By Cheri Sicard
Here’s your ultimate guide to boondocking RV coffee makers and hookup-free gourmet coffee-making accessories.
Boondocking can provide you with some out-of-this-world scenery that those in RV parks will sadly never experience. One of the times it is most apparent is when you first open your RV door in the morning.
Why not pair those breathtaking views with equally impressive morning coffee? You can!
That’s right, you can become an RV barista and enjoy quality gourmet coffee anytime, anywhere.
Read on for the best RV coffee makers and coffee-making accessories. And the best part? Absolutely no hookups required!
How to make gourmet coffee in your RV while boondocking
Just because you are without hookups does not mean you should not enjoy coffeehouse- quality java. And you should NOT need to turn on your generator in order to get it, or take up valuable RV real estate with a big, bulky coffee maker.
Believe it or not, some of the best RV coffee makers and coffee-making accessories require no hookups. They work so well, I even use them at home.
Amazing low-tech RV coffee makers
Depending on how you like your coffee, consider one of these inexpensive, no-hookups-required coffee makers:
French press
If your coffee taste runs more towards the American style (Café Americano in coffeehouse terms), a French Press is your new boondocking best friend. (Yes, I know. American-style coffee from a French Press.)
Of course, you can control how strong or weak the coffee is by how much ground coffee you use.
Put coffee grounds in the pot, pour in boiling water and let steep for a few minutes. When you’re ready to drink, push the plunger down and pour. Easy and delicious!
Pour-over coffee brewer
A pour-over coffee brewer like this one is a great solution for the solo coffee drinker. The reusable stainless steel funnel fits on most coffee mugs and even thermal bottles. That’s right. You brew the coffee right into the vessel you will drink it from, one fresh cup of Joe at a time. How easy and neat is that?!
Moka pots
My favorite RV coffee maker of all is the Italian moka pot. That’s because it produces deep, dark, rich espresso, without the need for an expensive espresso machine or the electrical hookups necessary to run it.
If you like espresso, cappuccino, or any other espresso-based coffeehouse drinks, the Moka Pot has got you covered.
Moka pots are available in all sizes. You can even get a teeny tiny Baby Moka Pot that brews a mere 1.5 ounces of espresso at a time. That may work for some folks. Personally, I’d inhale an ounce and a half in seconds. Luckily, they also make large Moka pots and every size in between.
To make espresso in a Moka Pot just put water in the bottom pot. Ground coffee goes in the metal basket. Screw on the top to percolate on a stovetop burner.
Spilling the beans on the best RV coffee
Of course, good coffee is only as good as the beans that make it. Why settle for popular corporate “gourmet” coffee when you can instead simultaneously support small mom-and-pop businesses while searching out regional coffee treasures wherever you travel?
To my mind, collecting small-batch gourmet coffees to be enjoyed while traveling beats collecting refrigerator magnets any day. But you could always do both…
Across the nation, small coffee shops and artisanal roasters are producing amazing coffee. Do an internet search for coffee roasters in whatever region you are traveling. You’ll be amazed at some of the great coffees you find.
Often local roasters are even sold in local independent grocery stores. That’s how I found my most recent favorite, Humboldt Bay Coffee—although this artisanal roaster also has a visitor’s center in Eureka, CA.
Hookup-free RV coffee grinders
For the best quality coffee, you should always buy whole bean coffee and grind it just before brewing. Without hookups, you have two options:
Manual coffee grinders
It takes a little elbow grease, but small manual coffee grinders like the one pictured do a great job. You can even adjust the coarseness of the grind to best suit your coffee-making methods.
USB rechargeable coffee grinders
For lazier coffee hounds, you can find a variety of USB rechargeable coffee grinders. Plug into your car while driving or whenever you do have hookups or are running a generator to recharge.
Accouterments for making gourmet RV coffee
Beyond the basic needs of procuring and grinding beans and brewing coffee, you can elevate your RV coffee experiences with these accessories.
Milk frother
Two AA batteries run the tiny milk frother pictured with the Moka Pot above. Pair these two tools together and add a sprinkling of cinnamon and you can make a coffeehouse-worthy cappuccino in your RV anytime, anywhere.
Flavorings and garnishes
A little squirt of chocolate syrup can turn your gourmet coffee into a Café Mocha. Also, you can pick up small bottles of syrups like those made by Torani in both regular and sugar-free versions, in a HUGE variety of flavors.
A can of aerosol whipped cream can add style, flavor, and fun to any coffee drink.
To quickly and easily make real whipped cream in your RV without added sugar or other unwanted ingredients, pick up one of these rechargeable whipped cream dispensers, which are also great for dessert time.
RV java junkies unite!
Use these gadgets and tips next time you serve coffee during your next RV boondocking campout. And be prepared for everyone to be amazed at how you pulled it off!
##RVT1182
Peggy, of StressLess Camping fame, turned me on to the Aeropress, which gives me filtered coffee. I remember reading years ago that filtered coffee is healthier than unfiltered. From Harvard Health Publishing, “Unfiltered coffee contains diterpenes, compounds that can raise cholesterol, and researchers say a cup of unfiltered coffee contains 30 times more diterpenes than a cup of filtered coffee.”
We also use an Aeropress. Makes a most excellent cup of coffee
My son got me hooked on the Aeropress. I use one at home, have another one in the travel trailer, and another one in my camper van.
Yes – not only does it make great coffee but it almost cleans itself. You don’t end up wasting water to clean it up like you would a french press or other type device. Love mine.
When space and weight count – this is the coffee maker.
For me I use the KISS method. For camping with electric hook-ups I use the filtered eight cup Faberware percolator, and for boondocking the filtered eight cup Faberware stove top. When I run out of coffee, I buy Folgers “Classic Roast” because I can find it on the shelf at any back woods country store or gas station.
We use the good old-fashioned Melita.
Our solar investment pays off in many ways. We use a Keurig single cup at a time. We can use it anytime, anywhere.
We had a French press but the water to rinse it was a hassle dry camping. Went to the pour over into an insulated steel coffee mug…love it so neat and just throw the paper liner away.
I got hooked on real espresso when we visited Italy earlier this year. As soon as we got back home, after some research, I bought my own espresso machine. For RV travel, I have a smaller one now. My husband installed solar panels and four lithium batteries so I can have a proper espresso in the morning. Happy wife, happy life!
Thank you, Cheri! Interesting and comprehensive set of options. 🙂 Maybe I will switch to the French press once my Mr. Coffee (thank you Joltin’ Joe!) dies. Great coffee cup in the pictures, too, by the way! Have a great day, a good Thanksgiving, and safe travels!
Better pour-over coffee option for RVing, hiking, travelling in general. This silicone device collapses flat and the removeable coffee filter can be removed for easy cleaning – or you can use a #2 cone filter.
Thanks, Jim. Unfortunately, it looks like that device is unavailable and Amazon says they don’t know if/when it will be back in stock. In the meantime, here’s a link to one that looks similar (except for the color) that is in stock. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Thank you, Cheri! Rats, thought you were going to talk about RV Travel coffee mugs. They make everything drunk from them taste better than when drunk from a different container. 🙂 Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂
YES! Love the dark roast! Please bring back the RVT mugs!
Taking the advice of a friend who is a coffee roaster, we found an insulated French press. It is great because I get up earlier and the coffee stays hot for my husband.