minimalist travel coffee

How To Travel Like A Minimalist: Packing List And More

Traveling like a minimalist means striking the balance of finding comfort while away from home, but not being weighed down by excess stuff either. Choosing minimalist travel has changed my packing process entirely and made everything easier for me.

Hi, I’m Ryan

Having a minimalist mindset while traveling has taken all the hassle and headache out of my traveling experience. Packing light allows me to have what I need without being weighed down, and focus on the experience of the trip itself.

What Is Minimalist Travel?

Minimalist Travel Packing List: Essentials Only

When I’m packing for any trip, I divide my needs into smaller categories to make the packing process more manageable and keep track of what I actually need. I start with my travel capsule wardrobe, then pack my toiletries. I prefer to organize things into packing cubes to keep the chaos at bay while on the move.

Minimalist Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Traveling with a well-planned capsule wardrobe is the move for any vacation, especially if you’re trying to travel like a minimalist. Clothes are a major culprit that take up a lot of space in a suitcase or bag. Create your own capsule wardrobe to minimize your luggage.

To do this, you’ll want to think through several things. Check the weather for the entirety of your trip, and choose items that will work with the climate you’ll be in. It’s also important to pack high-quality, staple pieces that can be worn more than once, especially for longer trips where you’ll have access to a washer and dryer.

Similar to personal uniforms , capsule wardrobes work best when you have a few base pieces like neutral shirts and pants, and then accentuate with only a few pieces that can give the outfit an entirely new look.

A Basic Travel Capsule Might Include

Two T-shirts
Two long sleeves or tank tops
Two pairs of shorts or jeans
One dress or suit
Sweater or swimwear
Four pairs of underwear
Four pairs of socks

My own capsule wardrobe is pretty simple, but you can make it as decorative or basic as you prefer. Of course, this basic list will need to be adjusted based on the weather on your trip, if you have plans to go out somewhere fancy, or any other trip-specific clothing needs that might come up.

Minimalist Travel Toiletries

Toiletries are probably the second biggest category of travel items that can suck the space from your suitcase. Of course, it’s different for women and men, and it also depends on how basic your daily routine is.

If I’m going to a place that doesn’t provide basics, I tend to pack a two-in-one bar that can I use as my shampoo, bodywash and facewash — my favorite is the Duke Cannon’s Midnight Swim Bars or their Shampoo Pucks in Gold Rush Scent .

For the larger bar, I cut a chunk off to suit the length of my trip put in a Matador flat pack soap bar bag . The pucks come in a small tin which is super convenient. I’m not one to overcomplicate things with multiple products, but I also don’t have temperamental skin or hair.

Basic Toiletries To Pack As A Minimalist

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Conditioner
Facial cleanser or wipes
Razor and shaving cream
Basic makeup
Daily medications
Feminine products

When it comes to packing my toiletries as space-consciously as possible, I use Gotoobs to hold my liquid toiletries , which have never leaked on me, and I put that in a bag inside my larger toiletry bag where I keep everything else. This saves me space and keeps my liquid toiletries separate to help prevent leaks or spills in transport.

Toiletries You Can Travel Without

Extra lotions or skin creams
Entire makeup bag
Multiple hair styling tools
Hair accessories
Nail polish
Essential oils or perfumes

Ryan’s Minimalist Toiletries

My personal toiletry kit has a two-in-one soap puck, deodorant, razor, comb, tooth brush, toothpaste tablets, and a nail clipper. I use the shampoo puck as body and face wash, then also use it for shaving.

The two white tablets in the photo are mini hand towels that expand — those along with the face wipes are a godsend when you’ve been traveling for a long time and need to wash up when you don’t have access to a shower. The Purell packets are also good because their size won’t bring much attention as a single use packet going through airport security.

For longer trips, I’ll often add shaving cream, a mini sewing kit, and lotion.

Minimalist Daily Travel Essentials

One of the best things to do when it comes to packing the rest of your miscellaneous daily items is to have a central location in your home where these items live regularly. This could look like a catchall tray, a storage bin, or a backpack or travel bag.

Keep daily essentials like chargers, electronics, a water bottle, and more in this spot. Then, when you’re preparing for a trip, you can move all of your essentials to your luggage quickly. You’ll save yourself the mental space of having to fish through your closet or under your bed for your lesser-used items that are still essentials.

Daily Essentials For Minimalist Packing

Charging cords
Keys and wallet
Cash and credit cards
Identification (license/passport)
Refillable water bottle
Book/notebook
First-aid kit

Ryan’s Daily Minimalist Essentials

When I’m packing my minimalist travel bag, I usually put all of these daily essentials in a separate travel bag than my clothes and toiletries. If I’m flying, this is what I fill my carry-on with for easy access. Even if I’m road-tripping in a car or travel van , I usually put these items in a carry-all pouch that goes in my backpack.

Ryan’s Daily Items Packing List

Modern Coup Admin Pouch
Benchmade Bugout Pocket Knife
Smooth Precision Pens – Bolt Action Pen V2.2
Anker Compact737 Charger
Herschel Slim Men’s Wallet
Field Notes Notebook
Griffin Mini-Cable Kit
Human Gear Go Bites Duo Utensil Set

Trip-Specific Items For Minimalist Travel

Once I’ve covered all my daily essentials and basic needs, I usually have about half a suitcase of room left to focus on items specific to my trip. This could be anything from ski gear to a surfboard to your bridesmaid dress to a nylon tent and off-grid camping cookware .

I don’t know about you, but the process of packing always feels super tedious and mentally draining to me. Covering all of your basics first is one of the best ways to pack like a minimalist and make the packing process way less daunting. You knock out all the more thought-intensive categories first, then just focus on the fun stuff.

How To Pack Like A Minimalist: Best Travel Gear

In addition to having a packing strategy and following a packing list, using savvy packing gadgets can help you travel light. Investing in these simple products can make your minimalist packing life a whole lot easier.

Amazon Basics 4 Piece Packing Travel Organizer Cubes

Four Piece Packing Cube Set

GoToobs And GoTubbs By Humangear

Packism Clear Toiletry Bag

Like I mentioned in my advice above, when I pack my toiletries, I like to separate my wet toiletries from my dry toiletries. These small, clear toiletry bags by Packism are an ideal size to store all my liquid toiletries and then nestle into my larger suitcase or carry on.

Matador Toiletry Bag And Soap Bar Case

General Medi Store First Aid Kit

Nomader Collapsible Leak-Proof Water Bottle

things you only need to buy once in a lifetime

Build A Minimalist Travel Backpack For Solo Travel

For me, traveling solo has been something that has set me free and given me experiences that I could never have had by just staying home. In the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of traveling 23 countries including Canada , Australia , and several European and Latin American countries .

Best Minimalist Travel Backpacks For Solo Travel

Fitting all of the belongings I need into a simple travel backpack always provides me with a deeply freeing feeling. Choosing a minimalist travel backpack that will support you fully, last for years without tearing, and have room for all your travel gadgets and gizmos is a must.

I have a couple of personal favorite travel backpacks that I would recommend for regular use. The first one is the GoRuck GR1 . The GR1 is ridiculously sturdy and ideal for strenuous hikes or camping trips. I also love the Osprey Porter 46 Travel Backpack . It has an extremely strong hip belt and sturdy shoulder straps, and multiple compartments for storing all the gear you might need.

Other Popular Minimalist Travel Backpacks

Minaal Carry-on 3.0
Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L
Matador SEG42
Zpacks Nero 38L ROBIC
AER Travel Pack 2

How To Pack Your Minimalist Travel Backpack

Figuring out how to pack your travel backpack is a whole other can of worms. Of course, this will also heavily depend on where you’re going on your trip, how long you’ll be gone, and what your essential needs will be.

There are a few things I make sure to always have with me when I pack my minimalist travel bag for camping, off-griding, or any kind of basic travel.

Travel Backpacking List

Basic hygiene supplies
Sleeping bag and sleeping pad
Water treatment supplies
Snacks/food
Map/compass/GPS
Small tools/repair kit

Does Minimalist Travel Make Life Better?

How will you pack like a minimalist on your next vacation?
What items will you pack verses go without?

Thanks for this article. I’m planning to visit some family living in Mexico and bought a overhead suitcase to use for traveling..made a stateside trip and and stuff it with what I thought I’d need for a 3week trip..with your list ideas, I’ll make smarter packing & weight decisions..looking forward to hassle freely out of country trip more now..

Great post. Very helpful. Thank you.

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Kristen Helmstetter

(Brisa Starr)

My Minimalist Frugal Travel Coffee Brewing Method

April 23, 2018 By Kristen Helmstetter

I love living a minimalist life.

I enjoy having fewer things. It’s fewer distractions from what’s really important to me, it’s more energy in my life as a result of less decision-making fatigue, and it just feels damn good.

Being a minimalist while traveling is beneficial because I pack less and carry less. That’s important when I’m trying to utilize only a backpack for travel. I haven’t achieved that goal yet, because I’m still using a small portion of the suitcase that Kamea and Greg use. However, with each new destination, I learn to live with a bit less.

I’m also living a frugal life. Why?

We have a major awesome life goal to be financially independent and retired early. Don’t be confused by the “retire early” part to mean we don’t want to work. We want the experience of “not having to work” on any given day should we choose.

Being minimalist and frugal go hand in hand 🤝 (especially when traveling).

Being a minimalist and frugal make travel a lot easier… most of the time. I’ll admit to a few sacrifices and challenges along the way, but all in all, a much better travel experience when being minimalist and frugal while traveling.

I’m also a big coffee drinker. ☕️

I’ve been drinking it since high school for better or for worse. To be honest, my Nana (full blood Italian) started me with my first sips of the black elixir when I was seven.

I’ve carried on the tradition with my daughter, of course.

So… being a frugal minimalist traveling coffee drinker… what do I do?

My Frugal & Minimalist Travel Coffee:

I make coffee at home where ever we are traveling. I usually carry some coffee grounds, if there is any from the prior destination, in the suitcase to ensure coffee survival on the first morning we land somewhere. Once that is out, I go to a local market and buy ground coffee.

I don’t carry any fancy coffee making paraphernalia, like the beloved Aeropress, for two reasons:

It costs money to buy it. I’m really watching every penny.
It most definitely takes up space in luggage.

I could carry one of those little mesh filters that you set in a cup (like if you’d brewed tea) but still… costs money and takes up space. I don’t mess around when my eyes 👀 are set on a prize (financial independence). I’m super disciplined, to the annoyance of some people (you know who you are). 💗

Enough with the suspense already. Here’s what I do. It’s a super simple way to ensure coffee in my life on the cheap frugal and minimalist path.

I add ground coffee and water to a small pot and heat them up. I let it get to the point where I hear that it wants to boil. Then, I turn it off. I take it off the burner if it’s not a gas or induction stove.
I pour it all (grounds and water, though a few grounds stay behind) into my cup.
I wait a couple more minutes and then pick up the cup and gently tap the bottom of the cup onto the counter a few times. You see, the grounds naturally fall to the bottom, and this tapping, I think, encourages that.

Is it the best coffee ever? Hell no.

Even though the grounds fall to the bottom, a few make their way into my mouth and belly.

Am I happy this is frugal and minimalist? Hell yeah.

Fortunately, in our travels, we don’t have to drink coffee like this all the time. When we’re in hotels or Air BnB rentals or people’s homes, there is often a coffee setup.

However, on occasion there isn’t anything, or the coffee maker might look totally gross, or we want decaf and the system isn’t set up for that (think: Kuerig-style coffee maker with only regular caffeinated pods to drink and I’ll be damned if I’m spending money on buying decaf pods).

I’ll also mention a hack to get the grounds out…

If I have access to a strainer, I line it with a paper towel. I let the coffee mixture steep in the small pot for a few minutes. Then, I pour the mixture through the strainer and paper towel into another pot.

I transfer this coffee-grounds-free coffee to a cup and enjoy. The picture of coffee you see at the top of the post? That’s using this straining method which is why you see a nice clear-looking cup of coffee.

Join me on Instagram and Twitter to follow my up-to-the date moments, thoughts, and short videos of our world travel.

IG: global_kristen

T: KristensRaw

Travel Coffee Kits: My Two Favorites, Tested Around The World

Pour-over brewing is a fun and easy way to enjoy great coffee at home.

But if you’re on the road much, then you know the difficulty of packing all that paraphernalia.

Having spent several months on the road in recent years, I’ve tried almost everything under the sun.

What follows are my two favorite ways to brew great coffee while traveling.

This article might contain affiliate links. As a member of programs including Amazon Associates, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Option 1: A minimalist pour-over coffee travel kit

Choose a dripper that collapses to pack flat. Bring a quality hand grinder, since grinding fresh is critical for flavor. Replace your usual kettle with a microwave-safe glass or silicone measuring cup. Keep beans in their valved bag to minimize air volume. Finally, pack your filters against something flat, like a laptop or book.

While you can also just bring a standard, plastic pour-over cone, it’s easy to find more compact options.

My favorite option is a collapsible silicone dripper like this one from Amazon.

(There are a few on the market, all basically identical.)

It uses Melitta-style filters, which cost next to nothing and are available at practically any grocery store.

Equally importantly, it has just a couple of small holes in the bottom. That’s a good way to keep water from passing too quickly when you don’t have a luxury of a gooseneck kettle.

Another option is this style of cone-less dripper with a reusable nylon filter.

In my experience, its filter allowed about as much sediment as you’d find in a French press. I dislike that; others don’t mind. It’s also harder to control the flow of water, since it’s just a suspended filter, not a cone with small openings.

That said, it’s the lightest and most compact option out there.

Finally, metal filter holders are a nice middle ground between the first two options. MiiR makes this particularly stylish one.

The price is a bit steep, frankly, but its fit and finish seem a notch up from cheaper knock-offs. It uses standard V60-style conical filters. However, the wide-open bottom means it could be a little finicky without a gooseneck kettle.

Option 2: The simplest AeroPress travel set-up

The AeroPress is ideal for travel because it’s easy to use without a kettle or scale. For easier packing, bring a hand grinder that fits inside the AeroPress plunger. Store some filters inside the filter cap, or switch to a reusable metal filter. Skip the funnel, but bring the scoop to help you estimate coffee amounts.

The AeroPress has a cult following in the specialty coffee world, and for good reason: it’s ingenious.

It’s also the single most travel-friendly brewer on the market.

My review goes into more detail, but in brief, the AeroPress is a tough and compact brewer that yields great coffee even when you can’t measure and pour precisely.

The plunger also lets you control extraction time when water temperature may be hard to manage. That matters more than you might think, as explained in my guide to coffee extraction .

Although the AeroPress takes more space than a collapsible pour-over cone, you can make up for that by buying a grinder that fits inside its plunger. Any of the models shared here would work well.

Finally, the AeroPress eliminates the need for a specialized kettle. It’s an immersion brewer, meaning the water stays in the coffee for some time, rather than passing straight down through it (as in percolation). There’s no further benefit to the slow, precise pouring of a gooseneck kettle.

What travel coffee gear do you really need?

Both of the suggestions above will make you excellent coffee. Still, it takes some compromises to fit everything into a bag while leaving room for (non-coffee) essentials.

These trade-offs will be clearer as we go through each item in a travel pour-over set-up.

Hand grinders are great for travel (as well as home)

No matter where or how you brew, it’s essential to grind fresh before brewing.

It’s equally essential to use a high-quality burr grinder. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mix of powdery grounds and large bean chunks, both of which will throw off the taste.

The answer is a quality hand grinder. I’m fond of the Timemore Chestnut (reviewed here ), and actually use it at home as well as on the road. Like all other hand grinders of similar quality, it grinds as nicely as a much more expensive electric grinder, but in a small and affordable package.

If you go with an AeroPress, then check out this guide for three models that fit inside the plunger.

Manual grinders aren’t convenient for brewing large batches, but that’s seldom necessary when you’re traveling.

If a hand grinder breaks your budget (or weight/space limit), then pre-ground coffee may be the best remaining option. It loses flavor extremely quickly, so it’s best purchased at your destination.

Skip the scale

The water-to-coffee ratio plays a huge role in flavor. It’s impossible to get consistent results without measuring coffee and water alike.

However, inconsistent results aren’t bad ones, necessarily. Just a bit different each time. If that’s acceptable, then forget about packing something as delicate as a scale.

How, then, do you even get close to the right amount of coffee?

Personally, I practiced with a scale at home until I could reliably get within 1 gram based on the level of beans in a scoop or even in the palm of my hand.

(Yes, it’s a weird coffee-geek thing to do. But it works!)

This convenience does bring a couple disadvantages:

It’s less useful if you need to make different batch size. If my palm or scoop hold 11 grams, there’s no obvious way to get (say) 17, besides eyeballing a palmful-and-a-half. Your mileage may vary.
This work best with beans of similar density, which means similar size and roast level. For example, X grams of a light-roasted peaberry fill much less volume than X grams of a dark-roasted Pacamara. After all, we use a scale in the first place because mass, not volume, is what matters.

This isn’t an exact science, but that’s all right. We’re not looking for absolute consistency, just for a minimalist way to have good coffee.

Get creative with kettle alternatives

Gooseneck kettles make it easy to control the flow of water through a pour-over dripper. That helps the coffee extract more evenly.

Unfortunately, they’re the least travel-friendly item imaginable. Bulky, heavy, and equipped with a spout that might pierce whatever it’s packed alongside.

Use the numbers on the side of the AeroPress

If you use an AeroPress, then you can simply use the numbers on the side. Each one represents 60 mL, e.g., from the top of the “1” to the top of the “2”.

Pro tip: make your usual AeroPress recipe at home with a scale, and note what water level it reaches. That’s helpful because it may actually be more or less than 60 mL to reach the “1”, depending on how much coffee is resting on the bottom.

Use a measuring cup for pour-overs

The best reasonable alternative is a microwaveable measuring cup. Its microwave-friendliness lets you boil the water directly in it. (That’s better than the alternative of boiling elsewhere, then decanting. It loses heat too quickly.)

Silicone ones obviously win for durability and weight. Glass ones have handles, though, which makes a huge difference when full of scalding water.

Hotels in many parts of the world stock their rooms with one of those cheap, plastic tea kettles. They don’t pour as neatly as a gooseneck, but are perfectly adequate.

However, those kettle have too few volume markings—often none below a few hundred mL—so your measuring cup will still come in handy for filling it.

Wrapping up: great coffee wherever you are

Pour-over and AeroPress brewing are two of the best ways to make coffee at home. They’re also two of the best options to take on the road.

After traveling extensively with variations of both set-ups, I still can’t pick a favorite. The AeroPress gets a slight edge for its simplicity and extra control over extraction time, but the clarity and lightness of pour-over brews is also appealing.

In other words, it’s hard to go wrong.

Some simplifications and trade-offs are necessary. That’s especially true where measurement and pouring are concerned.

But as long as you buy a great grinder and don’t mind a little more variation between brews, it’s surprisingly easy to enjoy an excellent cup on the go.

Fresh Roast SR800 Review: The Best Home Coffee Roaster For Most Of Us

Roasting coffee at home is the best way to keep fresh, delicious beans on hand. It’s cost-effective, and perhaps better yet, it’s a lot of fun. After using different roasters over several years, I’ve found that the Fresh Roast SR800 (available here) is the best home coffee roaster for most of us. It isn’t cheap,…

Don’t Miss These 5 Unusual Coffee Origins (If You Can Find Them)

You can’t always pack up and leave on a trip across the world, but you can take a grand tour through coffee. In fact, discovering unique origins is one of the things that hooked me on specialty coffee in the first place. Just like with wine, the flavor of coffee depends on the environment it…

9 Ways To Brew Better Coffee Now

If there’s anything better than the smell of that first cup of coffee in the morning…mankind has yet to discover it. But if you’re new to brewing coffee at home, then sometimes the flavor doesn’t quite hold up to the aroma. Watery cups, excessively bitter brews, or just totally inconsistent batches are the bane of…

How To Roast Better Coffee At Home (9 Must-Try Tips For Beginners)

Who doesn’t love having plenty of fresh-roasted coffee on hand? Even better is when it’s your own handiwork. Home coffee roasting is a fun and approachable hobby. It’s free or cheap to start, and can be extremely cost-effective in the long run. Think of it as a craft. You can make something right away, then…

4 Clever AeroPress Accessories You’ll Love

The AeroPress is an easy way to make great coffee anywhere. There are also a million different ways to use it. With a little practice and exploration, it’s like at least two or three coffee makers in one. Light-bodied brews like you’d get from a pour-over with a coarse grind? Check. Strong, almost syrupy brews…

How Long Does Pour-Over Coffee Take?

It’s a common misconception that pour-over coffee is a lengthy process. In actuality, and especially for just one or two servings, it’s often at least as fast as a coffee maker. Brewing pour over coffee takes about 2 to 3 minutes from the first pour until the cup is ready to drink. That includes about…

Better coffee. One cup at a time.

Travel Coffee- How to Make Great Coffee While Traveling Light

(Note: I may earn a small commission from purchases made through product links in this article at no extra cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

How to brew a great cup of coffee while traveling light is a subject that has vexed many manual brewing enthusiasts over the years. Is it possible to make a great cup of coffee in a hotel room (bedroom, hostel, train station) without bringing your entire manual brewing arsenal in your suitcase?

Would you believe I can fit everything I need to brew a great cup of coffee into the nylon storage bag that came with my Aeropress (with the exception of my Hario Slim Mill and a bottle of water)?

Below are a few travel coffee musings as well as my on-the-road coffee packing list. My travel coffee kit is self-contained and will hold up in nearly every scenario (save the loss of electricity). It is compact, fairly inexpensive and durable. From the curious traveler who has just sworn to never drink another hotel K-cup to the seasoned road brewer, there is a little something for everyone.

Travel Coffee Musings- Everything Boils Down to Hot Water

I’ve been thinking a lot about making coffee away from home (whether coffee outside or traveling) lately and I’ve concluded that the most limiting factor for making a good cup of coffee on the road is hot water. Without a source of clean water and a way to heat it, your options are cold brew , café or settling (or some combination of the three).

Don’t overlook your water source: Do not assume the water at your hotel will taste good or be good for making coffee. Hedge your bets and pick up a bottle or two of spring water ( What is the best water for coffee? ).

The task of heating water seems inconsequential when you are brewing coffee at home. On the road, the ability to produce hot water is what is standing in between you and a cup of handmade craft coffee. For sourcing hot water, there seems to be two standard options:

Buying a small travel kettle- This seems to be the most logical and likely to produce an environment similar to your home brew bar. There are several attractive options, the most popular being the Bonavita Bona Voyage .5 Liter travel kettle but the T-fal BF6138 seems to have great reviews as well. The only problem with a travel kettle is it takes up some extra space. If you are looking to keep your coffee gear to a minimum and travel light, this is a less than ideal option.
Using the in-room equipment to rig a passable brew- The old “use the Keurig to produce hot water and then use this water to brew a cup of coffee manually” (usually Aeropress since it brews well with lower temperatures) trick. This option sounds like a great idea in theory but I have never really had great success with it. You can’t be certain of how hot (or clean) the water will be coming out of the machine. To be sure, this method will make a better cup of coffee than just using the room supplied pods but I’ve always thought there should be a better option.

You can certainly use either of these methods to make a cup of coffee on the road. Buying a travel kettle is a great option if you can give up the extra suitcase space (about 435 cubic inches) and I’m sure with practice you will be able to hone your skills for good, fairly reliable results with the autodrip/Aeropress method. Plenty of great content has been written on the two above methods for creating travel coffee and there is not much more I can add.

For me, adding another kettle was not appealing to me and I would strongly prefer to avoid using a communal hotel brewer of questionable cleanliness and consistency. That is why I was excited when I learned of another option.

The Immersion Heater- A Water Heater that Fits in Your Pocket

From my days of being an avid home brewer of beer, I remember people taking electric water heating elements and building things called heat sticks . These heat sticks were meant to be placed into a pot of wort (unfermented beer) to assist with boiling the liquid. Some brewers would forego the stovetop altogether and simply boil their wort with one or two heat sticks. This kind of heater is called an immersion heater and I was delighted to find they make really small ones .

Creating a mini-travel kettle

While heating your brewing water with a small immersion heater is certainly a little less convenient than using a travel kettle, it can afford you the same outcome (hot water) and it uses less space. Here are some of the particulars:

The immersion heater I bought is tiny. It takes up very little space and can be stuffed into just about any available crevice when you are packing. I combined the immersion heater with a small 12 ounce stainless steel pitcher and together they consume less than 180 cubic inches.

It brings room temperature water to brewing temperature in about six minutes. This immersion “kettle” takes about six minutes to bring 300mL of water up to brewing temperatures. That is around the same amount of time I wait for my electric kettle to come up to temperature at home. It helps to gently stir the heating water periodically to circulate the water. While you are waiting you can also grind your coffee and get everything set up.

You can brew Aeropress into it. Pretty much worse case scenario when you are traveling with an Aeropress is arriving at a destination that only has Styrofoam or paper cups. You cannot press onto them to make your coffee because you will crush the cup and create a mess. In a pinch, you can press your coffee into the pitcher (and even drink out of it) once you have filled the Aeropress with the heated water.

Caution: Read this before using your immersion heater

Successfully using an immersion heater takes a basic understanding of how it works and a little attention to details. If you are absent-minded you may want to either bite the bullet and buy a small travel kettle or purchase an extra heater and resign yourself to the fact that you will probably be breaking them on occasion.

The electric element of an immersion heater uses electricity flowing through a copper core to produce heat. The heat is then dispersed to the water the element is submerged in. If the element is not fully submerged in water or plugged in at any time while not submerged in water, the immersion heater will be ruined (called dry firing). These instructions are an adapted summary from a very helpful review ( you can find the original here ).

In short, to keep your immersion heater working properly:

Make sure the entire heating element (not the base or cord, just the heating element) is submerged in water before you plug it in.
Wait 15-20 seconds or so after unplugging the heater before removing it from the water.
Do not ever lift the element out of the water (even for a split second) while it is plugged in.

Don’t worry it isn’t as daunting as it may sound. Using the immersion heater is quite easy and once you figure out an away-from-home brewing routine, using the heater will become mindless and second nature.

The Virtues of the Aeropress as a Travel Companion

I have discussed the Aeropress before and lauded on some of its virtues and strengths. Below I would like to highlight a few of its characteristics that make it (and the accompanying kit) the perfect minimalistic travel companion.

No Gooseneck, no problem- While you don’t need a gooseneck kettle to brew a great cup of coffee manually, there are some methods where a gooseneck is helpful. The Aeropress brews a great cup of coffee without a gooseneck kettle and really doesn’t receive an advantage from the use of one.
Easy to brew by volume- If you don’t want to bring a digital gram scale on your travels, an Aeropress is a fairly easy brewing to brew by volume on. Using the markings on the side, you can typically get a pretty consistent cup with a little practice.
Durable- The Aeropress does not break easily (or at all pretty much).
Easy Clean Up- To clean up, all you have to do is pop out the coffee “puck” and give it a little rinse. If you are not near an abundant water source, a quick wipe down will do in a pinch.
Cheap and compact filters- The filters are cheap and it is easy to bring an abundant supply of them along.
Many of the add-on accessories serve a purpose when traveling- I have found the carrying case (bag), the funnel and the stirring stick that are included with the kit to be very useful while traveling. The stirring stick is not only helpful for stirring your coffee slurry in the Aeropress; it is also good for circulating your water as its heating. You can leave the scoop and filter stand at home as they don’t really add much.

The Manual Brewing Minimalistic Travel Brewing Kit

My goal when researching equipment and methods for this post was to create a travel brewing kit that will fit inside the smallest space possible. I am quite pleased that I am able to fit everything listed below inside of the nylon carrying case that comes with your Aeropress. With this travel coffee kit, all you need to brew coffee is an outlet, 300mL of water and ten minutes.

A note on the handmill: You can replace the Hario Slim Mill with the Porlex Mini Mill and the entire handmill should fit inside your case. If you have a Hario Slim Mill and would still like everything to fit inside the case, you will have to leave the base of the unit behind and grind straight into the Aeropress (which is a viable option that is not too difficult).

Minimalist Travel Coffee Kit:

Aeropress with included accessories (bag, funnel and stirrer)
Aeropress filters
Fresh roasted whole bean coffee (or pre-ground if you are not bringing a handmill)
Hario Slim Mill (or comparable small handmill like the Porlex Mini Mill)
12 ounce stainless steel pitcher
Small immersion water heater
Your favorite Aeropress recipe ( you can find mine here )

Not an Aeropress fan?- If you aren’t a big Aeropress fan or don’t have one. You can easily adapt your packing list to include your favorite pour-over device (and filters) or even a small stainless steel French Press like the Highwin 350mL model .

The travel coffee process:

The brewing process should be fairly simple.

Fill your stainless steel pitcher with 300mL or so of water.
Fully submerge your immersion water heater in the water and clip it on the side.
Plug in the water heater.
While you wait for the water to heat, grind your coffee and set up your Aeropress.
Gently circulate the water in the pitcher with the Aeropress stirring stick every minute or so.
When the water is boiling, unplug the heater and wait 15 seconds before removing it from the pitcher (you will likely want the water to cool a bit before brewing anyways).
Brew your favorite Aeropress recipe by volume. If you only have the pitcher as a vessel, I recommend using the inverted method and then press the coffee into the pitcher utilizing the funnel.
Enjoy! This method can be replicated anywhere there is an outlet (110 volt for this heater). Over the next couple months, I will try to get some pictures and videos to prove it.

Do you have any travel coffee hacks, routines or recommendations? If you take my recommendations and take a minimalist travel kit somewhere, I would love to hear about it. Share your experiences and questions below or send me comments and questions via Twitter or Instagram (show me your travel brew setup).

Coffee Hacks , Coffee Trends , General Coffee , Immersion Brewing

aeropress coffee on the road hotel coffee travel coffee travel coffee kit

January 28, 2016 at 6:49 pm

Excellent post. I usually rely on whatever heating contraption the hotel has, but I might look into getting one of those heating elements or digging out my travel kettle if I have the space (you can also pack things inside the body of the kettle, so it’s not so bad). As you already know, my Aeropress already comes everywhere with me, but after reading your post, I might pack my 360ml pitcher as well.

Thanks, Brian.

PS Nice video. So that’s what you look like!

January 28, 2016 at 10:38 pm

Brian, Thanks! I am sure you have your travel coffee set-up down with all the traveling you seem to do (although you do get to a lot of cafes as well).

I figured you could pack a good amount of coffee paraphernalia inside the travel kettle but I wasn’t interested in buying a 4th (yikes) kettle.

What would we do without the Aeropress? What a great brewer to bring traveling :).

Thanks for the comment (Re the video: I normally look less tired but I am flying solo this week and made the video during the little kid’s nap time).

Thanks again, John

January 29, 2016 at 2:16 pm

This is great! Also, love the site. I’m just getting into what I like to call “the manly way to make coffee,” so all your posts have been super helpful!

February 5, 2016 at 4:00 pm

Thanks Tom! I’m glad you found this to be helpful.

March 3, 2018 at 10:58 pm

You might like this somewhat unknown, but really great Travelers Coffee Kit… http://ez-et.com/travelers-coffee-kit All of the profits from this go to children’s charities.

June 3, 2018 at 2:02 pm

I keep reading great blogs like this. One problem is that I am not going to be traveling with coffee or beans. Can beans be bought in most countries? I figure if it will be hard to get beans I shouldn’t waste ounces of weight bringing my grinder. Can anyone answer this?

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How to Make Great Coffee While Traveling

Written by Dan

Updated on May 2nd, 2024

A glass of black liquid on a wooden table.

Traveling with coffee? You need tips for how to make coffee on the road and on the go. Here’s how to make coffee on a vacation and how to create a coffee travel kit.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Table of contents

What you’ll need to make great coffee while traveling
Tips for making the best AeroPress coffee
Other ways to make coffee while traveling
What are the benefits of making your own coffee while traveling?
Other helpful tips to know through your coffee journey
Why I wrote this guide

While you are planning a trip, you’re probably focused on your experiences, finding a hotel and which sights to see. What about coffee?

I’m a coffee lover and it’s part of my day, every day. In the list that follows, I’ve collected all of the ways I’ve tested out making coffee while I’m away from home, as well as some that I want to try. There are some coffee gadgets I recommend, and some quick tips, too.

What you’ll need to make great coffee while traveling

I’ve put together a lightweight coffee travel kit that you can check out.

Below I’ll go into more detail about how to use all the coffee products, and we’ll let you know if you need some of the specific items in the travel coffee product kit.

Here’s everything mentioned below

Coffee grinder

Portable travel kettle
Coffee mugs
Coffee tumbler

A cup of coffee on a table next to a lamp.

The AeroPress will be your primary source for brewing coffee. It’s small, packs well and it’s great for daily use even when you’re not traveling. We use ours at home as a treat.

Coffee beans

Head over to a cool local cafe or check out the supermarket in a new city for a type of coffee that’s sourced or roasted locally. You’re in a new location so trying the local coffee is something fun and exciting to do.

We recommend cafes in Taipei , Brooklyn, New York and the Dominican Republic , to name a few.

You’ll need some way to grind your coffee ! Depending on how long you’re traveling for, you might be able to get away with having a coffee shop grind your coffee for you.

A coffee grinder and coffee beans on a table.

Immersion Heater

If you don’t have a way to heat up water, having a Portable travel kettle will be your best bet. Be careful, as these things can get dangerously hot, really fast.

If you want to make coffee to help you enjoy your morning, having a great non-breakable travel coffee mug will help your overall experience. Check out this set of two stainless steel coffee mugs you can pack in your bag.

Coffee being poured into a cup on a table.

Travel coffee thermos

If you are more of a coffee-on-the-go type of person, then an insulated thermos is what you need. The travel coffee tumbler from YETI is great because it has a double-wall engineered build, so it keeps things hot and cold for a long period of time. It’s also dishwasher safe.

I like YETI a lot, and I swear by their 26-oz. travel water bottle .

Tips for making the best AeroPress coffee

AeroPress is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make coffee. It’s easy to get started, but does have a bit of an intimidating element to it.

Experiment with your AeroPress before you travel

You now have a new coffee making product! Use it and practice, before you need to use it.

At home, I have my water temperature, grind size and roast type all dialed in during my coffee-making procedure.

When I travel with an AeroPress, or when I have to make coffee in a different environment other than my own home, I use the opportunity to experiment and try different brewing methods every morning.

If I don’t have a hot water kettle with a thermometer, I’ll experiment with getting the water to boil and waiting a certain amount of time before pouring the water in, when brewing.

I’ll experiment with different roasts and grind sizes to really dial in to how I prefer to drink my coffee.

Two cups of coffee on a table next to a book.

Cleaning up your coffee-making station

One of the best benefits of using an AeroPress when traveling is minimal clean up. After your coffee is brewed, unscrew the coffee filter lid and plunge the grinds into the trash, or compost.

It’s really easy, all being said and done. After the grinds are separated from the AeroPress, you can do a quick rinse and then dry it off.

I find this to be one of the most minimalistic coffee-making methods, and everything is non-breakable when you use an AeroPress , which is a huge plus.

Don’t fret the details

Don’t have a gooseneck kettle? No problem.

Don’t have a thermometer? That’s okay, too!

Don’t have a scale to measure out coffee? You got this.

Whichever types of issues arise, you’ll figure it out. You can always make a second cup and try again tomorrow. To learn even more about AeroPress, check out the video to get started.

Other ways to make coffee while traveling

There are other creative and interesting ways to make some coffee while you’re on a trip away from home. Check out these ideas and see if any of these coffee methods will work for your taste.

A person pouring a cup of coffee onto a plate.

Reusable Keurig cups

Some hotels and places where you stay may have a Keurig. I’ve never been a huge fan of them because they produce a lot of waste. Most coffee seems to be a bit too watery and in my head I know that it came from a pod.

The coffee with a Keurig never really tastes pure. That could be the age of the device or something else. I’m not sure!

A reusable K-cup would be a great option if you pick up some local coffee and don’t mind using the Keurig machine.

French press

There are a few single-serving French press options that would work well for travel.

Because a French press has two components, the lid and the beaker, it’s easy to pack (if you have a non-breakable plastic French press , as I would not recommend traveling with a glass French press, ever).

The lid of a French press breaks down very small and can fit into a lot of small areas of your pack.

You can fill the beaker with other items, like shirts or other soft items that you’re packing if you need to condense items in your luggage.

A French press is also a great way to enjoy coffee.

For daily use, I don’t like French press because the clean up can get sort of messy; however, a lot of people swear by the taste of French press coffee, and I respect that.

Making cold brew with a French press is a perfect option for you if you don’t have any hot water source or power.

This is an amazing coffee hack for when you’re on the road, and you either have a fridge where you’re staying, or some mildly cold outdoor temperatures (like the trunk of a car at night on a road trip!).

A person is holding two glasses of coffee.

All you need is time (8-10 hours is suggested for brewing cold brew if you’re pressed for time, and between 16-24 hours is considered ideal).

To make cold brew while you’re traveling with a French press , mix your coffee (ground) and water into the beaker and don’t press down on the lid yet.

Right before you are about to serve your coffee, the next morning (most likely), strain the grinds by pressing down on the lid and plunger.

It’s that easy! You’ll be serving cold brew to some very impressed travel buddies in no time.

The JoGo Brew Straw for Coffee

What is the JoGo Brew Straw ? Well, if you’ve ever had “mate” in Argentina , you may be familiar with this metal straw contraption that has a coffee filter at the base. The JoGo has made it into an updated, special and patent-pending version specialized for your coffee .

What does this mean? It means that this new product allows you to travel without a coffee-making contraption, and all you’d have to do is put your coffee grinds into a mug, add water and then sip.

The JoGo is a sustainable and waste-free way to have a cup of coffee while on the road, camping or in an Airbnb anywhere in the world! It can also be used for tea.

We also have the Silicone Tip Color Pack , which are the BPA-free silicone straw tips designed for the JoGo’s flow control, and if you want an a la carte filter , you can order it on its own.

Cowboy coffee 🤠

If you don’t want to travel with any type of coffee-making device or coffee equipment, you can make “cowboy coffee.”

To make it, start with a coarse grind.

Next, boil your coffee and water together for a few minutes. The grinds should sink to the bottom.

Pour out the brewed coffee into a mug, and cup and that’s it. You’re a cowboy coffee pro, and now you see why any ole cowboy can do this while on the road.

Concentrated cold brew

Most stores sell concentrated cold brew nowadays.

If you were once a cold brew newbie and you drank a full cup of concentrated cold brew, you’re familiar with the onset of a caffeine headache and feeling a true overload of intense buzz. That’s because cold brew concentrate should ALWAYS be watered down in its intended ratios.

A glass of coffee and a bag of coffee sit on a table.

Concentrated cold brew coffee is generally a good option if you want to save money during travel and not be buying coffee every day.

Cold brew concentrate is also ideal if you have no desire (or time) to make cold brew coffee by yourself, on your trip.

A cup of coffee and a cup of tea on a table.

The concentrated cold brew should last you a few days if you buy a bottle, but it does depend on the size of the bottle you buy.

Funny story: I went to a brunch at a friend’s house and poured some store-bought cold brew into my cup and didn’t realize it was concentrated.

I drank probably the equivalent of three or four cups worth of coffee in one sitting. Big oops. Depending on your weight or body mass, this can be sort of dangerous!

My advice is to watch out and read labels when it comes to cold brew. Look for that word ‘concentrate’ on the label, and you’ll be fine.

A black drink in a glass on a wooden table.

Coffee tea bags

One thing I can say is that I’ve experimented with making my own coffee tea bags and it didn’t work out too well.

The coffee ratio that I tried wasn’t quite right and it wasn’t my favorite method. It also kind of reminded me of tea, but it was overly very convenient and stress-free in terms of coffee-making methods while on the road.

If this sounds like something that you want to get into, check out Steeped Coffee , or, from the makers of the Big Island Coffee Roasters Espresso Bites comes the travel-friendly Hawaiian Coffee Singles. These coffee-bag sachets just have to be steeped in hot water and then you have a cup of pretty darn good coffee.

Big island hawaiian hawaiian hawaiian hawaiian hawai.

Drink tea instead of coffee

I know this is a coffee article, but tea is pretty good.

Tea is also very easy to travel with, and a few tea bags will have that caffeine kick if you’re in a pinch!

Becca has done a lot of research into the caffeine levels of tea (mostly because she’s a caffeine addict). If you want to nearly mimic a caffeine kick with tea in case there’s no coffee around, try these:

Yerba mate (popular in Argentina )
Black tea (it comes from Sri Lanka a lot of the time!)
Green tea (most popular in East Asia, and welcomed around the world)

Instant coffee

Lastly, there’s instant coffee.

Some people actually enjoy instant coffee. During our trip to Merida, Mexico , our first Airbnb had a coffee maker, but no filters, and no good coffee.

We didn’t want to buy a nice bag of ground beans that might go to waste, because we were also planning on being at our coworking space nearby most days, and there was unlimited coffee there.

So, for the days on which we didn’t attend the workspace, we drank instant. First, we got bad instant coffee, from a convenience store, and it was terrible. We then got a bottle of Nescafe instant coffee at Walmart, and used half of it. One of us tolerates instant coffee better than the other (we won’t tell you who).

If you “tolerate” instant coffee, it’s not a terrible backup plan if your accommodation has a way to heat up water, or a hot plate with a pot.

What are the benefits of making your own coffee while traveling?

If you want to save money while traveling, but you love coffee oh-so-much, check out the benefits of making your own coffee while traveling. We guarantee you’ll be enthused to try making your own coffee in your hotel room, Airbnb, hostel or RV.

Did you ever think about how much people spend drinking coffee and going out to cafes?

Don’t get us wrong, because we absolutely love trying new cafes, especially all over the world.

The catch is that this stuff really adds up, between the cost of coffee, and then add-ons like syrups, non-dairy milks, getting a bigger size, and then adding tax and tip, and you could be in for $5-6 in some parts of the world.

On one of our most recent trips to Montauk, in the Hamptons we drank complimentary hotel coffee in the morning instead of going out to chic cafes nearby. If you consider this like a save of $10 between two people per day, you could save $70 from a week-long trip just by drinking coffee in the hotel.

Try local coffee

For making your own local coffee while traveling, try buying roasts and blends from sources nearby.

This is one of our most favorite parts of traveling in coffee regions like Colombia and Mexico. In fact, when we went to Mexico, we found out that Mexico has a robust and growing coffee trade.

We never would’ve known that if we hadn’t started our coffee tour of Mexico City at a cafe like BUNA , where we saw locally-sourced cafes from regions like Chiapas, and the same goes for cool cafes like Quentin .

Our advice here is to support local cafes by buying a bag of coffee, whether beans or ground, and if you’re traveling somewhere in which the language is not English, learn how to say these words in the local lingo. For example, to say ‘ground’ in Spanish is ‘molido.’

Chiquito cafe chiquito cafe chiquito cafe chiquito cafe chiquito cafe chiquito cafe.

Support local businesses

Hand in hand with the above, when you buy locally-sourced coffees, you’re supporting local businesses.

What we really liked in Bogota, Colombia, at cafes like Azahar was that you can learn all about the coffee shops’ relationships with local farmers and coffee-growing families who are supported by the coffee you can buy there.

A woman is standing at the counter of a coffee shop.

If you’re heading to a city in a ‘coffee country’ like Bogota, Colombia, check out more photos of local coffee shops and experience a cafe like Colo Cafe .

Three bags of coffee sit on a table next to a bottle of wine.

Have coffee on your own timeline

Let’s say you’re jetlagged and wake up at 4:00am. Wide awake. Cafes don’t open for another four hours and you really want to get your day started.

Good thing you brought your mini coffee-making kit because this way, you’re good to go!

When you travel with coffee-making supplies, you can make coffee whenever and wherever you want.

Other helpful tips to know through your coffee journey

Drinking good coffee is one thing, and making it well is another. It’s why we’re open to experiences like learning about coffee in a coffee brewing class to get better at the art of coffee.

It’s even a third thing to travel well with coffee. Here are some more tips to consider for your coffee logistics during travel.

A person holding a cup of coffee on a wooden table.

How to pack your coffee making kit

If your coffee kit is breakable, we don’t recommend traveling with any of it. That’s why we recommend a non-breakable plastic French press and the AeroPress we talked about, above.

Be prepared to declare any international coffee you buy

Upon re-entering your home country, or upon entering a second country on your trip, you may be asked to declare items that were near farms, agriculture, animals and the like.

Keep in mind that if you buy coffee on a coffee farm or if you pick it and roast it yourself or what have you, this might qualify as a good that must be declared. If you wish to err on the side of caution, you can ship coffee home from destinations on your trip, or order them by mail when you get home.

Have a lightweight resealable bag where you can transport your open coffee

No one likes a mess when they open their bag after a flight or train ride! In fact, it’s one of the most disappointing things to realize you didn’t close your shampoo correctly and now it’s all over your clothes in your suitcase.

Traveling with coffee can yield the same type of challenge.

We recommend traveling with a resealable food storage bag , in which even if your coffee bag rips or spills, it’s contained within a sturdy and thick bag that won’t let the smell or the grinds leak onto your clothes or valuables.

Donate your leftover coffee to a local hostel or another traveler

We like hostels and communal spaces where travelers get to share things. One of the perks of a hostel kitchen is that people leave behind food items they can’t take with them, and the newcomers get to benefit. We’ve been on both ends of the occasion!

We stayed at the guest house of a couple of friends, and knew that they had a visitor coming a week after us, so we left our half-used ground coffee in a cabinet for that person. It feels good to pass on the love of coffee, don’t you agree?

A person taking a picture of a cup of coffee.

Why I wrote this guide

If you’re anything like me, most of your mornings (and sometimes afternoons) start with coffee. In my kitchen, I have all of the brewing methods, like a Chemex , V60 pourover , French press and AeroPress .

A Chemex on a table next to a cup of coffee.

They all serve a purpose and I enjoy using them all. But when I travel, I am at a loss. Sometimes I’ll drink the bad hotel coffee in the room or in the lobby. Maybe I’ll skip a day of drinking coffee completely. Or, maybe I’ll pay $5 for Starbucks.

When we’ve traveled in the past, we enjoy visiting local cafes (like in Mexico City! ), and we like working remotely from inside the coffee shops in a travel destination.

Now that times have changed a little bit, we’ve shifted our preferences, and now we like to make coffee at home. We also take it very seriously It’s our morning ritual, we find it satisfying and on weekends we drink coffee together on the couch or at our dining table.

A woman typing on a laptop on a wooden desk.

When we travel now, we like to keep that tradition of finding ways to make coffee everywhere . I wrote this guide to share all the creative ways I’ve made coffee when we’ve been away from home, as well as the ones I’ve looked into, and have yet to try. I hope it helps you bring your coffee to wherever your travels bring you.

15 Best Travel Coffee Makers: The Best Ways to Make Coffee While Traveling, Backpacking, and Camping

Wander the world long enough and you’ll learn that a good cup of coffee or espresso isn’t always easy to come by. Knowing the best travel coffee maker options while backpacking, camping, and wandering, and bringing your own coffee can be an invaluable solution for getting your fix for good coffee while traveling. In my experience, it’s well worth it to pick up the best backpacking coffee maker available before your travels to make for an enjoyable morning and a guaranteed boost of energy before those pre-sunrise hikes.

You may get lucky in places like Italy and Vietnam, with their robust and amazing coffee culture, but more often than not the “coffee” served in remote parts of the world will more likely resemble caffeinated dirt juice than what you’re used to fueling up on each morning at home. If you do happen to find a great coffee shop, plan on the price being as high as it would be back home…in a place where a meal costs $1 and a nice hotel costs $20.

Does this mean that traveling the world hunting for adventures and exploring places far from home means sacrificing access to a decent cup of coffee? Absolutely not. You just have to come prepared.

This article contains affiliate links

Table of Contents for our Best Travel Coffee Options

Which Type of Travel and Backpacking Coffee Maker is Right for You?

What to Look for in a Good Travel Coffee Maker

French Press Options for Travelers
Vietnamese Drip Coffee: Simple & Compact Options for Strong Coffee
Aeropress: For Espresso on the Road
Drip and Pour Over Coffee Options for Travelers: Simple & efficient for light coffee
Infusion Brewing Basket and Bags: The simplest option for coffee
The Costa Rican Coffee Maker: Chorreador de Café
Cold Brew: Smooth, highly caffeinated, and simple…if you have the time
Coffee Grinder, Maker, and Mug Combos: For the freshest coffee in a compact kit

Finding Good Coffee while Wandering the World: The struggle is real…

Somewhere between Italy and Vietnam, I picked up a “healthy” coffee addiction. So, despite the fact that I travel as a minimalist with just a carry on bag, I still have to tote the tools to make sure I have good cup of coffee each morning…anywhere. And no, instant coffee does not qualify as good coffee .

Lucky for you these coffee cravings led me to find the perfect travel coffee maker options for every type of coffee drinker. As long as you can find hot water and good coffee grounds, these 11 portable coffee maker options will ensure you can have a great cup of Joe no matter where your travels take you.

Read on for the 11 best portable coffee maker options and mugs to make a travel coffee kit that’ll keep you caffeinated, adventure-ready, and mood swing free!

Which Backpacking Coffee Maker Style is Best for You? Depends on the Coffee you prefer…

The best portable coffee brewer options for a lighter, smoother cup of coffee while traveling and backpacking are:

Portable French Press Coffee Makers for Travelers : Convenient for a smooth cup of coffee
Vietnamese Drip Coffee: Lightweight setup for a strong cup of coffee, one step below espresso
Portable Espresso Makers : Making a great expresso possible anywhere
Drip and Pour Over Coffee Options for Travelers: Compact, packable, and easy

Single Serve Coffee Sachets

Portable K-Cup Coffee Makers
Coffee Grinder, Maker, and Mug Combos: For the freshest coffee possible in a compact kit

Any Starbucks regular can tell you that not all coffee is the same. Strip your Caramel Macchiato Frappe of the sugary and milky goodness, and even that basic coffee beneath can differ in many ways – light and smooth, robust and bold, thick with a touch of oily froth.

For coffee drinkers hoping to ensure they always have a hot coffee available to their standards, understanding how you prefer your coffee – strong and quick like espresso, or light and long like French Press coffee – is the first essential step. Ultimately getting it, can make lugging around your own travel-friendly coffee pot a little more worthwhile – as the best travel coffee maker option for you will differ accordingly.

The major factors in which coffee maker is best for you are generally how strong do you prefer your coffee, and how much you need those sometimes frothy oils naturally in coffee for that travel cup of delicious coffee to satisfy you.

If you prefer your coffee lighter and smoother…

…then life is easier for you, as you’ll have plenty of easy options for a cup of coffee on the road.

If you like stronger and thicker …

…then life is still easy, but to get a good cup of espresso you’ll need heftier contraptions. The best options for a strong cup of coffee on the road that’s more akin to espresso are:

Aeropress Coffee Maker: The best portable espresso maker for coffee on the road and a compact coffee maker overall
Vietnamese Drip Coffee: A surprisingly easy and lightweight option for a strong cup of coffee

(Click any of the links above to jump to our list of options)

The beauty of the best travel and camping coffee maker options is they work just as well as lightweight camping coffee makers, car camping luxuries, or even taking to work to make a freshly brewed coffee yourself. A fresh, quick, and delicious cup anytime you want. Again, as long you have coffee beans and hot water, you’ll have a great cup of coffee.

When you’re hunting for a travel coffee maker, you shouldn’t necessarily go for the shiniest prettiest thing – aim for the brewer that will make coffee you like and won’t break halfway through your travels. To get pin down specifically which coffee maker this is, look for these 5 traits in a good travel coffee maker:

Durability : A fancy coffee maker doesn’t do anyone any good if it’s broken
Makes your style of coffee : Light and smooth or strong and bold
Doesn’t require replacing filters : Reusable filters save the trouble of hunting for paper filters
Compact Size : The lighter your bags are, the more enjoyable your travels will be
Simplicity : Fewer moving pieces means fewer things to break…or do wrong

Our Full List of the Best Backpacking Coffee Maker Options for Traveling, Camping, and Backpacking

Now that you know what to look for in a travel coffee maker, and you know what kind of coffee you want from it, let’s look at the best brewing options. I recommend checking out these categories of coffee brewers for your travels (click to jump to the respective recommendations).

Best Brew Method Choices for Travel and Backpacking Coffee Makers

French Press Coffee Makers for Backing
Vietnamese Drip Coffee
Aeropress and Portable Espresso Makers
Drip and Pour Over Coffee Options for Travelers
Infusion Brewing Basket and Bags
The Costa Rican Coffee Maker
Making Cold Brew on the Road
Coffee Grinder, Maker, and Mug Combos

Full List of Our Recommended Portable Coffee Makers

Scroll down to get the details on all of them…

Best Portable French Presses for Travel

OXO BREW Venture Travel French Press

Double Wall Insulated Stainless Steel French Press (by Jomo)

Planetary Design Ovrlndr French Press
Zyliss Hot Mug Cafetiere (Plastic French Press)

Best Coffee Press Mugs for Travel

The stanley mug french press, the espro travel coffee press.

Bodum Travel Press

Vietnamese Drip Coffee Makers

Aeropresso Styled Coffee Presses

AeroPress (Original) + The DISC: FINE Premium Filter for AeroPress Coffee
Aeropress Go Portable Coffee Maker : The smaller, more travel-friendly aeropress
Delter Coffee Press

Best Travel Espresso Maker Options for Backpackers

Wacaco nanopresso portable espresso maker.

Wacaco PicoPresso : As good as the Nanopresso in a more compact size
Staresso Portable Espresso Machine: Workswithcoffee grounds and Nespresso pods

Best Travel Pour Over Coffee and Drip Options

Single serving, single use Hanging Filter bags

Reusable Drip Pour Over Coffee Filters

Foldable Reusable Drip Coffee Filters
GSI Collapsible Pour Over Coffee Maker
Primula Reusable (Pour over) Filter
Kuissential Slick Drip (Pour over filter cone)
Kalita Wave 185 Dripper
Drip Kit 10 Pack

Infusion Brewing Basket Coffee While Traveling

Yoassi steel mesh strainer, the finum reusable stainless steel coffee and tea.

Single Serve Coffee Bag Sachets (Tea Bag Style)

Counter Culture Single Serve Coffee Bags

Wildland Coffee – Coffee in a Tea Bag
Folgers Coffee Singles

Portable Nespresso Coffee Makers

Conqueco portable espressso maker.

Cold Brew Coffee for Travel (Method I use…)

All-in-One Coffee Maker: Coffee Grinder, Coffee Maker, and Mug Combos

Coffee Gator
Cafflano Classic
Wacaco Pipamoka

Best Portable French Press Coffee Makers and Coffee Press Options

A compact travel coffee press in a portable French Press style is a great, simple option for a light, smooth, and delicious cup of coffee while traveling.

Best Travel and Backpacking Coffee Maker Choices: The Best Ways to Make Coffee While Traveling, Backpacking, and Camping

For these portable French Press style one cup coffee makers, simply find or grind coarse grind coffee, pour in 1-2 tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water, let the coffee steep for 3-5 minutes, push down the filter separate grinds from coffee, and then serve.

Simple as that.

Travel coffee presses come in two types:

Mugs that are a cup and travel coffee press combo
French presses

Single serve combo mugs are best if you’re a solo traveler. Travel French presses (normally serving up 32 oz.) are best if you’re traveling with others…or just a friendly character that shares their coffee.

The best portable French Presses suitable for travel are small and compact enough to fit easily into a backpack or luggage, make at least two cups (to over caffeinate on your own or share the love), and are more rugged than your average press to avoid shattering on day 1 of the adventures. In reality, most travel coffee presses will be around 32 oz., so I only opt for a French Press when I’m consistently traveling with two or more people and don’t need to stay as light. If you’re traveling solo, save some space and opt for a coffee press mug instead

The best travel French press options are:

The OXO BREW Venture Travel French Press

If you don’t mind sacrificing the space, this French Press has durable stainless steel construction, will definitely keep your coffee hot if you’re a slow drinker (like I am), and makes enough joe for 2 to 3 people.

The Jomo’s size (enough to share, possibly too large to take backpacking the world), ruggedness, and durability make it one of the best camping coffee maker options on our list. Additionally, the double wall insulation may add too much weight and bulk for travel backpacking, but will help keep your remaining cups of your delicious camp coffee warm on cool camping mornings.

More Great French Press Options

Planetary Design Ovrlndr French Press **
Zyliss Hot Mug Cafetiere (Plastic French Press) **

As compact as a travel mug, insulated to keep your coffee warm, and no need to track down paper filters.

My favorite Travel Coffee Press and Mug combos are:

An extremely functional mug and coffee press from a name that is known for making rugged coffee gear. I actually recommend Stanley’s classic flask too which served me well and is currently being passed between backpackers in Europe…with plenty of memories attached.

Simple, straightforward, reliable, and a great coffee maker – the Espro Travel Coffee Press is kinda legendary for on the go coffee. Count on 10 oz. of coffee per serving.

More Great Portable French Press Mug Options:

Bodum Travel Press **

The Vietnamese drip coffee maker style is possibly the simplest, most durable, and cheapest coffee solution for travelers that want strong coffee – all for ~$10.

8 Best Travel Coffee Maker Options: How to Make Coffee While Traveling, Backpacking, and Camping

The all-steel makeup allows the natural oils of the coffee to drip through making the Vietnamese coffee more akin to espresso (without the tasty brown espresso foam) than American style drip coffee or pour-overs. The simple, steel design also makes Vietnamese coffee makers durable enough to survive years on the road or in your luggage – just add grinds and water, and you’re caffeine ready.

This contraption is so simple that any stainless steel Vietnamese coffee filter on Amazon would work, just like this stainless steel Vietnamese coffee filter (pictured above and below)

For the longest time on Bali and in Southeast Asia, I always carried a Vietnamese coffee style drip coffee maker, and freshly ground coffee to ensure I always had a cup of coffee before my sunrise surfs, and well before most cafes open.

The lightweight design, cheap price, the fact that you can find a replacement anywhere, make these Vietnamese gadgets perfect light traveler and backpacking coffee maker options.

Aeropress Coffee Maker for Espresso on the Road (with Additional Metal Disc)

If you require an espresso in the morning, but aren’t in Italy and don’t have a Nespresso machine , the AeroPress may be your next best option.

By compressing the grinds before preparing the coffee (as you would before loading a normal espresso maker) and pairing with a reusable metal AeroPress filter disc , you’ll get the same strong coffee and frothy coffee oils of an espresso…anywhere! Plus, having the metal filter disc means no hunting for paper filters when you’re in the middle of Jordan somewhere.

When packing your kit, if you prefer a more espresso style coffee, with the tasty frothy oils, be sure to pack finely ground coffee as that is the only way to achieve an espresso style coffee. Larger grinds, more suitable for French Press coffee, will leave you with a thinner coffee.

The DISC: FINE Premium Filter fo r AeroPress Coffee

More Great Aeropress Styled Coffee Press Options

Whether you’re backpacking through Yosemite or backpacking through Sri Lanka, finding a quality cup of espresso can be fairly difficult.

Also, surprisingly for backpackers wandering through Southeast Asia, finding a good espresso, long black, or Americano (due to bean quality, machine settings, and barista training) can be so difficult that you may want to your own pocket espresso maker – as I resorted to.

For the digital nomad and freelancing crowd that hustles from home, its hard to overestimate the convenience of being able to make a great cup of espresso at home, in your home away from home.

For travelers, backcountry campers, and digital nomads alike, these portable espresso machine options take up minimal space and make a cup of coffee worth their weight

A very interesting option for espresso while traveling, hiking or camping – the WACACO Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker . Just over a year ago I purchased it as a compact way to make an espresso – at home and while backpacking – and if you are an espresso addict it is definitely worth the investment.

Here in Bali, there is no shortage of fantastic coffee beans from around Indonesia. However, finding a shot of espresso or a long black that uses those fantastic beans to make an equally great cup of espresso based coffee without being overpriced is rare. As such, the Nanopresso has been a great purchase for making a quick cup of espresso at home, without a moka pot, and is an equally good backpacking coffee maker for my travels around the world.

This handheld option makes espresso from both grinds and Nespresso pods via pump action, and only requires hot water, coffee…no filters, no electricity. Find out more by viewing the Nanopresso options on Amazon .

If you specifically require a good cup of espresso or espresso based coffee drink wherever you go, consider the nanopresso.

More great Portable Espresso Maker Options**

If light and smooth is how you like your coffee, then travel-friendly pour-over coffee options will be best for you – and there are plenty of them. Hanging Filter bags and folding coffee drip filters, reusable cloth filters, and reusable mesh filters will all give a great cup of coffee cheaply, quickly, and with minimal hassle.

The beauty of filtered coffee is that it delivers a “cleaner” cup of coffee, extracting the oils from the coffee (along with a bit of bitterness) and leaving a more flavorful experience. If you prefer a lighter roast and lighter cup of coffee but are stuck with darker roasted bean (think Italian roast or French roast), having filters will make a more palatable cup of coffee.

Hanging Filter bags

These handy little gadgets are my most recent coffee discovery and a perfect java backup to carry during travel. They’re cheap and simple, and as long as coffee grinds, hot water, and a cup are available you’ll always have a cup of coffee. Be sure to purchase “ Hanging Ear Drip Filter Bags ” cheaply on Amazon before you travel…just in case.

For a simple option that will last the duration of your travels and doesn’t require paper filters, paperless pour-over options made of mesh metal filters are quick to set up, easy to use, and quick to clean up giving cup of coffee. Thanks to the simplicity you can find plenty of durable and cheap steel pour-over coffee filters on Amazon that are well-reviewed and perfect for travel.

Stainless steel design and a tightly-knit mesh filter make these reusable pour-over coffee filters great options for coffee on the road. The materials will last the trip and the built-in metal filter means no hunting for paper ones. Just set the filter in your cup, place the grinds in, pour on water, and sip to your heart’s contentment.

Also, consider a reusable pour-over coffee filter with a stand to make life easier by setting the filter on a cup and pouring instead of holding it.

Foldable Drip Coffee Filters

The Snowpeak Folding Coffee Drip and Snow Peak Field Barista Coffee Drip are both great, lightweight, durable options for making drip coffee on the road – but don’t forget to pack your own filters or purchase a cloth reusable filter like these hemp cloth reusable cone filters (pictured below).

Improvising with Reusable Cloth Filters

Reusable cloth filters are possibly the most lightweight and minimalist options for coffee. Just set a reusable cloth filter in place over a cup, add grinds, and pour.

If you’re unsure if you’ll need a coffee backup plan and can barely spare the extra space take a reusable cloth coffee filter with you and improvise along the way

More Great Pour Over Coffee Options

GSI Collapsible Pour Over Coffee Maker: Extremely compact and effective, just don’t forget the filters*
Primula Reusable (Pour over) Filter: Lightweight, reusable, supported mesh filter no additional *
Kuissential Slick Drip (Pour over filter cone): Cheap, compact, and effective collapsible silicon filter, just don’t forget the filters!*
Kalita Wave 185 Dripper: Slightly more cumbersome as it isn’t collapsible, but the beautiful stainless steal may be worth it*
Drip Kit 10 Pack : A self contained single serving pour over kit packed with coffee and a disposable filter*

Another minimalist option for a good cup of coffee while traveling is the infusion brewing basket commonly used for tea. This is a great option – small, durable, simple, and perfect for a quick, single cup of coffee.

Back before backpacking around the world, infusion basket brewed coffee was one of my favorite options for brewing at home and camping as it gives the same style of coffee as a French Press, is easily cleaned, and can be used to brew loose leaf tea as well.

To use infusion baskets for coffee, drop a coarse grind coffee into an infusion basket that has small pores, place your coffee in the basket (while in the cup), pour the water over the coffee and (through the basket), and let steep 3-5 minutes – just as you would in a French press.

The compact size, versatility, and ease of use make infusion baskets excellent portable portable, minimalist travel and backpacking coffee maker options.

Any well-reviewed infusion basket on Amazon that explicitly states it can be used for coffee will work just fine. I recommend checking out these options:

The Costa Rican coffee Maker: Chorreador de Café

Coffee beans have been around much longer than Starbucks and the espresso culture of Italy, and the simpler methods of brewing coffee still persist in the charmingly simpler parts of the world. The Costa Rican “Chorreador de Café” is proof of this.

A reusable cloth bag with a handle used pour-over style is all that’s needed to brew coffee from the java beans that Costa Rica is so well known for. This contraption is small enough that it takes up nearly no space in your bag, cleans up easily, and lasts for anywhere from a few months to a few years.

To use, just drop your grinds in, hold over your coffee cup, and pour away with hot water.

For cleanup, don’t use soap, just rinse with warm water and scrub with salt if necessary (maybe once a week if using daily).

Traditionally the Correador de café is sold with a wooden stand like this handmade Costa Rican coffee maker , but you can find the Costa Rican coffee Makers on Amazon as a simple bag for cheap too, minimalist, and perfect for coffee while traveling.

By far, the easiest approach to making a good, reliable, quick cup of coffee are with single serve, tea bag style coffee servings. With these, you simply find hot water, grab a cup, and steep your coffee to your preferred point.

If you are car camping, and have quite a bit of space, or will be traveling and backpacking for a limited amount of time – planning out enough cups for your days of adventure and addiction – this may be the best and simplest travel coffee option for you.

These single serve “coffee bags” come in an environmentally friendly container in dark roast, medium roast, light roast, French Roast, and as many others as you can think of

The packaging itself is compostable meaning the whole experience of having your coffee in your favorite place is convenient and environmentally friendly.

More Great Single Serve Coffee Bag Options:

Folgers Coffee Singles Coffee Bags: A household coffee name, packaged into convenient tea bag style coffee bags

For many people, the K-Cup dependency is real, and for good reason. K-Cup Pods are available (and can be restocked) in most countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, meaning you can pickup a portable K-Cup coffee maker and restock on the road.

This rechargeable (car or home) portable espresso maker runs on Nespresso pods and simultaneously heats water, perfectly pressurizes (to 8 to 10 bar) and pours a cup of espresso all with the push of a button.

Note that the heating process (for the water) takes about 10 minutes when starting with room temperature water.

Cold Brew Coffee for Travel

If you have the time, appreciate highly caffeinated coffee, and want something very smooth with low bitterness and acidity, cold brew coffee may be up your alley.

You’ll still need an option for filtering the grinds after soaking overnight, just cut it with a bit of water to your personal tastes as it will be quite strong.

To make cold brew coffee, simply grab some coarse grind coffee, mix 1 part coffee with 4 parts water (so 1 cup of coffee with 4 parts water), let it steep for 12 hours, and then filter with cheesecloth or coffee filters.

Dilute the resulting coffee with water as necessary or plus up on coffee the next time for a stronger brew.

All-in-One Coffee Maker – Coffee Grinder, Coffee Maker, and Mug Combos

If coffee freshness matters to you most, a portable coffee maker that combines a coffee grinder and reusable filter compactly into the mug is perfect for you. This is my brew method of choice when camping and trekking solo as the morning routine of grinding the beans (usually over a few minutes) smelling the freshly ground coffee and carefully making pour over coffee wakes me up in such a pleasant way.

Consider these fresh coffee facts…

Did you know that the peak flavor and aroma of coffee grinds occur in the first 20 to 30 minutes after grinding?

Did you know that coffee beans stay fresh for 4 months while coffee grinds only stay fresh for 1 month before going rancid?

What does all this mean? If you’re traveling long term and not sure if coffee grinds will be available where you’re going, bring one of these handy gadgets and coffee beans. This way you’ll be able to enjoy fresh coffee, anytime, any place.

I own a grinder combo similar to this portable coffee grinder and drip coffee maker combo by MOYEAH and it served me well during my national park tour – with a supremely fresh cup of java every morning, with a little grinding workout to wake me up.

More Great All-In-One Portable Coffee Makers

Coffee Gator : A whole coffee maker system, including a pour over cup, reusable metal filter and an insulated mug
Cafflano Classic **
Wacaco Pipamoka **

The 8 Best Travel Coffee Maker Options for a DIY Kit

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carlos is a nomad, slow traveler, and writer dedicated to helping others live abroad and travel better by using his 7+ years of experience living abroad and background as a management consultant and financial advisor to help other nomad and expats plot better paths for an international lifestyle. Click here to learn more about Carlos's story.

The Best Travel-Friendly Instant Coffee

By Andrea Whittle

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

I noticed a trend in my email inbox recently. Over the course of a week, I received a slew of pitches about "travel-friendly" coffee, each of them in a different form: a ready-made espresso shot, a fancy-sounding instant coffee, a combination French press thermos, a vacuum-sealed cold brew pitcher, even a portable single-serving pour over device. And since I've had my fair share of lukewarm, metallic-tasting airplane coffee over the years, I was intrigued. What is "travel-friendly" coffee? Would it be worth taking on my next trip? And is it actually... good ?

To find out, I arranged a taste test with a group of Condé Nast Traveler staffers. We limited ourselves to coffee products that are truly simple, small, and lightweight enough to add to a typical backpack or tote—no overly complicated, bulky, or heavy options allowed. Still, there was a huge variety of travel-friendly options: Forto espresso shots, Dripkit pour over packets, and even a Nescafé instant latte that's made in Malaysia and is a top seller on Amazon. Here, the highly unscientific but undeniably useful results of our deep dive into the best travel-friendly coffees.

The All-Around Winner: Joe Specialty Instant Coffee

How does it taste? We tried it both hot and iced (the crystals dissolve instantly no matter the water temperature) and both versions were better than most of regular coffee you would encounter anywhere. It was a perfect analogue to the real deal, served at Joe locations around New York City: Bright, a little fruity, and very strong. We were honestly floored by how delicious it is.

Would you travel with it? Absolutely. It comes in thin brown paper sachets—which one editor noted were the only biodegradable option of the bunch—and they're basically weightless. You could easily throw a week's worth of these in your bag and not notice the difference.

Could you make it on a plane? Yep, easily. I could see myself adding a sachet to one of those mini water bottles they give you, shaking it up a little, and pouring it over ice.

Is it better than airplane coffee? Far superior. By orders of magnitude.

What situation is it ideal for? Airplanes, hotels with crappy coffee machines, bus trips, train rides, you name it.

Buy it: $19 for a pack of six, amazon.com

The Millennial-est Option: Dripkit Pour Over Packets

How does it taste? Very good! This portable pour over kit packs flat but folds out into a filter pre-filled with ground coffee. It makes a delicious, smooth, not-at-all bitter cup, though it's a little on the weaker side in terms of flavor. Dripkit will offer a rotating selection of single-origin beans every couple of months; the one we tried out was from a family farm in Guatemala.

Would you travel with it? Yeah! Each pre-filled filter comes in a slim packet about the size of a ten-pack of wet wipes.

Could you make it on a plane? No, unless you’re willing to ask the flight attendant to hang around your seat to pour three rounds of boiling water over your little cup. (Please don’t do that.)

Is it better than airplane coffee? Yes—but you can't really make it on a plane.

What situation is it ideal for? It's solid option for coffee snobs who end up in a hotel room without a coffee machine.

Buy it: $28 for a pack of 10, dripkit.coffee

Image may contain Coffee Cup Cup Drink Beverage Latte Food Ketchup and Espresso

The Amazon Bestseller: Nescafé Malaysia 3 in 1 Instant Coffee Sticks

How does it taste? This one stumped us all. This imported Malaysian variety of Nescafé is the best-selling instant coffee on Amazon, but it barely tastes like coffee; it's somewhere in between Ovaltine and a very weak latte. One editor called it "comforting," but the consensus was that it's sweet, slightly malty, and thick.

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Would you travel with it? Sure. Easy to throw a few sachets in a backpack.

Could you make it on a plane? Yes, all you need is hot water and a stirrer.

Is it better than airplane coffee? If you like your coffee milky and sweet, absolutely.

What situation is it ideal for? Airplanes, or anytime you need something that tastes like a warm hug.

Buy it: $13 for a bag of 28, amazon.com

The Most Understated: Tandem Coffee Time and Temperature

How does it taste? Truly delicious. It's hard to believe how good this coffee tasted after just adding water.

Would you travel with it? Absolutely.

Could you make it on a plane? Yep, just ask for some hot water.

Is it better than airplane coffee? 100 percent.

What situation is it ideal for? It's great for making a quick cup of coffee on the airplane or in a hotel room, but it's also good to keep on hand for whenever you need a caffeine boost (and hot water is nearby).

Buy it: $15 for a box of six, tandemcoffee.com

The Goop -iest Option: Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee

How does it taste? Like coffee that you made in a vessel that you had previously used for miso soup. Funky. But not... terrible either? Another Amazon bestseller, it's a combination of organic instant coffee and powdered Cordyceps and Chaga mushrooms, which are very in as supplements right now.

Would you travel with it? Yes, if I were Gwyneth Paltrow.

Could you make it on a plane? Yes, all you need to add is hot water.

Is it better than airplane coffee? No.

What situation is it ideal for? Wellness fanatics in transit.

Buy it: $12 for a box of 10, amazon.com

Image may contain Coffee Cup Cup Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper and Flyer

The Mass Appeal Pick: Starbucks VIA Instant Pike Place Roast

How does it taste? Like your average cup of Starbucks: not amazing, but solid. Works as well iced as hot, too.

Would you travel with it? Yes.

Could you make it on a plane? Yes!

Is it better than airplane coffee? It's maybe a tiny bit better.

What situation is it ideal for? Since it tastes about as good as an average cup of airplane coffee, I'd say this would be good for long bus rides or train rides.

Buy it: $6 for a box of eight, amazon.com

Uncategorizable: Forto Espresso Shots

How does it taste? It comes in regular (sweetened and unsweetened), vanilla latte, mocha chocolate latte and Hershey’s chocolate latte. The regular is potent, and the rest are so cloyingly sweet that they pack more punch than a Frappuccino. One editor's scathing take: "It tasted like it was coffee made in a lab, if the only materials the scientists had on hand were various grades of jet fuel."

Would you travel with it? Maybe? Each pre-prepared shot comes in a two-ounce plastic cup, with a rigid plastic lid and a peel-off seal. (Each is also stamped with a perky, coffee-related slogan like “expresso yourself” or “take your best shot.”) At two ounces each, they do meet TSA restrictions on liquids, though you'd have to pack them in the same plastic bag as the rest of your toiletries.

Could you make it on a plane? Trick question: They're already good to go.

Is it better than airplane coffee? If you like your coffee very strong and very sweet, yes.

What situation is it ideal for? Whenever you're on the move with no access to hot water and you need a sugary caffeine kick.

Price: $12 for a pack of six, amazon.com

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Instant Coffee Is Fancy Now: The Best Travel-Friendly Coffees to Take With You

By Maggie Hoffman

Photo of fancy instant coffee in coffee cups.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

I woke at dawn, and it took a minute to remember where I was: Crappy airport hotel. Everything’s loaded on the truck. Just catch the flight. My daughter and husband had already headed toward our new home on the East coast, and my last morning in California wasn’t exactly a poetic goodbye. The coffee dispenser in the empty hotel breakfast room was broken. My head was pounding. Just catch the flight.

After a closed-road delay (because the crappy airport hotel wasn't even that close to the airport), I raced to the gate, collapsing sweatily into my airplane seat and trying to shake off the mounting pressure between my temples. It was then that I remembered: I’d bought myself a parting gift at Sightglass , the coffee roaster down the street from our old house. Six packets of their fancy new instant coffee. As the beverage cart (with its urns of acidic roastwater) passed by, I tore one open and mixed the powder with the contents of my water bottle and a cup of ice. I took a sip. I may have said aloud: I’m a genius.

My name is Maggie, and I’m a coffee snob.

The elixir had the punch of espresso and a robust cocoa flavor. I’d been skeptical of the new generation of instant coffees (and other travel-friendly options from high-end roasters around the country) that I’d been hearing about. Who needs instant coffee that costs as much as a cafe cup? But with each lifesaving sip on that cross-country flight, I let go of doubt and vowed to explore all the options.

And now, after spending this fall tasting cup after cup, I know I can bring the good stuff with me wherever I go.

If you’re traveling on planes, trains, or automobiles this winter, you need the coffee situation to be easy, and that’s where dissolving granules of much-better-than-old-school instant coffee come in. Most of these instant coffees are made through a partnership: Your favorite roaster sends their beans to a producer like Swift Cup in Lancaster, PA. Though the precise details are proprietary, they basically grind the coffee and brew it into an intense concentrate, which is then freeze-dried so that you can easily carry around a single-serving pouch. All you need is water to bring the coffee back to life. Swift Cup produces their own instant coffees as well as making the stuff for more than 50 different roasters, including Sightglass and Joe .

As grateful as I was for those granules of coffee on the plane, there are some downsides. The dehydrated coffees I’ve tried reconstitute into a rich, bold cup, with an intensity that I like best on ice. Matt Scottoline of ReAnimator Coffee Roasters in Philadelphia says they’ve noticed that the instant coffees have “lowered acidity and a higher concentration of sugary flavors,” though he notes he’s happy with their clean, sweet character. In a post on their blog, the Counter Culture team explains that they found a molasses note that sometimes veered toward oxidation in some of the dehydrated coffees they sampled from various producers, which is why they chose to go a different way.

That different way is essentially coffee in a tea bag, and it’s not just Counter Culture that went there: the company Steeped produces the bags for 75 different roasters including Victrola and Alabaster Coffee . The bags feel a bit weird to use, but it’s an easy process: You pour hot water over the bag into your cup, lift it up and down for a few seconds, and then let the bag steep for five minutes. What you’re left with has the brightness of pourover and some of the richness of French press. The Steeped tea bag model captures more of the coffee’s high notes: the tart cherry, the lemon rind. I’m into it, and I’ll be taking a few to drink at my inlaws’ house this Thanksgiving. (Love you guys! But hate your coffee!)

True coffee nerds can even take real-ish pourover on the road, and several of the companies making them say they're working toward launching a 100% biodegradable product soon. I felt a little funny jiggering the flimsy cardboard wings of a single-use filter setup over my cup—and several of my office mates stopped to stare—but the Kuju Ethiopian is pretty good. Of these portable pourovers, I liked the setup of DripKit’s offerings best: The sturdy cardboard contraption’s notches slide onto the rim of your cup to make it more stable, and their single origin coffee from Verve is delightfully bright and juicy. Though I’m not sure I’d want to risk knocking it over on a plane. For that, I’ll keep my Sightglass granules handy.

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Guide to Making Coffee While Traveling

Last Updated August 19, 2023 William Tang

You are here: Home » Travel Tips » Guide to Making Coffee While Traveling

If you love coffee and want to make sure you always get the best quality brews while on the road, this is your essential guide for making coffee while traveling.

Making Coffee While Traveling

Portability, packability, a hand grinder: the porlex mini, travel friendly coffee brewers, the aeropress, the kalita wave pour over dripper, the melitta ‘ready set joe’, the handpresso portable espresso maker, accessories that you may or may not need, travel resources for your next trip.

Imagine traveling to Paris, France, the city of lights. You’ve just sat down at a picturesque (and cliché) corner cafe. As you open up your laptop, and gloss over new emails, the waiter comes around, and asks for your order in a manner that seems both slightly familiar and mildly annoyed – a trait unique to Parisians.

Fast forward 15 minutes. Your laptop sits dormant on the minute circular table, and you sit disappointed on the wicker chair. The myth of amazing Parisiahn coffee is just that, a myth that seemingly applies to the whole of the European continent.

What goes in a brewing kit

As an experienced traveler, and coffee fanatic, I never leave my habit to chance. After being let down time and again, I now always carry my own brewing kit. Life on the road (or in the air) requires a different approach to essentials, and a flare for minimalism.

There are three simple things I look for when building my traveling coffee kit: portability, durability, and packability.

For a nomad, mobility and simplicity are key. Although there are portable, electronic brewing options, I prefer to stick with manual brewers. This way I am not dependent on a power source, besides myself.

When the lifespan of your essentials depends on the tenderness of an airport baggage handler, packing fragile items is a poor bet. It is important that your brew gear knows how to take a beating.

Apart from size, coffee brewers and gadgets come in all manner of odd shapes. You should keep in mind how your gear would fit in your baggage, and ditch anything too bulky.

The Coffee Nomads Essential Packing List

Here it is – if you want to have your cake and eat it to – i.e. travel minimally, but travel with the gear so for making coffee while traveling, here’s what you need.

There are many imaginative (and strange) ways to brew coffee, but there only a few ways to grind, so the first item on my packing list is always my grinder.

I bring my own grinder, because store-bought, pre-ground coffee tends to lose its flavor and aroma the longer it sits. Additionally, by changing the size of my grounds, I can control how light or bold my coffee will be.

On my travels, I carry a Porlex Mini stainless steel grinder , a burr grinder with a 20 gram capacity, which is about six inches long, and less than three inches in diameter. Detaching the handle allows you to adjust the grind settings, and makes the grinder even more compact and easier to pack.

There’s an overwhelming array of ways to brew coffee – but some are not-so travel friendly. I’ve tried most of them – thanks to my coffee and travel obsession – so why don’t you take advantage of my compulsive curiosity and read through my list of favorites below to find which brewer will work best for you.

Regardless of traveling, the Aeropress is one of my most favorite brewing systems. This hydraulic shaped gadget uses a pressure method to force the flavor out of your beans, which is quick, simple and, unlike other brewers, doesn’t require much nannying.

Assembled and compressed, the Aeropress takes up only a 12x5x5 inch space, and its cylindrical shape makes it easy to slide down the side of your backpack or suitcase. This brewer is best for someone who enjoys the unique taste of a pressure brewer, and also likes to keep work distractions down to a minimum.

If you are someone who is fond of pour-over methods, then I’d suggest checking out the (metal) Kalita Wave . This brewer works just like any other pour-over dripper – set it on your cup, place the filter, pour in the coffee grounds, and intermittently pour (near boiling) water.

Although this process takes a bit of time and devotion, it’s easy enough to do in a your early morning stupor. A gooseneck kettle can make the periodic pouring process easier, but, with a steady hand, you will be fine with any normal kettle.

What makes the metal Kalita Wave stand out from other drippers, is its stainless steel body and its miniscule size. The metal body keeps your coffee hot as it brews, and the 5x5x3 inch size makes it extremely stuffable. If you particularly like the pour-over method, and are in need of something small and durable, then the Kalita Wave is for you.

The standard, the reliable, the Melitta .

This pour-over dripper, is both aesthetically and functionally simple, but whatever points this dripper loses in appearance, it makes up for in cost and dependability for making coffee while traveling.

The Melitta is only a little bigger than the Kalita Wave, but is made from thick, BPA free plastic, which makes it almost as durable. Because it costs less than $10, and its filters can be found in most supermarkets, the Melitta is best for budget-minded travellers.

This brewer is for travelers who enjoys pour-over, but could care less about looks.

Good news for all you travelling espresso enthusiasts, there is a travelling espresso maker, called the Handpresso Pump , which allows you to (literally) pump out a shot of espresso while on the go. It weighs roughly two pounds, and is pretty slim, taking up a little less space than the Aeropress.

Although the Handpresso Pump takes a bit more fiddling than the other systems I’ve mentioned, it is fun to use but still pretty straight-forward. You can also buy special coffee pods for the Pump, which makes the brew process even easier. Check out this cheesy video to see you how it works.

Unfortunately, at $129, this unique gizmo is the most expensive item on the list. I recommend the Handpresso Pump for travelers who prefer espresso and enjoy quirky gadgets, but don’t mind shelling out a little extra cash.

If you are like me – a little meticulous with your coffee – there are a few accessories you should also consider for making coffee while traveling .

I recommend the Coastline Digital Pro Pocket Scale which is durable, compact, comes with 2 handy measuring/weighing trays and seems to work perfectly for pour over coffee.

There’s no need to go overboard when choosing a scale – just choose something that can measure in grams and ounces, and does not have an auto-off feature (having your scale shut off mid brew will ruin your pour over process)

Another item you may want to pack is a coffee storage container. Because I often like to bring my favorite beans along with me, I use the Friis 12oz Coffee Vault , which provides airtight storage, while also filtering out CO2. The 12 oz is 5.5×5.5×8 inches, but, if you have more space allowance, there is also a 16 oz version available.

One final item I include is a mini thermometer. Most people just boil their water, but to get the highest rate of extraction from you beans, you actually want to heat the water to just below the boiling point.

For traveling, I recommend the CDN Digital ProAccurate thermometer, which is inexpensive, easy to use and easy to pack.

Regardless of what you’ve heard about the local coffee in your travel destination, I recommend bringing your own brew kit. There are still some modern cities (I’m looking at you Paris) where it is just hard to find – and expensive to drink – good coffee.

Additionally, if you manage to find some good local brewers, you can brew up that coffee even while working from your hotel room. There are many dangers of traveling, but coffee shouldn’t be one of them.

Let me know what you thought of the article on making coffee while traveling in the comments below, and tell me what you prefer to pack in your traveling coffee kit.

What you should read next

Best Coffices in NYC
Insane Adventure in the Ottawa Valley – Ontario’s Highlands Freedom Finder Route
Top 5 Travel Essentials
Best Extended Stay in San Diego Hotels
9 Tasty Snacks in Japan That Make Great Souvenirs

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100% .

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Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature . Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

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Data: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices like PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are so good and you can use it globally but recently, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. The best one is Airalo . Save money by getting region-specific eSIMs and use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase. Ubigi is another one that we’ve had success with where they uniquely offer 5G coverage. Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts . The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. TripAdvisor is also useful for reviews and bookings.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental.

Tours: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

Insured Nomads – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks.
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If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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A Minimalist Coffee Guide: How to Be a Sustainable Coffee Consumer

Minimalist Coffee Guide - Sustainable Coffee Guide

Whether you brew your own coffee every morning or you simply enjoy an occasional cup, as a minimalist, you should consider how to be a sustainable coffee consumer. Our minimalist coffee guide will walk you through 3 steps to consider so you can drink sustainable coffee from home.

The three steps are simple: Pick a Sustainable Coffee Roaster Get Coffee Brewing Equipment Learn How to Brew from Home

Pick a Sustainable Coffee Roaster

There are a few ways you can choose coffee to brew at home, pick one roaster and be a committed customer or find a few sustainable roasters and rotate between each over time. Of course, you can pick a roaster in your own city or one across the nation that you want to try. Keep in mind, if you decide to get coffee shipped to you, this will add extra waste through packaging materials and through emissions with delivery vehicles. Plus, it is so important to support your local community and local shops. So, we strongly recommend you start with your local shops before looking to the internet!

Since we simply cannot tune this article to your local shop, we have partnered with Blue Bottle Coffee to bring you this article with their products and coffee. We love Blue Bottle because they stand for fresh coffee and sustainability. You can rest easy with your online purchase as Blue Bottle has committed to making financial contributions toward a methane digester to offset the greenhouse gases emitted through shipping. Along with that, they are a global shop with locations in Northern California, Southern California, Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe, Seoul and Hong Kong. So, you may live close enough to visit one.

Sustainability

There are a few things to look for in a coffee roaster, whether it is your local shop or a shop you order from online. Of course, if you are looking for a sustainable coffee shop, you should make sure they use sustainable methods. Unfortunately, there is not one specific thing to look for to find sustainable coffee. There are many different certifications and terms you can look for but each has its pros and cons. The certification that really paved the way for sustainability in coffee is the Fair Trade Coffee certification. This is great for brands like Starbucks who purchase huge amounts of coffee beans because it balances the power between the buyer and the seller.

Fair Trade Coffee ensures a minimum purchase price for coffee farmers so big companies cannot bully small farmers into lower prices. This is great but it isn’t always good for everyone. That is where Direct Trade Coffee comes into play which is common for specialty coffee shops who want to partner with one or a few farmers who grow very high quality coffee. Direct Trade focuses on building long-term relationships with farmers. Again, this isn’t perfect as there is no standardization and no accountability. Lastly, there is the Sustainable Coffee Challenge which is a newer initiative seeking to create a standardized way to source high quality, sustainable and ethically grown coffee.

Another thing to consider is your coffee budget. It is very easy to start spending over $100 a month on coffee, especially when you get coffee at the shop every day. That’s why brewing coffee at home can be so important, you will reduce your spending and reduce waste by using reusable mugs instead of paper, to-go cups from the shop. So, when starting to brew your coffee, you will want to find beans priced comfortability for your budget. Keep in mind, brewing at home will come with some upfront costs if you do not already have coffee brewing equipment at home. This means that you will need to consistently make coffee at home for you to see long-term savings.

The last thing to look for may seem obvious, make sure you actually like the taste. Many shops will allow you to sample their different roasts and even let you take home small samples of beans to brew yourself. Once you find a bean that you like in a shop, ask the barista their brewing method so you can replicate that at home. Otherwise, you can order sample packs from shops (Blue Bottle will even ship you a free trial of coffee , see below) to see which tastes best with your favorite brewing method.

Get Your Minimalist Coffee Brewing Equipment

Before you go on buying equipment, you will need to answer this question – are you going to brew manually or with a machine? Both can produce great tasting coffee although you will typically need to spend more money to get a machine that will brew as high of quality as you can learn to brew with a manual method.

So, whether you are brewing manually or by machine, these are some of the items we recommend.

Minimalist Coffee Scales

When making coffee, it is extremely important to perfect your process and your recipe. One of the best ways to do that is by weighing your beans before you start your brew. There are many options for scales, we recommend you get one that at least measures to the tenth degree. Below are some of our favorite scales.

Elegant, futuristic, and practical [More]

A great digital scale for brewing at home [More]

Hand and Automatic Coffee Grinders

To get the freshest brew possible, you will want to grind your beans right before you brew them. For the manual folks, this means you will hand grind your beans every morning before you brew or if you’d rather push a button and watch the magic happen, you will want to get an automatic grinder. You will just want to make sure that you get a grinder that is easy to change the grind setting on because some coffee beans will require different grind settings.

A hand-powered grinder that rivals the finest electric versions [More]

A high-quality grinder in a small package [More]

Entry-level conical burr grinder [More]

Up your game with this versatile grinder [More]

Machine Coffee Brewers

Again, high quality machine brewers will cost you a bit more. But, if you want something you can turn on right before you hop in the shower and have fresh coffee when you get out, the higher price is well worth it.

The Old-School Coffee Maker, Optimized [More]

Hot Water Kettles: Electric and Stovetop

When using manual coffee brewers, you will want a hot water kettle, preferably a gooseneck kettle for more precise pouring. There are two options here, an electric kettle or a traditional, stovetop kettle. We prefer the electric because it heats up much quicker than the stovetop but both are great! If you find yourself in the woods by campfire often, the stovetop kettle is for you so you can brew while you camp.

An over-performer in every way [More]

Limited-edition fog grey, made exclusively for Blue Bottle [More]

Pour in style [More]

A gorgeous kettle to make exceptional coffee [More]

A great kettle for pour-over or Chemex [More]

Manual Coffee Brewers

There are many different manual coffee brewing methods, here we will talk about the three most popular and most versatile: Chemex, AeroPress and Blue Bottle’s very own drip brewer.

Perhaps the most versatile manual brewers, the Chemex is a truly minimal coffee brewer. We recommend getting the 6-cup version instead of the 3-cup so that you can get the most range from this brewer as possible. Many other manual coffee brewers limit you to only being able to make one or two cups of coffee. That means if you are having friends over for breakfast, you have a lot of brewing to do beforehand. This is where the Chemex thrives as you can brew up to six cups or one cup for yourself.

Same as it was in 1941, equal parts brilliance and utility [More]

The best filters for your 6-Cup Chemex [More]

Sophisticated, charming, and fit for a crowd [More]

The best filters for a 3-Cup Chemex [More]

This is the best brewer if you are a nomad as AeroPress is one of the smallest, lightest weight coffee brewers around. Some say that this is the ultimate minimalist coffee brewer simply because of the amount of space it takes up. It is great for camping, traveling or for someone who has very limited space.

Coffee liberated from the constraints of gravity [More]

Paper filters for your Aeropress [More]

Blue Bottle Drip Kit

After years of research and development, Blue Bottle has created their own pour over brewing method. This is similar to a v60 brewer with a flat bottom instead of the v60’s inverted pyramid shape. This brewer is great for smaller batches of coffee, around 2 cups. So, if you are only making coffee for yourself or one other person this is for you! Plus, you can get a handy kit with a brewing guide for about $25 cheaper than buying all of the items on their own.

The tools you need to make Blue Bottle pour overs at home [More]

Original Blue Bottle design [More]

Custom filter for a refined cup of coffee [More]

The essential Blue Bottle carafe [More]

Learn How to Brew from Home

Sustainable Coffee Guide - How to Brew Minimalist Coffee

Now that you have all of your minimalist coffee brewing equipment, let’s learn how to brew a good cup of coffee from home. There will be variations to this depending on your brewing method but here we will look at a very basic method to brewing drip coffee in your Chemex, Blue Bottle Drip or v60. If you choose to go with an AeroPress, the guide that comes in the box with the brewer works great for basic brews. But, if you want to up your AeroPress game, this video guide gives great improvement on the basic guide out of the box.

We will not be going over brewing methods for machine coffee brewers as they vary from machine to machine. Just keep in mind a few best practices for all coffee brewing:

Use fresh coffee (within 2 weeks of roasting preferably)
Use freshly ground coffee (every minute counts, brew directly after grinding if possible)
Grind only the amount of coffee you need to preserve freshness
Use the correct coffee:water ratio (check the brewing guide for your machine or read on for pour overs)

Pour Over Brewing Method (Chemex, Blue Bottle Drip, v60)

Before you begin brewing with your Chemex, Blue Bottle Drip or v60 brewers, there are a few things you will want to get organized:

Coffee Grinder
Brewing Instruments (Chemex, Blue Bottle Drip, v60) and filter
Mug or Thermos

Alright, now that you have everything you need out, let’s get started on the steps to a general pour over brewing method:

Here is one of the most important steps, with these methods you should brew with a ratio of coffee:water around 1:16 – for one cup of coffee, you would use 16.89 grams of coffee with 270.24 milliliters of water
Keep in mind, different roasts of coffee will taste better/worse with different ratios, play around going from 1:17 or 1:15 to see what you like best
The ideal temperature to brew coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit
You typically can heat the water to boiling then let it sit for just a minute and it will be perfect brewing temperature, some heat will be lost while brewing so it will be pretty tough to brew too hot when brewing at home
You will want to heat more water than you will need for the actual brewing for a later step
As stated above, you want to do this as close to brewing as possible, we recommend grinding the beans while your water heats up
Before you start your brew, you should heat up all equipment (including your mug) and rinse your filter – this will help keep your brew within the recommended range of temperatures and rinse away any bad tastes from the filter
One little tip here is to create a little indention in the middle of the grinds so that when you start pouring you can soak all of the coffee quickly
Now you will pour the hot water over the ground beans, you will want to start by pouring just enough water in to soak all of the beans but not so much that there is a bunch of water sloshing around
Wait about 30 seconds to allow the beans to wake up and release the necessary gases
There are many different preferences to how long it should take you to pour the rest of the water, we will let you find that out on your own
We recommend keeping the water in the brewer level as long as you can until you hit your weight limit , then grab a spoon and give it a gentle stir before the rest of the water seeps through
Drink and Enjoy
This is a very basic guide to brewing through a pour-over, you can get much more technical with your brew if you want, James Hoffman (a master barista) gives a great brewing tutorial that you should check out

To support this site we partner with select brands and may participate in affiliate programs where we earn a small commission for referrals, at no cost to you.

The 16 Best Portable Coffee Makers for Travel

By Jason Barnette | Travel writer and photographer with 15+ years of road tripping experience

Last Updated on November 1, 2023
Published on April 9, 2023

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Affiliate Disclosure here .

About 75% of Americans drink coffee on weekdays, and half of those enjoy the caffeinated beverage daily. At home, it’s easy to whip up a delicious latte with the Breville Barista Express or brew a single-serve coffee with a Keurig. But while those caffeine-churning machines are great at home, they are lousy travel companions.

Coffee shops – especially those with a drive-thru – are popular among coffee drinkers at home and while traveling. But just two coffees per person per day can quickly add up to a large chunk of your travel budget.

Fortunately, portable coffee makers are a great solution. Packable and easy to use, these coffee machines can be fine-tuned to your taste and used before you leave the hotel room.

Browse through this list of the best portable coffee makers and decide which is the best fit for your style of that magnificent morning nectar.

Quick compare, why buy a portable coffee maker, the different types of portable coffee makers, things to consider with a portable coffee maker, accessories for portable coffee makers, frequently asked questions, wacaco minipresso gr, outin nano portable espresso machine, staresso portable espresso machine, sea to summit x-brew collapsible coffee dripper, gsi outdoors gourmet pour over java set, cafflano klassic all-in-one pour over coffee maker, aeropress go portable travel coffee press kit, bodum travel press, presto myjo single cup coffee maker, brutrek ovrlndr travel coffee french press, espro p1 french press, keurig k-mini plus, black+decker single-serve coffeemaker, chulux single cup coffee maker, makita 18v cordless coffee maker, hamilton beach flexbrew.

Compact design

Lightweight

All-in-one design

Built-in water heater

Stainless steel construction

Easy to clean

Includes burr grinder
Easy to pack

Easy to use

Includes coffee mug

Brews in less than a minute
Includes travel cup

Insulated travel mug

Large water reservoir

Removable bottom
Stainless steel

Reusable filter

Removable water reservoir

Retractable cord

Heats water quickly

Removable drip tray

Lockable lid

Two brew strengths

Short brew time

For some, whether or not to buy a portable coffee maker isn’t an issue because the answer is a resounding “Yes.” But for others, buying a portable coffee maker for travel may seem silly. Why would you want to pack a coffee maker when there are countless places to get coffee?

You may want to buy a portable coffee maker for three good reasons. You don’t need to be a coffee lover to appreciate these reasons. Do any of the reasons appeal to you?

Get coffee when you want it

If you’re anything like me, you want coffee within fifteen minutes of opening your sticky eyelids and rubbing away the last remnants of sleep. The last thing you want is to shower, get dressed, and walk across the street to the coffee shop for your first brew of the day.

If you travel with a portable coffee maker, you can make coffee whenever you want. There is no need to wait in line at the coffee shop or get dressed before you can enjoy that first cup.

Make coffee the way you want it

If you drink coffee regularly, you probably have a particular way you like it. A specific water temperature, a certain volume, and a selection of additives like sugar and cream. But when you travel, you relinquish control over your coffee and rely on the source – a gas station, fast food restaurant, or coffee shop.

If you travel with a portable coffee maker, you can make your coffee just as you like. You can use the same beans or pods, brew the coffee at the same temperature and volume, and add the same ingredients after brewing. And if you travel with a portable fridge , you can keep your coffee creamer chilled between stops on your road trips.

Spend less on coffee and more money on travel

Good coffee isn’t cheap and cheap coffee isn’t good. And while it’s fun to explore local coffee shops while traveling, they can quickly become a drain on your travel budget. Even those one-dollar coffees at the gas station will add up over a week. If you travel with a portable coffee maker, you can save the money you would have spent and put it towards a museum admission or kayak rental.

There are lots of ways of brewing coffee and lots of ways to finish it after brewing. If you drink coffee at home, you likely already know your preferred method of brewing coffee. But when you travel, you might want to try something different, like espresso drinks for an extra caffeine boost or a pour over coffee for something quick and easy.

Here are the different types of portable coffee makers that you could easily pack for your next trip.

Espresso beans are regular coffee beans roasted longer and ground finer for brewing. The result is a richer flavor profile enjoyable in shots, double shots, or espresso drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos. At home, popular espresso machines like the Breville Barista Pro injects hot, pressurized water through a porta filter filled with finely ground beans.

While there are several portable espresso makers, they all require one key ingredient that is tricky while traveling: hot water. This requires a separate accessory for heating water before you can brew an espresso coffee, adding time and labor to the process.

Portable espresso makers are the easiest to travel with but have the heftiest price tag.

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Pour over is the easiest method for brewing coffee at home or on the road. A paper filter on top of a container is filled with ground coffee, and then hot water is methodically poured over the grounds. The Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker is a popular model for pour over drinkers at home.

While traveling, the pour over is a quick and easy method for brewing coffee. But, like espresso drinks, it requires hot water. Portable pour over coffee makers are the least expensive of all the options and the easiest to pack.

French Press

The French Press method of coffee making is popular among backpackers and campers because of how easy it is. First, water is heated in a vessel to the desired temperature. Then, ground coffee is gently poured on top and allowed to soak for a specific time. Finally, a fine mesh filter is pressed down, pushing the coffee grounds to the bottom of the vessel so the coffee can be poured into a mug.

Like the two previous options, the French Press requires hot water. And this method tends to be the messiest, with the wet coffee grounds pressed into the bottom of the vessel that must be cleaned between each use. Portable French Press coffee makers are somewhere in the middle for price and portability, but from start to finish takes the longest amount of time to brew coffee.

Single Serve

Drip coffee is the most common way of making coffee in the world. From large 12-cup glass coffee pots to stainless steel carafes and single-serve options, there are more options for drip coffee machines than any other method of brewing coffee. Ground coffee is placed in a filter basket or a pod inserted, and the machine does the rest, heating water and slowly trickling through the grounds and into the coffee mug.

Single serve coffee makers are the most convenient for travel, especially the models that can use pods. The machines require power, but so does the kettle to make hot water for all the previous options. But the machines require minimal cleaning and manual labor, producing coffee faster and easier.

Portable single-serve coffee makers compete with espresso makers for price. The makers are also larger and near impossible to pack in checked luggage if flying. However, the makers are the best option for road trippers and use in hotel rooms.

Before confirming your purchase of a portable coffee maker, there are some things to consider when making your decision. This decision might be easy if you’re set on a particular coffee-making method. But if you’re open to new possibilities, there are options for your needs.

If you’re flying, space in your luggage is a premium. But even if you’re road tripping, space in your car is limited. Giant coffee makers permanently parked on your kitchen countertop are not ideal for travel, so look for smaller coffee makers that are easier to pack and carry.

Like the size, if you’re flying, weight is a premium. Small usually means light, but not always. Look for a lightweight, portable coffee maker that will be easier to carry in your luggage.

Compactness

Some portable coffee makers come in all-in-one packages that make it easy to keep up with the various components. These are the best coffee makers, especially if you’re checking in and out of multiple hotels on a road trip.

This is the least important concern for travel unless you’re camping in an Alaskan yurt. You’ll likely have power wherever you travel, but finding an available outlet can sometimes be difficult. And, if your portable coffee maker requires power, you won’t be using it in your vehicle without a good power inverter .

Most portable coffee makers are built on the principle of brewing single-serve coffee. Anything more required a large and hefty carafe. Be sure you’re happy with one serving at a time, especially if you need two or more coffees immediately in the morning.

Portable coffee makers are slower than their counterparts sitting at your house. Instead of always having hot water ready, a portable coffee maker must heat the water and brew the coffee with each serving. And that can become a problem if you need coffee for two or more people every morning. Some portable coffee makers are faster than others, which might be the deciding factor.

A lot of portable coffee makers must be cleaned between each use. This means it will take longer and more effort to make each coffee. You might want to consider a single-serve coffee maker that will be faster and easier to use.

Accessories

A world of accessories exists for every portable coffee maker, but some require additional items. Depending on your purchase, you may need a coffee grinder, hot water kettle, and travel case. The total investment increases along with the size and weight of your luggage.

The availability of hot water is probably the most important factor in the type of portable coffee maker you choose. Unless you enjoy cold coffee, you will need hot water to make your coffee. Single serve coffee machines have built-in heating elements, but many other types will require a hot water kettle. That means buying and packing an additional device in your luggage.

One of the benefits of a portable coffee maker is saving money on what you otherwise might have spent at Starbucks. Consider how many coffees you would need to brew to see a return on your investment before plunging into the world of portable coffee makers.

For every kind of retail item, there is a third-party accessory catalog. Portable coffee makers are no exception. But while some accessories are nice, others are necessary depending on what kind of coffee maker you buy.

Here are some accessories for portable – and not-so-portable – coffee makers you might want to add to your shopping cart.

Craft Coffee: A Manual If you’re new to drinking coffee or want to learn more about coffee making, Craft Coffee: A Manual is a good purchase. The 272-page book dives into the methods of brewing coffee, necessary hardware and accessories, and how to get the most flavor from the coffee beans.

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder The JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder trades electricity for elbow grease. The tall stainless steel cylinder is easy to grip with one hand while spinning the grinder with the other. 18 grind settings mean you can produce ground coffee from fine to coarse for your preferred brewing method. And at just half a pound, you’ll barely notice it in your luggage.

KRUPS Silent Vortex Electric Grinder Ironically, the KRUPS “Silent” Vortex Electric Grinder isn’t silent but close to quiet. The grinder’s 12-cup capacity makes it easy to prepare however much ground coffee you need daily. And then removable stainless steel grinding bowl makes it easy to pour and clean. At 2.4 pounds, it’s light to carry, and the power cord is stored beneath the grinder.

Miir Coffee Canister Keep your coffee beans fresh while traveling with the Miir Coffee Canister . The airtight stainless steel canister has a 12-ounce capacity for typical single roasted bean bags. The durable powdered coated hardshell will come in handy when traveling long distances. And at just one pound, when empty, it won’t weigh you down.

Jettle Electric Kettle You’ll need hot water if you want espresso, French Press, or pour over coffee while traveling. The Jettle Electric Kettle is the most portable hot water kettle on the market. At 10″ tall and 4″ in diameter, the cylindrical device is easy to pack in your luggage. And with a 16-ounce capacity, you’ll have boiling water in about five minutes. The power cord disconnects and stores inside the device for travel.

Café Casa Milk Frother To enjoy lattes, you’ll need the Café Casa Milk Frother and a portable espresso coffee maker. The frother features an ergonomic grip, two-speed settings, and a stainless steel whisk. And at just over a quarter of a pound, it won’t hinder your luggage.

BESTEK Power Inverter Did you know it’s possible to brew coffee in your car? With a BESTEK Power Inverter, you can power various electronic devices while your car’s engine runs. The BESTEK 150W Inverter can power smaller electronic devices, but you’ll need the BESTEK 300W or BESTEK 2000W for most portable coffee makers.

YETI Rambler Mug The stainless steel YETI Rambler Mug is a great travel mug for carrying around the campsite, hotel room, or lodge. Available in 10-ounce , 14-ounce , and 24-ounce capacities, the mugs feature a leak-proof MagSlider lid and comfortable carry handle.

THERMOS Stainless King Travel Mug The 16-ounce THERMOS Stainless King Travel Mug is the king of vacuum-insulated mugs. The stainless steel mug features a leak-proof lid and comfortable handle, making it perfect for taking coffee.

The Best Portable Espresso Makers

The Wacaco Minipresso GR is one of the easiest portable espresso makers. The compact all-in-one kit features a built-in scoop and cup, so everything conveniently remains together as you travel. And with the optional Minipresso Case , you can keep your investment protected.

The Wacaco Minipresso GR uses a semi-automatic hand pump to inject hot water through the filter basket. With a 2.35-ounce water reservoir, you can quickly brew two espresso shots with a few one-handed pumps. The manual operation means no dependency on power or batteries – this could be good or bad, depending on how you view manually crafting your coffee.

Like all portable espresso makers, the Wacaco Minipresso GR requires hot water from another source. The Jettle Electric Kettle is a perfect portable companion for getting boiling water. The Wacaco Minipresso GR measures just 7 inches tall and weighs less than a pound, making it easy to pack for travel.

Compact design and lightweight

Optional travel case

Requires hot water

Takes 7-10 minutes to brew a shot

Must clean after every use

Best Portable Espresso Maker

The OutIn Nano Portable Espresso Machine is a quantum leap beyond the competition with a built-in water heater. At 9″ tall and 3″ in diameter, it’s the same size and weight as the competition and a perfectly portable espresso maker.

The OutIn Nano uses a 7500mAh rechargeable battery for the effortless brewing of espresso shots. On a single charge, the machine can produce five shots of espresso. Each brew takes about 5 minutes to heat the water from room temperature and 3 minutes to extract the shot. Recharging is simple, though, with the standard USB-C cable and power block – not included.

The OuttIn Nano is an all-in-one design that makes it easy to pack for travel. An advantage of the OutIn espresso machine is the option to use capsules from popular brands like Nespresso . However, you can still grind coffee beans for a shot.

Battery powered

Uses capsules or ground coffee

Battery requires frequent recharging

Heating requires at least 30% battery power

The Staresso Portable Espresso Machine is a fine portable espresso maker if you don’t mind a little manual labor. The all-in-one design keeps everything together, including the coffee scoop, capsule cutter for Nespresso -style capsules, and filter basket for ground coffee. Stainless steel construction means this compact and lightweight machine can survive jostling while traveling.

After using something like the Jettle Electric Kettle for boiling water, the Staresso Portable Espresso Machine produces a single shot of espresso in about 5 minutes. Unlike other portable espresso machines, the Staresso machine securely holds the cup to the body while pumping for the perfect extraction.

No plastic parts – stainless steel construction

Top-mounted manual pump

The Best Portable Pour Over Coffee Makers

Sea to Summit specializes in lightweight gear for backpackers. So, of course, their X-Brew Collapsible Coffee Dripper is also perfect for travelers – especially if you fly. The silicone cone is collapsible to less than an inch thick, so you can slide it into a sleeve of your carry-on bag. The stainless steel mesh filter is removable for easy cleaning. And the entire setup weighs only 3 ounces.

However, a downside to pour over coffee makers is the need for hot water. The Jettle Electric Kettle is easy to get hot water for your pour over while traveling. Once the hot water is ready, brewing a coffee into your favorite travel mug takes less than a minute.

Pack in a carry-on bag

Easy to damage

US-based GSI Outdoors is one of the world’s largest family-owned outdoor gear makers. The company specializes in gear for backpacking and car camping. The GSI Outdoors Gourmet Pour Over Java Set is a happy product that meets the needs of backpackers, campers, and travelers all at once.

The silicone cone features a large, 5.6″ diameter plastic flange to help center the pour over your travel coffee mug. When finished, the cone collapses to 1″ high and weighs less than a pound. A plastic cover snaps onto the flange to keep everything together. It’s the perfect way to brew coffee if you fly with just a carry-on bag.

Of course, you’ll need hot water. The Jettle Electric Kettle can boil water in less than five minutes and easily packs into most bags.

Kit includes an adjustable manual conical burr grinder

Lightweight and compact design

Large plastic flange

It can be packed in a carry-on bag

The plastic flange is easily broken while traveling

Best Pour Over Coffee Maker

The Cafflano Klassic All-in-One Pour Over Cofee Maker is one of the most innovative coffee machines ever produced. The nifty device features a kettle, conical burr grinder, pour over filter, and a coffee mug that assembles into a 7.6″x3.5″ travel container. And weighing just one pound, it’s easy to pack for travel.

The adjustable conical burr grinder uses human power to produce fresh ground coffee directly into the pour over filter. The pre-measured kettle features a pour spout for fine control of the pour over. The pour over filter fits snugly onto the insulated tumbler. Pour water through the filter, remove the filter, and you’ll have coffee in less than a minute.

The only thing missing from the otherwise flawless portable coffee maker is a means to produce hot water. The Jettle Electric Kettle can make hot water in about five minutes, and the pre-measured Cafflano Klassic kettle will ensure you get the correct amount of water each time.

Mug does not have a lid

The Best Portable French Press Coffee Makers

All it takes is a single pump when brewing coffee with the Aeropress Go . The French press portable coffee maker uses a hand pump to push water through ground coffee in a filter basket to make delicious coffee. The process takes only a few minutes – but you’ll have to make the hot water first.

The 15-ounce travel cup does double duty as storage for the various components of the travel coffee kit. The scoop, stirrer, additional paper filters , and pump fit inside the cup, and a silicone cap keeps everything secured.

The all-plastic design means the Aeropress Go is more fragile than its stainless steel counterparts. And the paper filter means you’ll need to carry spares and pack enough to last the duration of your trip. Finally, you’ll need something like the Jettle Electric Kettle to make hot water for your coffee.

Less than a minute to brew coffee

Travel cup also serves as storage

Uses paper filters

All-plastic design

The travel cup does not have a sip lid

The Bodum Travel Press is as simple as it gets with a portable coffee maker. The 15-ounce stainless steel tumbler stores everything inside until you can make coffee. The plunger is built into the leak-proof lid for easy use without assembly.

You’ll need something like the Jettle Electric Kettle to make the hot water, though. Once the hot water is poured into the tumbler, add your ground coffee, wait a few minutes, and press the plunger. Enjoy your coffee first, and clean up everything later.

Small brewing capacity

Only makes one coffee for one person at a time

Depending on how you brew coffee at home, the Presto MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker could have one significant advantage over other French press coffee makers: it uses pods instead of ground coffee. The all-in-one design keeps everything together and makes packing easy for travel. When you’re ready to use, simply open the base, pop in a k-pod or other brand, and you’re ready to pump your delicious coffee.

Like other portable coffee makers, you’ll need something like the Jettle Electric Kettle to make hot water. Once boiling, pour into the Presto MyJo water reservoir and start pumping.

The Presto MyJo is slightly bigger than other portable coffee makers, measuring 9″ tall and about 4″ wide. However, it weighs less than a pound, so it’s still easy to carry around in your luggage.

Uses pods instead of ground coffee

Not a compact design

All plastic parts

Best Portable French Press Coffee Maker

Although BruTrek’s budget was too small to buy vowels, the BruTrek OVRLNDR is one of the best portable coffee makers for travel. The all-in-one design keeps everything together for easy packing and prevents lost parts. The stainless steel components are durable and will survive the rigors of travel. At 9.5″ tall, it will take some room in your luggage, and at 1.5 pounds, it’s still lightweight but heavier than the competition.

The innovative removable bottom is the coolest – or hottest, depending on how you like your coffee – part about the BruTrek OVRLNDR. The bottom of the insulated travel mug detaches to make cleaning the soggy coffee grounds effortless.

You’ll need something like the Jettle Electric Kettle to make hot water. Once ready, pour the water into the travel mug, add your ground coffee, and screw on the leak-proof lid with a built-in plunger. A single plunge and you’re drinking a delicious coffee.

Stainless steel components

Removable bottom for easy cleaning

Reusable stainless steel mesh filter

Only makes one coffee for one person

Heavier than other portable coffee makers

Have you ever sipped French press coffee and found gritty coffee grounds? With a patented double-filter design, the ESPRO P1 promises to prevent that irritating problem. Pour hot water into the 14-ounce travel mug, add your ground coffee, and press the plunger down. The basket-shaped reusable mesh filter squeezes the coffee through and pushes the grounds to the bottom.

With the Jettle Electric Kettle , you’ll have hot water in five minutes. Then, it takes just a couple more minutes to brew your coffee in the ESPRO P1. The insulated travel mug keeps the coffee hot, and the leak-proof lid will keep it from spilling.

The ESPRO P1 is 8″ tall and 3″ wide and weighs less than a pound, making it easy to pack and travel.

Stainless steel, all-in-one design

Insulated travel mug with lid

Small capacity

The Best Portable Single Serve Coffee Makers

Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

Keurig popularized the use of coffee pods – small plastic cups filled with a single scoop of ground coffee for brewing one coffee at a time. Single-use coffee machines are common in kitchens across the country today.

And the Keurig K-Mini Plus is the perfect portable coffee machine.

The single-serve coffee maker uses any brand’s pods to brew up to 12 ounces. The removable water reservoir is easily filled with pre-measured amounts etched into the clear plastic sides. The Keurig K-Mini Plus heats water on demand for each single-serve coffee. Brewing a coffee takes about five minutes from start to finish.

The removable tray allows for up to a 16.8″ travel mug. The 26″ power cord stores in a compartment in the back of the coffee maker. And a removable compartment holds 9 pods. With the additional travel bag , it’s easy to pack the Keurig K-Mini Plus in your car.

Compatible with travel mugs

Retractable power cord

Built-in pod storage

Easy to pack with an additional bag

Short power cord

Only uses coffee pods

The BLACK+DECKER Single Serve Coffeemaker is one of the lightest and most compact on the market. But that’s because it’s a barebones portable coffee maker with few features. Pour up to 16 ounces of water into the built-in reservoir, fill the removable filter basket with ground coffee, and press a button to brew.

It takes about five minutes for the single-brew coffee to heat and trickle through the filter basket into the included travel mug. The travel mug is a nice feature, but the lid is prone to leaking, and poor insulation does not keep the coffee warm for long. The portable coffee maker has clearance for a 7″ travel mug.

At 12″ tall and weighing just 3 pounds, the BLACK+DECKER Single Serve Coffeemaker is compact and lightweight, perfect for packing in your car.

Removable brew basket

Excellent brew capacity

Compact and lightweight design

Travel mug with lid included

Only uses ground coffee

Poor travel mug design

The CHULUX Single Cup Coffee Maker is great for travelers who want fresh drip coffee in the mornings. The portable coffee maker is just 9″ tall and weighs about 2 pounds, so it’s easy to pack.

The built-in water reservoir holds up to 12 ounces. The filter basket is only compatible with coffee pods. But once those are loaded, the coffee maker features a lockable lid to prevent accidentally spilling contents if knocked over in the hotel room.

Powerful heating elements means it only takes 3 minutes to brew a 12-ounce coffee. The removable drip tray allows for up to a 5.3″ coffee mug. At 10″ tall and 2.2 pounds, it’s great for travel to rental units where you’ll have coffee mugs to use instead of travel mugs.

Short travel mug size

Even if you’re not heading out to the job site, the Makita 18V Cordless Coffee Maker is an interesting portable machine. The coffee maker uses 18V or 12V lithium-ion batteries to produce up to three 5-ounce coffees on a single 4Ah battery. The cordless design makes it convenient for brewing in the car or without hassling to find an outlet.

The removable water reservoir makes it easy to fill. Insert a coffee packet into the basket or use ground coffee with the permanent built-in filter. Brewing a single coffee takes about 5 minutes after pressing the power button. But with only 3.5″ of clearance, you can only use small coffee mugs – no travel mugs for this coffee machine.

This is a great portable coffee maker if you don’t have room in your luggage to fit another compact coffee maker. The rugged exterior features a carry handle to grab and go. But you’ll also need to grab an extra battery and charger.

Uses packets or ground coffee

Requires 18V battery (not included)

Few brews per battery

Minimal mug clearance

The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single Serve Coffee Maker is a perfect compact solution for brewing pods or ground coffee while traveling. The coffee maker features an interchangeable, reusable filter basket and piercing pod insert, so you can brew coffee however you prefer. With pods, the coffee maker produces 10-ounce coffees, and with ground coffee, you can get a 14-ounce coffee.

The coffee maker requires a lot of power, though – 1,000 watts. That’s not an issue if plugging into a household outlet in a hotel or house rental. But if you want to use this coffee maker in the car, you’ll need a bigger power inverter for a portable coffee maker. Two brewing strengths are a bonus with the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew. Choose between Regular and Bold to begin the brew.

The coffee maker can fit most travel mugs with an 8″ height. The removable cup rest makes it easy to use smaller coffee mugs and the rest doubles as extra storage.

The coffee maker is compact at 13″ tall and weighs just 3 pounds. However, portability is hindered by a fixed 2-foot power cord that cannot be retracted for storage.

Uses pods or ground coffee

10-14-ounce brew capacity

Two brew strength settings

Travel mug compatible

Removable cup rest

The water reservoir is not removable

High power demand

Cannot retract the power cord

Portable coffee makers make it easy to travel with a coffee maker. Compact and lightweight pour over and espresso coffee makers can easily pack into your luggage. Single serve coffee makers are too large for luggage, but some are still small enough to easily pack in your car.

Portable coffee makers work on the same principle as countertop coffee makers at home. Portable coffee makers can use ground coffee, Nespresso pods, or coffee pods. Hot water is poured through the coffee into a travel mug. The only difference with portable coffee makers – and their biggest downside – is how you get the hot water.

Yes, you can bring a coffee maker on a plane. The Transportation Safety Administration allows electronic items like coffee and espresso makers to be packed in carry-on or checked luggage.

Yes, the Transportation Safety Administration allows U.S. fliers to pack portable coffee and espresso makers in their luggage.

Yes, the Transportation Safety Administration allows U.S. fliers to pack portable coffee and espresso makers in carry-on luggage.

Yes, the Keurig K-Mini and Keurig K-Mini Plus are excellent travel coffee makers. Although Keurig does not market them specifically for travel, the compact and lightweight coffee makers are perfect for travel.

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10 Minimalist Travel Essentials – a Minimalist World Traveler Kit

Minimalist travel is an art. It takes a lot of time and practice to master it, and there are many variants. In this context, one of the primary challenges is to find your essentials. Once determined, those essentials will form the basis of your minimalist packing list, creating a set of core items that work on any journey. On this basis, here is my minimalist world traveler kit.

This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclaimer policy here .

Whether you want to travel full-time or go on a two-week adventure, minimalist travel essentials will simplify the journey.

I’ve been on the road more or less continually for the last three years and never carry more than two carry-on backpacks. The two bags fit all of my camera gear, electronics, clothes, and toiletries.

Some sacrifices are necessary, but you don’t have to travel ultralight to benefit from minimalist travel principles .

My 10 minimalist travel essentials – how to travel the world full-time

The following components make up my minimalist packing list. They work in every environment and score points with their versatility and durability.

10 Minimalist Travel Essentials - a Minimalist World Traveler Kit - person holding smartphone in front of lake

1. Two backpacks

First and foremost, a minimalist world traveler kit includes backpacks.

I don’t particularly rate those huge 80L backpacks that many first-time backpackers use. They are cumbersome, impractical, and highly conspicuous. In my 1,000 plus days on the road, I’ve never used a big bulky backpack.

They are also outdated. In 2006, there weren’t many alternatives, but today, hundreds of forward-thinking companies produce smaller, more low-key backpacks that are much better-suited to long-term travel.

Enter PacSafe. For the past couple of years, I have been using their Vibe 40L and their VentureSafe 45L .

I used to travel with an 80L wheeled duffle bag, but I have downsized to the two PacSafes for more comfort and public transport suitability.

I nowadays use the Vibe as a carry-on, mainly for camera gear, and the VentureSafe as my primary luggage. Both are discrete, stylish, and extremely durable. They can handle deserts, tropical rainforests, and snowy treks. They also have world-leading safety features, making them excellent companions for rougher cities.

2. A foldable day-pack (and a dry bag)

Inside my two PacSafe bags, I keep a foldable day-pack and a dry bag for beach expeditions.

One of the secrets of minimalist travel is to combine various pieces of luggage and gear into one another. That’s where foldable day-packs come into play.

The EagleCreek 25L is well-made and sturdy, but most importantly, it folds into a miniature piece that you can easily store in your main backpack.

As such, it works perfectly for day trips and short excursions.

For water sports and beach trips, I also pack a 10L EarthPak dry bag . It doesn’t take up too much space and becomes a life-saving item when you’re carrying expensive electronics on a Southeast Asian island-hopping barge.

3. A water bottle

When it comes to minimalist travel essentials, a reusable water bottle is an unmissable component.

A while ago, I invested in a GRAYL self-cleaning water bottle , and I have not been disappointed. Usable both in cities and in the wild, the GRAYL purifies water and also keeps your beverage hot or cold.

I stopped buying plastic bottles a long time ago, and the GRAYL has been a driving force in regard.

4. Packing cubes

Packing cubes are excellent for minimalist travelers thanks to their versatility and organizational benefits.

By dividing your luggage into different sections, you always know where everything is. As such, they will save you valuable time and also simplify the task of organizing your luggage.

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5. A travel wallet with important documents

To keep your passport, credit cards, flight tickets, and other documents safe, use an RFID-proof travel wallet.

Akin to backpacks, PacSafe is my go-to brand for travel wallets. Their V200 has a sleek minimalist look, high-quality materials, and perfect divisions for all your necessary documents.

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6. Two pairs of shoes

Many first-time globetrotters ask themselves how many pairs of shoes, pants, and other essential clothing items they need.

Everyone has different travel priorities, but I found that packing two pairs of shoes works well for long-term minimalist travel.

I take one pair of rugged outdoor shoes and one pair of white sneakers. I use the former in nature settings and the latter in urban environments.

When it comes to minimalist travel footwear, the crucial point is versatility . Choose shoes that are discrete and inconspicuous.

If you travel over long stretches, your shoes will need to suit different occasions. White sneakers, as an example, work both in a casual setting and a semi-formal atmosphere.

Better still, they can be paired with almost anything – from jeans to chinos and suit trousers.

All-terrain shoes, on the other hand, should also be usable in a casual environment. Don’t take mountaineering or trekking shoes if you only spend two days of your two-month trip in the mountains. You can always borrow special-purpose shoes in particular situations, but your primary footwear should focus on multi-purpose items.

7. A foldable rain jacket

No matter where you go, a foldable rain jacket is an indispensable piece on your minimalist packing list.

Choose your rain jacket according to two criteria:

it shouldn’t take up much space in your luggage. As such, it should fold into a small piece; and
it should be a high-quality, rain-persistent item.

8. Clothes for 10 days

There is an eternal debate among minimalist travelers on how much clothing you need to travel the world.

A straightforward answer doesn’t exist, but in my experience, the ideal solution is to take clothes for ten days. You could find yourself without a washer for a week, which is why you need some spare items.

Take discrete colors and always pack outfits , not individual items. As an example, don’t pack college t-shirts with big logos that make you stand out everywhere. In that same vein, don’t take brightly-colored items that only fit one specific color combination.

Choose your clothes with adaptability in mind, and only take pieces that go with different outfits.

9. Lightweight toiletries

Toiletries are part of my minimalist travel essentials, but I’ve scaled down a lot over the years.

The simple truth is that you can find almost anything at your destination. That’s why there is no point in filling your luggage with easily replaceable toiletries.

Limit your toiletries to essential products, and buy the rest on the road.

10. Versatile travel electronics

Finally, any modern minimalist travel kit will include a wide variety of electronics.

As a photographer, around 30 percent of my luggage contains camera gear. I travel with two mirrorless bodies, three lenses, a Gorillapod, memory cards, etc.

Aside from camera gear, the following are some of my most vital travel electronics:

a laptop: I work online, so my Macbook Pro is my most prized possession;
a travel adapter: you may need it to cater to different plugs around the world. I use an EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter ;
an unlocked smartphone: keep in mind that you may need to change SIM cards;
a power bank: I use the Ravpower PD Powerbank ;
noise-canceling headphones: a critical item on long-haul flights. I use the Bose Soundlink ;
Portable Bluetooth speakers to listen to your music in your hotel room or Airbnb. My favorite small speakers are the Anker Soundcore Mini ; and
external hard drives: if you work as a creator, those hard drives are lifesavers. I use a LaCie 4Tb Rugged HD . I usually carry a few smaller spares.

You may need other electronics depending on your travel style, but those are the ones that secure both peace of mind and productivity on the road.

Useful links on 10 Minimalist Travel Essentials – a Minimalist World Traveler Kit

more in the category “Design”
more under the topic “Travel”
read My 10 Principles of Minimalist Traveling
read The Best Minimalist Purchases to Simplify Your Life

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The Best Travel Mugs to Put at the Top of Your Packing List

By Tyler Chin

Image may contain Bottle Cup Jar and Shaker

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

As we become more conscious of our impact on the environment, many of us are quickly looking for ways to lessen our carbon footprint. One easy way is to ditch the disposable coffee cups at your favorite cafe (or even better) supply your own coffee, and bring it on the go. Because we know nobody likes a lukewarm brew (iced or hot—there is no in-between), we wanted to ensure that you’re only sipping out of one of the best travel mugs around.

The Best Travel Mugs, According to GQ

The Best Travel Mug, Overall : Fellow Carter Slide Mug , $30
The Best-Designed Travel Mug : Miir 360 Traveler , $28
The Best Travel Mug with a Handle : Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug , $33
The Best Jumbo-Sized Travel Mug : Brumate Toddy XL Mug , $40
The Best Wide-Mouth Travel Mug : Kinto Travel Tumbler , $29
The Best Barista-Approved Travel Mug : KeepCup , $30

Because, if you’re anything like us, you may wish you could have a 24/7 caffeine IV. Sadly, that’s not a thing, but the best travel mugs make it so that you never have to be without the cup of Joe. To find the options worthy of your bean juice, we tested and reviewed a handful of models to ensure that your sweet caffeination would be good from the first sip to the last—no matter how long it takes you to finish your bevy. Here’s what the competition boiled down to and which travel mugs are best suited for which kind of person.

The Best Travel Mug, Overall: Fellow Carter Slide Mug

Image may contain: Cylinder, Tin, Can, Trash Can, Bottle, and Shaker

Carter Slide Mug

From its cult-favorite electric kettle to the newly released drip coffee maker of our dreams, Fellow’s been big on coffee gear since the brand first stepped on the scene in 2013. One of its best products is its Carter mug, which won a Specialty Coffee Association award in 2021 for best coffee design. The double-wall vacuumed mug keeps everything nice and warm inside for 12 hours, while the ceramic lining ensures no metal flavors leech into your drink (subsequently, it keeps drinks cold for a full day if that’s more your jam). The matte exterior—which comes in a wide selection of colors—has a grippy texture that’s a pleasure to hold.

The original Carter mug had a regular screw-top lid, which housed a splash guard, preventing any liquid from ending up on your face if you were trying to take a sip and suddenly got jolted. We’re much bigger fans of the slide lid, which slips open with a quick and easy motion of the thumb, though it is a tad annoying having to disassemble it to clean it properly. It’s also completely spill-proof, which we’ve tested through the many times we’ve tossed a full cup of coffee into our bags and ended up with a dry laptop.

The Best-Designed Travel Mug: Miir 360 Traveler

Image may contain: Bottle, Tape, Water Bottle, and Shaker

360 Traveler

Here’s a huge first-world problem: having to rotate your cup seemingly forever to find the opening to grab a sip. Miir’s 360 Traveler combats this by turning the entire circumference of the lid into an opening for sipping. All you have to do is depress the center button and freely sip from wherever you damn well please. Ingenious—we know. Its slim build lets it sit comfortably in most, if not all, car cupholders, and it’ll keep your drink at your desired temperature without having to worry about outside factors—like if you left your hot coffee in an ice-cold car for a couple of hours or vice versa. And if this lid doesn’t suit your fancy, the body is compatible with a number of other Miir toppers, like a regular twist-off or a straw option.

The Best Travel Mug with a Handle: Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug

Image may contain: Cup, Beverage, Coffee, and Coffee Cup

Hydro Flask

Stainless Steel Reusable Mug

Imagine your regular at-home mug, but primed and prepped to take a beating. Hydro Flask’s insulated mug is great for daily sipping, keeping your drinks hot, and being easy to clean. It’s one of the most durable travel mugs we’ve tried, something that the brand has carried across all of its drinkware options. The no-slip exterior is a nice touch, though we’re sure you’ll mostly be holding it from the handle. We also like how smoothly liquids flow through the lid so that you can chug that 8 a.m. coffee long before you’ve made it to the office.

The Best Jumbo-Sized Travel Mug: Brumate Toddy XL Mug

Image may contain: Steel, Bottle, and Shaker

This isn’t just another big dumb cup . Brumate’s Toddy XL has been perfected to help you always keep your big gulps of cold or hot beverages with you. The extra-long handle is a pleasure to hold and makes it easy to hold such a large-format container. If you were to drop this, you could rest easy knowing that none of your contents would spill onto the floor.

The Best Wide-Mouth Travel Mug: Kinto Travel Tumbler

Image may contain: Jar, Pottery, Urn, Bottle, Shaker, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ice Hockey Puck, Rink, Skating, and Sport

Travel Tumbler

Kinto’s array of minimalist tableware and lifestyle gear makes it a winner in the looks department. But functionally? Yeah, we’re big fans of the brand for that, too—especially with this low-key travel tumbler. The sleek container features a tapered lid that makes it easy to grasp, while the thin lip is just a pleasure to drink from, allowing drinks to waterfall seamlessly into your mouth. The wide mouth of the tumbler makes this great for use as an iced coffee mug because you’re more easily able to add ice, but no matter what temperature your drink is, it’ll stay that way for hours and hours.

The Best Barista-Approved Travel Mug: KeepCup

Image may contain: Jar, Pottery, and Cup

Brew Cork Reusable Coffee Cup

Imagine your regular disposable coffee cup, but fashion it out of glass and a reusable lid, and you’ll have KeepCup. The brand was founded by Australian cafe owners as a way to combat overflowing landfills teeming with single-use cups. KeepCup was designed with baristas in mind so that they could use these containers in lieu of disposable options—it sits perfectly under an espresso machine’s group head (where the espresso comes out from) and is sized to replicate industry-standard cup sizes. The lid is splash-proof, not spill-proof, and comes with a cork band that’ll make sure you don’t burn your hands on your hot cuppa.

3 More Travel Mugs We Love

Yeti knows how to keep things cold (just check out its coolers ), and it’s also great at keeping things hot. Why would anyone want a stupidly cute cup that’s this small? Maybe someone likes to use a moka pot on their travels, or they managed to haul their whole espresso setup onto the backroads. We don’t care why someone would want to use this, only that we absolutely love how dainty this thing is and what a pleasure it makes drinking espresso out of. Also, we found that it’s compatible with Yeti’s 10-ounce tumbler lids just to keep the mosquitoes away from your joe.

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Temperature Control Travel Mug

Ember’s temperature-controlled mugs are a godsend for folks who take forever to finish their coffee. The same science is applied to its travel mug, which keeps your drink at the exact temperature you set—between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit—for up to two hours. Its leak-proof lid prevents any unwanted accidents, and it’s fully submersible in water up to one meter in case it accidentally takes a plunge in some liquid.

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For a cheap travel mug that doesn’t suck, RTIC’s is able to keep your bevvies warm and securely inside the container. They’re fully dishwasher safe, which is a plus, and they come in over a dozen colors to match your vibe.

What to Look for in a Travel Mug

Size : Tall? Grande? Venti?! We’re ditching the Starbucks lingo to bring you a variety of travel mug sizes to accommodate however much coffee (or tea or whatever) you tend to drink on the regular. If you’re chugging joe like it’s a Big Gulp, go big with something like the Brumate Toddy XL to make fewer trips to the coffee pot. But if all you need is a quick shot (of espresso) or a moderately sized latte, then maybe something smaller like a KeepCup or dainty Yeti will get you where you need to go. Also note that if you’re pouring a small beverage, like a cortado, into a much larger container, that beverage will cool down faster because of all the empty space, regardless of the vacuum insulation.

Leakproof : We know there are a lot of klutzes around us, so we want to make sure your beverage stays exactly where it should be: in your mouth or your mug. A good travel mug should be leak- and spill-proof, but we made exceptions for the KeepCup, which we think is a great way to opt out of using disposable cups at cafes without disrupting a barista’s routine for making drinks.

Easy to Clean : Not all travel mugs need to be dishwasher safe, but in the hopes that you’re regularly cleaning your container, we made sure to find easy travel mugs to give a thorough cleaning. The last thing you need is built-up gunk in your travel mug to harbor bacteria, leading to sickness or just an overall nasty drinking experience.

How We Tested

We found a variety of travel mugs that were popular with reviewers and tested them to see how they performed with daily use over a prolonged period. We evaluated travel mugs based on their durability, ability to keep beverages hot, and overall aesthetic to determine which options were best for various people. Finally, we assessed how easily these travel mugs came apart to give a thorough cleaning and how long-term use impacted their performance.

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Minimalist Coffee Mugs: Top Picks for an Aesthetic Morning Brew

Minimalist coffee mugs are sleek, simple, and perfect for coffee lovers who appreciate minimalist design. They are perfect for people who want a beautiful and functional mug that doesn’t take up a lot of space.

If you’re looking for a minimalist coffee mug, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, make sure the mug is made for the purpose you want it to serve. Do you want an everyday ceramic coffee mug, a one-of-a-kind hand made mug, a tiny espresso coffee cup, or a travel coffee mug?

Second, choose from a material you like, such as ceramic, stoneware, tempered glass, or stainless steel. You may also want to look for a mug that has a small handle or a handleless design with a comfortable grip to take up less space.

Finally, choose a mug that has a color and style that best fits your aesthetic, whether that’s neutral colors, Japanese minimalist, modern minimalist or anything in between.

Check out this selection of mugs that are hand made from high-quality materials and feature a simple design that is perfect for any minimalist coffee lover.

minimalist coffee mug on wood table with notebook and plant

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This post was sponsored by Etsy but all opinions are my own.

Qualities to look for in a minimalist mug:

Minimalist design aesthetics
Unique or interesting designs
Handmade or hand-crafted
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Double-wall insulated to keep in the heat
Made with quality, durable materials like stainless steel, ceramic or tempered glass
Good customer reviews

For one, a lot of minimalist coffee mugs are hand made. This means that each one is unique, with its own little quirks and imperfections. This uniqueness makes your mug special to you.

Each person in the house can have their own special mug and then you don’t need to have a cupboard overflowing with random mugs that no one really even likes.

Second, minimalist coffee mugs are minimalist in design. This means that they don’t take up a lot of space, and they’re easy to store. You can pop them in a cupboard or on a shelf without taking up too much room.

You could also have a matching set of coffee mugs that are all the same so you never have to worry about someone drinking from your mug. Or if one mug breaks, it’s not a big deal – there are others just like it!

Just be sure to keep only as many mugs on hand as you use. If you would only ever serve coffee or tea to 6 guests at a time, you don’t need a set of 12 mugs!

Qualities to avoid:

Plastic materials
Cheap construction
Non-reusable design (i.e., disposable, one-time use)
Products with a high number of bad reviews

Different Types of Minimalist Coffee Mugs

This curated list of minimalist coffee mugs covers everything from a classic minimalist ceramic mug to minimalist travel coffee mugs and everything in between. Whether you’re looking for a coffee cup for cold brew espresso, or a classic brewed coffee there are options below!

I’ve also included options that are purely aesthetic, from Japanese minimalist coffee mugs to modern minimalist mug and even mugs with minimalist quotes.

Scroll through and find your perfect mug, then click the button to shop.

You might also like: Minimalist Coffee Makers: Top Picks For A Simple Coffee Routine

Minimalist Ceramic Mug

A minimalist ceramic mug is the perfect coffee mug for those who want a simplistic design in a classic coffee cup material.

This cup is crafted without a handle in a sleek and simple design that is still easy to hold. The minimalist ceramic mug comes in two tone ivory and black.

This type of mug is simple and sleek, with a clean design that makes it perfect for everyday use.

Minimalist Coffee Travel Mug

Using a minimalist coffee travel mug is a great way to reduce the amount of stuff you own because it is so multipurpose – taking the place of a water bottle , regular coffee mug, and a travel mug.

I love that this mug is so versatile. It can be used for hot or cold drinks – perfect for drinking coffee, tea or water on the go or at home.

This minimalist coffee travel mug is made from stainless steel, so it’s durable and easy to clean. It also has a comfortable streamlined handle, which makes it easy to hold without taking up extra space in your cupboard.

Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and has the option of adding a custom word or name, so you can choose the design that best matches your aesthetic.

Minimalist Cold Brew Coffee Cup

A cold brew cup is perfect for brewing your favorite coffee drink. The easy-to-grip shape, wide mouth, and pour spout make it easy to use with or without a straw.

Made out of durable and dishwasher-safe glass in a minimalist design that will enhance your cold brew experience.

Minimalist Coffee Mug Set

Having a set of matching mugs is minimalist in the way that you can just grab any mug because they’re all the same.

Since they’re all the same, you save all the mental energy of worrying about whether your favorite mug is clean, whether someone else is using your mug, how much coffee different styles of mugs will hold, or wonder how long your coffee will stay hot in various mugs.

The bohemian minimalist style of these mugs is a perfect addition to your kitchenware.

There are different color variations available, so you can mix and match, or get a matching set for your aesthetic.

Japanese Minimalist Coffee Mug

Japanese minimalist mugs like Soboku mugs are the perfect all-in-one mugs for coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

This one comes with a built in tea strainer as well as a lid to keep your drink hot. The wooden handle and simplistic hand painted mountain design glaze is timeless and beautiful.

Double Wall Insulated Coffee Mug

A double wall insulated mug is a great feature for those who like to take their time drinking their coffee in the morning, or for those who tend to get distracted and come back to find a cold cup of coffee waiting for them.

If you have a double wall insulated coffee mug, you can rest assured that your coffee will stay hot much longer than if it were in a regular mug.

This is because the double wall insulation creates a barrier between the heat and the outside air, which prevents the coffee from cooling down as quickly.

Choose a clear glass one for ultimate minimalist aesthetic, or choose a stainless steel one for durability and functionality.

Travel mugs are also great because they come with a lid to keep the heat in even more.

Modern Minimalist Coffee Mug

This chubby modern minimalist coffee mug is all about the aesthetic. It has a chunky handle and comes with a matching saucer.

You’ll never forget which mug is yours when you have one of these!

Graphic Quote Coffee Mug

If you’re into mugs with cheeky sayings or inspirational quotes about minimalism, there are minimalist versions of that too!

Find one with a quote you like or choose your favorite quote about minimalism or quote about simple living to add to a custom order mug .

Minimalist Stoneware Coffee Mug

This handcrafted minimalist botanical stoneware carved mug features hand carved Monstera Adonsonii, Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma and palm leaves in a neutral glaze. It’s microwave and dishwasher safe and holds 16 fl oz.

Minimalist Espresso Cup

Espresso mugs don’t have to be flashy or ornate. In fact, some of the best espresso mugs are the simplest ones.

A minimalist espresso mug is perfect for those who want a sleek and simple design. These mugs often have clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic that will complement any kitchen.

This one in particular is made from two-toned neutral glazed ceramic and has a comfortable handle, making it perfect for everyday use. It also has a wide mouth, making it easy to fill and clean.

As you can see, there are all sorts of different minimalist coffee mugs out there.

If you’re looking for an option that’s easily available, then a ceramic mug is a good choice. You can also find minimalist coffee mug sets, or a one of a kind minimalist Japanese mug with a modern aesthetic.

If you’re looking for a stoneware mug, there are some great options with minimalist designs. And if you’re looking for an espresso cup or cold brew coffee cup, there are also some great minimalist options available.

Continue reading: The Best Minimalist Dinnerware Set for Everyday Use Minimalist Coffee Maker: Top Picks For A Simple Coffee Routine Hygge Kitchen: Perfectly Cozy Lifestyle Design Ideas Minimalist Hygge: Coziness Meets Minimalism 18 Best Minimalist Aesthetic Water Bottles Minimalist Aesthetic Lunch Boxes

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31 Tips for Minimalist Travel: The Ultimate Guide to Packing Light with Nothing but a Carry-On

Posted by Danielle Dougall | Aug 22, 2023 | Intel , Packing Tips | 0 |

If you’ve ever been on a backpacking trip, you know the merits of minimalist travel. Carry-on only is the way to go.

As the stamps accumulate in your passport, you’ll test out various types of gear and switch out almost all of your initial travel pack. Believe it or not, you can cut down a lot on what you bring. Think about it this way. How many times have you worn the same outfit on your trip? One of the best tips we have for minimalist travel is to stick to the essentials. Unless you’re traveling far off the grid, if you forget something, you can pick it up when you get to your destination.

Alright, Here Goes! This is Your Guide to Minimalist Travel

Alright, before we get to the list of what you should bring, we have a short list of best practices when it comes to minimalist packing for carry-on only:

1. When in Doubt, Leave it Out

I used to be a compulsive overpacker. After a few trips and lugging a backpack so large I looked like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, I learned. Pack light. No, you won’t really wear that chunky knit sweater that’s been hanging in the back of your closet for three months.

In some ways, clothes for traveling are no different than everyday wear. Even if you’re in Europe, you’ll find yourself opting for the comfy classics you usually go to. When you’re carrying around a heavy backpack trying to find your hostel, you won’t say “Damn, I wish I’d brought more stuff.” You’ll find you will also save yourself from airline hassle like extra bag fees and having to check your bag because it doesn’t meet strict weight limits.

2. Invest in Some Good Quality Gear

Whenever I’ve tried to pinch pennies on something I really need, I end up regretting it. Get yourself set up with a good amount of high quality gear right off the bat. Minimalist travel gear is the way to go. Get something in a neutral color that matches your apparel.

3. Accumulate What You do Buy Over Time

There’s no faster way to burn through your savings than to buy all the high quality gear you need at one time. Instead, plan out what you’ll buy with each paycheck in the months leading up to your trip. This is a much better way to budget out what you need, what you’re willing to spend, and get what you need without burning a hole in your wallet. This is a great trip for minimalist travel. You don't need all the bells and whistles.

4. Multi-Purpose Your Items

This is one of the best tips for minimalist travel. Choose neutral colors and styles for almost everything. We’re talking luggage, apparel, shoes, accessories, and the like. When every bottom easily works with every top, you can easily reduce the number of clothing items you bring. Ideally, you should be comfortable wearing each outfit in a number of different settings. Try to bring something for everyday wear, adventure, and something a little more dressy. In the same spirit of minimalist travel, try to get multiple uses out of each item if you can.

5. It’s Not a Competition to See How Much You Can Fit

No judgment. I used to be this way. I remember packing six sweaters, multiple jackets, t-shirts, accessories, and pairs of shoes all into one small carry-on for a month-long trip to Europe. It was bulging at the seams. Take my word for it – don’t do it.

Besides the fact that I didn’t have any room for souvenirs, packing and unpacking was such a hassle. I struggled to get all of my belongings back into the bag and sometimes had to wear three layers of clothes while I was running through an airport to catch my flight. There’s no trophy for overpacking.

Here’s the List of What You Should Bring for Minimalist Travel

Alright, it’s time to get to the good stuff. You want to know what you should bring for minimalist travel. Whether you’re traveling for one week or one month, the right carry-on coupled with smart packing tips will provide enough space for what you need.

1. Backpack

Let’s start with the very basics. You need a solid, durable backpack . Unless you plan on taking public transit throughout the city and rarely walking, you won’t want a rolling suitcase. I took my rolling bag to Stockholm in the winter – cobblestone streets and wheels doesn’t make a good combo. Backpacks are so much easier and you will have less stress about someone running off with your belongings. It happens.

Pack selection is so important. The sweet-spot is a medium-sized carry, about 45L or so. This is the perfect size to take backpacking for minimalist travel. With a pack this size, you can skip the lines to check your bag and bring it as a carry-on. If you’re wondering whether or not it’s the right bag, check the fit. Make sure it’s something you could walk around in comfortably for an hour or so. Other good features include back support and padded straps that won’t cut into your shoulders. Water resistant fabric helps too.

Have you ever used one of these? They are straight up magic. Keep your belongings dry and separate dirty laundry from clean items. You can also use it for a daypack when you’re out and about. Want to know the best part? They take up next to no room. It’s a win-win situation.

3. Combination Padlock

If you’re staying in a hostel (especially in the dorms), I highly recommend investing in a combination padlock for your luggage. You can find some TSA-approved styles on Amazon for a pretty decent price. Investing in a larger padlock is also useful if you plan on renting out a bike.

4. Merino Wool Underwear

Okay, so I know Merino wool is expensive. But honestly, it’s worth every penny. I’m convinced this stuff was woven out of some sort of magic. It doesn’t retain smell. The fabric is moisture wicking, super light, and dries out easily after being washed.

5. Merino Wool Socks

This goes along with the underwear. Unless you’re traveling in the heat of summer, you’re going to want to bring some merino wool socks with you on your journey. Gone are the days of cold, wet feet and blisters. These socks are made from the highest quality materials and will stand up to just about anything you face them with while out in the elements.

6. Shorts and Jeans

Ladies and men, if you’re traveling somewhere warm, bringing the right pair of jeans and shorts is crucial. My trick of the trade is to bring something in a medium to dark wash. It looks classy and pairs well with just about everything.

7. Swimsuit or Swim Trunks

If you’re anything like me, you’re selective with your swimsuits. Not all of them are created equally in style and quality. And I’m sure you know that not all of them offer the same fit like your go-to favorite style. Pack one or two swimsuits for your trip. You can always wash them out and wear them as you go.

8. Short Sleeve Top or T-shirt

This item is a must. Bring something that’s versatile enough to wear in any context. A good standard tee can take you just about everywhere – from the gym, to the streets, to that perfect breakfast place you’ve been dying to try. A good cotton tee is the perfect versatile item you can pair with anything. One to two standard tees should be enough to get you by for a week-long trip. If you’re going to be traveling for a bit longer, make sure your place of accommodation offers laundry facilities. Then, you can wash and re-wear.

9. Long Sleeve Tee

Here’s another must. The long-sleeve tee is such a versatile item. On a slightly more chilly day, it will keep you warm and is perfect for layering. The best part is it’s still lightweight enough to wear casually. One of these is perfect for your carry-on.

10. Oxford Shirt

This is the item that will cross over for both casual and dressy events. Ladies and men, bring along one oxford shirt for your trip. Something with a stiffer fabric and collar will not wrinkle as easily as a regular tee. Even if it does, you can invest in some anti-wrinkle clothing spray, pack a portable mini steamer, or simply use the iron at your hotel.

11. Shell Jacket

Unless you plan on traveling in the dead of winter, a shell jacket will work just fine to shield you from the cold. I highly recommend investing in one that’s waterproof, in case you’re caught in a sudden downpour. This happened to me in London – multiple times. Be prepared, people! Besides cutting the wind and rain, you’ll appreciate that extra little bit of warmth.

12. Muscle Tank

Use this for your vacation workout sessions, early morning run, or basically anytime it’s too hot to wear a regular shirt. I know I could have used a muscle tank on my recent trip to Miami. If you’re traveling somewhere hot, beat the stickiness of humidity by bringing along some cool, cotton clothes. It will really go a long way.

Footwear and Accessories

13. comfortable sandals.

Having comfortable sandals on your travels is an absolute must. If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, your standard pair of flip flops are not going to cut it. The kind of sandals we’re talking about offer toe protection, arch support, and if you’re lucky, are water resistant too. Sandals geared towards hiking will get you from point A to B. Check out some of our favorite picks for the best hiking sandals here .

14. A Good Pair of Walking Shoes

If you’re anything like me, exploring a new city means you’re going to be on your feet a lot. Who needs the Metro when you have two feet, am I right? Well, at least until I’m good and tired. You’re going to need to bring at least one pair of good walking shoes that offer ample support and are comfortable. The best practice is to wear the shoes that take up the most space on the plane and pack the smaller pair in your carry-on. It’s minimalist travel 101.

15. A Light Scarf

Minimalist travel calls for a light scarf. This piece is so versatile. Since you’ll be packing for minimalist travel and re-wearing the same pieces, you’re going to need accessories to mix it up a bit. Packing a light scarf takes up next to no space and it’s a good way to make the same old outfit look cute and fresh.

16. Baseball Cap or Beanie

Depending on where you’re traveling and what the weather's like, you’re going to want a hat. Not only is it a cute way to tie an outfit together but it’s also perfect for those “I can’t control my hair” days.

17. Sunglasses

Even if you’re traveling somewhere in the fall or winter, you’ll be surprised at how often you’ll end up wearing them. I’ve gotten into the habit of wearing my sunglasses all year-round to protect my eyes from harmful UV rays. A great type of unisex sunglasses that go with everything are from Ray-Ban.

Toiletries, Cosmetics, and Miscellaneous Items

Okay, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. I’m talking about toiletries and those miscellaneous items you find you’ll need. Some European airlines are strict with the amount of liquids they allow you to bring through security for either a checked bag or carry-on. If you’re traveling domestically (in the U.S.), you should be fine as long as your liquids are in containers smaller than 3.5 fluid oz.

A quick checklist of what to bring is shampoo, conditioner, soap or body wash, cologne or perfume, makeup wipes, cosmetics, travel toothbrush, toothpaste, Q-tips, and dental floss or tooth picks.

However, some European airlines and airports (including major ones) can be very strict with what they allow you to bring. One time in Germany, I had to fit all of my toiletries into one small ziploc bag for security and throw out the rest. Make sure you know airline policy before you travel. Think about minimalist travel, people.

18. Leak-Proof Toiletries Bag

Invest in a good toiletries bag for your trip. Make sure it’s not too big; you don’t want to take up too much space in your bag. A hanging leak-proof toiletry bag is especially useful. You can you bring it in the hostel or hotel bathroom while you’re getting ready. Even better, you won’t have to worry about your shampoo leaking out all over your clothes.

19. Microfiber Towel

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten a towel on a trip and wished I’d brought one. You would be surprised at how many hostels and Airbnbs don’t provide them for guests. Before you go, buy a cheap microfiber quick-drying towel to take with you. Most small towels won’t take up too much space in your bag and it will save you a whole lot of hassle later. This minimalist travel hack is key.

20. Potions and Lotions

Considering you’ll get free soap at your hotel, you don’t really need to bring one. However, if you’re staying at a youth hostel or Airbnb, you’ll probably want to pack a mini travel bar (with a case) and/or a mini body wash. Another key thing to bring is a mini SPF 30+ sunscreen for those days you’ll be exploring a lot. Nothing screams tourist like a bad sunburn.

21. Shavers and Trimmers

Bring along some travel shavers and a trimmer. Guys, the Wahl Travel Trimmer is a good option. It’s battery operated (aka cordless), lightweight, and affordable.

22. Money, ID, Debit and Credit Cards, Travel Documents, and Passport

Sounds like you could use something to organize all of that. Nothing in the world is more stressful than digging for your passport or ID in an airport line. Make traveling simpler and stress-free with some of the best organizational products for minimalist travel. Consider investing in a passport holder or travel wallet , where you can store all the important things.

23. Pen and Notebook

I love to take a travel journal and pen on my travels. In addition to taking photos, writing about your day or jotting down a quick notes is a great way to capture what you’re feeling in the moment. Moleskine has a great selection of stylish, compact journals perfect for minimalist travel.

Health and Fitness

24. vitamins, supplements, and necessary prescription medicine.

There’s nothing worse than being sick on a trip. Make sure you bring along a small pill box in your toiletry case and label it by section. I like to bring alone cold preventative medicine like Airborne, zinc tablets, and vitamin c. If you have necessary prescription medicine you need to bring too, this is a great way to keep it organized.

25. Sleep Aids

Wanna know how to feel like you’re flying first class in economy seating? Think comfy. People on the plane can be loud. Bring some ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones, and a sleep mask. I also like to bring a small book, carry-on travel blanket, and neck pillow. The natural sleep aid melatonin is great for when you need a snooze. Just make sure you can take it in conjunction with any medication you may already be taking.

26. Resistance Band and Download Fitness App

It’s hard to stay fit while you’re traveling. I’ve taken two one-month long trips to Europe and I can honestly tell you I didn’t work out either time. What I can tell you though is I ate chocolate – and a lot of it. Looking back, I wish I had made fitness a priority while I traveled.

There are some fun ways you can incorporate fitness into your travel plans without disrupting your day. Traveling in London? Go for a scenic morning jog in Green Park. Staying in Bali? Take a morning hike. Walking a lot will help you stay in shape too. Sometimes it’s good to skip out on using the public transit. Bring a resistance band and download a fitness app for in-room exercise.

Electronics

Unless you’re traveling for work or freelance, chances are you won’t need to bring that much in the way of electronics. But just for the sake of being thorough, let’s take a look at what you might need to bring.

27. Acer Chromebook R11

Sure, the obvious choice for most is the Macbook Air but if you’re traveling, do you really want to take an expensive piece of equipment with you? The R11 weighs only 2.7 pounds, costs less than $300, and is good for anything up to basic video editing. With a 360 degree touch screen, you can also use it as a tablet to read on, work, or watch movies. Did I mention it has 10 plus hours of battery life? This thing is amazing.

28. A Portable Travel Camera

If you’re looking for a good, portable camera that gets the job done, consider the Sony RX 100 II. For its size, you won’t believe what beautiful images this little piece of gear takes. Unless you’re a serious photographer, you can save yourself a lot of weight and space by skipping out on bringing a DSLR. The Sony RX Series are some of the best on the market and you’ll have a hard time beating the price point.

29. Wireless or Noise Cancelling Headphones

Credit: Gavin Whitner

Some of the best things you can bring on a plane are wireless or noise cancelling headphones. Just make sure you think ahead – wireless ones will only work with your phone or other Bluetooth capable electronic device. If you want to be able to plug into the plane’s movie screen and watch, bring a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Want to know an added bonus? It’s a great way to drown out the sound of the screaming toddler behind you.

30. Universal Travel Adapter

If you’re a newbie to travel, you probably didn’t know that your standard iPhone charger won’t work in many places abroad. You’re going to need to pack a universal travel adapter. These handy plugs come in various styles to fit international outlets. So go ahead and plug your phone charger, hair dryer, you name it in. It will fit. They are ridiculously cheap and worth the purchase.

31. Extra USB Charger

Don’t get me wrong. I love my iPhone but Apple’s chargers are famously flimsy. Bring an extra USB charger with you so you’re not out of luck (or have to run to the store) if one happens to break.

31. Maps.me

Here’s another thing you probably didn’t know. No matter how great your phone service carrier is here, your data will crawl when you’re abroad. Yup, even if you get yourself an international phone plan. The only time my iPhone worked fast in Europe was when I was connected to wifi at a coffee shop or hotel – and sometimes not even then.

To avoid getting lost when you’re exploring, download an app like Maps.me before you go. This lovely little creation works when you’re offline and don’t have any data. Navigation has never been easier.

It’s Time to Get Packing

That’s all! I hope you enjoyed reading my tips for minimalist travel. Take it from a former compulsive overpacker, more is not the way to go. Traveling light helps keep you more organized, stress-free, and is easier on your back. Let’s just be honest. Now, it’s time to get packing. Keep this list handy.

Questions and Comments

Do you have any questions or comments for us? If so, we would love to hear them. Feel free to leave a message for us below. We will be sure to get back with you soon.

Related Article: Best Lightweight Carry On Luggage (Plus How to Make the Best Choice)

About The Author

Danielle Dougall

Danielle Dougall is a photographer, avid writer, and traveler. Hailing from the rainy city of Seattle, WA she now lives in southern California where she enjoys longboarding, hiking, coffee shop hopping, and dreaming up destinations for her next international trip.

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Minimalist Packing (a.k.a. One-Bagging, Ultralight Travel…)

What’s the point of this? To put it as a dichotomy…

You go with the false sense of security that you have everything you made need for total comfort, just like at home.
You blow more of your travel budget on a taxi on arrival to deal with getting all your stuff to your lodging—and you have to stay in a hotel rather than in a quaint Barcelona walkup because you can’t do stairs with all that stuff.
You have fewer new experiences , because your stuff and carried comfort separates you from how locals do things.
Your back gets messed up from carrying weight; you can’t walk to new trails or hit new dance floors.
You have constant worries about keeping all that stuff secure.

Pack Lightly

You go knowing that you will encounter the unexpected , and be inevitably unprepared for something—but have learning experiences.
You head straight from the Barcelona train station to a lively tapas joint without needing to worry about wrangling your stuff , your carry on (wheeled!) backpack is small enough to hang from the bar edge by a travel hook .
You learn how to drink from your host’s traditional wine squirt sack because you’re not carrying a wine kit (though you might have a tiny wine corkscrew on your keychain)
You arrive the first night with energy to spare for Brazilian dancing or just letting loose to your small-but-potent travel speaker
You have less stuff to lose/have stolen .
You can always buy stuff that you need as you go —weird stuff with a local charm.

What are the strategies for going lighter and what few things are really worth carrying? Well, see our minimalist packing list .

And, while we urge you to not buy new anything that you already have, it is wise to have the few things you carry work really well. We can help with our reviews of specific gear .

Our Articles About Minimalist Packing and Gear Reviews

A quality leather men’s city bag with thoughtful organization for travel: our review of the grams28 154 city pack.

Traveler daypacks don’t have to be fluorescent colors and don’t have to be fanny packs nor paired-down backpacker packs with hydration tubes sticking out. They can be classy and yet well-thought-out organizational features. We’ve spent a few weeks trying out one such option from Grams28: The 154 City Pack. It’s quite a bit different from…

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The Danger of USB Charge Points — and How to Charge Your Devices in Public Safely

I am not a super spy, with secrets to keep. But I also don’t really want to get my devices all gunked up with the viruses that governments are using to go after each other. I recently dove into the research on the perils of using public USB charge points in airports, trains, buses, libraries,…

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Travel Power Bank Recommendations: Avoid the Dire Travel Consequences of a Dead Phone Battery!

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Osprey Farpoint Fairview Travel Daypack Review: My Tests in European City Use

My current favorite daypack for everyday travel use in most situations

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The Endless Possibilities of a Travel Hook: Keep Stuff Accessible without Taking Up Too Much Space

A simple, small tool for hanging things anywhere while on the go

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The Travel Water Bottles that Collapse Down the Smallest—Reviewed

Your Minimalist Guide Mose Hayward Likes Foldable Stuff I get thirsty, but I hate buying plastic bottles of water. And I hate taking up extra space in my pack; I’m a minimalist travel packer, after all. The solution is collapsible water bottles. I’ve tried a number of them and nothing is perfect, but there are…

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Recommendations for Larger (Checked Luggage) Rolling Backpacks

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The Differences in the Top Osprey Daypacks — And How to Choose the Perfect Smaller Pack for Daily Use

I’m obsessed with lightweight travel and have been using Osprey packs and daypacks for years. I also think they’re very much worth recommending for school, hiking, cycling, outdoor sports, shopping, carrying laptops and gear for work, and more. Me with my current favorite, especially when on the road: The Osprey Farpoint Fairview Travel Daypack I’m…

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Wheeled Backpacks for Girls: Cute Designs that Will Roll Through the School Year

Your Backpack Guide Mose Hayward Prefers Wheels What are the cutest, funnest backpacks for girls with the convenience of wheels? We’ve put together photos of the designs along with our thoughts on what are the most durable and useful options for elementary, middle and high school use. There are cute options that are also quite…

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The Most Durable Rolling School Backpacks (2023 Recommendations)

Your Backpack Guide Mose Hayward Rolling the World We’re constant users of rolling backpacks in travel, so we wanted to take what we’ve learned from the experience to find the most durable and practical wheeled backpacks for elementary, middle, and high school use. We looked at the wheeled backpacks from both well-established and rather unknown…

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How to Choose Between Eagle Creek Convertible Carry-Ons: The Caldera International, Gear Warrior, and Expanse International

Your Guide Mose Hayward Convertible Backpacker As someone who for for more than a decade has basically lived out of various convertible rolling backpack carry-ons, I feel like I know what to look for when comparing them. So I recently took an interest in the Eagle Creek lineup of bags with both backpack straps and…

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The Best Larger, All-in-One Toiletry Bag for Digital Nomadism and Long-Term Travel

Here we’ll review the Eagle Creek Pack-It Wallaby Organizer and some other options for those who carry a full set of cosmetics and toiletries while travelling. Your Guide Mose Hayward Minimalist-ish Traveler We pooled wisdom of a few long-term digital nomads, including especially women, who have somewhat larger arsenals of grooming products, soaps, and cosmetics…

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Review of the Osprey UltraLight Zip Organizer—After Years of Constant Travel Use

Your Guide Mose Hayward Minimalist Vagabond I have used the Osprey UltraLight Zip Organizer for over four years of nearly constant travel, and yes, in that period I have frequently brushed my teeth, shaved, and even showered. This small toiletry bag has stood by me for all of those adventures, storing and organizing my implements…

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Our Top Choices in Minimalist Toiletry Bags—Simple, No-Frills, and Ultra-Lightweight

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How I Set Up a Dual-Screen Standing Desk That’s Actually Portable

Your Guide Mose Hayward Nomadic Laptop User After a bit of failure, here’s the portable standing desk setup that I’ve finally arrived on, designed to go anywhere and still work while standing up with good posture: the monitor at eye height and the keyboard just below elbow height. My requirements for a portable standing desk…

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Minimalist Packing: I’ve Been Traveling Nearly Constantly for Two Decades—Here’s What I Learned Is Worth Carrying, and Not Carrying

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How to Choose Among the Top Osprey Backpacks for Trekking

Wisdom from a hardened trail expert on the differences in Osprey packs and how to select just the right one for overnight hikes or long hikes in the wilderness, from winter to summer, desert to mountains

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The Best Head/Body Hair Trimmer I’ve Found for Travel

I’ve tried out various hair clippers over the years, and they all put up with abuse on the road. I’m happy to finally have found one that I can write about and recommend here for you minimalists, who want the few things you take to work well, and serve multiple purposes. Top Pick for Travel…

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On the Snobbish, Obtuse Evil of Travelling with Portable Coffee Gear

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The Essential Travel Trade-Off: Less Luggage = More & Greater Adventures

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Experienced Travellers Inevitably Go Minimalist

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Rolling Backpacks: For the Lightest, Most Comfortable One-Bag Travel

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The Best Universal Power Plug Adapter for Travel with Fast-Charging USB-C

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We Listened to the Best Travel Speakers — Here Are the Top Small, Durable Marvels with Great Sound

We’ve tried out oodles of portable Bluetooth speakers over the years and we update this article as new options come out.

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Can I Take Fido? Top Tips for Riding European Trains With Dogs

Your Guide Beth Hoke Traveler, Dog Owner For over two years I’ve been crisscrossing Europe by train with a dog. I am a digital nomad and the dog in question is actually my daughter’s, but is with me while my daughter finishes her degree. So where I go, the dog goes. Traveling around Europe may…

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Study Abroad Packing: What to Bring, What to Leave Behind

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What to Pack for Brazil: The Minimalist’s Checklist for Smoother Travel

We’ve been taking long trips around Brazil for years, and boy, the dumb things we’ve seen our fellow gringos carrying. I suppose it’s hard to know what to pack for Brazil, but heavy clothes, wheeled oversize plastic suitcases, fancy watches — these are all asking for trouble in various ways. The ideal packing checklist for…

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The Best of Rolling Women’s Laptop Bags, Purses and Carry-Ons

A couple of savvy, stylish female travellers spent a week with me examining rolling laptop bags and purses to see what looks best, what’s rated well, and what would serve most common needs. So here we’ve picked out the top options designed for women — generally with the look and style of a purse, but…

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Rolling Laptop Bags: What’s Great, and What’s Junk

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The Best EU- and TSA-Compliant Travel Corkscrew for Opening Wine While Travelling

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The Best Small Toiletry Bags for Travel—for Those Who Can Pack Light

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The Coolest Flask/Wine Skin/Road-Drinking Companion/Picnic Wine Vessel: The Bota!

The original collapsible travel water/wine vessel is from Spain: the bota.

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Our Reviewers’ Picks of Underrated, Useful Travel Gear

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Russian Kitchen

7 unusual kinds of coffee you can try in Moscow

1. Coffee with unicorn milk

Yes, you heard right. Cafe 8/25, located at the Flacon creative space , serves coffee that is just as creative as its location. Its menu features a pink latte with unicorn milk (250 rubles, $3.40) that is described as being “delicate, sweet, with a hint of berries and flowers.” It is decorated with freeze-dried raspberries on top. The secret behind this coffee’s strange magic is combining milk (non-dairy options are available) and berry puree. In the summer, they also offer a cold version of this unusual drink.

2. Parmesan latte

Cheese coffee is a new trend in Moscow coffee houses. Several of the city's popular coffee places offer signature drinks that combine coffee and different types of hard and soft cheese. The parmesan latte (300 rubles, $4) is the signature drink and a customer favorite at VM, a small café located at VDNKh.

3. Disco Pony

This summertime coffee drink, which you can find at Mike’s Coffee in the Patriarch's Ponds neighborhood, has a funny name. The Disco Pony (300 rubles, $4) is a version of an espresso tonic with lemon syrup and lemongrass that will appeal to anyone who is fond of sweet and sour combinations. The café's menu has a wide selection of interesting coffees, ranging from the classics to a latte with charcoal.

4. Coffee flavored like Soviet candy

Generally speaking, Eggcellent on Tverskoy Boulevard specializes in making all sorts of egg dishes, but it is a good place for coffee lovers as well—especially since they can enjoy a hearty breakfast while getting their caffeine fix. They offer a coffee that tastes like Korovka candy. Even if you don’t remember (or don’t know) how the candy tastes, this caramel coffee (350 rubles, $4.70) will take you back to a real Soviet childhood.

5. Bulletproof coffee with salt

If you are on a keto diet, there can never be too much butter in your coffee. Bulletproof coffee has already been a staple on the menus of many cafes in Moscow for several years, but this interpretation of the classic is only served at Zarya on Petrovka Street. It is an espresso-based coffee made with ghee and coconut oil along with cinnamon, turmeric and pink Himalayan salt. You can add Erythritol for sweetness. As you would expect, all the ingredients are organic and eco-friendly.

6. Yesterday Brew

Cafe Introvert, filled with tables for one, is hidden in the small lanes off Myasnitskaya Street and specializes in unusual types of coffee. Perhaps the most interesting example is their Yesterday Brew (300 rubles, $4), which contains a glass of espresso, pomegranate juice and mint. The menu also features all kinds of drinks based on non-dairy milk and a variety of vegetarian options.

7. Bird's Milk Raf coffee

Raf coffee is the most famous coffee invented in Russia (find out more about its history here ). These days, you will find Raf coffee at just about every cafe in the country. Enterprising baristas have since thought up dozens of variations on the original, including things like fruit syrups, pine nuts, rosemary and orange zest. The coffee chain Coffee Like serves a Raf coffee that tastes like the popular Soviet dessert Bird's Milk —a sponge cake with soufflé and chocolate. It is really something!

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White House Worries Russia’s Momentum Is Changing Trajectory of Ukraine War

Multiple factors are helping Russia’s military advance, including a delay in American weaponry and Moscow’s technological innovations on the battlefield.

Share full article

Men in black uniforms stand at attention, with green military vehicles in the background.

By David E. Sanger , Julian E. Barnes and Kim Barker

Reporting from Washington

Just 18 months ago, White House and Pentagon officials debated whether Russia’s forces in Ukraine might collapse and be pushed out of the country entirely.

Now, after months of slow Russian ground advances and technological leaps in countering American-provided arms, the Biden administration is increasingly concerned that President Vladimir V. Putin is gathering enough momentum to change the trajectory of the war, and perhaps reverse his once-bleak prospects.

In recent days, Moscow’s troops have opened a new push near the country’s second-biggest city, Kharkiv, forcing Ukraine to divert its already thinned-out troops to defend an area that it took back from Russian forces in a stunning victory in the fall of 2022.

Artillery and drones provided by the United States and NATO have been taken out by Russian electronic warfare techniques, which came to the battlefield late but have proven surprisingly effective. And a monthslong debate in Washington about whether to send Ukraine a $61 billion package of arms and ammunition created an opening that Russia has clearly exploited, even though Congress ultimately passed the legislation.

In interviews, American officials express confidence that many of these Russian gains are reversible once the spigot of new arms is fully opened, most likely sometime in July, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine finds ways to bring more — and younger — troops to the front lines. But they are hesitant to offer predictions of where the battle lines may stand even a few months from now, or whether Mr. Zelensky will be able to mount his long-delayed counteroffensive next year, after one last spring fizzled.

American and allied officials interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity, in order to discuss intelligence reports and sensitive battlefield assessments. But some of the concerns have spilled out in public comments.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said with some understatement on Sunday that “ there’s no doubt there’s been a cost ” to the long delays in sending arms. He insisted, in his appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” that “we’re doing everything we can to rush this assistance out there.” But American officials say President Biden continues to reject the suggestion from President Emmanuel Macron of France that deployment of Western troops in Ukraine may be necessary, an assessment that Mr. Macron’s office said recently he “stands by absolutely.”

In private, some of Mr. Biden’s aides worry that just as the United States has learned key lessons from the war — about technologies that work and those that do not — so has Mr. Putin. And their biggest concern is that as Russia replaces weaponry wiped out in the first 27 months of the war, Mr. Putin may be regaining ground just as Mr. Biden prepares to meet his closest allies at a Group of 7 meeting in Italy next month. It is unclear whether Mr. Biden will be able to repeat the claim he made in Finland last summer, that Mr. Putin “has already lost that war.”

Some veterans of dealing with Mr. Putin’s serial confrontations are unsurprised at this turn in events.

“Russia oftentimes starts its wars poorly and finishes strong,” Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser under President George W. Bush, said at a Harvard conference on Friday. Now, he said, Russia has “brought its mass” — a far larger population to draw troops from, and a “huge military infrastructure” — to mount a comeback.

As Mr. Hadley suggested, there is no single reason for Moscow’s battlefield advantage. Instead, multiple factors are helping Russia’s military advance.

Because of the delay in U.S. funding, Russia has been able to achieve a huge artillery advantage over Ukraine. The lack of air defense ammunition has also allowed Russia to use its air power with more impunity, attacking Ukrainian lines with glide bombs. With more air defense ammunition, Ukraine would be able to force those planes farther back, making it more difficult for Russia to attack from the air.

The delay in American supplies has been matched by a similarly long delay by Ukraine in approving a mobilization law to bring more, and younger, soldiers into its military. Ukraine is suffering acute shortages of soldiers, and is struggling to provide adequate training to those it brings into the military.

But all those Russian advantages will not last indefinitely, and Russian forces are likely to make a push this summer, said Michael Kofman, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.

“In 2024, the Russian military enjoys a material advantage, and the strategic initiative, though it may not prove decisive,” Mr. Kofman said. “This year represents a window of opportunity for Russia. But if the Russian military is not able to turn these advantages into battlefield gains and generate momentum, there’s a fair chance that this window will begin to close as we enter 2025.”

Whether it is temporary or not, Russia’s new momentum is most evident in Kharkiv, scene of one of the biggest tank battles of World War II. In 2022, it was at the center of fighting in the first year of the war, with the city coming under artillery fire from advancing Russian troops.

In a surprise counteroffensive that fall, Ukrainian troops fought off the drive to the city, then pushed Russian forces out of the region, reclaiming a huge swath of land. The Russian humiliation, there and in the southern city Kherson, was so extensive that it led to one of the biggest fears of that period in the conflict: that the Russians would make use of a battlefield nuclear weapon against the Ukrainian troops as a last resort .

Since then, Ukraine has been able to use that recaptured territory near Kharkiv to conduct harassing attacks into Russia. Those attacks have prompted the Russians to retake land in recent weeks to create a buffer zone that Mr. Putin has said will make cross-border attacks harder for Ukraine to carry out. Recently, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has called the Russian advance near Kharkiv “critical.”

Some outside experts caution that Russia’s real strategic aim in taking territory around Kharkiv is to force Ukraine’s troops to move to reinforce the city, weakening the front lines elsewhere. That could set up an opportunity for another Russian drive in June, in the Donbas, the part of eastern Ukraine that the Kremlin has illegally annexed and is trying to capture.

“The Russian offensive aim is likely to draw Ukrainian reserves and elite units, then pin them in Kharkiv, thereby weakening the rest of the front,” Mr. Kofman said. “The primary Russian objective still remains recapturing the rest of the Donbas.”

Whether they are able to do so may depend in part on how successful Mr. Zelensky is in his effort to find new troops to relieve a weary, often demoralized force. He has moved the age of Ukrainians subject to the draft to 25 from 27, despite considerable resistance within the Ukrainian public.

The United States is also trying to bolster technical advice to Kyiv, hoping to counter Russian technological advances. In some cases, Russia has successfully deceived GPS receivers, throwing off the targeting of Ukrainian arms, including a variety of missiles shot from HIMARS launchers , which Mr. Biden began providing to Ukraine last year.

Those launchers are scarce, but the Russians have grown more successful in tracing their movements, and in some cases destroying them even when they are well camouflaged.

These battlefield advantages are ephemeral, of course, and the war may look as different 18 months from now as it does from 18 months ago. But there is a growing sense inside the Biden administration that the next few months could prove critical, because at some moment the two sides may finally move to a negotiated cease-fire, an armistice similar to the one that ended the active fighting in Korea in 1953 — or simply a frozen conflict.

David E. Sanger covers the Biden administration and national security. He has been a Times journalist for more than four decades and has written several books on challenges to American national security. More about David E. Sanger

Julian E. Barnes covers the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The Times. He has written about security issues for more than two decades. More about Julian E. Barnes

Kim Barker is a Times reporter writing in-depth stories about national issues. More about Kim Barker

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

The Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s talks with President Vladimir Putin of Russia were a show of solidarity between two autocrats battling Western pressure.

Ukraine asked the Biden administration to provide more intelligence on the position of Russian forces and military targets inside Russia.

NATO is inching closer to sending troops into Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces . The move could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war.

Putin’s Victory Narrative: The Russian leader’s message to his country appears to be taking hold : that Russia is fighting against the whole Western world — and winning.

A Boxing Win Offers Hope: The Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk became the world’s undisputed heavyweight champion, a victory that has lifted morale in a country struggling to contain Russian advances.

Frozen Russian Assets: As much as $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Ukraine’s allies are considering how to use those gains to aid Kyiv .

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COMMENTS

How To Travel Like A Minimalist: Packing List And More
Minimalist Daily Travel Essentials. One of the best things to do when it comes to packing the rest of your miscellaneous daily items is to have a central location in your home where these items live regularly. This could look like a catchall tray, a storage bin, or a backpack or travel bag. Keep daily essentials like chargers, electronics, a ...
My Minimalist Frugal Travel Coffee Brewing Method
Being minimalist and frugal go hand in hand 欄 (especially when traveling). Being a minimalist and frugal make travel a lot easier… most of the time. I'll admit to a few sacrifices and challenges along the way, but all in all, a much better travel experience when being minimalist and frugal while traveling. I'm also a big coffee drinker ...
Travel Coffee Kits: My Two Favorites, Tested Around The World
Option 1: A minimalist pour-over coffee travel kit. Choose a dripper that collapses to pack flat. Bring a quality hand grinder, since grinding fresh is critical for flavor. Replace your usual kettle with a microwave-safe glass or silicone measuring cup. Keep beans in their valved bag to minimize air volume.
Travel Coffee- How to Make Great Coffee While Traveling Light
Travel Coffee- Brewing a Great Cup of Coffee While Traveling Light. Watch on. The brewing process should be fairly simple. Fill your stainless steel pitcher with 300mL or so of water. Fully submerge your immersion water heater in the water and clip it on the side. Plug in the water heater.
How to Make Great Coffee While Traveling (Expert Guide)
To make it, start with a coarse grind. Next, boil your coffee and water together for a few minutes. The grinds should sink to the bottom. Pour out the brewed coffee into a mug, and cup and that's it. You're a cowboy coffee pro, and now you see why any ole cowboy can do this while on the road.
15 Best Travel Coffee Makers: The Best Ways to Make Coffee While
The compact size, versatility, and ease of use make infusion baskets excellent portable portable, minimalist travel and backpacking coffee maker options. Any well-reviewed infusion basket on Amazon that explicitly states it can be used for coffee will work just fine. I recommend checking out these options: Yoassi Steel Mesh Strainer
The Best Instant Coffee for Traveling (2019)
It's great for making a quick cup of coffee on the airplane or in a hotel room, but it's also good to keep on hand for whenever you need a caffeine boost (and hot water is nearby). Buy it: $15 for ...
How To Make Great Coffee When Traveling, Every Time
BREW. Finally, you'll need something to actually make the coffee with. Electric kettles are commonplace in hotels and, while they don't typically have the goose-neck spouts that are ideal for ...
The Best Instant Coffee and Travel-Friendly Coffee
Take the best instant coffee on the road with you when you travel by plane, train, or car this holiday season. We tried great single-serve coffee from Counter Culture, Verve, Joe, and other great ...
Guide to Making Coffee While Traveling
Because I often like to bring my favorite beans along with me, I use the Friis 12oz Coffee Vault, which provides airtight storage, while also filtering out CO2. The 12 oz is 5.5×5.5×8 inches, but, if you have more space allowance, there is also a 16 oz version available. One final item I include is a mini thermometer.
On the Snobbish, Obtuse Evil of Travelling with ...
On the Snobbish, Obtuse Evil of Travelling with Portable Coffee Gear. Let's talk about what you're missing when you travel with your Aeropress, you self-righteous, jittery vagabond. "Enjoying" a cup of local coffee in Belgrade, because I'm a trooper and didn't bring my own gear. Or the other famous road espresso gear: your Wacaco ...
A Minimalist Coffee Guide: How to Be a Sustainable Coffee Consumer
Heat Water. The ideal temperature to brew coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. You typically can heat the water to boiling then let it sit for just a minute and it will be perfect brewing temperature, some heat will be lost while brewing so it will be pretty tough to brew too hot when brewing at home.
The 16 Best Portable Coffee Makers for Travel
The Jettle Electric Kettle is the most portable hot water kettle on the market. At 10″ tall and 4″ in diameter, the cylindrical device is easy to pack in your luggage. And with a 16-ounce capacity, you'll have boiling water in about five minutes. The power cord disconnects and stores inside the device for travel.
10 Minimalist Travel Essentials
Picture by Thom Holmes / Unsplash. 1. Two backpacks. First and foremost, a minimalist world traveler kit includes backpacks. I don't particularly rate those huge 80L backpacks that many first-time backpackers use. They are cumbersome, impractical, and highly conspicuous.
9 Best Travel Mugs of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
The Best Travel Mug, Overall: Fellow Carter Slide Mug, $30. The Best-Designed Travel Mug: Miir 360 Traveler, $28. The Best Travel Mug with a Handle: Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug, $33 ...
Minimalist Coffee Mugs: Top Picks for an Aesthetic Morning Brew
Minimalist Coffee Travel Mug . Using a minimalist coffee travel mug is a great way to reduce the amount of stuff you own because it is so multipurpose - taking the place of a water bottle, regular coffee mug, and a travel mug. I love that this mug is so versatile. It can be used for hot or cold drinks - perfect for drinking coffee, tea or ...
31 Tips for Minimalist Travel: The Ultimate Guide to ...
Minimalist travel calls for a light scarf. This piece is so versatile. Since you'll be packing for minimalist travel and re-wearing the same pieces, you're going to need accessories to mix it up a bit. Packing a light scarf takes up next to no space and it's a good way to make the same old outfit look cute and fresh. 16. Baseball Cap or ...
The Minimalists' Favorite Coffee
The Minimalists' Choice. In 2016, The Minimalists, alongside our friends Sarah and Joshua Weaver, opened a coffeehouse in St. Petersburg, Florida: Bandit.A year later, we began roasting our own coffee, and until recently, the only places you could get a cup of Bandit Coffee were inside the four walls of our shop or in a handful of coffeehouses that carry it.
11 Minimalist Coffee Shops in Dubai
Dubai boasts a thriving coffee culture that caters to anyone - even the discerning minimalist. From sleek Scandinavian-inspired spaces to industrial chic sanctuaries, these coffee shops redefine the art of coffee consumption while providing inspo for your Pinterest boards. . 11 Minimalist Coffee Shops in Dubai. coffee consumption, coffee culture, coffee shops in Dubai, DUBAI, industrial chic ...
Minimalist Packing (a.k.a. One-Bagging, Ultralight Travel…)
A Quality Leather Men's City Bag with Thoughtful Organization for Travel: Our Review of the Grams28 154 City Pack. Traveler daypacks don't have to be fluorescent colors and don't have to be fanny packs nor paired-down backpacker packs with hydration tubes sticking out. They can be classy and yet well-thought-out organizational features.
A coffee map of Moscow: A guide for all occasions
12 coffee shops for business meetings, dates, remote work, friendly get togethers or just a hot cup to go. ... Travel Aug 10 2016 Kira Egorova RBTH Double B coffeshop instagram ...
'Rusiano' revolution: How Moscow does coffee
That's changing fast as the Russian capital embraces a coffee culture that initially took its cues from its old adversary the United States. Despite a traditional thirst for tea, Russia has seen ...
7 unusual kinds of coffee you can try in Moscow
1. Coffee with unicorn milk. @8.25coffee.flacon. Yes, you heard right. Cafe 8/25, located at the Flacon creative space, serves coffee that is just as creative as its location. Its menu features a ...
To Run the World
Sergey Radchenko's cold war history links Putin to Kremlin predecessors leading a Russia driven by empire, not ideology
Why won't my coffee shop play Taylor Swift?
This, I suppose, is my boss's rationale. We need to think about the bigger picture. Our coffee shop is not part of a big chain, and so it cannot be heard to play Taylor Swift. But neither is it ...
Russian Gains in Ukraine War Worry U.S. Officials
Because of the delay in U.S. funding, Russia has been able to achieve a huge artillery advantage over Ukraine. Currently the Russians are firing 10 shells for every one the Ukrainians fire. Nicole ...

How To Travel Like A Minimalist: Packing List And More

What Is Minimalist Travel?

Minimalist Travel Packing List: Essentials Only

Minimalist Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Minimalist Travel Toiletries

Ryan’s Minimalist Toiletries

Minimalist Daily Travel Essentials

Ryan’s Daily Minimalist Essentials

Trip-Specific Items For Minimalist Travel

How To Pack Like A Minimalist: Best Travel Gear

Four Piece Packing Cube Set

GoToobs And GoTubbs By Humangear

Packism Clear Toiletry Bag

Matador Toiletry Bag And Soap Bar Case

General Medi Store First Aid Kit

Nomader Collapsible Leak-Proof Water Bottle

Build A Minimalist Travel Backpack For Solo Travel

Best Minimalist Travel Backpacks For Solo Travel

How To Pack Your Minimalist Travel Backpack

Does Minimalist Travel Make Life Better?

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My Minimalist Frugal Travel Coffee Brewing Method

I love living a minimalist life.

I’m also living a frugal life. Why?

Being minimalist and frugal go hand in hand 🤝 (especially when traveling).

I’m also a big coffee drinker. ☕️

Is it the best coffee ever? Hell no.

Am I happy this is frugal and minimalist? Hell yeah.

I’ll also mention a hack to get the grounds out…

Similar Posts:

Travel Coffee Kits: My Two Favorites, Tested Around The World

Option 1: A minimalist pour-over coffee travel kit

Option 2: The simplest AeroPress travel set-up

What travel coffee gear do you really need?

Hand grinders are great for travel (as well as home)

Skip the scale

Get creative with kettle alternatives

Use the numbers on the side of the AeroPress

Use a measuring cup for pour-overs

Wrapping up: great coffee wherever you are

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How to Make Great Coffee While Traveling

What you’ll need to make great coffee while traveling

Coffee grinder

Coffee beans

Immersion Heater

Travel coffee thermos

Tips for making the best AeroPress coffee

Experiment with your AeroPress before you travel

Cleaning up your coffee-making station

Don’t fret the details

Other ways to make coffee while traveling

Reusable Keurig cups

French press

The JoGo Brew Straw for Coffee

Cowboy coffee 🤠

Concentrated cold brew

Coffee tea bags

Drink tea instead of coffee

Instant coffee

What are the benefits of making your own coffee while traveling?