9 Reasons to Buy a Portable Coffee Maker [Instant Coffee No More]

Do you love coffee, but find yourself struggling to make it on the go? If so, a portable coffee maker might be just what you need. These handy little devices let you make your favorite cup of joe wherever you are, without any fuss or mess.

In this article, I will give you 9 reasons to buy a portable coffee maker to move on from poor-quality and repetitive instant coffee packets!

1. Compactness and Lightweight

Since portability is one of the main competitive advantages, these coffee makers tend to be much smaller in size and lighter in weight than home brewing machines, making them extremely space-efficient and easy to pack for your travels.

This is crucial if you’re going on a long trip, especially if you have limited space in your luggage.

A Pour-Over cone can be as small as a couple of inches tall and a few inches wide. The same goes for the French Press – it’s just slightly bigger than a regular mug.

2. Durability

Another feature that makes them ideal for traveling is that they’re usually made of durable materials. This means they can withstand bumps and bruises while you’re on the road.

For example:

• The Kalita Wave is made of rust-resistant stainless steel.
• The Hario V60 can be found in plastic, stainless steel, or copper.
• The AeroPress is made of BPA-free plastic.
• The Moka Pot is made of stainless steel, aluminum, or other alloys.

And if you have a good experience with them but want something more aesthetically pleasing for brewing at home, you can easily search for their glass or ceramic versions as well.

3. Variety

There are many types of portable coffee makers on the market.

Some are just simple Pour-Over cones that you can place over your mug together with the filter, add ground coffee, and pour water over the grounds bed to extract delicious coffee compounds.

Another type of portable coffee-making device is the French Press, an immersion brewer that’s extremely easy to use. All you have to do is steep the coffee grounds in hot water for a couple of minutes and press the plunger down to keep the sludge at the bottom, leaving the extracted coffee on top.

And, if you enjoy strong and heavier-bodied espresso-style coffee, you’ll be a fan of the AeroPress and its extra-portable version – AeroPress Go. They also have a plunger like the French Press, but the output is a lot cleaner thanks to the filter.

The Moka Pot is also a great espresso maker alternative option. It’s been around for decades and is still a staple coffee maker in many Italian households to make a robust cup of Joe.

What’s more, you aren’t restricted to just manual coffee makers, either. Some electric models help simplify the coffee-making process, though you can only use them with batteries or with an electricity outlet.

4. Freshness

One of the best perks of bringing a coffee maker along on your trip is being to make a fresh cup of coffee anywhere at any time, as long as you have access to hot water.

Freshness has a much bigger effect on the quality of the cup than you might think. The fresher the coffee grounds and water are, the more flavorful the extraction will turn out.

So, even if you can’t pop by a coffee shop on the way, which is often impossible when going camping, hiking, and on other adventures in the wild, you can still reenergize with a freshly brewed cup of Joe with incredible taste and aroma if you have a portable coffee maker.

It’s certainly better than a cup of instant coffee which is just reboiled crystallized brewed coffee.

5. Customizability

Another benefit of having a portable coffee maker is the level of customization it offers, though it depends on the type of coffee maker you decide to go with.

For example, with Pour-Over devices, depending on the type of coffee beans, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, and pouring technique (the pouring speed, angle, and infusion time), you can get a different and refreshing extraction result.

Another example is the AeroPress coffee maker. Similarly, depending on the type of coffee beans you use, how fine you grind them, the coffee-to-water ratio, and what method you use to extract (Traditional vs Inverted Method), the coffee taste, strength, and body will vary.

This means you won’t get stuck with the same coffee taste all the time, unlike instant coffee which easily gets repetitive and boring after the first few cups. It’s especially beneficial if you’re on a long trip!

If you’re interested in the lightweight devices that are capable of producing strong and clean coffee, learn more about how to brew with AeroPress and AeroPress Go and how they’re different from each other!

6. Affordability

Compared to heavy-duty heavy-weight electric coffee machines at home, portable brewers are a lot more affordable.

While some of the home coffee machines from popular brands like Breville can cost up to $500 and even thousands of dollars, a good Pour-Over cone with a decent filter usually costs less than $50, sometimes even less than $20.

The French Press is slightly pricier at around $30 – $40 but it’s still not close to half a grand.

And, for those looking for a traditional Italian experience, you can find a Moka Pot costing less than $50 for a 9-cup serving size.

Even electric portable coffee makers are cheaper than home brewing machines, with most of them being below $100.

7. Eco-Friendliness

If you’re a coffee drinker who cares about the environment and wants to minimize your carbon footprint to the best of your effort, portable coffee makers are a great choice!

They can help reduce waste from disposable coffee cups and instant coffee packets, which are many’s go-to coffee options when traveling.

Plus, since portable devices are often small in size, they use less water and energy to brew a cup of coffee – perfect for those who are conscious about their consumption!

What’s more, you can even find reusable filters that are made of metal or cloth for coffee makers that utilize paper filters (i.e. Pour-Overs, AeroPress).

8. Insulation

Some French Presses are also designed with a vacuum-sealed, double-wall construction to keep your brewed coffee hot for several hours so you can make a batch to be enjoyed during your journey.

If you love the rich-tasting coffee and don’t mind a little sediment in your brew, grab a French Press from these recommended brands.

9. Ease Of Clean

Generally, portable coffee makers are pretty easy to clean since they have fewer parts than home brewing machines.

All you have to do is disassemble the coffee maker, remove the used ground coffee, rinse the parts with water, and let them dry before reassembling them back together.

You can also find some models that are dishwasher-safe for even easier cleaning, though your trip should be short enough to reach the dishwasher machine at the end of the day.

To Wrap Up

So, there you have it – 9 reasons to buy a portable coffee maker! If you love coffee and want to enjoy it on the go, this is the perfect solution for you. With a portable coffee maker, you can make all your favorite drinks without having to rely on instant coffee.

Still not convinced? Find the best ways to make coffee outside to see whether it’s worth it!