How to Make Good Coffee While Traveling
You don't need much to make coffee on a trip that tastes like home. A small kit, fresh beans and a five-minute routine will beat almost any hotel room coffee.
The kit
- A hand grinder. Small enough to pack, with steel burrs. The 1Zpresso Q is smaller than a soda can and fits inside an AeroPress plunger.
- A simple brewer. An AeroPress or a plastic pour-over cone. Both are light and hard to break.
- Filters. Pack more than you think you'll need.
- Fresh whole beans, in a small sealed bag or container.
- Optional: a small scale. A pocket scale makes your cup repeatable. Without one, use a measuring scoop.
Packing tips
- Nest things. Grinder inside brewer, filters inside a small bag, everything in one pouch.
- Bring only what you need. About 15 to 20 g of beans per cup. Count your mornings and add a little extra.
- Keep beans sealed. Air and light make coffee stale faster.
Flying with coffee
Whole beans and manual grinders are generally fine in carry-on bags. Security agencies in some countries give extra screening to larger amounts of powders, including ground coffee, so carrying whole beans is usually simpler. Rules differ by country and change, so check the airport security guidance before you fly. Electric grinders with batteries may have their own rules.
Getting hot water
- Hotel kettle: most rooms in many countries have one. Rinse it out first.
- Coffee machine in the room: run it with no pod to get hot water.
- Ask the front desk or a cafe for hot water. Most will say yes.
- Camping: a small stove and pot.
Water just off the boil works for most brewing. Let it sit for 30 seconds if it's at a full rolling boil.
The five-minute routine
- Heat the water.
- Grind your beans while it heats. Medium-fine for AeroPress, medium for pour-over.
- Rinse the filter with a little hot water.
- Brew: for AeroPress, add coffee and water, stir, wait about a minute and a half, then press. For pour-over, pour slowly in circles over two to three minutes.
- Clean up with a quick rinse. AeroPress pucks pop straight into the bin.
Keep it simple
The best travel coffee setup is the one you'll actually use every morning. Start small. For five grinders compared for size, build and grind quality, see our travel coffee grinder comparison.