Slidein Camper

Real World Camper Coffee Machine Reviews

Three coffee brewing methods were the most popular with truck campers.  To see the top three coffee makers of TCM readers go to “The Best Portable Coffee Makers For Camping“.

Below are the detailed real world camper coffee machine reviews from Truck Camper Magazine readers who have made hundreds of pots of coffee in the wild.

“French Press!  Is there any other way?  But, having been a Scoutmaster for years, we always had cowboy coffee; bring the water to a boil, add one heaping teaspoon coffee grounds per cup, let it steep on a low flame until the grounds settle to the bottom of the pot, and pour a cup!  My wife wouldn’t go for that, so we had to step down to a French Press.  It’s good coffee, but no grounds are stuck in your teeth for a later cup!” – Steven Franz, 2007 GMC 3500, 2013 Lance 1191

Metal Percolator Camper Coffee

“I make coffee the old fashioned way using a metal percolator.  There are several advantages to using this time-worn method.  If you figure out a coffee to water ratio and use it every time, the coffee will be consistent.  It will be boiling hot when you pour your fresh, morning cup and will stay hot longer than many methods.  This is a plus on a cold, winter-camping morning.

It’s easy to look at the glass percolator top.  Watch the color of the coffee until it reaches the perfect strength for you.  There is nothing better than the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and a percolator fills the camper with the fragrance.

The familiar sound of its bubbling, the consistency of the flavor, the hot temperature at pouring time, and the inviting fragrance all make a percolator the choice for me.” – Claire Owen, 2005 GMC Sierra 2500, 2015 Lance 865

“I use a 1500-watt GoPower pure sign wave inverter and regular coffee pot.” – Bill Richcreek, 2013 Ford F-350, 2018 Lance 855S

Cafejo My French Press

“I use a Cafejo My French-Press with K-Cup Pod.  Very minimal clean up required.  Heat water in the microwave or electric kettle when on shore power, or on the propane stove without power.  We can bring different k-cups for different roasts and regular/decaf coffee.

I have tried a lot different ways of making coffee including instant, Folgers singles, stovetop percolator, Mr. Coffee and Keurig.  The Cafejo My French-Press has been the best so far for camping.” – Henry Nelsen, 2007 Toyota Tundra, 2012 Northstar Liberty

“I use my grandfather’s old percolator coffee pot.  I call it Oldbucks.  It tastes great, is much cheaper than a chain shop, and comes with free stories.” – Paul Martino, 1993 Ford F-350, 2001 Lance 1061

“For years we used an aluminum camp stove coffee pot without the insides.  We bought the Folgers sealed whole pot round filters which we can’t find anymore.  Safeway was the last to have them and now they don’t.  If anyone knows where we can get them, we would appreciate it very much.

At Quartzite last year the tent store had four boxes so I was able to get the last in existence.  You could just drop one in the pot with water and heat.  It’s easy and sometimes we just left the bag in for another day and just added another bag.  It’s almost like the single tea bag design.  Please help us find them again, thanks.” – Frank Niehus, 2007 Ford F-350, 2007 Arctic Fox 1150


Delonghi EC680M DEDICA 15 Bar Pump Espresso Machine

“I have a passion for coffee that is 30-plus years in the making.  We use a Delonghi EC680M DEDICA 15-Bar Pump Espresso Machine for mochas and lattes.  It takes up very little space on our countertop, heats up quickly, and makes an amazing morning drink.

We use Solar Roast (out of Pueblo, Colorado) espresso beans.  It’s pre-ground so we don’t have to take a grinder.  We also like drip coffee and use a simple Melitta pour over with #2 filters that we have had for at least ten years.  Writing this is making me thirsty.  Off to make another coffee!” – Michael Ring, 2016 Ford F-350, 2017 Northern Lite 8’11″

“I use an ancient drip coffee maker that is older than I am and looks it too.  I’m not nearly as beat up as it is.  I use Don Pedro coffee and it takes a while to drip, so that’s when I take my shower.  Then I have my coffee and I am all washed up as well!” – Neal Williams, 2016 F250, 2000 Bigfoot 2500 10.6

“I have a Mr. Coffee eight cup electric stainless steel insulated carafe backed up by extra camper batteries and a 2000-watt inverter.  It makes eight cups in under 10 minutes.  No hotplate is needed since the insulated carafe holds the temperature.

Dual HD alternators in the truck can back up the camper’s batteries with 1/0 wiring in case the batteries get low.  There is a solenoid disconnect between truck and camper when the motor is not running so the inverter can’t run down the truck’s starting batteries.” – John Littrell, 2017 Ford F350, 2012 Lance 865

“We have a teapot, #5 cone filters, and a brewing cone that fits over the top of our Nissan thermos.  It’s simple, easy, and brews good coffee that stays hot.  The best part is that we do not start a generator to use a 110-volt drip coffeemaker and irritate the other people in the process.

I use a Ninja Coffee Maker at home.  I prefer the taste of coffee brewed in a peculator, but I can not find a good one any more.

I like Folgers Black Silk, but switch around so I do not get bored with the flavor.  We like our coffee strong and black.” – Lou Buesseler, 2000 Ford F-250, 2016 Northstar TC850SC

“We make coffee on the road two ways.  One is an old fashioned percolator.  I love the sound it makes and the permeating smell throughout the camper.  If we are in a hurry, we just pour the hot water over a filter and flask.

Our favorite coffee is Fika coffee.  It’s roasted here in the northeast Minnesota Arrowhead.” – Lindsay Little, 2015 Chevy 2500HD, 2015 Wolf Creek 850

“I use a plastic French Press with Melitta Colombian Supreme, medium roast.” – Frank Tuttle, 2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2017 Four Wheel Camper Swift

Drip Coffee In Camper Jan Hill

“To this day I make cowboy coffee in my camper even though I don’t ride horses any more.  This habit stems from camping with horses for years and years with my saddle club friends and we drank cowboy coffee around the campfire.

Using an enameled coffee pot (or enameled pan), I put a fistful of Folgers drip coffee in the pot of near-boiling water then turn to simmer for a few, watching that it doesn’t boil over.  Then, I turn off the fire and let the grounds settle and pour slowly into a cup.  If you decide to try this, you may want to pour through a filter into the cup.” – Jan Hill, 2002, 1993 Lite-Craft pop-up

“Coffee singles.” – David Warman, 2017 Ford F-350, 2012 Lance 850

“We use a Keurig with Eight O’Clock brand coffee.  It has an eight cup reservoir and I make one cup at a time, so there’s no waste.  It’s quick and easy to grab a cup and go while camping or driving.” – Pem Richardson, 2016 Ram 3500, 2016 Adventurer 86FB

“We use the Coleman drip coffee maker that you set over the stove when there is no power.  When we have power, we use a standard residential-type drip coffee maker.

We take both coffee makers with us, so we are good to go.  No morning coffee is a no no.” – Rich Bain, 2004 Dodge 3500, 2010 Adventurer 810

“I have a Keurig with eight cup reservoir and usually use Eight O’Clock medium roast.” – Patrick Richardson, 2016 Dodge Ram 3500, 2016 Adventurer 86FB

Farberware Classic Yosemite 8 Cup Percolator

“I have used stovetop Farberware eight cup stainless percolator.  I use it constantly to warm water to clean whatever, including me, when the not-often-used heater is not on.

The heater was replaced two years ago, but sometimes it goes out while driving and it’s my biggest propane user.  So it’s mostly not used.

The Farberware Yosemite is on Amazon for $19.99.  I spend six to seven months a year in the camper and have used this coffee maker several times a day for four years.  It has worked well for me.  No problems.” – Jeff Manley, 2005 Ram 2500, 1997 Lance 3000

“Linda and I use and old style stove top percolator that we’ve had for 40 years.  Put the water in, use a filter in the basket, add the coffee, and bring it to a boil on the propane stove top.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer once it starts percolating.  Let it go for five minutes.  We set the pot off to the side of the burner to keep it hot and let any grounds settle.  Linda does not appreciate grounds in her cup.

We use on sale coffee, which is usually Folgers or Maxwell House.” – Tim Zeh, 2005 Chevy 3500, 2007 Arctic Fox 1150

“I Have a Coleman camping coffeemaker.  It works just like the Mr. Coffee we use at home, but with no electricity.  I set it on the stove top and it drips hot water through the coffee and filter.  It’s works a little slower than at home, but it works for us.  We use Folgers classic roast.” – Howard Bisco, 2015 Ford F-250, 2014 Palomino HS6601

Adventurer 116DS Coffee Pot

“You mean there are people that don’t survive on coffee?  Since our first camping trip (parked a pop-up in the backyard and when we got up in the morning realized we forgot to bring the coffee pot) we now make a major production of putting a coffee maker in the camper before we pack anything else.

If we have shore power, we use a Mr. Coffee 12-cup drip.  Our mugs are a good size so we only get four to five drinks from our brewer.  There is plenty of room on our counter for the coffee maker to stay when we are parked, but for travel or boondocking, we store it under the dinette where it shares space with hand weights, the dog’s food bucket, and even the dog.

6 Cup Stainless Steel Percolator

We also travel with a 6-cup stainless steel percolator for our mornings when boondocked.  To make clean up a bit easier, we put a paper coffee filter in the basket with the coffee grounds.  We only get two mugs of coffee from this size pot so we do two brew cycles, letting the second one perc a bit longer.

As for our preferred choice of coffee; a dark bold French Roast from Starbucks, please.” – C&J Ramsey, 2012 Chevy Silverado 3500, 2014 Adventurer 116DS

“I use a single cup electric GE Brewmaster with an 18 ounce cup.  If I have no electric, I take the top filter insert out and place it on the cup and use boiled water from the propane stove.  That is similar fashion to the Melitta ceramic pour over.  It works for me!

Meg drinks tea.  She uses the Mic when we have electric.  It uses boiled water from the propane stove.  We make it work, no mater the conditions!  My coffee brand is Cafe Dumond!” – Tony Polvino, 2016 Ford F-150, 2016 Travel Lite 770

“My favorite coffee is anything black, and it darn well not taste like a flower or any other foreign substance.  I need all the hair on my chest I can get!  As far as brewing, we use a four cup electric drip if we are on shore power, or an eight cup camp style percolator if it’s brewed over the stove.  I also enjoy a good cup made in a french press.

I am curious if anyone writes about egg coffee.  That’s right, coffee made with an egg over the grounds.  I don’t think it tastes like an egg, but is intended to keep the grounds intact and out of your cup.  My coworker boasts about it quite a bit.  I have/will probably never try it.” – Ben Hansen, 2006 F350, 2005 Lance 981 Max

“We went through many different methods, including the Coleman stove top drip machine.  It was too big and way messy for us.  We ended up getting an old percolator coffee pot.  That works best for us.  We had a hard time finding the old style percolator pot, so over the years we have collected many sizes and styles.

We use the Folgers breakfast blend.  We seem to keep going back to our favorite.” – Rod F, 1999 Ford F-250, 1997 Lance 165

“We have a Mr. Coffee drip coffee maker and we always drink Starbucks breakfast blend.” – Steve Wingo, 2017 Dodge Ram 3500, 2018 Lance 975

“When we’re not staying in a campground with electric, we use a french press.  I am still working on getting the strength consistently correct.” – Scott Mote, 1996 Dodge 2500, 2001 Lance 1030

“I use a motel-sized Mr. Coffee maker.  It has a reusable screen instead of needing filters.  I mostly dry camp, so the generator runs it.

If I plan to be up early, I make it the night before and warm it up in a kettle on the stove in the morning so that I don’t wake others with my generator.  I also don’t have to go outside in the cold to start it up.” – Ron Williams, 1997 Ford F-250, 2003 Lance 1010

Bialetti Stovetop Percolator Camper

“The most efficient way we have found to enjoy our morning coffee is our small Bialetti stovetop percolator that makes one cup at a time very quickly.  This eliminates the need to keep a volume of coffee hot.” – Tom Watson, 1994 Ford F-250, 1994 Alaskan

“We have a mini Keurig plus an inverter and generator to run it when we’re off-grid.  The Keurig is on its fifth year and, after 33,000 miles, it’s still brewing coffee, hot chocolate and tea.

My favorite coffee is any Green Mountain medium to bold roast and Paul Newman organic bold.  We also have Swiss Miss hot chocolate and Twinings tea.” – Janet and Jim Manis, 2014 Ram 2500HD, 2015 Travel Lite 960R Illusion

“French Press.  It’s the only way to brew!” – Chuck Cox, 2005 Ford F-150, Ranger Rider Cap

“I started out using a french press, but got tired of the mess.  I recently switched to the Presto My Jo – a fairly inexpensive unit that uses K-cups, but no electricity.  It makes a great cup of coffee and is easy to clean up.” – Karen Ulen, 2016 Ford, 2017 XP Camper

“I cannot start my day without lots of wonderful dark roast coffee.  So during last summer’s three month trek from Michigan to Alaska, I used an old fashioned stove top percolator with freshly ground beans every morning.  It is just my little daily happy moment.” – Shellie Barnes, 2017 Ford F-250, 2017 Palomino SS-550

“I use a collapsible pour over with Dunkin Donuts coffee.  Previously I used a Coleman range top drip coffee maker which is very slow!  I can’t remember the brand or source for the collapsible pour over gadget.  It’s available from $5.99 to $7.99.” – Michael Nervik, 2002 Silverado 3500, Eagle Cap 1150

“When on the road we have a Coleman ten cup that works great on a Coleman stove or the inside three burner stove.  We also have an eight cup percolator.

If 110-volt is available, we use a fourteen cup KitchenAid.  Yes, we drink a lot of coffee!  Are there really other brands of coffee besides Folgers?” – Denver and Linda Woods, 1997 Ford F350, 2001 Lance 1121

“I have an old school percolator.  It is made of aluminum and designed for campfire or Stove usage.  They can be found at REI and other camping outfitter stores.

I don’t have favorite brand of coffee but prefer fine or espresso finds as they seem to make a better flavored coffee.” – Leonard Pennock, 2006 Dodge 3500, 2003 Eagle Cap 950

“We use a Turkish coffee maker.  We use a good Italian brand expresso coffee.  We heat up our milk and fluff it with a fluff maker that is battery operated and found at Ikea.” – Denyse Desjardins, Dodge Ram 2500, Cirrus 800

“I am a big coffee drinker.  My friends tell me that if coffee was booze, I would be dead. For many years we used a stove-top percolator, but it had some problems.  Unless you want a full pot, there was no way to estimate a partial pot, and, even for me, it was a bit much.  In addition, it took a lot of space and weight.  Further, my wife mostly drinks decaf, so we were making two types of coffee.

An electric drip coffee maker is not an option since we are unplugged most of the time and there is additional space and weight involved.  Because she drinks less coffee than me, we purchased the small Melitta pour-over for her.  That worked so nice that I started using it for me.  I find that I can make a liter of coffee with it (although the filter gets slow after awhile).  I make it in a cup and then pour it into my thermos for later use.” – Steve Merrill, 2009 Silverado 3500, 2007 Lance 992

“Warning: The Propane Police will not like this!  I make coffee the same way as at home with a 120-volt grinder and 120-volt Capresso maker.

When boondocking I run my propane generator in the morning for about 30-minutes to make coffee and charge all the batteries.  I also run it at supper time.  I feel engines are made to run so they run when you really need them.  If other campers are nearby I put up my vertical vent to eliminate any odor issues.  Solar would be good for extended days.  Someday I may need to go in that direction.

I use Camp 4 Coffee called Sledgehammer from Crested Butte, Colorado.” – Chip Collin, 2002 Ford F350, 2014 Chalet DS116RB

“I use the ceramic pour over with a #4 organic cone filter.  It is identical to the Melitta but I found it at a World Market store for $7.  I use the larger size filters to avoid the grains overflowing if I accidentally pour too much water, which happens often when I am sleepy.  I used to use a stainless coffee press but that required too much water to clean.  I am off-the-grid when I travel and try to conserve as much water as I can.” – Lidia Soler, 2005 Dodge Ram 2500, 2008 Lance 845

MSR MugMate Coffee Tea Filter

“I use the MSR MugMate Coffee/Tea Filter, which is designed for backpacking, because it is extra small and very lightweight.  It does take a small amount of water to clean but I feel that is a minor trade off for its compact size.  I use it both on the road and at home.” – Wanda Myers, 1999 Dodge Ram 2500, Hallmark Cuchara

“When we are not plugged in we use an AeroPress coffee and expresso maker.  It does not need power, it’s much easier to clean than a french press, and makes a rich cup of coffee without the bitterness.  Our standard morning brew is Folgers Columbian.  We stumbled in to the Sleepy Monk brew house in Cannon Beach, Oregon and now we’re hooked.” – Phil McEachen, 2000 Ford F350, 2008 Okanagan 117DBL

“Although we’re both of Norwegian ancestry, our tastes are much more pedestrian than the hosts of TCM.  We use a Mr. Coffee automatic coffee maker when we have shore power, and an old aluminum percolator left over from our tenting days when we don’t have 120-volt power.

Our coffee is what we drink everyday at home, Costco medium roast repacked into a Folgers plastic can.  It’s now 9:00am as I type this, and we’re on our second pot of coffee of the day.” – Philip Tron, 2009 Chevy 3500, 2012 Lance 1050

“With a coffee snob in this family, we bought a new Hamilton Beach coffee maker before we even took delivery of the camper!  It fits under the sink for travel, and during camping it sits in the triangle behind the sink, out of the way.

I prepare the coffee maker before going to bed.  In the morning I just hop out, hit the on button, and jump back in bed while it brews.

We currently use Seattle’s Best ground coffee.  At home, our coffee snob uses a maker that grinds the beans immediately before the brew process.  We decided that while roughing it, we don’t quite need to go to that extent.  It wouldn’t fit on the camper anyway.” – Ken Mercurio, 2017 Ford F350, 2016 Arctic Fox 811

“We use a coffee press, but also have a Bialetti Espresso maker in case we get the urge for something stronger.  We have no particular favorite brand of coffee.” – Audra Abbott, Ford F-350, 2006 Lance 1181

“I use a GSI eight cup percolator from REI.  Our preferred coffee is Peets.  We like strong coffee and the percolator works just fine.” – May Montana, 2006 Dodge 2500, 2010 Alaskan 8ft

“Instant!  Starbucks Via with optional half-and-half is as fancy as I get.  A Vietnamese friend introduced me to Vinacafe instant coffee, which has creamer and a lot of sugar mixed in.  This takes some getting used to, but I did.  And it goes camping too.  It’s sort of like dessert coffee.

I’m English, so questionable coffee is fine with me, but I take my tea very seriously.  It requires absolutely boiling water poured over two PG Tips tea bags in my Yeti 20 ounce mug, left to steep for several minutes before removing the tea bags and adding milk.  The Yeti keeps my tea extremely hot for at least 90 minutes, and that makes me very happy.” – Christine Dyer, 2012 Chevy Silverado, 2016 Four Wheel Camper Hawk Shell

“I have tried several ways to make coffee over the years, including different brands of instant.  I always go back to Folgers Classic medium roast coffee grounds.

In keeping with the theme of truck camping, where most items have at least a dual purpose when possible, I currently use my ole reliable four cup Mr. Coffee maker.  The lid on the Mr. Coffee I use just happens to cover both the coffee basket and the water reservoir.

When the camper is plugged in I use the Mr. Coffee as normal.  When I am boondocking, I heat the water on the stove, leave the lid up over the basket and pour the hot water over the coffee grounds.  I then transfer the fresh brewed coffee to a Thermos mug where it could stay hot for six hours, if I don’t drink it all first.” – David Reese, 2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD, 2009 Northern Lite 8-11Q

“We use a fifty ounce stainless french press. The grounds fertilize the nearest tree and if there are leftover grounds in the pot it only adds to the next pot.  Coffee is roasted from green beans by us.  I haven’t found a commercial roast we enjoy more.” – Jon Schnebly, 2004 Freightliner M-106, 2014 Arctic Fox 1150

“I have Dunkin Donut coffee ground (sometimes Starbucks) on the stove in old camp coffee pot with Melitta paper filters for easy cleanup.” – Steve Owlett, 2016 Ford F-350, 2016 Arctic Fox 990

“When we have shore power we use a coffee maker.  When we boondock we use a percolator on the stove top.  Nothing gets done until coffee in the morning.” – Erwin Greven, 2002 Chevrolet Sliverado 2500HD, 2002 Lance 921

“I’m kind of a coffee snob.  I like a strong and bold brew.  I used to bring a hand bur grinder to freshly grind the beans before placing them into a coffee press, but the extra hassle was not worth it.  Now we grind the beans before the long weekend vacations.

The key is enough coffee in the press; at least a half cup per four cups of water.  Stir in boiling water that we usually heat over the stove or sometimes use the microwave oven.  We have an on-board generator, but I refuse to use that first thing in the morning.  I only use the microwave if we are hooked up to shore power.

A french press is amazing.  It is one of things we really enjoy and keep exclusive for our camping experience.” – Michael Hoppe, 2014 Chevy 2500 HD, 2009 Lance 845

“I use a very old aluminum stovetop percolator.  I found it in an auction specials box back in the 1960s.  I have been using it for camping since the tents on the ground days on the Coleman!

Maxwell House Original is my coffee of choice.  It’s good to the last drop.” – Bill Lenz, 2014 Ford F150, 1992 Shadow Cruiser pop-up

“French press.” – Joe Barry, 2006 Chevrolet 2500HD, 2003 Lance 821

“We use the one cup model of the Keurig and carry cold brew coffee concentrate in the refrigerator.” – Shanon Michaud, Dodge Ram 3500, NuCamp Cirrus 820

“We use a coffee cone for our coffee but ours is a six cup version and we brew it into a two quart thermos which keeps our morning joe hot well into the afternoon. Whether or not we have shore power we use the same method to keep it simple.

We generally buy a good dark French roast whole bean from Sam’s club.  As we travel across the country the name of coffee may change.” – Russell and Gretchen Berquam, 2014 Ford F-350, 2015 Arctic Fox 1140

Mr Coffee 12 Cup Maker

“We use a twelve cup Mr. Coffee with auto timer when plugged in.  We use the same coffee maker, sans timer, when boondocking.   We just have to fire up the generator first.  My wife and I both drink 2 to 3 cups a day.  We prefer Dunkin Donuts original blend.” – Robert Williams, 2012 GMC Sierra 3500 HD, 1994 Fleetwood Caribou

“With hook-ups, a four cup drip machine.  When boondocking, a single cup funnel.  Under both conditions whole beans and ground in a hand grinder.” – Neil Womack, 2007 GMC 2500, 2013 CampLite 11

“I make it the good old fashioned way.  I put five scoops of CDM coffee and chicory in our aluminum drip pot.  I boil the water, pour water in the top section of the pot and wait until it all drips.  Then, I pour myself the best cup of coffee ever.” – Sam Tardo, 2002 Ford F-250, 1997 Shadow Cruiser

“We use a ten cup regular coffee maker.  There are no short cuts on my coffee making!  We use half caffeine and half decaf.” – Trevor Cameron, 1999 Ford F-250, 2014 Palomino

Melita Pour Over Coffee Brewer

“I use a Melitta plastic pour over!  I haven’t found a better way for a great cup of Peet’s Coffee.” – Dave Miller, 2015 Ford F-350, 2002 Bigfoot 10.6E

“I use a Melitta one cup paper filter when I have to boil water (add a second scoop coffee to already in use filter for me, stronger is better).

I use a one-cup Keurig coffee maker when on hookup power.  Both methods are easily stored for all circumstances.  The Keurig gives me flavor-variety options when I’m on my own (the dog doesn’t drink coffee).  I usually also like Folgers using both methods, but the variety in the Keurig Cups is also a welcome change at times.” – R. Shaffer, 2017 Ram, 2017 Four Wheel Camper Hawk

“When we’re hooked up to power we use a small four cup drip coffee maker.  When boondocking, we use a french press.

For the future, I’m hoping to find a small cappuccino machine that will fit in the camper for those days when we have power and I want to make a latte!  Seattle’s Best French Roast is a favorite coffee.” – Dave Riddle, 2015 Chevrolet 3500, 2017 Host Mammoth

“An old fashioned percolator on the propane stove.” – Ed Chauvaud, 1999 Ford F250, 2014 Northern Lite 9-6Q SE

“I have two coffee machines.  The Electro perk is used during the day with the generator, and a Coleman for the top of the stove for early in the morning due to generator hours.” – Martin F. Sullivan Sr., 2014 Ram 3500, 2018 Arctic Fox 990

“We make instant coffee at home and on the road.  We always have a kettle with us.  The brand we use is Nescafe.  In addition we carry honey from a local producer instead of sugar and my husband needs his milk.” – Tricia Mason, 2009 Ford F350, 2008 Montana Ponderosa

Espro Double Walled Stainless French Press

“After breaking our first glass Bodum French Press, we ordered a beautiful stainless steel double walled insulated french press.  I believe it’s an Espro French Press.  It makes great coffee, keeps it hot, and doesn’t break on rough roads!

I don’t buy any particular coffee brand, but often get the Espresso beans from Costco (Starbucks I think).  We have a machine at home, and we like the espresso flavor.” – Orian Hartviksen, 2011 Ford F350, 2010 Northern Lite Q 8’11’

“I use Folgers instant and make it a cup at a time.  My sweetie is not a coffee drinker.” – Tom Ralls, 2009 Chevy 2500HD, 1994 Shadow Cruiser 800

“I have a four cup Mr. Coffee Maker if we have electricity.  I use the percolator on the gas stove if not.  I tried a pour over but the coffee was too cool by the time it finished and we don’t have a microwave (I prefer the storage space).  I like my coffee hot.” – Connie Westbrook, 2002 Chevy, 1997 Lance Squire 5000

“I don’t drink coffee, but my wife does.  We have a Keurig in the truck camper, our home in New York, and our fifth wheel in Florida.  Every space, nook and cranny is packed with K cups.  There is no room for junk.” – Ron Day, 2008 Chevy 2500, 2008 Sunlite

“I use a small percolator on the stove top.  Old school!” – Ron Wolfgram, 2000 F250 ford, 2006 Adventurer 810WS

“We use the Melitta system #6.  I make anywhere from three to six cups of coffee each morning.  The type of coffee I use is Starbucks, and I like it strong.

Since my cardiologist has inserted himself into my coffee drinking, I use two-thirds decaf and one-third caffeine now.  The coffee that is not consumed in the morning is put into a thermos to drink later in the day.” – Ed and Sandra Krech, 2006 Ram 3500, 2011 Northern Lite 8-11

Starbucks Via Instant Coffee Packets

“We are usually up early and getting out for a hike or making tracks to get to our next stop.  So for us it’s all about simplicity.  Starbucks Via instant from Costco at about 55 cents a pop.  Our mugs are Snow Peak 450 double wall titanium with a lid and they stay hot for the duration.  Nothing special, but it works for our trips as we are mostly on the go.” – Todd Womble, 2000 Ford F-250, 2015 Four Wheel Camper Hawk

“We use a Mr Coffee electric drip that was kept after we downsized and sold our home to go full-time in our truck camper.  The power comes from a 2000-watt pure sine inverter from GoPower.

This has proven to be the most water efficient way to make coffee as there’s no pot washing or grounds that need to be cleaned out like with a french press, percolator or cowboy coffee where you just boil the grounds and then strain them out with your teeth.

We usually boondock ten to sixteen days in the same spot before moving on.  So water conservation is the name of the game.” – Scott Elliott, 2007 Ford F350, 2013 Chalet TS116

“We boil water on the stove, use a collapsible cone or plastic cone (whichever I find first), and filter.  It’s easy, quick, and there’s no cleanup.

Our preferred coffee is Dark House Blend from Coffee Bean Direct.  It comes in whole bean which we grind for each trip.  It is available through Amazon.” – Bill Peters, 2017 Chevy Silverado, 2013 Four Wheel Camper Hawk

“I will not function throughout the day without coffee.  My wife will not get out of bed without her one cup of coffee.  Coffee is near and dear to us.

We only use Community Coffee dark roast (it’s a Louisiana brand) and we carry ten pounds of ground coffee with us.  We carry a Keurig K-cup style coffee maker when we have electric hookups and we are not dry camping.  This is rare, but worth the space that it takes to travel with it.

The coffee pot we use is a vintage 1950s wide base percolator that my mom and dad gave us when we started RVing as a family a few years after we were married.  It was used by them when our family was camping in the 1960s and 1970s.  I remember the pot, but never drank coffee back then.

The pot brews a quart of coffee in about 25 to 30 minutes on a campfire grate or about the same time on the propane cooktop.  That’s only if I’m having trouble with building a fire.

Once the coffee is brewed, we pour it in a thermal carafe so it stays hot.  In addition to those two, we travel with an Primula espresso maker for our evening after dinner espresso.  I know it sounds like we carry a lot for making coffee.  But, to us, it’s worth the space, considering it’s what we wake up to and generally how we end our day.

The cleanup is minimal.  Since it’s coffee, we just take a paper towel and wipe it out.  It’s not like it was cleaned in the sink but it’s good enough for us to make more coffee.  During my Navy career, I never washed my coffee cup and it never did me any harm.” – Rollie Thurston, 2004 Ford F350, 2005 Alpenlite Santa Fe 1100

“Coffee is an important ritual every morning for Sam and I.  I usually get up a few minutes earlier than Sam so I can start the coffee.  I love the smell, ritual, custom and quietness around our morning coffee routine.  When we first set up house together we had an espresso maker, coffee maker and Keurig.   People would often comment when they came into our kitchen, “wow, you really like coffee”.  It was slightly embarrassing.

A few years ago, we were on our way to the airport for a vacation and we had some time to kill so we stopped in a store that sells all sorts of cooking utensils and pots and pans.  They were offering samples of coffee made from a coffee maker they were selling.  I wasn’t expecting much, but to my great surprise it was delicious.

I had Sam taste it, and he agreed that it was really good coffee.  It is a running joke in the house that if I show any interest in anything, he will ask if he can buy it for me.  Almost 99% of the time I say “no, we don’t need that”.  This was the one time I said “yes, we absolutely need this coffee maker”.  The look on his face was priceless; I still chuckle when I think of it because I could have made a mortgage payment for what it cost.

Here is the beautiful part, if you want a latte, I can make it.  If you want an espresso, I can make it.  If want a simple cup of coffee, I can make it.  It can do just about anything including your taxes.  Okay, it does not do that but it makes damn good coffee.  I was able to replace three appliances for one.  On our way home from the our vacation a week later, we stopped at the store and bought it.  It isn’t an exaggeration to say that I love my coffee maker.

So enter the truck camper, aka Foxy, and of course the topic of coffee was near the top on our list (right after how do I drain the black water tank without getting splashed and right before can I run my blow dryer off the battery).

The key rule is to not run the generator to power a coffee maker.  We need to save the generator for important appliances, like my blow dryer.  We needed to make our coffee with the gas stove top.  Sam’s son is a bonafide boondocker and can go out with his Jeep and a hammock for weeks at at time.  He is also a coffee expert and part owner of a custom roast coffee shop and he suggested we try an AeroPress.

An AeroPress is much like a small french press with a filter the makes one or two cups at a time.  It seemed a little highfalutin and I thought to myself, “Would John Wayne have used an AeroPress sitting next to the campfire?”

Contrary to the advice of others,  I thought that we would go back to basics and use a traditional and inexpensive approach.  We bought a hand crank coffee grinder and procured a good old fashioned percolator.   The first camping trip we got up early, and we ground the beans, we put the grounds in the percolator and waited with anticipation the allotted time.  With smiles on our faces we poured the coffee into our mugs ready to relax and savor that first wonderful sip.

To say this didn’t work out as planned would be an understatement as the first percolated batch was a bit like colored water.  We eventually muddled through drinking it by doctoring it up by adding a little milk and maybe some sugar which we never do.  We decided then and there this wasn’t the method for us.

After we got home, Sam did his usual internet research and after reading numerous articles and talking with several self proclaimed coffee connoisseurs (coffee snobs/hipsters) we broke down and bought an AeroPress.  We practiced several times at home and took off on our next truck camping weekend.  We heated up the water and followed the directions on the box and it was truly love at first sip.

We really enjoyed this coffee – no bitterness, smooth and delicious.  It was dark and strong as we typically use a dark roast (Starbucks Italian Roast) because we both prefer the full strong flavor that type of roast produces.  This is much to our son, the coffee snob’s dismay as he classifies all dark roast coffee as burnt and should be treated as such.  He was right about the AeroPress, but I’m not giving up my strong coffee.

I reminded myself that there are no rules for camping when it comes to coffee.  No campground coffee cops.  We still use the hand grinder.  I still want to avoid ever turning the generator on first thing in the morning (quiet is key).  But what fits us is right.” – Sam and Lisa Pounds, 2017 Ford F-350, 2018 Arctic Fox 990

“I use a Keurig when hooked to utilities.  I use HEB Texas Pecan coffee.  I use my percolator outside on the Colman stove when dry camping.  I also use HEB Texas Pecan coffee with the percolator.” – Jeffrey Wallin, 2013 Ford F-350, 2013 Lance 1050S

“I use a Melitta cone with a mug just as I have done since the 1960s.  I like McDonald’s McCafe best.  Second, I like Community Coffee breakfast blend.” – Janet Carter, 2006 Silverado, 2018 Capri Retreat

“We use a old eight cup copper bottom drip coffee maker.  It works great.  The water heats in the bottom part and then pours into the top part and drips to the bottom. It’s simple with no filters and you can easily reheat the coffee on the stove.” – Bernie and Peggy Langreck/Bronsberg, 2013 GMC 3500, 2014 Arctic Fox 990

“We use a stainless steel percolator on the stove inside if it’s raining.  We drink Dunkin Donuts coffee.” – Ed Monkemeier, 2012 Ram 2500 Crew, 2015 Northstar 850SC

“A percolator.” – James Iannotti, 2012 Ram 2500, 2017 Lance 850

“I use a french press at home and on the road.  It’s the world’s best coffee, by far, and you can heat the water on the stove or in an electric teapot if you are hooked to shore power.  The second best option is a percolator.  Anything else isn’t coffee!

After sampling coffees from all over the world, my favorite coffee (whole bean only, fresh ground) is Sumatra Mandheling.  The most reliable place I have found to get it is CoffeeAM.com.  Second, a more economical vendor for other coffees, especially swiss-water decaf, is San Francisco Bay.  It’s shipped free if you are on Amazon Prime.” – Danny Crain, 2016 Ram 2500, 2015 Camplite 9.6S

“Same as you, I use a Melitta pour over.  I have been using them in the house and camper for close to thirty years.  It doesn’t get any simpler.  As a bonus, I usually crawl out of bed first and get the kettle going, which gives a little heat boost first thing in the morning.

We drink Shuswap Coffee up here in Canada.  Order four pounds and the shipping is free.  I order it, it gets roasted fresh, gets ground, and I have it in a couple of days by mail.  And it’s very good coffee to boot!” – Kevin Mooney, 2014 Ford F350, 2006 Okanagan 106UDB

“I made room for the Keurig.  I didn’t like the Folgers single packs. I like McDonald’s Cafe.” – Jill Kulina, 2016 Ford F-350, Northern Lite Q 8-11

Percolator At Walmart

“Just as we do at home, we percolate our coffee whenever truck camping.  I bought the percolator at Walmart long ago and it works just as well on a campfire if necessary.  It takes seven minutes and it’s fun being able to see the coffee bubbling through the glass dome on top.

As for what brand(s) we prefer – anything on sale!  We’re not coffee gourmands and usually add flavored creamer anyhow so it doesn’t have to be the greatest.” – James and June Morris, 1999 Ford F-250, 1999 Lance 1120

“I used to bring a Keurig, but now I just use Starbuck’s instant (decaf).  It’s just as good and does not require a machine or electricity.  It also keeps very well in the sealed tubes.

My second choice would probably be a french press, but I always put a filter over the plunger.  The mesh type filters allow too much silt to pass through.  Putting a piece of filter paper over the plunger makes a big difference.  I just cut a circle from a drip coffee filter.” – Vince K, Promaster 2500 159-inch WB, Custom

Percolator For Coffee

“We like our coffee.  I looked for a proper coffee pot and had a hard time finding what we wanted.  A good friend gave us a small 1950’s Revere coffee pot, bakelite handle, and all the parts!  I tried it as a perk and just don’t like perked coffee.  We did the one cup pour over for a few years.  It’s good, but not great.

After reading reviews, I got an AeroPress.  The coffee is so good that we now use the AeroPress in the house and not my espresso machine.

For coffee, we use Trader Joe’s French Roast.  For our coffee cups, we use National Park Mugs from REI.” – Bill Harr, 2005 Toyota Tundra, 2013 FWC Hawk custom built shell

“Interesting question.  Fearing being pulled over by the weight police our solution has been quite simple.  Much like you when you started truck camping, we use Folgers, but instead of individual tea sized bags we use Folgers Instant Coffee Crystals.  No muss, no fuss.  We used hot water from our kitchen stove and a spoon full of crystals (for me a tablespoon).  Add more depending on the strength you want and that’s it.  There’s nothing to take up valuable space or recycle.  The remaining hot water can be used to wash dishes.

At home we use a Keurig multi cup maker.  My wife prefers decaf while I prefer more lead in my pistol.  We both like Peet’s Coffee, Mocca Java Dark Roast.  We use the fill your own individual cups, not the pre-made.  We have other coffee makers, but this gives us the ability to make to make individual cups as we prefer them.  That said we also sometimes break out the Folgers Crystals to get the camping experience.

At home we’ve tried all kinds of coffee makers and coffee brands but have never found one that quite compares to the occasional cup we’ve gotten at some places that we’ve just happened to stop at for breakfast.  I’d really like to know their secret.  I’d be a buyer.” – David Pracht, 2015 GMC Sierra K3500, 1987 Lance LC900

“Starbucks Blonde in a french press when not hooked to power and a Nespresso Furtuoline for Latte when I am.” – Don Ball, 2016 Ram 2500, 2017 Cirrus 820

“We use a french press if we have campground water supply.  If we’re off-grid we use an antique percolator for the best coffee anywhere!” – Greg Sellers, 2002 Ford F250, 1998 Sun Lite

“Well it’s not really while camping, but while in a hotel in Italy, I found a little portable coffee maker that has two cups that fits into our unit to save space.  The only coffee that I found barely drinkable is from McDonald’s so we purchase some instant Nescafé, sugar, and milk.  I heat the water with the coffee maker.  I usually don’t care for instant, but when you have little choice, instant is better than nothing.” – Gerard S., 2005 Dodge Ram, 2005 MH

“One of us is a coffee drinker who drinks Instant Starbucks Columbian medium roast (black).  And one of us is a tea drinker who drinks one bag of Newmans Green with One bag of Bennets Green with ginseng and lemon along with a tablespoon of honey.  We use hot water from a tea pot on a propane stove to make both.” – James Schumacher, 2007 Ford F-350, 2008 Lance 1161

“When my wife, Bonnie, and I camp, nothing happens in the morning before coffee!  We have always used a twelve cup percolator and Melitta #4 filters.  Yes, it takes a bit longer to perc but camping is supposed to be a slower pace and relaxed lifestyle.

The last thing I do before climbing into bed is to set up the coffee pot and get out the mugs.  The first one up in the morning starts the coffee.

A side benefit of the larger pot is that we always fill out travel mugs (Contigo) after pouring the first mug.  That way the coffee stays hot without reheating for a second cup and/or ready to go if we are breaking camp and heading down the road.

We only drink strong dark roast type coffee and enjoy looking for good local brands.  Storage space for the pot is not an issue for us and we have learned how to rinse and wipe out the pot using minimal water.” – James Thies, 2015 Ford F350, 2016 Northstar Adventurer 8.5

GSI Outdoors Collapsible Filter Cone

“I have a pour over, using my trusty red teakettle, a GSI Outdoors collapsible filter cone, paper filters, and Peet’s coffee.  The filter cone is silicone and collapses to about a half-inch thick.  My preferred mug is actually a Swig insulated wine cup – double duty!” – Anne Stauffer, 2017 Ford F350, 2017 Alaskan 8.5

“I have not found an acceptable way to make brewed coffee as we usually camp off-grid so I will be interested in other people’s comments.  The best coffee for us is the instant Cafe Bustello espresso which comes in jar form as well as single serving packets. Definitely more caffeine than Folgers!” – Eddie Fort, 2016 Ford F-350, 2016 Hallmark Everest

“I use the AeroPress Coffee Maker and the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder.  The grinder stores inside the coffee press.  This is a compact system and clean up is very easy.  I like Sumatra Coffee from Costco and grind it fresh every morning.” – Bernie Neale, 2006 Dodge 3500, 2016 Northern Lite 9.6 SE

“We use two methods to make coffee.  In the morning, we use a permanent inverter for a few minutes to make a thermal carafe of coffee.  The heating element is turned off after the coffee is made.  The coffee remains hot for a period of time and the batteries are replenished through a solar panel.

Throughout the day, we use Melitta filters with water heated on the stove.  My coffee choice is Kirkland (Costo) three-pound packs of regular and decaf.” – Tony Coyne, 2015, Silverado 3500, 2015 Arctic Fox 1140

“I have a four cup Mr. Coffee electric coffee pot and I use Maxwell House four cup coffee filter packs most of the time.

Here lately I have been hooked on New England Coffee’s Blueberry Cobbler coffee which I wish came in a filter pack.  I really like the filter packs because, if I don’t want to use the generator or use power from my battery bank, I use an old fashion percolator with the filter pack on the stove.  The percolator with a filter pack is also great for the camp fire; place it on a rack or on the coals, get it almost to boiling and enjoy a decent cup of coffee!” – Kevin Harris, 2014 Ram 3500, 2007 Lance 1191

“We use our french press on cold mornings or when it is raining.  Other mornings we have an old perk pot from which we removed the inards.  We just put our ground coffee and water in the old blackened perk pot and make our coffee over the campfire.

It really does not seem to take much water to clean the coffee making utensils.  We also bring water from home for our coffee and tea.  If our home water runs out we either buy a gallon of water or use the local water after running it through our water filter.

As for the type of coffee, we use the same type we have at home – Cameron’s Donut Shop or Jamaican (when available).  We only buy whole bean, but grind what we figure we will need for our anticipated trip.  For longer trips we simple buy the same coffee in the ground version.” – Arn Chamberlain, 2000 Ford F-250, 2004 Palomino Maverick 8801

Coffee In Arctic Fox Camper

“French press all the way!  I have a Thermos Nissan 34-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Stainless-Steel Gourmet Coffee Press.

It makes two mugs worth which keeps me off the ceiling.  I put two scoops of grounds in, depending upon the grind (gave up trying to grind the bean, too much effort), pour in boiling water, let it set for five to seven minutes (instructions say four-minutes), let it settle and pour.  When finished, I dump most of grounds into the trash and the rest finds its way down the drain which is a concern, but?

I’ve tried the other methods Melitta, bags, etc., at home, and ‘trippin out there’.  The french press works the best for me.  It’s easy-peasy to use and keeps it warm (insulated) for hours.  Clean up does use a little more water, but same as the cup I just drank the coffee from (I know, prep phase ending).  I have to purchase the screen filters every three to six months and they are three for $11 or so, so it’s not a problem.

I’ve had mine for more than eight years and it is still, like the coffee, going strong.  I’m at the point in life that trying to save water or save this or that just to boondock a day or two longer is not worth it.  I figure seven-days before I need to go in, so using a little extra water is not a concern.  I just won’t fill up the jacuzzi all the way, he he.  Just joking, or am I?” – Frank Poole, Ram 5500, Arctic Fox 990

“We use a Capresso 5-Cup Minidrip.  It makes enough for the two of us for breakfast and if we want more for the road, we can quickly make another pot and fill our travel mugs while breaking camp.  It cleans and stores easily.  Our camper has plenty of electricity so that isn’t an issue for us.  We really like and use Peet’s Major Dickason’s coffee.” – David Ruble, 2017 Ford F-350, 2017 Phoenix custom pop-up

Collapsible Cone Filter Blue

“I tried a french press, but the extra water usage and time needed to unplug the sink drain resulted in me using a cone filter in a collapsable filter holder.  I make it over my mug.  Then when that’s full, I move it to a travel mug and top it up with water.  After breakfast and straightening up, the cone goes in the garbage, the lid on the travel mug, the camper roof comes down, and I hit the road with a fresh coffee.” – Richard Mount, 2013 Ford F150, 2013 FWC Grandby

“Our camper isn’t fancy.  There is no installed stove, air conditioner, refrigerator, or sink.  It is kind of like backpacking on wheels.  We like robust coffee so we use Cafe Du Monde or Community Club.

To make it we use a backpacking stove to heat the water and a french press for brewing.  The french press makes just enough for our thermo cups where the coffee stays warm.” – David Staat, Ford F150, 2012 Four Wheel Pop-up Camper

“I make coffee with an Aeropress, which is the same way I do at home.  I have been a home roaster for the past 18 years.” – John Pence, 2006 Toyota Tundra, 2016 FWC Hawk Shell model

“Sandee is the coffee addict and Starbucks is always her first choice on the road.  If we have hookups she carries a very compact Nespresso maker and frother with an ample supply of 8 and 9 strength pods.

If we dry camp the old pour over does just fine, but she carries a stainless stove top percolator just in case.  I might run low on diesel or DEF, but she will never run low on coffee or Arrowhead Spring water.” – Joe and Sandee Sesto, 2015 Silverado 3500, 2015 Bigfoot 2500 10.6e

Cuisinart DCC 1200 Brew Central 12 Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

“We are coffee drinkers and drink coffee throughout the day.  We have a Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-cup coffee maker.  It makes a good pot of coffee.  We also have a stainless steel stove top percolator we use while boondocking.

We use Folgers decaf.  However we add one scoop of a flavored coffee such as vanilla, hazelnut or chocolate raspberry.  This adds a nice mild flavor of something different.  We also sprinkle a few dashes of cinnamon on top of our coffee grounds.  It makes our truck camper smell like the holidays.” – Angela Klinger, 2004 Dodge Ram 3500, 2017 Arctic Fox 1040

“I use an insulated french press with Kirkland coffee.” – Ramon Milam, 2016 Ram 3500, 2015 Arctic Fox 990

Ilsa Stainless Steel 6 Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

“We have two six cup stovetop espresso makers; Ilsa and another brand.  They are the same size; one for regular, the other for wife’s preferred decaf.

A Handpresso Wild Hybrid, using ESE pods is for the quick shot with minimal liquid, and it’s good for longer times between stops.

Our backup is a stainless steel french press, used to heat the water directly on the stove.  Remove, add coffee, wait three minutes, press.

We like Starbucks Verona in regular or decaf for all but the Handpresso; for that, any of the good Italian ESE pods available online.” – Duncan Crawford, 2106 Ford F-350, 2016 Northstar 12STC

Cuisinart DTC 975BKN 12 Cup Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker

“I installed a 1500-watt inverter.  Now I can silently (no generator running) brew 12 cups of coffee with my Cuisinart DTC-975BKN into an insulated carafe.

This works great for us.  Once the coffee is done brewing, the maker shuts off versus keeping a hot plate warm using power.  Then we can take our carafe outside to keep pouring fresh coffee or even take it into the cab if we’re on the road to keep our travel mugs topped off.” – Troy Clark, 2015 GMC K3500, 2017 Eagle Cap 1165

“Home or camp, it’s the Melitta method.  I usually stock up on Great Northern, our local roaster.  For mornings with no time even for that, I have Starbucks Via Instant Microgrind.  It is actually palatable rocket fuel.  Maybe I’ll have a two day old donut from the last supply stop to make sure my hands stick to the wheel.” – Keith Benefiel, 2001 Ford F-150, 2003 Hallmark Guanella

“I have a built-in coffee maker which I rarely use.  I have been using the pour over method for years.  It really makes a good cup of coffee.  I am a stickler for good beans.  I gravitate toward 100% Arabica in medium or dark roast.” – Marty Commins, 2007 Ford F250, 2006 Nash 22GQ

“We use an old four-cup percolator with a 3.5-inch cut down filter in the basket (very small hole in the bottom center of the filter so it fits over the perk pipe).  We carry just enough fresh beans that we grind at home for our trip – usually Peet’s or Starbucks darker coffees or blends.  That is the preferred coffee.  Regular (leaded) for morning and unleaded (decaf) for later in the day.  Sleep at night Is important and is best for us.

We only rinse the coffee pot components.  No soapy water ever.” – Wes/Bobbi Brubacher/Chamberlain, 2001 Dodge Ram 3500, 2005 Bigfoot 10.6

“We carry a Farberware stainless steel non-electric percolator which makes wonderful coffee.  I do put a paper coffee filter in the basket the grounds go in which serves the dual purpose of keeping the grounds out of the coffee and making cleanup a cinch. Coffee brand is either Folgers or Maxwell House.  Either one tastes great first thing in the morning with some wonderful scenery right outside the window.” – Audrey Ruccio, 2008 Ford F-450, 2008 Host Everest

“I use a Melitta pour over coffee maker when there is no shore power or a Mr Coffee when there is.  Folgers French Roast is our brew of choice.  I also have a stove top percolator which I use occasionally and in my opinion, it makes the best cup of coffee you can get.” – Bill Cramer, 2006 GMC 2500HD, 1972 Boswell Tiltin Hiltin

“We love our AeroPress.  It’s small, light, and easy to clean and it makes a great cup of Joe!  It’s very similar to a french press, but differs in that it makes just one cup at a time, but makes it much faster, as you don’t have to let it steep for any length of time.  We usually use San Francisco Bay French Roast coffee beans (buy at Costco).” – Beverly Hanson, 2017 Chevy Silverado 3500, 2018 Cirrus 820

“Caffeine became my nicotine substitute when my doctor told me that my next cancer stick might also be my last.  I have to have at least two cups before I function anything like a civilized human being when I wake up.

I might have filtered roast or percolated coffee at home but I’m not fussy in the camper.  Supermarket brand instant with powdered creamer is good enough for me as it is easy to store, easy to make, and easily available.” – Tony Sutton, Isuzu D-Max 2017, NorthStar 700DL

“We, like Gordon and Angela, cannot imagine a morning without coffee.  Our only coffee choice is 1859 coffee roasted in Central City, Colorado (available online) and thus we have to have a way to make it other than a K-cup (which we used to use to minimize mess).

We currently use a Hamilton Beach Scoop single-serve coffee maker.  We have used one at home for years and it is easy and makes great coffee quickly.  The downside is you have loose grounds but we knock them into the trash and rinse the small filter each time in a cup of water.  So, you only have to toss the cup out of the back of the camper at the end of the morning.

How do we make coffee with a home appliance from anywhere?  Well, we are so dedicated to our coffee that we not only can use the on-board generator but we installed a 2500-watt inverter two years ago so we can make coffee any time without bothering the neighbors or animals in the area.

We have a 130-watt solar panel and two AGM batteries to run the inverter when we need it.  It’s great to silently be able to run almost any home appliance when ever we need/want to!” – Tracy Schuster, 2015 GMC 3500, 2012 Lance 992

Keurig K55 K Classic Coffee Maker K Cup Pod

“I have a Keurig K-cup and prefer Gevalia Dark Mountain coffee, but can go with whatever is available.” – Jerry Howard, 2015 Ram 3500, 2017 Arctic Fox 1150

“In order to save water and not have to deal with grounds, we bring Starbucks VIA. Italian roast, mixed with just the right amount of water makes lovely strong coffee.  Half and half, too, of course.” – Nancy Rivers, 2004 Ford F-250, 2010 Northern Lite Q 9-6

“I use a pour over filter along with Starbucks French Roast.  Simply the best!” – Pierre Mongeau, 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, 2014 Lance 855

“I have a four cup (really less than three cup) Mr. Coffee which I use in the regular way when I have shore power.  When boondocking I merely heat the required amount of water on the stove and pour the hot water over the grounds.  I always use a paper filter so there is no mess.  I just lift out the filter and grounds, and toss.  It tastes the same whether at home or on the road.

I have a 20-ounce Contigo travel tumbler that I fill with just a smidgen that’s left over.  It keeps it hot seven hours so I can sip my coffee at leisure. I use the McDonalds Decaf coffee that comes in a bag.” – John Bull, 2004 Dodge 3500, 2015 Arctic Fox 990

“We have an old metal porcelain orange colored percolator coffee pot we picked up someplace years ago.  We perk coffee most of the time but we do make Swedish boiled coffee sometimes.  The pot has worked great for over thirty years.  We make coffee in the camper, but the pot does end up outside on BBQ grills and over an open fire.” – Dave Erickson, 2011 Ford F350, 2006 Arctic Fox 990

“We use a Keurig single cup brewer and carry an assortment of coffees.” – Eric Devolin, 2007 GMC 3500, 2006 Adventurer106 DBS

“AeroPress. Simple, easy to clean with very little waste and produces excellent coffee.” – Rusty Simpson, 1993 Dodge Cummins D250, 1993 Vanguard

“I use Starbucks Via instant Colombia packets.  Boil the water, add the packet, and you’re done.  Time to catch fish!” – Tim M, 2017 Toyota Tundra, 2009 Four Wheel Camper

“We use the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with a stainless filter.  Since we like Lattes we also use a Stove-Top Cappuccino Steamer.  I usually grind enough beans before our trip, but just in case I have a grinder that packs well with the AeroPress.” – Bob Meigs, 2011 Ram 1500, 2012 Four Wheel Camper Raven model

“My wife uses a Presto “My Jo” coffee maker.  That uses K-cups.  It’s a one cup at a time thing.  She boils water on the stove and pumps it through the K-cup.  It’s simple, light and makes her happy.” – Burt and Vickie Strong, 1997 GMC C3500, 1997 Lance Legend 900

“I tried instant for a while, but it just wasn’t cutting it.  Then I started making coffee at home using a coffee press and was so impressed with the results I decided to do the same in my camper.

All you need is a tea pot (which you probably have anyway), the coffee press (these are inexpensive and can be had in any kitchen supply store), a meat thermometer (these can also be had at the kitchen supply store) to make sure the water isn’t boiling (very important), and a bean grinder (if you’re a coffee snob like me).

A bean grinder is also inexpensive and can be had at Walmart.  I run the grinder off my inverter which I already had anyway.  You can grind the beans and heat the water very quickly, combine the two in the press, give it a stir, let it sit for a bit (the press should have instructions that say how long to let it sit), and then operate the press.  Voila heaven awaits.” – Steve Timmings, 2003 Ford F350, 2013 Four Wheel Hawk SC

“I use a french press.  It is very simple and it takes up very little space.  It makes the best coffee when you can grind fresh beans.” – Andy Pratt, 2012 Ram 1500, 2015 Palomino SS-1240

“My wife and I use the coffee singles.  We have been using coffee singles for ten to twelve years and it works great.  We sometimes switch to tea so using singles happens naturally for us.” – Rag, 2017 Ford F150, 1990 Sportsman 8ft

“I make my coffee in a four cup Cuisinart coffeemaker that I bought at a local thrift store for $5 bucks.  It was like new and works perfectly.

If boondocking, I don’t have to run my generator, even though it requires 120 VAC and 550 watts.  I can operate it with my 2000-watt inverter, only taking a few minutes from my 300 AH AGM batteries.  I wouldn’t even think of starting the day without my coffee!” – Steve Cordis, 2000 Ford F250, 1996 Skyline Weekender

Teaze Tea Infuser Tea Pot For Cup Or Mug

“We use a bottom dispensing tea infuser.  It is plastic and has a fine screen built in.  Drop in some grounds and some hot water.  Pour a cup as you need it by placing the diffuser on your mug where a lever depresses.

We keep the coffee going for about an hour by refilling as required.  It can make about five cups.  Then just knock the grounds out and refill.  We throw the used grounds in the fire pit.  It keeps the mess out of the camper and it will compost.

We have never had animals attracted to the coffee grounds.  In fact some people use coffee grounds to keep bugs out of the garden.

We bought ours in a tea shop, but it is available at Amazon.” – Nanette Fliesser, 2013 Chevy Silverado, 2014 Host Mammoth

“I use a stove top or camp stove for heat, but always percolate in my ol’ stainless pot.

I am not brand specific.  Anything that’s dark, rich and on sale works best.” – Bob Smith, 2001 Ford F-250, 2015 Lance 1050S

“I use a gas fired stove top percolator.  It makes about four cups.  It’s hot, strong, easy to clean, and light.  I have had for years.” – Dennis Lynton, 2006 Volvo 670, 2007 Arctic Fox 1150

“We use a percolator on our gas stove.  That way we can make it whether plugged in or boondocking.  It also helps warm up the camper on cold mornings.

We use Kirkland (Costco) medium blend coffee.  It’s cheap and good.” – Alice Tyser, 2008 Dodge Ram 3500, 2013 Adventurer 910

“I use a metal old fashioned style coffee percolator from Walmart and pre-measured packets from Maxwell House.  The percolator can be used on the kitchen stove or the campfire.” – George Randall, 2012 Ford F350, 2016 Arctic Fox 865

“I use a small electric Black and Decker drip coffee maker.  I start the generator if I am not on shore power.  It makes three cups and stores in a small space.  Easy!” – Frank Paglianite, 2013 Ford F-350, 2012 Lance 992

“We have been using the same old beat up Coleman stainless steel 12-cup percolator for many years.  We seldom have electrical hookups when camping.  Coffee is usually made outside on a very old equally beat up Coleman stove.  The disadvantage is that it takes a little longer, but the the wait is worth it.  Folgers Black Silk is the coffee for us.” – Brian and Chris Hagen, 2004 Ram 2500, 2014 Palomino Backpack SS-1251

“I use a regular coffee maker plugged into an inverter, or Melitta.” – Philip Lee, 2008 Ram, 1996 Shadow Cruiser

Jetboil Coffee Press

“I use a Jetboil.  It heats 0.7 liters of water in about two minutes and has a french press attachment.  I sometimes use the press, and sometimes just heat up water and dump in Starbucks Via.  The Jetboil is a life saver!” – Robert Drappo

“We have a small four cup stainless steel carafe Cuisinart electric coffee maker.  When we don’t have shore power I measure four cups of water using the carafe then heat it on the stove.  Then, I lift the coffee maker’s lid and pour the water over the grounds.  When the water fully drains I have aluminum foil folded about four times which I put over a stove’s burner.  I turn it on low and then I put the carafe about halfway onto it and it keeps my coffee hot as I drink it.

We drink the Community dark roast from Walmart which available across the country.” – Tom Overholt, 2017 Ford F-350, 2007 Palomino 8801

“A percolator all the way.  It’s easy and only requires a little propane.  Any stainless percolator pot will do, but we prefer an eight cup size.  Throw in your favorite freshly ground bulk coffee from the local grocery store and you have a great way to start the day.” – Eric Stemen, 2008 Chevy 2500HD, 2007 Lance 815

“We use a 12-volt DC inverter for 120 volt AC, and use a standard four to five cup electric drip coffee maker.  You can an inverter at any Walmart or similar store.” – James Jeffries, 2007 Toyota Tacoma, Phoenix Coyote

“We use an AeroPress coffee maker.  It works similar to a french press, but is much easier to clean as the grounds can be popped out like a hockey puck directly in the trash can.  We just heat up the water and pour into the AeroPress with our favorite coffee grounds, let it steep for a few minutes, and then press the coffee into our cups. It is super easy to use and clean.  We exclusively use Kona Coffee Company Chocolate Macadamia Nut coffee.” – Allen Jedlicki, 2012 GMC 2500HD, 2014 Wolf Creek 850SB

“I’m a fixed income retiree and not much of a snob, although I do confess to being somewhat of a coffee snob.  For a few years now I’ve been buying green beans from Sweetmarias.com and experimenting with home roasting (those are actually seeds not beans… the pit of the coffee cherry).

I’ve discovered a few things, one of which is there’s a little more to it than chucking in some green beans and applying heat.  And on the consumption side the brewing is just as important for best enjoyment.

My beliefs are: 1. Pour over is the best method. 2. Avoid plastic cones because they absorb and eventually contribute nasty flavors, so always use ceramic.  3. Paper filters are more convenient, but some papers actually contribute a flavor, so experiment.  5. Water temperature is important; too hot extracts bitterness.

So, I don’t conserve weight/space at the expense of coffee brewing and leave something else behind (like my blood pressure monitor).  My basic equipment is a Whistler glass teapot to heat the water, stem thermometer, ceramic cone, paper filters, bottled water.

My trips tend to be short so I can usually roast and grind enough before starting out. Although green beans can be properly stored for a year or so, once roasted they start to go stale immediately.  Beyond a couple of weeks and they begin to lose that fresh-roasted flavor (especially if ground, since that increases exposure to air).

I store the ground coffee in a tightly sealed container, which works okay for short trips.  Someday I plan to try vacuum sealing, but haven’t yet.  Is that over the top?

My current favorite coffee is Guatemala Huehuetenango Boqueroncito (sorry…my smartass gene).” – Ed Gerhard, 2006 Ram 3500, Palomino

“I have a percolator coffee pot on the camper’s stove.  We prefer Community Coffee or Tim Horton’s Coffee.” – Firman Schiebout, 2017 Ford F-350, 2013 Northstar 9.5 Igloo U

“On the road and at home, I find that the finest cup of coffee comes via a Bialetti Moka Express pot. The six cup version is my preferred size as it makes about 10 ounces of near-espresso, which is then cut 50-50 with hot water to enjoy two mugs of brew, Americano style.

With the Bialetti there are no filters to replace and the cleanup is fairly fast and easy. The biggest trick is to make sure to go low-and-slow when making a batch. The longer it takes to run the water through the grounds, the more flavorful the result.

As for coffee, I usually go with a medium-dark roast, opting for Trader Joe’s Bolivian Blend as a standby.” – Thomas Bowes, 2010 Chevy Silverado, 1998 Bigfoot 3000

“My wife makes coffee on our stove using a good old fashioned manual percolator pot.” – Neil Steirer, 2017 Ford F-350, 2015 Lance 1172

“I use a Coleman 12-cup stove top!  Then, I put it in a thermal carafe.  I like Trader Joe’s Summarta Blend.” – Vickie Welch, 2016 Dodge 2500, 2016 Lance 850

“With power, I use Mr Coffee drip.  Without power, I use a good old 12-cup perk pot. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh made coffee in the morning!” – Matt G., 2013 Ford F-350, 2015 Arctic Fox 990

“My wife boils water on the stove and uses a french press.  It’s a great cup of coffee to start the day.” – John Dorrer, 2013 Ford F-250, 2014 Four Wheel Camper Grandby

“We use a drip coffee pot on the stove.  We use Costco coffee beans which we grind at home in a cast iron grinder before we go.  If we miscalculate we drink water and go home.” – John Heath, 2013 Dodge 3500, 2016 Adventurer 86FB

“We use Melitta 10 (#6 filter) cup pour over system with a metal thermal carafe.  This system makes great coffee and the second and third cups stay hot in the thermal pot.” – Carl Dunham, 2005 Silverado 2500HD, 2010 Hallmark K2

“After trying everything from a 12-volt Mr Coffee to the Melitta pour over – and everything in between – we finally settled on a good old fashioned percolator; a Farberware Classic Yosemite.

It took a little practice but it makes good coffee!  An added bonus is that it makes enough at one time so we can each have a cup in the morning and then pour the rest into insulated travel mugs to keep warm while driving.” – Michael Voldahl-Corliss, 2012 Chevy 1500, 2012 Northstar TC650

“We use an AeroPress, and it is awesome!  It’s a little like a french press, except the plunger is a tight fit and uses air pressure to move the coffee and grounds through a filter at the bottom of the unit.

Once the coffee is pressed, you turn and remove the filter holder, and push the plunger through the rest of the way, popping a compressed disc of your used coffee grounds into your trash or compost bucket.  Wipe it off quickly and put it away for next time.

It’s lightweight, uses no power (you provide hot water from a kettle, microwave, etc), and doesn’t have the cleanup issues of a french press.  It uses a small circular paper filter, but one filter can be reused a few times if you’re trying to conserve.  The filters are cheap and the coffee it makes is delicious!

We have also made simple cold-brew in a 32 ounce Nalgene bottle.  Just add grounds (about 4oz), fill with water, shake real good, and let it sit at least overnight.  To drink it you need to filter the grounds out of it.  The best we’ve tried so far is a reusable filter (not paper filter) in a pour-over style holder, which leaves the last couple of sips gritty, but is fast and seems a reasonable trade-off for a no-heat coffee method.

The coffee ends up quite strong so cutting it with water is a good idea.  There are a lot of cold brew methods out there on the web that might involve more gear but make better brew.  We just worked this out with what we had on hand.” – Eric Nystrom, 2004 Ford F-350, 2014 Northstar Laredo SC

“I use a 10-cup stainless steel percolator on a Coleman propane camp stove.  I use coffee filters to keep grounds out of the pot and always use Folgers . If I know it is going to be really cold in the morning, I’ll make coffee the night before and pour it into a thermos bottle.  It is usually still warm when I wake up and can get some before getting out of bed.” – Tom Waters, 2003 Dodge 2500, 2014 FWC Grandby Shell

“I use an AeroPress because it’s light weight and unbreakable.  My coffee is Lavazza.” – Brian Wood, 2014 GMC Sierra, 2012 Camplite 8.5

Stanley French Press

“I boil water in a kettle because we spend most of our time off grid, also my wife drinks hot tea. I prefer my Stanley French Press, but I do take one of the pour over makers, but I have to pour through twice to get the coffee strong enough.

My Stanley French Press makes enough to fill my Stanley one hand vacuum mug. I preheat the mug and it keeps my coffee hot for hours. I buy my coffee fresh roasted at a local roaster; Third Coast in Austin.  I grind my beans and store them in OXO air tight containers.” – Eddie Hayden, 2005 Dodge 2500, 2013 Palomino Bronco

“I have an old style percolator on top of the stove.  Folger’s Columbian is the only coffee for us.  I don’t like to run the generator to operate an electric Mr. Coffee machine.  It makes noise and is not courteous to other campers when boondocking.” – Bob Walsh, 2013 GMC Sierra 3500, 2003 Bigfoot C25 10.6E

“With hookups, I use a Mr Coffee type electric 12 cup coffee maker.  Boondocking, I use a glass percolator on the camper propane stove.  I had previously used an aluminum percolator, but could not easily determine the strength of the coffee.

I remembered that my mother had used a glass coffee maker back in the 50s and began looking for one in antique shops.  I found one in a shop off 301 near King George, Virginia.  It works great.

As for coffee, I mostly buy Colombian Supremo whole bean and grind fresh each day.  I also like Guatemalan, 100% Kona Coffee from Hawaii and Nicaraguan whole bean coffees.

My doctor recommended I limit my coffee intake to two cups, but didn’t say what size.  I use a 12-cup coffee maker because of the size of my cup!  I would take my coffee every morning intravenously, if it wasn’t so much trouble, and I also have a fear of needles!” – Carl Goode, 2016 Ram 3500HD, 2016 Okanagan 117 DBL

“Nothing beats having an entire pot of coffee, and there’s plenty to share!  I use a stainless Revere Ware stove-top percolator.  The grounds are in a Melitta wrap-around filter so you can put in any size grind without worry.  It helps with clean up, too.

Put in four teaspoons coffee, fill the percolator with water, and watch it closely.  Perc for no more than four minutes.  Your mileage may vary.  Yes, it does take longer to make coffee this way, but hey, we’re on vacation, right?  You have time to just relax and watch those wonderful brown blurps of coffee in the glass top.

You also have time to remember this is good practice for making coffee.  You know, like when you are back at home, during a power outage, “A cup of coffee sounds good about now.  I think I’ll head out to the camper.” – Jim Novotny, 1995 Dodge Ram 2500, 1993 Lance Squire 4000

“For roughly sixteen years I have been buying green beans and roasting my own coffee beans.  I started buying the beans at Sweet Maria on the West Coast.  At home I use an I-Roast, which is no longer made.  On the road I use my backpack stove outside on a flat rock or picnic table. I roast about 4.5 ounces of green beans in my backpack pot and continuously shake the pot while it is roasting.

I like a dark roast with most beans.  If you listen you will hear a muffled pop.  That is first crack.  I like a dark roast so I go to second crack and roast it till I just start to see the beans showing signs of oil on them.

I should have mentioned I like to do this on a breezy day.  Take the pot lid that hopefully has a bit of a lip around it and in the breeze slowly pour the roasted beans into the inverted lid and then back into the pot to cool the beans at the darkness you prefer.

Fresh roasted it should rest for two days and the darkness will be a little darker.  You can use it right away but it will get a deeper flavor in two days.  To make my coffee, even at home, I use a hand grinder Porlex with ceramic burrs which is 4-3/4″ high and 2″ in diameter and weighs 8.2 ounces.

I will also use an AeroPress coffee maker which weighs 6.4 ounces and is 5.5 inches high and 4.25 inches in diameter.  The grinder will slide into the top of the AeroPress to make a compact package.  The grinder can be adjusted to a very fine grind or a coarse grind.

I used to buy my green beans from Sweet Maria who has great beans.  They have a very helpful site, but I have since found local roasters who will sell me green beans.  The shipping price was getting too high.

This whole setup is compact and easy to clean.  Do the roasting outside unless you have a regular vented roaster.  To buy green beans, Ethiopian is usually a good bean.  Right now I am roasting a 1/2 and 1/2 mix Kenya AA and Sumatra to see which will get a bit darker in two days.” – Terry Mechler, 2001 Dodge 2500, 1989 Sunline C 1150

“I use a four cup Italian espresso maker.  It’s stainless steel.  Water goes in the bottom, put the coffee (less if you don’t want espresso strength) in the basket with the funnel tube running into the water, and on top of that you screw on a coffee pot.  You place it over a flame, a fire or stove, and in the time it takes the water to boil, it perks the coffee. You get nice clean tasting coffee.

I use Starbucks decaf mixed with a dark roast.  My fellow camper uses grocery store brands and is equally pleased.

Given that coffee grounds do not need to be composted prior to using in the garden, I just tap the grounds into the underbrush.  No paper for the garbage.  Quick rinse of the basket is all that’s required.  It’s very sturdy.

I also have a one cup camping french press mug that I use that when hiking.  But some friends use that in their camper.” – Michele McLeod, 2013 F150 LB, 2000 Travel Hawk 9.5

“We’ve been truck camping for over thirty years, most of which has been dry camping, and I have always used a Cabela’s stove top percolator to make coffee.  I use a six-cup model because husband doesn’t drink coffee, but my brother-in-law uses a full size, 12-cup percolator.

It takes less than ten minutes start to finish, doesn’t require any electricity because it is made on the gas stove top burner, and fills the camper with a nice aroma as the coffee perks.  I mainly use Folgers Classic ground coffee when camping, and place a filter in the basket so the coffee grounds are contained.

Clean up is a snap.  Just throw the filter with the used grounds in the trash, rinse off the parts and the pot, and let it air dry. The basket filters are getting hard to find, so I just order them online.

The camping coffee subject comes up now and then, and I’m still shocked when I meet people who have never heard of a percolator.  Agreed, this wouldn’t work well if you just want a quick single cup, but when we’re camping, it’s my morning ritual.  And that first cup always tastes so good.” – Debbie Ohnstad, 2012 GMC Sierra Denali, 2012 Chalet DS116FB

“We use a old fashioned stainless percolator on the gas stove with Maxwell House. I am particular about wanting my coffee perked.” – Darryl Monat, 1990 Dodge D350, 1989 Hideaway 8.5’

“When we are on the road we enjoy drip coffee just like we do at home.  My wife is a wise shopper and stocks up on coffee when it’s on sale.  The brand really doesn’t matter.  Maxwell House, Folgers, etc.  On the road it’s all good !” – RJ Bickford, 2007 Dodge 2500, 2003 Palomino Maverick 1000

“Life is too short not to drink great coffee!  I have enjoyed coffee since I was about twelve.  I drink it black and I like it robust (flavorful).  Over the years I have drank coffee it for a lot of reasons.

In my Army Infantry days, I often drank it in the United States, Europe, and Korea to warm an ole soldiers frozen hands and body as I stood in knee deep snow in Germany or in the bitter howling wind and rain on the DMZ of Korea in January.  Or the hard-dry cold on the mesas of Fort Hood, Texas.

In those times a Mess Sergeant would take several pounds of coffee, dump it in a (hopefully) well cleaned garbage can, add water, some salt and egg shells, bring to a boil and yell, “Coffee is ready”.

We would dip our canteen cups into the boiling cauldron and the first cup would be used to clean and kill whatever lives in that canteen cup that we wore on our hips.  The coffee was bitter, acidy, thick and most of all hot and that was good.

It’s been a long road since then.  I have developed a more refined taste and approach.  To that end, here is how I make my cup o’ joe – and many thanks to those days when it was anti-freeze for an ole soldier.

Good coffee is a result and the steps along the way are each important to arrive.  The means justify the end.

Beans: I experiment with a lot of beans, but I keep coming back to Starbucks beans. They are of excellent quality and remain the same over time.

Roast: The darker (longer) the roast the more flavor you extract from the bean, the lighter the roast the more the flavors of the beans origin (country, area, soil etc.) arrives at your taste buds.  I go for the darkest of all roasts, Italian.  Note: Darker and longer roast equals less caffeine, which is why I can drink two 18-ounce cups each morning and not get the shakes or ringing in my ears.

Grind: If you want more flavor then the grind comes into play.  For that the finest (granularity) is Turkish grind, almost like dust.

Steep: I steep about 15 minutes.  If you steep too long, it will get oily.  If you steep too short, it lacks flavor and becomes almost dry and tasteless.

Water: Pure, flavorless.  If you are getting it from the kitchen faucet then you are making anti-freeze to warm you on a cold morning, nothing else.

Espro French Press, stainless steel, double vacuum bonded

Mechanics: To bring out the high notes and flavors, use a French Press.  Nothing else will deliver like a french press does.  But all french presses are not all equal.  Many, if not most, allow far too much of the grind to pass through its filter system into the coffee.  You want to drink it, not chew it.

When it comes to the french press, a startup company has perfected it.  The Espro is stainless steel, vacuum insulated and has a patented double filter.  That’s the secret.

Espro French Press And Coffee Pryor

Cup: Ceramic or stainless steel, period!  If it’s cold, I recommend warming it with hot water  A tip is to wash your stainless steel/ceramics in bleach to insure you remove the residual coffee oils.

Experiment with steeping time to arrive at your perfect cup.

Preparation Espro French Press: I have a 18-ounce press and I use two level coffee spoonfuls.  I place it inside and tap the press on the side near the bottom to stack the coffee on one side.

Then, I pour boiling water into the stack using a fast-hard pour to mix the coffee into the water, slow as the rises and at the fill line.  Let it steep, then push down slowly on the press.  I let it settle for about a minute and then pour into my cup of choice.

Starbucks Roasty And Sweet

Results: I like coffee that is rich with lots of notes of chocolate and molasses.  For earthy, caramel, toffee and tobacco.  For fruity, fig and cola.  Enjoy!” – Don Pryor, 2017 Ford F-350, 2008 Arctic Fox 1150

“We have a Black and Decker drip coffee maker with an insulated stainless steel carafe.  We set it up at bedtime so we can turn it on first thing in the morning.  The insulated carafe keeps the second cups hot so we don’t need to keep the power on.

We use the same coffee on the road as at home; organic, fair trade whole bean that we grind ourselves, usually a medium roast.  For our afternoon coffee buzz, we go with dark chocolate covered espresso beans.  Mmmm.” – Michael and Barbara Dvorak, Ram 3500, 2007 Okanagan

“We use an AeroPress.  If you use a finer grind, you’ll need the paper filters.  A medium grind will allow you to use the permanent filters available from Ebay or Amazon.

The paper filters can be rinsed and re-used if desired.  It doesn’t matter what brand of coffee you use, the AeroPress makes a great cup of java.” – Chuck Webb, 2012 Ford F-350, 2015 Alaskan 8.5 CO

“Like you, I use a Melitta filter and ground coffee poured over coffee maker when camping with a buddy.  It beats the instant Sanka my buddy brought along.  I’ll use a french press when camping solo.” – Forrest Atkins, 2011 Ford F-250, 2014 Phoenix custom

“We prefer Peet’s coffee made with a plastic Melitta pour over.  Their paper cone filters seem to brew better than the thinner, generic basket filters. Either way, the clean-up is simple.  Throw away the filter and grinds.  Then, rinse out the cup.” – Dana and Charlene Jung, 2013 Toyota Tundra, 2013 Hallmark Milner

“We like instant coffee.  The best is Nescafe Classico.  The next best and way cheapest is Aldi.  Hot water comes from the propane stove or microwave.  In a pinch, cold tap water is used.” – David Anderson, 2000 Dodge 3500, 2000 Coachhouse

“Boy this is great!  And we have multiple answers.  Like you, we demand good coffee.  At home, the Keurig wins (always a fresh cup).  We carry a Keurig in the camper and when we have shore power it gets used.  The coffee brand is Costco’s Kirkland Pacific Bold.

For me, I’ve always loved camp coffee in my old enameled steel percolator that I can use over a fire or the gas stove.  Lately we’ve experimented with the french press as well.  For both of these I prefer Folgers Columbia ground coffee.” – Jim McIrvin, 2015 Ford F-350, 2012 Lance 1191

Small Cuisinart And Melitta Filters

“Dorothy and take our coffee seriously.  When we have electricity we brew our coffee with a Cuisinart DCC-450(KB).  We like this coffee maker for several reasons.  It has an unbreakable stainless steel carafe.  It brews enough for two mugs.  You can sneak some coffee mid-brew.  It keeps the coffee warm (I usually have my coffee earlier than Dorothy).  It is compact and fits in our cupboard.  It is easy to clean and it is very durable.  My first one lasted almost ten years of daily use.

When we are dry camping we use a french press and think that this makes the best coffee.  Its major drawback is that it uses a lot of water to clean.  We enjoy nothing more than stopping for a cup of coffee at small local coffee shops when we travel.  We often buy their specialty roasts.  If we are unable to find local coffee we will buy Starbucks when it is on sale.” – Dorothy and Stephen Paushter, Ram 3500, Northstar Arrow 8.5 U

“For my morning coffee I use the AeroPress.  It’s small, lightweight and won’t break.  Since I heat up water for my wife’s tea each morning on the stove, it was simple to just add more water to the kettle and make enough hot water for the two of us at the same time.  Clean up is easy and the filters are inexpensive.  Folgers is generally my coffee of choice.” – Glenn Blount, 2012 Ford F350, 2017 Lance 1172

“I use a good old fashion percolator; nothing fancy just great coffee!” – Alex Blasingame, 2007 Ford F-250, 2002 Lance 815

Keurig In Sink Travel Mode

“We make coffee the old fashion way; plug it in and hit the on button.  Seriously, we love our Keurig one cup coffee maker.  Yes, it does require 110 power supply and that’s why we like to plug in at RV parks.  On those occasions where we dry camp, I love using our generator.  Run it for an hour and we get our morning coffee kick.  It also puts a charge on our one AGM battery and supplies a charge to the cell phones and tablet.

If and when the day comes, I’ll add another battery, a pure sine wave inverter, and 200-watts of solar panels.  Then I can cut back on generator use.

There have been times when tent campers are nearby that I feel guilty for using a generator.  So I’ll resort to the old method of boiling water in our blue camp coffee pot and use a mesh screen filter to strain the coffee grounds while filling coffee mugs.

When traveling daily we store the Keurig in the sink with towels on either side for protection.

Our favorite coffee is San Francisco Bay Gourmet French Roast pods that can be purchased at Costco in a box of 100 for $30 dollars.  I also carry a container of ground French roast coffee for use in our stove coffee maker and a French press coffee maker packed somewhere in the upper cabinet. Oh, do we love our coffee!” – Roger and Elaine Odahl, 2008 Dodge Ram 3500, 2004 Eagle Cap 950

“We use Starbucks Via Singles.  There is an interesting story behind this.  We started doing using the Starbucks Via Singles last spring on a six-week trip. We came home for a few months, went back to grind and pour-over, and then headed out on a ten-week trip returning to the Starbucks instant.

Somewhere in this time frame, we read a Truck Camper Magazine article that you guys published where the expression “complexity of convenience” was used to describe all of our living arrangements outside of our truck camper life patterns.

The first morning after returning from our ten-week trip, I got up in my house and went to make coffee.  I got out the beans, the grinder, the filters and the filter cone.  I looked at it all and thought, “The complexity of convenience!” put it all away.

I ripped open a Starbucks and made coffee.  And so it has been for the three months that we have been home and will likely continue.  We order fifty at a time for a fair enough price.  I’m looking to avoid the complexity of convenience every way I can these days.” – Bob Eckert, 2018 Ford F-350, 2015 Lance 825

Coffee Stove Australia

“Being Americans from Arizona living and working in Australia, we still love our coffee, especially in our camper.  We use a stove top Italian Classic Expresso six-cup aluminum coffee maker.  There are no paper filters to buy, but it does require some water to clean the top portion.  The coffee brand we prefer is Costco Kirkland ground coffee.” – Travis Andrews, Toyota Hilux, 2014 Tinaroo (Andrews Slide-On Campers)

“We have probably tried most every conceivable way of making coffee (instant, micro grind, pour over, thermos filled before we stop, etc.).  We enjoy our Keurig at home, but quit using it because if all the obvious issues.  We just found a product on Amazon that combines the ease of pour over with the convenience and yumminess of K-Cup coffee. We haven’t tried it yet, but we are hopeful.” – Craig Brasher, 2006 Ram 3500, 2003 Bigfoot 2500C9.6B

“I use the Bonavita Wide Base Porcelain Immersion Dripper (BV4000IDV2). It is similar to a pour over, but it has a larger cone and an open/close valve. I can fill it with the hot water all at once and let it brew with the valve closed for a few minutes.  Then, I place it on top of my mug, open the valve and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.” – Steve Hudson, 2014 Ford F-350, 2003 Lance 845

“1. Perk in coffee pot (20 cup aluminum), 2. Heat water, pour into cup, add Folger’s Instant, 3. Put coffee in the french press, add hot water from pot (also used for breakfast oats), press, then pour into cups.

New for 2018: For Christmas I received two new coffeepots. First, a 36 cup stainless steel for the stove or fire to be perked.  Second, a 12 cup enamel pot for stove use.  It will have the glass percolator top as soon as the new one arrives from Cabelas.  The old enamel pot, which is missing the top and guts, will remain for tea and hot water if I’m just using the stove.

I usually buy the best priced coffee in the store, which is usually Folgers, but we are partial to Hawaiian.” – Harry Palmer, 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, 2008 Lance 915

“I cheat and drink instant coffee on the road.  I don’t care much about it as I generally add some cocoa to it anyways.  My wife hates it and is just getting used to using a small french press.” – Kevin Jenckes, 1996 Ford F250, 2005 Lance 820

“I have an old four cup drip coffee maker and a single cup maker.  It works well for now.  Also, my wife bought me a Keurig coffee maker.  It might make its way into the camper someday.” – Jeff Hagberg, 2002 Ford F-250, 2006 Travel Lite 800SBX

AeroPress Coffee With Lavazza Cafe Espresso

“We used to carry a four cup electric drip coffee maker and a french press, so we were covered for all camping situations.  But, all that takes up space and the standard french press uses a lot of water to clean.

A friend in Alaska had this AeroPress thing, so we thought we’d try it out.  It makes a good cup of americano-style coffee using espresso grind coffee.  Another friend told us about a YouTube video of a guy that makes it in kind of a backwards/upside down way, that makes an awesome cup of coffee.

The filters are small and it all cleans up easily using very little water.  It also takes up a lot less space and is very light.  Check out kitchen stores and Bed, Bath and Beyond for press kit and more filters.  We’ve been using it to make coffee daily since September and it’s still working great.” – John Brokaw, 2006 Ford F250, 2010 Lance 850

“I have a stainless steel manual burr grinder, Costco Costa Rican beans, and Aeropress coffee maker.  I use an inverted brewing method.  Add ground coffee and boiling water, one minute of brewing, invert and press for single serving.  It’s the world’s best cup of coffee!  Easy cleanup.  There is no power required except muscles to grind beans and the energy to boil water.  Buy the stainless steel mesh filter disk instead of disposable paper filters.” – Mike Shelton, 2008 Ford F-350, 2016 Arctic Fox 990

“I primarily dry-camp with no shore power so I do whatever I can to save battery life.  For coffee, that means no appliance that plugs in.  So, I simply boil water and add Starbucks Via.  It’s by far the tastiest of any instant coffee I’ve tried, and darn near as good as a French Press, without any messy grounds to dispose of.  Plus, there’s no coffee pot/press to clean.” – Keith Schofield, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500, 1994 Shadow Cruiser 950

“I use the Hamilton Beach Flex Brew.  You can use grounds and k-cups with all forms of coffee.  It’s cheap, reliable, and easy to clean.” – Philip Reid, 2016 GMC Sierra 2500, 2017 Four Wheel Grandby

“I use coffee and tea bags.  Just boil water and put both in your cup.” – Mon Mout, Ford 250, Don’t have a camper yet

“I use a stainless steel perking pot on the stove.” – Mike Bohn, 2007 GMC 2500HD, 2017 Homebuilt 8′-6″

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