales at home, chances are, you'll still end up with a great tasting coffee.
The Aeropress is wonderful but the one thing it can't compensate for, is stale coffee. Start with fresh, high quality coffee to get the best out of it.
When I'm camping near my car, I'll bring one of these, my Porlex hand grinder, and a few different types of coffee beans, so I've got options depending on what I'm in the mood for. Typically that ends up being our Sweet Science Filter Blend or a rotating Single Origin filter.
Pros
- Makes a great coffee
- Virtually indestructible
- Easy to experiment with
- Lightweight
Cons
- Requires a grinder and filter papers.
- Makes one coffee at a time.
- Needscleaning after every brew.
If you already own one, our AeroPress Brew Guide will help you make the most of it.
AeroPress XL
If I was camping with a group of coffee drinkers, the Aeropress XL is what I'd pack. While it's a fair bit bulkier than the standard Aeropress or Aeropress Go, that's the trade-off for being able to brew enough coffee to share. It still makes the same sweet, clean coffee that the original Aeropress is known for, and the fact that it's durable and fairly easy to clean make it hard to beat when camping.
It's a similar size to a French Press, but it's easier to pack, far less fragile, and brews a cleaner-tasting cup. It also gives you plenty of flexibility to experiment with different recipes depending on whether you like your coffee stronger or with milk, or a lighter, filter-style coffee.
If I'm only making coffee for myself, I'd still reach for the Coffee Drip Bags, but if there's a group of us, and I've inevitably become the designated Barista, the Aeropress XL is a very solid choice.
Pros
- Makes a great coffee
- Virtually indestructible
- Easy to experiment with
- Makes enough for 2-4 people
Cons
- Requires a grinder and filter papers.
- Bulkier than the Original Aeropress or Aeropress Go
- Needs cleaning after every brew.
- More expensive than other options
French Press
Whilst I love experimenting with different ways of making coffee, sometimes the best brew gear is the one you've already got. And chances are, there's a French Press kicking around the back of your kitchen cupboard.
A French press (also known as a Coffee Plunger) is a great option if you're car camping, and weight isn't an issue. It's simple to use, hard to mess up, and produces a rich coffee that's perfect for chilly camping mornings. Similar to the Aeropress XL, it's a fantastic option for groups.
The downside is definitely the clean-up. Scooping wet coffee grounds out of a plunger can get messy quickly, and when I'm camping, the last thing I want to do is more dishes. It's also bulkier and more fragile than some of the other options on this list.
Pros
- Great for groups
- Rich, full-bodied coffee
- Simple brewing process
- No paper filters needed
Cons
- Bulky compared to other options
- Glass versions are fragile
- More washing up
- Makes a slightly more 'gritty' cup than other brewing methods.
For car camping, it's a great option. For hiking, the French Press definitely stays at home.
If you'd like to perfect your French Press brewing, take a look at our French Press Brew Guide
Moka Pot
I have friends who swear by a Moka Pot when camping, and I can see why. If you love a rich and concentrated coffee that's a bit closer to an espresso-style, the Moka Pot (also known as a Stovetop Espresso Maker or Bialetti) is incredible. It's been a classic for decades, and for good reason.
It does take a little longer to brew than other methods, and clean-up is a bit fiddly, which is why I typically leave mine at home. But for when my priority is making a strong espresso-style coffee, that stands up well with milk, the Moka Pot is what I'd pack.
Pros
- Rich espresso-style coffee
- Durable
- No paper filters needed
Cons
- Heavier and bulkier than Drip Bags or an Aeropress
- Takes longer to brew
- Requires a stove
- More pieces to clean
It's a great choice for car camping, but not what I'd choose for a multi-day hike.
If you'd like to perfect your Moka Pot brewing take a look at our Stovetop Espresso Brew Guide.
Should You Take Instant Coffee Camping?
I'm not here to tell you how to live your life. But if you've read this far, chances are you're looking for the best coffee for camping, and instant coffee will never be that.
Instant coffee has been the camping default because it's lightweight and doesn't require much effort. Thankfully it's not the 80's anymore, and we have far better options.
I've changed my mind about a lot of things over the years. Decaf? Turns out it can taste great. Even coffee pods have come a long way. But instant coffee still tastes like an emergency rather than a choice, and I can't see that changing any time soon.
The good news is you don't need to lower your coffee standards, just because you're sleeping in a tent. Drip Bags take the same amount of effort, but they taste like coffee that was actually roasted this year. Because, well, it was.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Moore @andrew.exploring
What About Handheld Espresso Makers?
On paper, (or in those beautifully shot Instagram reels) handheld espresso makers can look like the perfect choice for outdoor adventures. But I'm pretty skeptical of anything that promises a true espresso shot without the pressure of an Espresso Machine.
In my opinion, they're expensive, feel a bit gimmicky, and never quite live up to what they promise. They're also rather fiddly to use, and need a very fine grind which is near impossible to achieve with a hand-grinder. This means you end up relying on pre-ground coffee, which goes stale far quicker than whole beans.
If I was wanting something closer to an espresso style of coffee while camping, I'd pack a Moka Pot instead. They're much cheaper, virtually indestructible, and they don't rely on a bunch of tiny parts that are going to get lost or damaged around camp.
Which Brewing Method Is Right for You?
| Camping Style | My Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Multi-Day Hiking | Drip Bags |
| Weekend Camping | Drip Bags / Aeropress / Moka Pot |
| Camping with a group | Aeropress XL / French Press |
| Minimal Gear | Drip Bags |
Final Thoughts
In short, the best coffee for camping is the one that fits the way that you like to camp.
After plenty of camping trips, I always come back to the same conclusion; simplicity makes for a better trip. When I'm hiking, that means Drip Bags. When I'm camping close to the car, I'll bring my Aeropress too.
The key thing to remember is that the quality of your coffee starts with the coffee itself. No matter what brewing method you go for, freshly roasted specialty coffee will make a world of difference.
If you'd like to make your next camping trip even better, explore our Drip Bags Collection or learn more in our Complete Guide to Drip Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best coffee for camping?
What is the best way to make coffee while hiking?
How do you make coffee while camping without electricity?
Should I grind coffee before going camping?
