When you say portable coffee maker, it should be lightweight, easy to store, and durable.
We’ve looked far and wide in order to compile the best among the rest in this category.
From the hundreds of different coffee makers, today we are looking for portable ones.
It’s not easy to take on this journey because there are so many things to consider and you got to bear in mind the different preferences of the customers.
However, the list we have below includes great products that exceed our expectations and standards in terms of overall functionality and performance.
Without further ado, we give you our best pick for the best portable coffee maker.
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The best portable coffee makers in 2023
- ZYLISS Travel French Press
- Presto 02835 MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker
- GSI Outdoors Collapsible Java Drip
- Kalita Wave 185 Drippers
- Bodum Travel Press, Stainless Steel Travel Coffee and Tea Press
- Coffee Gator Pour Over Brewer
- AeroPress Coffee Maker
- Wacaco Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine
Presto 02835 MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker
If you are looking for a single cup coffee maker for home, school, or office use, Presto 02835 MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker is the one thing for you. Brews different volumes 6, 8, and 10oz. You can use K-cup, refillable MyJo cup of freshly ground coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.
Simply add hot water to the reservoir. Alternatively, you can also put water and place it into the microwave, and heat it. Once the water is hot enough, you can attach it to the K-cup in the base, put your coffee mug below it and pump.
As simple as that and you can enjoy freshly brewed coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
Pros
- The reservoir can be placed inside the microwave for heating water
- Accepts K-cups and refillable pods to use freshly ground coffee
- Works without electricity
Cons
- Very affordable
- Need to use coarse ground beans, fine grounds may cause clogging
- May not sit well on smaller cups, especially for narrow-mouth cups
GSI Outdoors Collapsible Java Drip
The collapsible coffee maker is among the most sought out portable coffee machines because it’s easy to store and carry. GSI Outdoors Collapsible Java Drip is an excellent portable coffee maker that is collapsible. It has four filters and brews 1 to 12 cups of coffee.
This machine is made of silicone that can expand from 1-inch high, 5.6-inch diameter to a full height drip cone. With this design, you can easily use mugs, cups or just any wide-mouth bottles for easy brewing. This minimizes spills and gives more convenience while brewing.
The lid doubles as a trivet when you’re done with your brewing. Sounds really convenient, right?
Pros
- It’s fairly easy to use and clean
- Small and compact, pack nicely into anyone’s bag for camping
Cons
- Brewing is very slow; coffee may not be as hot as you like it
- Heavier than some pour over coffee makers
- Doesn’t give the best flavor of your coffee
Kalita Wave 185 Drippers
If it’s a premium portable coffee maker you’re looking for, have the Kalita Wave 185 Drippers. At a very affordable price, you’ll be able to have a reliable dripper that you can use on your mug or on a brew stand.
You can choose it from three different materials — stainless steel, ceramic, and glass. Both have flat-bottom, patented “wave” filter with three holes to make a perfect extraction. With a capacity of 26-45g of ground coffee, you’ll be able to yield 16 to 26oz of freshly brewed coffee.
Pros
- Consistently make a great coffee every time (with good coffee grounds, of course)
- Stainless steel to retain (to some extent) the temperature of the coffee.
Cons
- Filters are a bit expensive
- Needs more patience as it takes time to get the best grind
Bodum Travel Press, Stainless Steel Travel Coffee and Tea Press
Brew coffee or tea as you go, with Bodum Travel Press, Stainless Steel Travel Coffee and Tea Press. It’s made of stainless steel, vacuum-sealed and double-walled insulation to keep your coffee/tea hot or cold for hours.
This is a French press coffee maker that has a non-spill lid and reliable plunger. It’s non-slip grip so you don’t have to worry if it slips while brewing. Or, if it will, there’s nothing to break, so it’s no biggie.
Like most French press, just add coarsely ground coffee (around 3-4 tablespoons) to the chamber, then, add hot water. Stir with the plunger, seal the lid and pull the plunger up. After four minutes, push the plunger down and enjoy your freshly brewed coffee.
Pros
- Cleaning the machine is simple as it’s dishwasher safe
- Mug can hold up to 15oz of coffee
- Holds coffee hot for several hours
Cons
- Challenging when you need to add milk when the plunger is already depressed
- Might not be a French press for daily use
Coffee Gator Pour Over Brewer
The Coffee Gator Pour Over Coffee Maker is a barista-approved hand-brewing coffee dripper that allows you to unlock the full flavor potential of your coffee. The pour over coffee maker set is practical, convenient, and makes a thoughtful gift for any coffee lover.
Coffee Gator Pour Over Brewer is among the portable coffee makers that makes great coffee. Carafe is made from 100% BPA-free material with a stainless steel mesh filter.
The filter is very efficient to keep the grounds, but extracting the natural oil and flavor to your cup. To have a great-tasting coffee, prepare 1oz of your favorite coffee grounds and 12oz hot water. Add coffee to filter and slowly pour the water until done.
Then, remove the filter and pour the coffee in your cup. Serve and enjoy!
Pros
- Easy to set up and great value for its price
- Mesh filter is efficient in keeping your coffee free of sediments
- Carafe has a cup measurement guide
Cons
- To keep the coffee hot/warm, you need to transfer it to thermos after brewing
- Mesh filter is challenging to clean
AeroPress Coffee Maker
Need an espresso at home or at work? Why don’t you bring along with you the AeroPress Coffee Maker? It utilizes total immersion and gentle pressure to produce a rich and flavorful coffee. With its micro filter gives you grit-free coffee in less than a minute.
It makes American-style coffee or espresso that is perfect for lattes and cappuccinos. The process is rather slow and uses low temperature, hence acidity in your coffee is reduced. It makes 1 to 4 cups of espresso in one brewing cycle.
Pros
- Fairly easy to clean, can be disassembled easily
- It’s made of plastic, no plastic part touches the coffee
- Great on-the-go partner – can’t be broken like glass
Cons
- It takes a little time to brew, like cold brew process
- Delivers a single cup serving only
Wacaco Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine
If you are looking for the lightweight and most versatile on-the-go coffee maker, the search is over. Wacaco Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine is the smallest, yet powerful coffee machine that makes great coffee anytime, anywhere. It comes with a semi-automatic piston that aid extraction to achieve rich coffee.
This machine doesn’t need electricity or N2O cartridges to operate. It’s hand-operated, giving you full control of how your coffee should be processed. It has 70ml water capacity and 8g coffee ground capacity. With these, you can make cafe lungo, ristretto or espresso, depending on your cravings.
Pros
- Makes delicious and consistent espresso
- Perfect travel companion because of its compact design
Cons
- It might be a little difficult to clean the system
- Cools down quite faster, so use very hot water, to begin with
- It could have been great if nozzle can be disassembled
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PORTABLE COFFEE MAKER
Choosing a portable coffee maker is very critical because you are to rely on something small, compact and lightweight for your daily dose of coffee.
Does that sound sane?
While the huge commercial coffee makers make the best coffee you’ve ever tasted, you are taking the risk of bringing a palm size coffee maker. Will it even give you quality coffee?
But, whether you like it or not; or whether you believe it or not, there are actually a few products that live up to their expectation even when they are made small and portable.
Below, we disclose our top secret on how we’ll able to hand pick a great and reliable portable coffee machine.
Coffee Quality — Make sure, at least, your portable coffee maker can brew a nice cup of coffee. It’ll be great, especially after a busy and tiring day.
Filter — You know there are a lot of filter types used in portable coffee makers. Paper filters are used in most French presses (source). Familiarize yourself with the impact of each filter to your coffee, so you won’t regret.
Weight — A thing that might be heavy and not handy can’t be called portable. So, this is among your primary criteria. However, not all lightweight are better, but so is otherwise. Portable is being packable, too.
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