The Best Portable Coffee Makers for 2024
We all love a flat white from our local coffee shop, but when you’re travelling it can be tricky finding good quality coffee on-the-go.
Whether you’re camping in the UK or going abroad, taking your coffee gear with you ensures you always have good quality coffee, no matter where you are in the world.
But which portable coffee maker should you go for?
There are so many available, it can be hard to pick the one that best suits your needs.
Do you prefer immersion over the pourover method? How portable does it need to be? What capacity do you need?
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During my 15 years in the coffee industry, I’ve travelled to many places with portable coffee makers in hand. I’ve tried them all – the good, the bad and the useless. Now, I can share my knowledge with you.
Below I’ve narrowed down the six best portable coffee makers in the biz, as well as a breakdown of all their features and why they could work for you.
Why Trust Me?
I’m Tom and I have been working in the coffee industry for over 10 years, starting my journey as a barista in Australia, working on coffee farms in South America and roasting coffee in The UK. Today I review and write about speciality coffee. I am the founder of Batch Coffee Club subscription uk, which showcases the very best coffee from around the world.
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What Makes a Good Portable Coffee Maker?
A good on-the-go coffee maker depends on your wants and needs.
However, there are several elements that should be considered when purchasing one.
Size
Size is a very important factor when it comes to finding the best portable coffee maker. If you’re going camping, you’ll something compact and easy to pack down so that it can fit in your backpack.
If you’re travelling abroad, you could opt for something a bit larger as long as it fits in your suitcase.
Another important aspect is weight. The mass of your coffee maker should depend on how much moving you’ll be doing. If you’re backpacking, something lightweight like a V60 would be best, so that it doesn’t add too much extra weight to your bag.
Material
Durability is essential when it comes to portable coffee makers.
If it will be rattling around in your luggage, you need to make sure it’s sturdy enough to handle all the bumps that come with travelling.
Glass should be avoided for obvious reasons - try and stick to plastic and other hard-wearing materials so that your gear can last as long as possible.
Ease of Use
How long it takes to construct your coffee maker is crucial. If you’re sat on a busy train, you don’t want to be screwing things together for an hour in order to get a decent cup of coffee!
As with the above points, consider your usage and how much time you’ll have to make your coffee. If you’re camping, for example, you’ll may feel a bit more comfortable taking your
Water Source
Hot water for your coffee will have to come from somewhere, so make sure you take that into consideration when buying your portable coffee maker.
Some machines have a built-in water heater, while others such as the AeroPress rely on hot water being poured directly onto the coffee grounds to extract effectively.
If you’ll have access to hot water while travelling, you shouldn’t have a problem choosing any of our recommendations.
If you’re camping, however, look into getting a Thermos or opt for a coffee machine that heats the water for you.
The Six Best Portable Coffee Makers UK
So, now that we have covered what exactly they are, let's take a look at the differences between a cafetiere and filter coffee.
Aeropress
The fan favourite, all-in-one set-up for beginners and pros alike.
The fan favourite, all-in-one set-up for beginners and pros alike.
It’s a classic for a reason – the AeroPress has been a staple in the coffee connoisseur’s travel pack for many years now.
Designed with portability in mind, this one-cup portable coffee maker is ideal for on-the-go brewing. It’s convenient, easy to use and comes with instructions so even the most beginner of coffee lovers can use it with ease.
Here’s how we brew Aeropress at Batch Coffee Club…
After pouring hot water into the chamber, coffee is extracted using immersion and forced through a filter with high pressure. This means that the result is a smooth, almost espresso-like coffee that is full-bodied with little acidity.
Due to the micro-filtration, the coffee isn’t gritty and with so few parts, it’s super simple to clean and pack up with little mess. Whether you’re making coffee in a hotel room or in the wilderness, the AeroPress is great for all environments due to its compact design.
I’ve had an AeroPress for many years and still use it regularly – it really is one of the best mini portable coffee makers out there.
2. Wacaco Minipresso
A small but mighty portable espresso maker designed for Nespresso pods.
On holiday but missing your espresso machine? This little creation is the perfect all-in-one portable coffee maker.
Made from a sleek and durable EVA material, the Minipresso fits nicely into any backpack or suitcase and is super easy to operate. Simply pop in your Nespresso pod, pour hot water into the chamber and pump using the piston on the side of the tube. It also comes with a little cup that unscrews from the top, so don’t need any other equipment.
Checkout James Hoffman’s thoughts on his favourite potable espresso makers…
This makes the Minipresso a great portable coffee maker for your car. With very few pieces, you can easily create coffee while waiting for a friend or after a tiring shopping trip, without the stress of mess.
The greatest part? You don’t need any batteries on electricity to get delicious espresso-like coffee, crema included! With a potential 8 bars of pressure (a standard espresso machine needs about 9), it’s pretty powerful too.
Overall, the Wacaco Minipress is a brilliant portable coffee espresso maker for those seeking quality espresso on the go. Wacaco have now released the Nanopresso, a smaller, lighter version of the Minipresso that requires 15% less energy to pump and comes in a range of colours.
3. Fellow Clara French Press Coffee Maker
A classic French press with a stylish, portable difference.
We love Fellow here at Batch – their sleek, modern looks combined with clever design elements make them a real contender when it comes to high-quality home coffee gear.
Though a little bit pricier than our other choices, the Clara is truly a great choice if you have a bit more money to spend on your coffee set-up.
French presses have always been a brilliant choice as a portable coffee maker, but the Clara elevates the experience to another level.
Made from stainless steel, the carafe is not only sturdy and durable but also provides excellent heat retention, keeping your coffee hot for longer. It has clever features such as hot water and coffee lines marked out, and an agitation stick to aid extraction.
It also has an enhanced filtration mesh that gets rid of grit and sludge, allowing for a clean cup (not always possible with regular French presses).
The Clara is great if you’re on holiday with multiple people and want to make several cups of coffee at once. Though it’s a little bit bulkier than other portable coffee makers, it can still fit into your suitcase or backpack with ease and won’t get bashed around. It really is one of the best portable coffee machines you can get.
4. Clever Coffee Dripper
Combining immersion and drip coffee techniques, the Clever Coffee Dripper isn’t just ingenious by name.
Pourover coffee is a classic for travellers everywhere. Drippers are lightweight, easy to use and don’t require much to make a really decent cup of coffee.
Unlike regular drippers, however, this Clever Coffee Dripper uses the immersion technique you find in a French press, but in compact dripper form. It’s actually quite clever.
Boasting a user-friendly design, this dripper simplifies the brewing process.
Here is how our friends at European Coffee Trip brew Clever Drippers.
Just add your preferred coffee grounds, pour in hot water, and let the grounds sit in the hot water, releasing all oils and aromas from the coffee. Its unique valve mechanism guarantees precise extraction, delivering a remarkably clean and sediment-free cup of coffee with each use.
Other features include an ergonomic handle, improved lid, and removable base for easy cleaning. It brews without bitterness, acidity, or loose grounds, thanks to the new shut-off valve system that allows grounds to settle naturally.
The Clever Coffee Dripper is one of the best portable coffee makers for camping. It’s lightweight, easy to pack away and can create a great-tasting pour-over in an instant.
5. Trinity Zero Coffee Press
Portable and compact, this little coffee press is the ultimate coffee maker for travel.
Though it may be small, the Trinity Zero Coffee Press really packs a punch. Not only does it brew a cup of coffee in record time, it is also incredibly user-friendly.
Trinity Zero operates by using your thumb to pressurise the water chamber, delivering a shot of coffee that surpasses the strength of traditional coffee presses or other brewing methods like the French press or pour-over. It achieves a bold flavour without attempting to mimic espresso.
It also features a reusable steel filter, which eliminates the need for paper filters - great for if you have limited luggage space, and making it another one of the best portable coffee makers for camping. No need for any batteries either!
6. Brew It Stick
Ideal for beginners, the Brew It Stick is compact and super easy to use.
Modelled after a tea steeper, this compact and user-friendly device ensures effortless use and hassle-free cleaning. Cheap and cheerful, it’s great for coffee lovers who are transitioning from instant coffee and are looking to elevate their on-the-go coffee experience.
To use, fill the Brew It Stick basket with filter ground coffee, submerge it in a mug of hot water, and witness the instant infusion. Once brewing is complete, transfer the device to the drip holder for a mess-free experience. See a full Brewit Stick Guide at Barista and Co.
The Brew It Stick also has a high-grade stainless-steel basket filter, replacing the previous nylon mesh which used to affect the taste of the coffee.
Though the steeping method may not be for everyone, this is a great one-cup portable coffee maker that’s super user-friendly and welcoming for beginners.
One To Avoid
Compact Electric Coffee Makers
Though they may seem small and travel-friendly initially, many compact coffee makers like the Ariete Moka Aroma are powered by electricity. This means they are not suitable for on-the-go coffee brewing, particularly while camping!
The best portable coffee machines are the ones that are manual and don’t require external power, making them ideal for travelling. If you do want something a bit punchier, opt for a battery-powered portable coffee maker, though they may still be bulkier than other smaller devices.
What’s the best portable coffee maker?
It’s hard to say, as it all depends on the purpose! If you’re looking to go camping and need something small and lightweight, an AeroPress or dripper are ideal for on-the-go coffee.
If you have a bit more space in your luggage and can carry more, you can choose something a bit more elevated such as a French press. It also depends on how you like your coffee.
What is the best travel coffee brewing method?
Again, it all depends on how you like your coffee and where you’re travelling to! The best methods tend to be the ones that don’t require a lot of fuss and have limited pieces so you don’t have to worry about losing anything.