How to Make Great Coffee While Camping, Off-Grid, or in an RV
Going tiny doesn’t necessarily mean going without those things that make life worth living, like freshly-brewed coffee. Off-grid doesn’t have to mean instant coffee. Perish the thought!
In 1977, I wedged all my earthly possessions into my ancient Subaru and embarked on a four-month road trip around the USA. That old beat-up, butterscotch-colored hatchback was my home, and every inch of space (except the driver’s seat) was stuffed to the ceiling. My four-cup coffee percolator had a place of honor under the dashboard. Wedged between an extra pair of boots and a gallon jug of water, I’d fire that puppy up every morning before I hit the road. The miles just rolled on by while I sipped that magic elixir.
It was important. It still is. But now I’ve had forty-six years to perfect the process, and I’ve learned a few things along the way. On this page you’ll find the story of every device and method I’ve tried in making coffee without electricity.
Making great coffee off-grid is a little different than when you’re plugged in or at home. Just like every other tiny-lifestyle adjustment, it takes planning and forethought.
Percolation: Tastes Good, Takes Forever
Click on image to order. I also use a paper filter to catch the grounds.
When I camp in my RV I’m almost always off-grid, so plugging in the coffee maker is not an option. I really don’t want to run the generator that early in the morning at a campground. When I’m boondocking it would be OK since there’s no neighbors, but I’m ready whatever the circumstances.
My wife and I used to use a percolator (like the one shown) on the propane cook top. It actually makes surprisingly good coffee, but takes about an hour. Someone, usually me, has to crawl out from under warm covers, light the propane stove, load the percolator with coffee, and set it to boil. The door and a vent must be opened to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Once the percolator starts boiling, I have to climb out of bed again and turn the flame down and set a timer for 25 minutes. If you ask me, this is almost too much trouble for a cup of coffee. Almost.
This enamel percolator makes 12 cups. We also have a 9 cup version that I use when I’m camping alone.
Coffee beans need to be ground very coarsely, or they end up in your cup. I cut a paper coffee filter down to size to prevent this from happening. Still, I was thinking there had to be a better way.
Drip Coffee Without Electricity
My next experiment in making good coffee while camping was the Coleman propane drip coffee maker shown here. This propane coffee maker is the only one that works on your propane cook top, and it’s available from Amazon.
The steel base fits over most camp stove burners. I had to pop off the grill over the burner for it to sit right. Just pour enough water for up to 10 cups of coffee into the easy-fill reservoir. Once it starts to boil, the water will move through the filter and brew itself into the glass decanter. For campers who just can’t wait for the entire pot to brew before pouring that first cup, the Pause ‘N Serve feature lets you do just that without the mess.
This machine makes great coffee! Just one caveat: it’s kind of big. You might want to check the physical measurements before you buy it, and make sure it will fit on top of your cook top. We have a three-burner stove in the RV and while it only uses one burner, it takes up the space of two. That leaves us one burner to make breakfast on. It works for us, but would it work for you?
Advantages: we don’t end up with coffee grinds in our cups, and it’s considerably faster than the percolator.
Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker
Another unique coffee maker for camping is this Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffee Maker.
Prepare your pick-me-up just like the home version by spooning the grounds into the removable filter basket and adding water. Just hit the Instastart push-button ignition, and you can be enjoying fresh-brewed coffee in 18 minutes. With the Pause ‘n’ Serve feature, there’s no need to wait until the family-sized, 10-cup carafe fills up to enjoy your first drink.
This Coleman coffee maker uses the 16 oz. propane canisters for operation. It runs 4.5 hours on one canister.
The PerfectFlow regulator will keep a constant heat, no matter the conditions: cold weather, high altitudes or low fuel.
It’s available from Amazon, but does not include the propane canisters.
The French Press Coffee Maker
The French press is another popular way to make coffee. These simple devices require only grounds and hot water, so they are perfect for an off-grid situation. I’m not a fan of the flavor, but my son and wife are.
This stainless-steel French press make will make eight cups of coffee in just four minutes. The insulated French press with double-layer vacuum structure not only keeps the coffee warm for a long time, but also keeps the handle cool when brewing. It’s also unbreakable.
Dishwasher safe with no plastic parts. You’ll get pure coffee flavor with no grounds or metal taste.
Fresh Coffee Beans Make All The Difference
Fresh ground coffee beans make a real difference to coffee flavor. If I’m going out for just a few days I grind my coffee ahead of time. Just enough for the trip. If you are traveling for an extended period you’ll need a grinder.
This JavaPresse Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is small and lightweight. It doesn’t need electricity and it’s very quiet so it won’t wake up everyone in your RV. There are five grind-size settings. 
Don’t worry if you no longer have the strength to operate a manual grinder (I feel your pain). There are battery-operated models that work great.
Cordless, USB-Rechargeable Coffee Bean Grinder
A cordless, rechargeable coffee grinder delivers all the comforts of home with the best cup of coffee. The grinding cup holds enough beans for 12 cups and the battery will last multiple uses.
Keeping Coffee Warm After Brewing
For the best experience, coffee should be consumed within 20 minutes of brewing. If I use my 9-cup percolator over an open fire, I usually just pull it off to the side to keep it warm. But after an hour or so it’s pretty strong and bitter. Any coffee maker that keeps coffee warm over a heat source will ruin the flavor in short order.
So, keeping coffee warm once brewed is important. It can also be quite a chore if you are camping in cold temps.
I love my Stanley steel vacuum insulated thermos. It keeps coffee piping hot for hours and it’s unbreakable. I can’t tell you how many time it’s been dropped. Still good as new.
One trick I’ve learned is to preheat my thermos with boiling water. Once the coffee is brewed. I use the hot water for washing dishes.
Buy Good Coffee and Support the National Park Service at No Additional Cost
Carefree Coffee Company sells great coffee, and a portion of the proceeds goes to support the National Park Service. “Coffee With A Cause” gives back to the beautiful places we love to visit.
Carefree Coffee Co. offers seven flavors which you will love. Try some Maui Coconut, or Upstate Hazelnut to start your day right.
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Great Coffee Off-Grid Starts With The Best Beans
Everyone Has Their Favorite Coffee
My favorite coffee is Kona coffee from Hawaii. There’s just no bitter acid aftertaste. I visited the Koa Coffee farm and taste-tested most of the flavors. They were all wonderful. The caffeine pick-me-up was gentle, even in the afternoon.
My personal favorite is Peaberry. It’s a smooth and full-bodied cup, with just a touch of sass. Of every 100 bags of Kona Coffee harvested, only 3-5 bags will be Peaberry.
My second favorite is always a medium roast. I like the coffee flavor before it gets the burnt taste that is the Starbucks signature. Roasted to a perfect medium-roast, Koa showcases the flavor unique to the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on which Kona coffee beans are grown. Just the aroma of grinding Kona beans is enough to put a smile on your face!
The Koa Coffee Story
In 1997, Koa Coffee started as a small family business. Over the years, their hand-picked Kona coffee has won the coveted Gevalia Cupping Competition, PCCA Coffee of the Year, and was featured in Forbes “Top 10 Coffees of the World” and made Forbes’ “50 of America’s Best” as the “Best Coffee in America.”
Kona coffee began a a strain of Guatemalan Typica, Arabica. Grown on the slope of Mauna Loa volcano for centuries, it has become its own unique coffee strain. Very rare, only 1% of the worlds coffee is Kona. The volcanic soil and growing conditions are just perfect.
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