In a perfect world there’s a great cafe in every city, close to your accommodation. Sadly, this doesn’t always stand true. For this reason and more I’ve been travelling for years with my own coffee gear to make a perfect brew while on the go. All I need in addition to this gear is hot water and coffee beans.
I started travelling with this gear while working as a tour guide. I always had to be bright-eyed and excited for my nearly 60 bus passengers, often days at a time. Good coffee played a critical role in this, especially with limited sleep.
This travelling coffee gear is perfect for brewing during any adventures. That could be backcountry camping, travelling for work, van life or just general travel. What’s important about this coffee gear is that it’s functional, light, easy to use and (depending on the beans) can make great coffee every time.
These products are a reminder that good coffee doesn’t need to be sacrificed when you’re without a reliable cafe.
Using these products are also more sustainable, as they can last for years. Meaning less waste, and more tasty brews.
Below is the current coffee gear I use to this day, what makes each product special, and tips for making the best coffee on-the-go.
Table of Contents
Aeropress Coffee Maker
For those unfamiliar with the Aeropress, it’s known to be one of the world’s best coffee makers. It’s uniquely light, durable and easy to use. It can also make all different types of coffee, however the most common is an americano or filter brew. Making it a great addition to this list of compact coffee gear for travelling.
It works by plunging the coffee through a micro filter so there’s no fine grinds in the drink. Coffee can also be made in under a minute and cleaning is quick and requires little water (which is great for hiking, camping and other outdoor adventures!)
Pro tip: Try brewing your coffee in the Aeropress upside down. Press in the plunger to the desired amount without the filter and cover on. This way the coffee can brew without dripping out until it’s ready.
Porlex Hand Coffee Grinder
The Japanese-designed and made Porlex Hand Coffee Coffee Grinders are made with the Aeropress in mind. Not only are these hand grinders easy to use, store and clean—although you don’t need to clean it often, and please never with soap—it fits right inside the Aeropress. This makes it the most compact addition to this set of coffee gear. Grinding coffee right before brewing your coffee is essential to having the freshest and tastiest drink.
Porlex uses ceramic burs in their coffee grinders so coffee beans are always ground to the desired grind, and no more. It’s done through multiple chambers in the device.
And, any part of the grinders can be purchased separately. This is perfect for if you lose a handle or break a part, it doesn’t mean purchasing a new grinder altogether. The grind is easily adjustable to any coarseness.
Lightweight-Electronic Coffee Scale
While searching for a scale to weigh coffee beans I came across some pretty pricey options. And though the brand of a scale might make a difference, it wasn’t convincing enough for me to spend over C$200. Instead, I went with a simple coffee scale from a local coffee shop.
What’s important to look for in a scale is that it’s durable, compact, accurate and lightweight. Next to this it’s important to get one that works in different weight values, such as ounces and grams. It helps to have one that moves up by 0.10 increments (the tenth value). Because for perfect brews, there’s a difference between 23.9 or 23.0 grams of coffee beans.
Bonus: Some coffee scales come with a timer built-in which helps to time your coffee’s brew time.
Thermal Keep Cup
Enjoy hot or cold coffee? Then you need something that’s going to keep it that temperature longer. I love the original Keep Cups. I love the waste-free aspect, their design aesthetic and company values. My favourite Keep Cup ever is the glass and cork, however… after dropping, shattering and subsequently crying twice, I’ve ditched the glass and moved onto the thermal.
Not only is the thermal selection less breakable, but it—unsurprisingly—keeps the coffee hot for longer. What else is important to know about these cups is that they’re easy to drink from, easy to clean and fits most reusable metal straws through the top. This makes the cup easy to use for both hot and cold beverages of all sorts.
The size of the cup also fits well in almost any hand. And, the top of the cup is the perfect fit and stability to hold an Aeropress on top! What more can you ask for in a reusable cup?
Optional: Metal Disk Filter for Aeropress
Purchasing a new Aeropress comes with 350 micro filters for brewing coffee. Which is about a year’s worth of homemade coffee. After that, consider purchasing a reusable metal disk filter. This is both better for the environment and easier for travelling because you don’t need to travel with a bundle of paper filters in a waterproof bag.
Since using the metal filter for a few months, I feel it’s superior in more ways than just sustainability. It’s easy to clean, doesn’t get clogged, and serves its purpose with no more fine grinds than a paper filter would. It also makes this entire process easier for composting as the only waste is now coffee grinds. Which also means less to carry in your backpack during a backcountry hike!
Get Ready to Brew
Brewing coffee with this setup is incredibly easy. As mentioned, it can be done in less than a minute, but that depends on how and what type of coffee you’re brewing.
When travelling, try to purchasing beans locally, whenever possible. This is the best way to support local businesses while trying new beans. And of course, always ensure the coffee is traded fairly to support the farmers.
There’s so many different ways to brew coffee on this system. I change the way I brew coffee depending on the beans. So, this can differ based on the bean’s quality, origin, how they’re processed, and roasted. And also based on the type of grind you’re using. Always check the roaster or cafe’s website for brew guides.
This coffee gear set is the perfect fit for travelling. Check out my packing list for a year abroad in Australia to know what else to pack for travelling!
