Best Coffee Maker for the Camper
What is the best coffee maker for the RV?
This is a question I see asked by newbies all the time in RV camping Facebook groups. Now I’m still kind of a newbie myself, but I want to share with you what I bought, why I bought it, and a couple other options I see mentioned a lot.
Edit to add pour over
This blog post required a little edit in that none of the original products shared are what we currently use to make coffee while camping. Since writing the original post, I’ve taken up intermittent fasting which means I drink my coffee black and have now for about 2 and a half years. This mean k-cups weren’t doing it for me (they’re mostly only good when you can add a little cream and sugar) and since I’m the only one drinking coffee, I decided to go with pour over. These days I use an electric kettle and one of the pour over drippers that sit directly on top of the coffee mug. I use a #2 filter for the sake of easier cleaning, but it’s not necessary with this particular dripper.
Mainstays Single Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
We use this Mainstays Single Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker from Walmart.
Why?
It’s only $19.99, about half the price of other off brand k-cup coffee makers on Amazon.
It has a super small footprint so it doesn’t take up a ton of counter space. We all know RVs are generally lacking in this area.
It’s easy to store away when traveling.
I’m the only one who drinks coffee so no need to brew a whole pot.
It now comes in 4 colors (black, red, mint, and iris)
The Downside of The Mainstays Single Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
You wait in between cups for water to heat. But for that price and considering I’m the only one who drinks coffee in my camper, I can handle that.
Now what if you don’t have electricity?
So far we haven’t been somewhere without it and we have a generator, but I know people camp without electricity all the time and don’t have a generator. Also some just prefer an old school way of doing things especially when they camp and I totally get that, not to mention the folks concerned about the waste of a k-cup. All of this really just depends on your level of coffee snobbery and environmental concern and there isn’t really a right or wrong answer, but here is how you do it without electricity.
Use a Percolator or French Press When Electricity isn’t Available
I’ve found a few percolators on Amazon with 4+ star reviews that won’t break the bank. For these you’ll either need a campfire or a propane stove. At the time I added these to this blog post, they ranged from $17-$36 (all affordable).
And these two French Presses were also super affordable with 4+ star reviews on Amazon. I’ve never used a french press before, but I’ve been curious. Everyone always raves about coffee made with a french press. I’ve read you don’t want your coffee to be too finely ground with these or it’ll end up in your drink so keep that in mind. At the time I added these to this post, both options were about $25.
EDIT
I ended up buying this Bodum 12 oz. French Press from Target for the house just because I’ve always wanted to try one and I’m the only person who drinks coffee in my house. I may even start taking it with me in the camper. I cheat and use my Kurig without a K-cup to boil water and then just have it dispense directly into the french press already containing my coffee grounds. You just wait 4 minutes and then press. Coffee is ready. This is cheaper on Amazon so that’s what I’m linking for you, but I was actually able to find this in my local Target store just in case you’re a buy in person kind of person.
Pro Tip: Go for a bolder coffee. I tried a medium boldness which is usually fine for me, but it came out weak. I bought a bolder coffee and I it’s perfect.
And of course there is nothing wrong with a good old coffee pot, if that is the route that makes the most sense for you…
These two are basic and affordable with great reviews.
I know this seems super simple, but for whatever reason, the coffee maker can be a tough decision to make. Hopefully this gets you thinking about your coffee needs and what makes sense for you in your camper and makes this whole owning an RV thing a little less complicated. If you’ve got one you love in the camper, feel free to share it in the comments. Fellow RVers help each other out.
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Banner Image Photo for this post by Jéssica Silveira on Unsplash