Brewing the best coffee whilst road tripping? Now that’s an interesting topic, right?
For some of you, “coffee break” means pulling into a restaurant or roadside inn. Ideally on a sunny terrace with a killer view, obviously.
But then again, sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nature, surrounded by magic—and you think, “Hey, wouldn’t it be nice to linger here for a bit?” In peace. Without the tourist mob that’s already claimed every chair at the café terrace.
Or maybe you’re road tripping in full-on camping mode—in which case, making your own morning coffee while packing up camp?
best road trip coffee
So, in this article, I’ll run you through some of the best gear to brew a (good) coffee while you’re out on a road trip.
Btw, this is another cross-posting with my main blog, on Cruizador.com, where I post all type of articles motorbike related. But sometimes, a topic might also interest you on Califonzycation. And that’s exactly why I’m allowing myself to cross-post 🙂
And icing on the cake, as I translate most articles on Cruizador into French and German, if you’re not a native English Speaker, you will have the opportunity to read the article in French (here) and German (here). For your convenience.
Introduction
Fair warning, dear reader: we’re diving into a highly controversial topic here.
For many, coffee is a sacred ritual. So yeah, writing about this is basically tightrope-walking without a net.
To all the self-proclaimed coffee gurus reading this—breathe. This ain’t gospel.
Instead, think of it as a cheeky roundup of options for bikers and wanderers who enjoy spontaneous stops in the wild.
FYI: I’ve arbitrarily chosen to showcase 3 different setups. Are there more? Of course!
Editor’s note: Since currency rates haven’t been doing the cha-cha lately, I’ve kept all prices in CHF. You can roughly add or subtract 5–10% for € or $ conversions.
Instant Coffee (Yes, really)
I can already hear the coffee purists screaming at their screens…
How dare you put “coffee” and “instant” in the same sentence?!
Might as well serve it in a paste tube while you’re at it!
Spoiler alert: That exists. And yes, I’ll get to it later in the article 😉
Now sure, this won’t be the best coffee of your life. But hear me out—instant coffee has a few solid perks:
- Super easy and quick to prep, and
- The gear takes up almost zero space.
So if you just want an excuse to take a little break in the wild, instant coffee totally does the trick.
How to Make It
- Toss about 2g of coffee into a cup
- Add 2dl of water at ~80°C
- Done and done!
Prep time: <30 sec (if your water’s already hot).
So What Gear Do You Need?
Technically, all you need is:
- Instant coffee
- A cup
- And hot water
As for the coffee, you’ll find it in all shapes and sizes: single-serve sticks, glass jars, etc. Some even come with powdered milk. For those who need their latte fix.
But honestly? Don’t. Just don’t. That stuff is undrinkable 😬
Cup-wise, I recommend the Sea-to-Summit foldable mugs. Trust me, they’re awesome.
best coffee road tripping
About 13 CHF, holds ~2.5dl, weighs just 43g. Plus, it’s made from silicone free of BPA, PFOA, and PTFE. Your inner health nut will thank you.
These mugs are great for everything: apero in the park, mountain hikes, picnic on the ski slopes. A total no-brainer.
Now About That Hot Water?
If you’re more of a “sleep-in-a-bed” kind of road tripper, good news—more and more hotels and B&Bs have kettles in the rooms.
So bring a good thermos, fill it up before hitting the road, and unless you’re riding in Arctic conditions, it’ll stay hot until early afternoon.
No kettle in your room? This travel kettle from Adler is your new best friend. Compact size, 580gr., 750W power, 0.6L capacity. Folds down nicely to fit in your top case or duffle bag. Price: ~20 CHF.
Camping Style? I Got You
Then you’ll need a camping stove to heat water—and a small pot to go with it.
For stoves, you’ve got a few options. Jetboil, for example—super compact and powerful (900W), boils water in under 2 min. But it ain’t cheap (~100 CHF).
I personally went with the Forclaz model from Decathlon. For around 45 CHF, you can pair it with gas canisters of various sizes (100, 230, or 450g). All-in weight (with case + 100g canister): 390g. Pretty slick!
best coffee road tripping
And for your water pot, I went with the aluminum one from Esbit—comes with a lid to keep the heat in and double handles so you don’t burn your fingers grabbing it.
Cost: 30–45 CHF depending on the shop. Weighs 167g with the transport bag.
FYI: There’s a titanium version too, but it’s twice the price. And unless you’re obsessing over grams like a cyclist or ultralight hiker… is it really worth it?
Perfectionists can also throw in the matching windscreen. 150g, ~15 CHF.
best coffee road tripping
How about a folding chair, so you don’t have to sit on an uncomfortable rock?
It costs around 45CHF, weighs 1.1kg and takes up minimal space (38x13x12 cm when folded in its transport bag).
best coffee road tripping
Italian coffee (Bialetti)
Now we’re getting serious. Italian-style coffee is a serious option for getting a really good coffee on a roadtrip.
As far as equipment is concerned
- Bialetti coffee maker (various sizes available)
- Gas stove (see previous point)
- Ground coffee (size 4)
- Water, preferably drinking 😉
The main advantage is that once the coffee maker is filled with water and coffee, and placed on the stove, there’s nothing to do but wait for the coffee to brew.
Another advantage is that you may already have a Bialetti at home. Also, unless you have the rather bulky 12-cup format, you’ll probably be able to use the same one on a road-trip, without having to equip yourself twice.
Personally, I use the 6-cup version at home, and this is the one I also take on road-trips. It costs around CHF 32 and weighs 578g.
best coffee road tripping
As far as the coffee is concerned, it’s up to each of us to make it according to our tastes and desires. Personally, I prefer single origin, with a light to medium roast, as I drink it without sugar or milk.
But once again, it’s up to each person to do as they prefer.
And if you’ve already got the stove set with you, why not add the aluminium cup to heat water for tea or an infusion before going to bed?
Aeropress
The last system I’m going to introduce you to is Aeropress. This system was invented by the American Alan Adler in the early 2000s.
Without going into too much detail, anyone interested can read about it on the Wikipedia page (here).
It works in much the same way as a piston coffee maker (French Press)
Ground coffee beans and water are brewed inside, then pushed through a filter at the bottom of the chamber by pressing the piston down through the chamber.
It is capable of making a highly concentrated coffee, which the manufacturer describes as ‘espresso style’, but can also be used to make filter coffee or cold-brewed coffee.
The advantage of the system lies in its compactness, with Adler releasing an even more compact version of its invention in 2019.
best coffee road tripping
The other advantage of the system is the quality of the coffee produced. And it’s not for nothing that a whole host of coffee aficionados gather every year for the Aeropress World Championships.
Everyone comes up with their own personal recipe: brewing time, water temperature, type of coffee, etc.
But, as you’ll have realised, it’s going to take a bit of practice at first to find the right combination.
In terms of preparation, once the hot water is ready, you should allow 2-3 minutes, depending on how long you want to brew it.
Personally, I’m a big fan of this system, which I also use at home.
In terms of equipment, you’ll need
- A normal or travel Aeropress
- Hot water (70-80 degrees)
- Ground coffee
For hot water, I’d say the same things as for instant coffee. Either you can make your own hot water in a thermos.
Or you’ll need to take a stove with you.
You can buy the Aeropress GO (travel) system for around CHF 43.00, weighing 337gr.
There’s a bit more, I’ll put it on anyway?
Otherwise, there are 3 more options available on the market
- Coffee in a tube, from the Swiss brand No Normal Coffee. This is no joke. One tube promises around 20 cups of coffee. Just mix it in water and it’s ready one cup. More info -> here <-
- The French Coffee Press in Titanium from Snow Peak. But the price of 80CHF, plus the cost of the stove, may be a deterrent for people who see coffee as a pleasure rather than a religion. More info -> here <-
- The Nanopresso from Wacaco. This is actually a system with an integrated pump that can reach pressures of up to 18bar.
- The manufacturer promises unrivalled extraction qualities.
- I haven’t had a chance to test it, but for me the main drawback is that you have to put hot water into the system, which doesn’t have a water heater.
- You’re also faced with the same constraints as with instant coffee, for example, but at a higher price (expect to pay around 60CHF + the stove). More info -> here <-
best coffee road tripping
Conclusion
Here’s a little comparison table to wrap up the 3 options I’ve selected.
| best coffee road tripping |
Instant Coffee |
Italian Coffee Maker(Bialetti) |
Aeropress Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros |
|
|
|
| Cons | Unfortunately, the taste | Bulky and heavier | – Requires a bit of time to get used to it – Preparation time |
| System Weight (Setup with gas stove, without coffee and water) |
600g | 1.03kg | 715g |
| Total Price (Full set-up, without coffee) Indicative prices, may vary by seller |
65.– CHF (stove & accessories) 13.– CHF (cup) 45.– CHF (Esbit mug) Total: approx. 125.– CHF |
32.– CHF (coffee maker) 13.– CHF (cup) 65.– CHF (stove & accessories) Total: approx. 110.– CHF |
43.– CHF (Aeropress) 65.– CHF (stove & accessories) Total: approx. 110.– CHF |
| Remarks | – | To be combined with the aluminum Esbit mug to also prepare tea in the morning | To be combined with the aluminum Esbit mug to also prepare tea in the morning |
I hope this article has been useful to you and I wish you lots of coffee breaks in magical places when you go off on your adventures.
Otherwise, click the image below to discover other adventure related articles from our blog!
Ride on!
best coffee road tripping