Question 1

How do you power a coffee maker while camping?

Accepted Answer

Ideally, you don't have to power it at all! Of course, if you have a generator or other source of power, you can always use that to power your standard drip coffee maker. But if you're in the wilderness without any electricity, you need something else. For example, Aeropress uses rapid immersion to brew the perfect cup of coffee, while Wacaco Nanopresso uses a pumping system.

Question 2

What grind size should I use?

Accepted Answer

This depends on what type of coffee maker you're using. If you're making espresso, grinding your coffee as small as possible is important. For French press coffee, a coarser grind size helps with extraction and keeps small grounds from getting through the mesh filter. For pour-over, choose a medium grind size.

Question 3

Is a French press, percolator, or pour-over better for camping?

Accepted Answer

All of these options are great for camping, and it all depends on your taste and how much space you have for storage. Pour-over makers tend to be the smallest and most packable, while a French press or a percolator tend to take up more space.

Question 4

Should I pre-rinse paper filters?

Accepted Answer

Without rinsing, paper filters can give a papery taste to your coffee. If your coffee blend is particularly light, you may notice this more. Coffee pros do rinse paper filters before using them for making pour-over coffee, so you can if you want. However, I've drank coffee with a paper filter for years without rinsing the filter and it tastes great to me!

Gear