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Technology has made hobbies like traveling and camping more convenient than ever before, this is also true for coffee lovers who enjoy the outdoors.
The truth remains that the majority of coffee-loving travelers and campers do not really own a battery-operated coffee machine. In order to avoid going without a cup of coffee, we’ll either have to rely on pricey drinks from coffee shops or be forced to do without.
You might be surprised to learn that battery-powered coffeemakers aren’t as ubiquitous as you might imagine. Some of the most popular models on the market have been sampled by us so that we can share our results with you!
How do you make coffee without electricity
The easiest way to brew coffee without any power is to use a battery-powered coffee maker(you didn’t see that coming did you).
These machines will take a certain amount of time to heat the water, brew the beverages and serve you hot-delicious coffee, but it’s worth the time when this is the only option.
Battery-operated coffee makers come in various shapes and sizes, and a lot of them look alike, weigh the same, and travel with you like any metal/plastic water bottle.
Types of battery operated coffee makers:
- Rechargeable coffee makers with an internal battery(usually espressos) will come with AC adaptors and AC cords to charge it. They typically take 4-5 hours to recharge fully to brew 4-5 beverages or more. You can charge it again with your car when needed.
- Attachable long-lasting batteries: These batteries slide on and off so that you can put them on a charger(you would obviously charge them before you went camping or hiking) These last a lot longer and are able to heat your water to a recommended temperature for brewing.
Please note: It’s best to carry a hot thermal water bottle with you to avoid wasting the battery constantly heating the water. These battery-powered coffee makers will take longer (more than 15 minutes to heat the water).
Types of coffee they brew:
- Espresso: These machines do come with manual/pump mechanisms to extract espresso shots. You will need to pump pressure manually, or it will come with a high-defined 5-15-Bar pump pressure. The automatic pump will be more expensive than manual pumping.
- Drip coffee: Battery-operated coffee makers come with metal/permanent filters and don’t require paper filters to go with. Drip coffee machines are bigger than espresso brewers in size.
The Best battery Powered Coffee makers
If you’re looking for a battery-operated coffee maker you are basically looking for a device that will brew you coffee or espresso without needing electricity.
That is why you will find machines on this list that fit this criterion but don’t technically use batteries.
Some of them like the Wacaco are technically portable espresso machines but brew better espresso than any battery-powered coffee maker, so I couldn’t in good faith rank those models before the ones on our final list.
Makita DCM501Z 18V LXT/ 12V max CXTLithium-Ion Battery Coffee Machine The Best Portable Coffee makers
The Makita DCM501Z brews drip/filtered coffee both ways; through coffee bags and freshly ground beans. This portable coffee maker is very simple to use and has a built in handle to make it easy to handle.
It comes with a stainless steel mug to brew the beverages in, it also has a lid to keep the beverage hot, one basket supports tea bags or coffee bags, another basket to filter pre-ground/fresh or instant coffee ground beans.
The filter basket has a mesh for saturation right below the water reservoir which sits at the top of the machine. You access it by removing the upper lid.
The filter baskets have a magnet to keep the baskets from moving. Makita offers double battery slots: 12V CXT slide-style battery slot and 18V LXT batteries.
LXT batteries can charge in 15 to 20 minutes and last for 3-5 cups of coffee (5 ounces each).
While Makita is a power tool manufacturer this is one of the best portable coffee machines that use battery power to a single cup on a camping trip.
Please note: This machine doesn’t come with batteries they are sold separately; you will need to purchase it separately along with their chargers.
Pros
- It brews filtered coffee in 5 minutes.
- The machine offers stainless steel mugs to drink directly from.
- Makita brews 5 ounces (150-200ml) at a time, which is more than the amount any other battery-powered coffee maker will brew (usually 30ml)
- The machine has a light-weight build.
- A plastic scoop to measure your pre-ground coffee.
- Easy-to-operate.
- The machine turns itself off when not filled with enough water.
Cons
- The machine is made of plastic. However, plastic does make it lighter to carry around while traveling.
- It doesn’t come with batteries, you have to buy these separately
- Expensive for a small machine.
- Not that appealing to look at.
Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso maker
Is it even possible to pump and extract espresso shots without an actual pump and lever/piston? Yes, the Wacaco Nanopresso espresso brewer does it for you.
This manual machine asks you to pump the plunger to create pressure build-up inside the small coffee brewer. The company claims to build 18-bars of pressure.
This espresso device doesn’t need a battery or electricity to function correctly, just manual action of pumping the plunger in and out. You will need to add hot water to the water chamber to start the brewing cycle.
Nanopresso can use ground coffee and Nespresso pods. However, the pod portafilter needs to be bought separately, and it will add extra cost to the overall device. Nanopresso can create a bit of a learning curve to use, but it brews quality espresso.
The machine comes with a scoop to dose and tamp pre-ground/freshly-ground coffee. Nanopresso doesn’t work with extra-fine ground. So, you taste a milder espresso shot.
Pros
- The machine doesn’t have the extra expense of batteries.
- It’s small size allows you to carry it anywhere without needing additional storage space.
- The device comes in a clean-black profile.
- It comes with a brush to clean the grounds off the coffee container.
- The pod brewing method produces rich, dense crema.
- One of the best devices for an affordable espresso.
Cons
- It doesn’t come with a heater and loses heat throughout the process.
- Nanopresso can hold 60ml of water (max)
- The plunger is rather hard to press and involves actual manual action, which gets tiring with back-to-back brews.
- It doesn’t accept the finest-grind size making your shot not as rich.
- The cleaning process is rather extensive.
Wacaco Pipa Moka Portable Coffee maker
Pipa Moka is a stunning stainless steel coffee maker that uses vacuum pressure technology to create dense, excellent coffee. Pipamoka can brew a 300ml stainless steel cup in 2 minutes without electricity or batteries.
By twisting the knob and turning the plastic ring on the top of the body, the device creates vacuum pressure.
Brewing takes about two minutes and careful screwing. Brewing long black with Wacaco is easy.
It has a stainless filtration basket (the case is made of sturdy plastic, but the mesh is pure stainless steel for excellent extraction). Fill the filter basket with pre-ground and the screwed bottle with hot water.
The bottle has two parts: a stainless steel outer cylinder and a screwed cylinder inside.
After refilling the bottle, submerge the filter basket in hot water. Let it sink. A few taps on the surface will help the filter basket settle and air bubbles escape the water.
Afterward, slowly remove the orange band, leaving your freshly prepared hot coffee behind.
You may keep your coffee warm for as long as you like by sealing the lid on top.
Pros
- The machine brews fast compared to other products.
- It offers a brush to clean the grounds and a funnel to pour the coffee without any spills.
- Also, pipa Moka comes with a scoop for pre-ground.
- The screw itself has water markings for brewing different coffee ratios to help you find your preferred taste.
- The lid seals to avoid spills.
- It offers an additional black pouch to carry the device with ease. (You can buy a gray and orange case)
- It’s small and easily portable
Cons
- The vacuum process seems lengthy and manually challenging if you have to repeat it a few times.
- Plastic parts can affect the flavor the first time you use it. If you soak the parts in dish soap or run them through the dishwasher you can avoid this.
Conqueco Portable Espresso Maker
The Conqueco Portable espresso maker rounds off the list. Unlike other gadgets that require manual action, this one uses batteries to heat and make the beverage for you (5-10 minutes).
The Conqueco espresso machine has a LED display and can produce up to 15-bars of pressure.
It comes with two adapters, one for charging in the car and another for charging in an electrical socket.
The battery life depends on the brewing method. Conqueco can brew with hot or cold water.
Using cold water takes 15 minutes to heat and extract the shots. This also depletes the battery. So use hot water if possible to save the battery.
Conqueco has three chambers and a central body. The top chamber is filled with water and the body is heated.
The pod holder is below the body, and the huge cup is below the pod holder. They all screw together for a solid tight fit..
The machine only utilizes Nespresso or L’OR pods to brew. Not compatible with any other pods or coffee grinds.
Turn on the switch and push the button for 5 seconds to brew with boiling water (The water will directly run through the pod). Press the button for 2 seconds for cold water; it will heat up and brew in 15 minutes.
Pros
- It’s powered by batteries and can be charged with a car.
- AC adaptor, cleaning brush, and scoop comes with the device.
- When heating the water, it reaches 190 degrees quickly. The device has an NTC temperature sensor.
- It brews quality espresso.
- The machine is small and easily portable.
Cons
- The batteries run out pretty fast, and it takes a lot of time to charge it completely.
- Heating and brewing takes 15 minutes which seems like an eternity when you are waiting for your first cup of coffee. (maybe I’m just impatient).
Handpresso Wild Hybrid
Handpresso Wild has a beautiful interface with a minimalistic design. It’s made out of stainless steel and is no bigger than a mixing spoon.
It manages to create pressure with manual action. This manual action is performed by constantly pumping the plunger at the bottom. The device takes 10-20 seconds to build 16-Bar of pressure.
The device honestly looks beautiful with a cylindrical frame and a scoop that is actually a water tank, coffee holder, and portafilter all put together.
It’s small and will brew one shot at a time. To brew with Handpresso, you will first need to pump the plunger for 15 seconds or until the pressure gauge reads green. (Yes, it does come with a pressure gauge.)
Once done, unscrew the portafilter, remove the coffee basket and add hot-piping water until you hit the max water-limit mark.
The coffee holder allows you to use both pre-ground and ESE pods with different coffee baskets. Once you are done putting coffee in the chamber, screw the portafilter back on.
Put over top of an espresso glass and hold the portafilter firmly and press the brewing button; it will instantly brew espresso. You can actually observe a rich crema and dark espresso.
Pros
- Handpresso is small and easily portable.
- It’s completely made out of stainless steel.
- It comes in beautiful packaging.
- Handpresso can brew using a coffee pod or freshly ground beans.
- The first-ever portable espresso maker to offer a pressure gauge and the capability to produce 16-bars of pressure.
Cons
- The device doesn’t heat the brew. So, you will be sipping a not-so-hot espresso shot.
- It’s expensive, and the price is equal to electric espresso machines (Entry-level)
Questions To Ask Before Buying A Battery-Powered Coffee Maker
Whatever you wish to have in a battery-operated coffee maker you can find as long as you ask the right questions and do a bit of research.
How long does it take to brew?
Since these are manual, hand-operated coffee makers, these brewers will take longer than electronic coffee makers/espresso machines. The brewing period of beverages can also depend on the specific coffee maker you will be buying.
Battery-operated coffee makers can take anywhere between 5 minutes-15 minutes to brew. For instance, the Makita coffee machine brews the filtered coffee in 5 minutes.
It heats cold water pretty fast compared to other brewers. On the other hand, the Conqueco Espresso maker takes 15 minutes to heat the water and brew your espresso shot.
How easy is it to clean your portable coffee maker
These coffee brewers are pretty simple and small compared to more significant, electric espresso/filtered coffee machines, so these will be simpler to clean and will be less time-consuming.
While cleaning the machine, make sure to wipe it off with a damp cloth. Please check if the removable parts are dishwasher safe or not. If not, you will need to hand-wash them.
Battery-operated cylindrical espresso makers are the easiest to wash because they require a similar process to brewing.
You need to run water through the system without coffee installed. This will ensure the cleaning of the portafilter, shower screen, and baskets.
How many people are you making coffee for?
Sorry to break it to you; but a portable travel coffee maker can’t brew more than one shot of espresso or one cup of coffee at a time, let alone for an entire party.
The whole concept of camping coffee makers is to be portable, light weigh,t and easy to use.
So, no matter what battery-powered coffee maker you choose, it’s going to brew a solitary cup, no more and no less.
How long until you need to recharge the batteries again?
Most of the batteries need a recharge after 2-3 hours or less, depending on the battery and its usage. The act of brewing itself isn’t what kills the battery-but heating the water will deplete your battery quickly.
Try to heat your water if possible to increase the life of your battery
What is the coffee quality?
The coffee quality can depend on the techniques you use while brewing and the heating element of the coffee machine.
Most of these battery-powered coffee makers either brew filtered drip coffee or espresso shots, and each will have a similar taste to what an entry-level brewer will brew.
Tips for better-tasting filtered coffee
- Use freshly ground beans (Arabica beans) and use a dark-medium roast while you are at it. Grind your beans medium-fine or finest.
- Preheat the mug that you are going to brew in to maintain temperature.
- Brewing temperature: 195 degrees Fahrenheit if you are heating water separately.
- 4-8 minutes is the brewing period depending on the amount you are brewing.
- Filter coffee usually uses 1:16-1:17 (1gm being coffee and 16 being water) Pro tip: use darker coffee and less water to have richer filtered coffee.
Tips for better tasting espresso shots
- Use rich-flavored coffee beans.
- Preheat the device or rinse it with boiling water.
- Nespresso and ESE pods brew better with these machines.
What material is it made of?
Portable coffee makers are usually made of plastic to support challenging weather. Simultaneously, keeping the weight down to make them easily portable and create more affordable battery-operated coffee makers.
In a filtered coffee maker, the water tank, filtered baskets, the whole external body is made of sturdy plastic except for the stainless steel mug.
BPA in plastic is hazardous and leads to many side effects. Thus, it’s essential to choose a coffee maker that’s BPA-free.
However, you can find stainless steel options like the Handpresso, but they will be more expensive.
Is hot water required before brewing?
Yes, and no.
The best battery operated coffee makers will allow you to choose, just like the Conqueco coffee maker. In Conqueco, when you use boiling water to brew espresso, you press the power button for five seconds to allow the water to pass through the system for a direct espresso shot.
But when you want to heat the water inside the machine, you press and hold the power button for 2 seconds. (The device takes 15 minutes to heat and brew the beverage thoroughly)
What types of coffee does your machine use?
Battery-operated coffee makers can brew with pre-ground coffee, freshly-ground coffee beans, ESE pods, and Nespresso pods.
ESE pods: ESE pods are exclusive for espresso machines because they are ground for espresso coffees only.
Nespresso pods: Nespresso pods come in various flavors but Nespresso pods can only brew with Nespresso machines or machines designed for Nespresso pods.
Unlike ESE pods wrapped in paper filters, Nespresso pods are sealed aluminum pods that need a specific device to extract flavors out of them.
The Wacaco portable Nespresso coffee maker allows you to brew both Nespresso pods and pre ground.
How much do these coffee makers cost?
Battery-operated coffee makers can cost you anywhere between $50-$200 depending on the functionalities they offer.
The most expensive coffee maker is still ‘the Makita’ that doesn’t come with a battery. The Makita coffee maker, battery, and charger can cost you $200-$250 (The coffee maker is $100 and separate charger and battery can cost you $100-$150)
How big is your portable coffee machine?
In the case of traveling, the smaller the coffee maker is, the easier it is to carry around. As discussed, portable coffee makers usually have a bottle shape and also similar size. They can weigh anywhere between 500ml-1kg.
The standard height of any bottle-shaped coffee maker usually falls between 7in-15in. The Makita coffee maker has a height of 17 inches; the rest have an average size of 12″.
How much does your portable espresso machine weigh?
Portable coffee makers are very lightweight. As stated, they will weigh anywhere between 500g-1kg (more or less.)
The total weight of Makita is 2 to 3 pounds(without water), and it comes with an oversized handle that supports the weight quickly, and you can carry it around without worrying too much.
Tips for traveling with coffee.
It’s best to ration your coffee and set some ground rules before you go ahead and carry a large grinder, coffee brewer, and stock pre-ground/fresh coffee beans inside your bag.
Use a light-weight machine
Portability is the key to trekking. While in the wilderness, the last thing you’d want is to drag unnecessary luggage along.
Seal your coffee so that it stays fresh
- Instead of packing in a plastic bag, use a stainless steel container with a sealed lid. The sealed cover will keep your coffee fresh for longer compared to plastic bags. If you can’t arrange a sealed container, go with zipper bags.
- Seal the container/zip the bag as soon as you scoop the coffee out. Don’t allow the container to be open for long as the flavors might escape making it harder to brew a delicious cup of coffee.
Test your machine at home so that you are familiar with how to use it
These machines aren’t like your average coffee makers sitting on your kitchen counter, these coffee makers’ dynamics are entirely different from what you are used to.
It’s best to use your new coffee maker before going on your trip. These coffee makers aren’t challenging to use, but they require some practice.
So, disassemble the parts of your brewer and learn how to clean it, and put it back together. It is easier to do this in a controlled environment for the first time instead of in the woods.
Once you know about the parts of your coffee maker, brew more than a couple of times to learn what works best with your device.
Bring extra batteries
Your machine will be an empty vessel if it depends on batteries for heat-up, pressure, circulation, etc. Thus, it’s necessary to carry extra batteries to allow your machine to work the entire trip.
Conclusion
Coffee is an essential part of our life, and you don’t have to leave it behind while enjoying your outdoor activities.
Waking up with the early sun, birds chirping, cool breeze, great view, and a cup of coffee is in my opinion the best way to start your day.
Follow this guide and check out our top two to start with and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a great cup of coffee next time you go camping or hiking.
