9 Camp French Press Models for Amazing Camping Coffee
Camping and coffee go together like, well, camping and coffee. It even sounds good together: camping coffee.
Truly, camping coffee just hits different — especially when it’s made with a camp French press. There’s nothing quite like unzipping your tent or opening your campervan doors and enjoying sunrise with a steaming cup o’ joe. Whether you had a long drive or you’re heading out for a day of hiking, it’s hands-down the best way to start the day.
With a camp French press, you don’t have to settle for subpar camping coffee. You can enjoy a genuinely delicious, perfectly-to-your-liking brew in a matter of minutes. It’s simple, straightforward, and inexpensive.
Plus, with an increase of outdoor-focused camp French presses on the market, you don’t have to worry about breaking pieces or keeping track of numerous accessories.
Ready to level-up your camping coffee game and learn all about the best camp French press models? We’ve rounded up eight of the best to suit every type of camper — and coffee connoisseur.
We promise, you’ll never go back to whatever method you previously used for camping coffee!
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The Best Way to Make Coffee Camping
A camp French press is the perfect solution for your backcountry coffee needs (and yes, needs is very intentional — don’t mess with this mountain mama before that first cup!).
Portable and easy to both brew and clean up, yet still fully capable of making a smooth, tasty cuppa joe, a camp French press is absolutely the best way to make coffee camping. Let’s dive into the details!
Photo credit: Shelby Cohron via Unsplash
Camping French Press Highlights
- Best camp French press overall: AeroPress Go
- Best camp French press for large groups: Stanley Classic Vacuum French Press, 48-ounce
- Best lightweight camp French press for backpacking: Bestargot Outdoor French Press
- Best travel coffee press for individuals: Stanley Classic Travel Press, 16-ounce
Photo credit: Maddy Baker via Unsplash
What is a Camp French Press?
The timeless, familiar glass French press coffee maker was invented nearly 100 years ago. It has always been known to make a dependably delicious, full-bodied brew, and it remains a stalwart in cafes and home kitchens alike.
The fully manual brewing process takes just a literal few minutes and yields a rich and aromatic, yet smooth, cup of coffee that you can easily customize to your liking.
For its many benefits, however, a traditional French press is far from ideal for camping coffee. Its bulkiness and almost ironic delicate materials are simply not well-suited to The Great Outdoors.
Thankfully, today there are many affordable, easy-to-use, and outdoor-appropriate alternatives. Modern French presses still incorporate the tried-and-true plunger system, but now in a streamlined design.
Typically made from stainless steel or hard plastic, today’s camp French press is lighter, portable, and more durable so you can toss it into your pack and forget it’s there until you need a caffeine fix.
How to Choose the Perfect Camp French Press
Although the models in this camp French press review share many similarities, they all fulfill slightly different brewing and camping needs and preferences.
To help you make a decision (and the best possible camping coffee, of course!), there are several things to consider and ask yourself before choosing a camp French press.
What’s the single most important feature to you?
Are you concerned with the weight and/or physical size of a camping French press? How important are brewing capacity, ease of use, and cleanup?
What will you use your camp French press for most?
The type and amount of camping coffee you make will be very different if you’re backpacking or solo camping, as opposed to car camping or brewing for a group.
How often will you use it?
Some people love their camping French press so much and find it so easy to use that they end up turning it into a daily coffeemaker in their home. Others are designed specifically for camping and the outdoors, and of course, you’ll favor very different feature sets between the two ends of the spectrum.
What size camp French press do you need?
Are you solo, or does everyone want a cup of camping coffee?
How’s cleanup and overall ease of use?
Let’s be honest: brewing camping coffee can be a hassle, and doubly so when it comes to cleanup. The last thing you want is a camp French press that requires a complicated setup or breakdown.
Camping French Press Reviews
Because we’re talking about a fairly simple, entirely manual coffeemaker, subtle design differences in camp French Presses result in vastly different brew styles and impact ease of use.
When so many models look (and often feel) nearly identical, how are you supposed to pick one that outshines the rest? We’ve put together this buyer’s guide to help you make a solid selection, even if you have limited French press or coffee knowledge.
In our camp French press reviews, we highlight all the little nuances ranging from the easiest to use to the one that fits most compactly in your backpack. We hope you find a clear winner. Cheers!
Stanley Adventure All-in-One Boil + Brew French Press
- BEST FOR: Anyone interested in an all-in-one coffeemaking solution, car campers, and groups or those who drink a fair amount of coffee
- FAVE FEATURES: The ability to boil water and brew coffee in the same camping French press, large capacity, and holds heat well
- MINOR COMPLAINT: The cup sometimes takes some finessing to nest into the pot
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
The Stanley Adventure All-in-One Boil + Brew comes with a hefty, well-insulated 32-ounce pot, brewing cup, and plunger — that all nest perfectly together. Its most significant “pro” is that large capacity; one pot covers a few people and you can easily and quickly brew more for larger groups.
Stanley’s unique two-container system is also super handy and completely eliminates one step of the camp coffee-making process. With this outdoor French press, gone are the days of having to boil water separately! Seriously, I had no idea how nice this would be until we started using it.
Aside from making excellent camping coffee, the Boil + Brew also works perfectly for your other backcountry cooking needs. As another bonus, the inside is roomy enough to double as storage space for a backpacking stove, a few days’ worth of coffee, and a couple of utensils.
BruTrek Basecamp Coffee Press
- BEST FOR: Folks unconcerned with weight/size, such as vanlifers, car campers, and glampers
- FAVE FEATURES: Very well-insulated and extremely durable
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Heavy, plus the plunger is sometimes tricky to press and (like many other outdoor French presses) pouring can be messy
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Like the Stanley Adventure Boil + Brew, the BruTrek Basecamp French press also has a large 32-ounce capacity. This brewer has a completely different design, however.
BruTrek’s patented “Bru Stop” filter completely stops the brewing process once you push the plunger down. If you’re a French press veteran, you may be all-too-familiar with that second cup of coffee being bitter, a result of over-brewing. Well, this genius little filter eliminates that!
Several reviewers actually mention that they have a difficult time pressing the plunger, but we haven’t found that to be the case. It gives some resistance, sure, but no more than any other camp French press we’ve tried.
The BruTrek Basecamp is also double-wall insulated, which keeps your coffee hot for hours, a notable “perk.” If you’re a backpacker or camping minimalist, you may want to choose another camping French press model: this one is bulky and nearly two pounds.
GSI Outdoors JavaPress, 30-ounce
- BEST FOR: Backpackers and car campers alike; excellent all-around camp French press
- FAVE FEATURES: Exceptionally well-insulated and a plunger that doesn’t allow grounds to pass through
- MINOR COMPLAINT: The design of the pour spout means you have to pour slowly or deal with a mess, and we don’t love that the handle is sewn on rather than fixed
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Serious camping coffee aficionados needn’t look any further than the GSI Outdoors 30-ounce JavaPress.
The lightweight design is surprisingly rugged and makes a consistently great cup of coffee, so this camp French press is backcountry-ready and makes an excellent travel companion. We all know hotel coffee is blah (at best)!
The shatter-resistant plastic is super tough as it is, but GSI Outdoors upped the ante by wrapping it with a ballistic nylon cozy. Not only does this protect the JavaPress, but it also keeps the coffee inside warm for a long time and makes it easier to handle during the brewing process.
Another standout feature is the silicone-ringed plunger, which does a fantastic job of keeping grounds out of your cup.
Note: GSI Outdoors makes two other, smaller, versions of the JavaPress. The Personal JavaPress includes a nesting cup and press, and the Commuter JavaPress is an all-in-one camp French press and mug.
AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press
- BEST FOR: Outdoor enthusiasts who also happen to be “coffee snobs,” as well as backpackers and solo campers
- FAVE FEATURES: Makes superb coffee and ultra-portable
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Only makes a small amount of coffee
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
In a category all its own, the AeroPress Go has a cult-like following of avid outdoorsmen and coffee professionals alike. Every year, there’s even a World Aeropress Championship!
The AeroPress Go utilizes the same core press design as the iconic original, except it’s optimized for portability. Built from sturdy but lightweight plastic, its entire weight clocks in at only .7 pounds (including the cup!) and everything nests neatly into a tiny package.
With a unique vacuum press design, the Go is compatible with any grounds and the entire contraption is effortless to clean. You’ll likely also find yourself using it at home (the coffee quality really is THAT good!), making the value even more outstanding.
Brewing great camping coffee is easy with the AeroPress Go, but the sky is truly the limit in terms of versatility — just search Google or Youtube for “AeroPress hacks” or “AeroPress recipes.” You’re welcome.
I’ve brought my AeroPress Go on most trips since getting it a little over two years ago and I’m still just as obsessed as ever.
It lets me enjoy a great cup of java no matter where I am, whether it’s fireside camping coffee, off-grid glamping, or in a downtown hotel. I continue to be amazed by its high-quality coffee and how rough-and-tumble it is. This thing is indestructible!
Bestargot Camping French Press
- BEST FOR: Campers concerned with weight and looking for multi-functionality
- FAVE FEATURES: Extremely lightweight, durable, and all-in-one functionality (no need for a separate percolator!)
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Titanium doesn’t conduct heat as well as other metals, so it takes a tad longer to boil and then cools fairly quickly in the pot
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
The most rough-and-tumble camp French press on our list, what the Bestargot lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in rugged functionality.
You can throw it right over hot coals, any gas burner, or even a bonfire, and it’ll boil water directly in the pot. Made of titanium, it only weighs half a pound, so it’s also a practical option for backpacking.
This French press’ multifunctionality is another standout reason to buy it; you can use it for heating simple backcountry meals like soups or noodles, in addition to camping coffee. However, because its design is all-metal, note that you’ll need oven mitts or another solution to handle the brewer.
Coffee Gator Camp French Press
- BEST FOR: Any and all coffee aficianados; this is an excellent French press for both outdoor and at-home use
- FAVE FEATURES: Large volume, excellent insulation (beats other camp French press models out of the water in this metric), and sleek, minimalist design
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Some users find an issue with materials altering coffee flavor
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
The Coffee Gator comes with a 34-ounce capacity, making it one of the larger camp French presses available. Made from sturdy stainless steel, it’s well-suited for the outdoors — drop it on the ground, even against a rock, and it’ll be perfectly fine.
That generous liquid capacity comes with a tradeoff, however. Weighing nearly 2.5 pounds, you won’t take this French press backpacking.
Brewing camp coffee with the Coffee Gator is super straightforward. The double filter successfully prevents grounds from making their way into your drink, and the double-vacuum-wall insulation keeps your coffee hot for up to an hour (far longer than glass presses!).
This is a great self-contained travel coffee press for car camping, but with its sleek design, you won’t mind keeping it on your kitchen counter. As a fun little bonus, the Coffee Gator comes with a free mini canister. It’s perfect for storing a few days worth of coffee grounds, and it fits nicely inside the camp French press.
Stanley Classic Travel French Press, 16-ounce
- BEST FOR: Single-cup drinkers, folks who frequently drink camping coffee on the go, and anyone who appreciates ease of use and multi-functionality
- FAVE FEATURES: Portability, exceedingly durable, and VERY well-insulated
- MINOR COMPLAINT: The mesh filter can be a bit annoying to clean
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Rugged, thoughtfully-designed, and built to last, the Stanley Classic Travel Press is about as outdoor-ready as a coffeemaker gets.
For those who value ease of use just as much as a great cup of camping coffee, this all-in-one French press and travel mug is damn near perfect.
The double-walled stainless-steel design is practically bulletproof, protecting against drops and insulating so well that your coffee stays hot for up to six hours (and cold for up to 12!).
We especially appreciate the carabiner — which , fun fact, doubles as a lid-propper-upper — and the double-lid design. Your coffee really isn’t going anywhere in this camp French press!
Bodum Bistro Double Wall Insulated Travel Press
- BEST FOR: People who want to simplify their coffee routine and those who savor coffee over several hours
- FAVE FEATURES: Stylish, easy to use, and all-in-one design
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Not nearly as durable as other presses
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
With practical functionality and an easy-to-carry design, the Bodum Bistro Double Wall typically makes more appearances in offices than campgrounds. However, its ease of use, low weight, and propensity for keeping camp coffee hot make it a great outdoor option.
Just as with other all-in-one press-and-mug options, it’s super convenient not to have to worry about a separate drinking cup. Add your grounds, pour in hot water, press the plunger down and voila! — quality camping French press coffee, no matter where you are!
At 15 ounces, the Bodum Bistro certainly isn’t built for sharing, but does brew enough coffee to sip leisurely throughout the morning.
Stanley Classic Camp French Press, 48-ounce
- BEST FOR: Large groups and car campers
- FAVE FEATURES: It’s basically a tank, plus very generous capacity for group camping
- MINOR COMPLAINT: Even when filled to the “max fill” line, it sometimes overfills and spills through the spout
- LINK TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Yes, another Stanley Classic outdoor French press. The company has just really mastered the best way to make coffee camping.
This heavy-duty 48-ounce capacity model is best for folks who camp with a large group (or just drink a lot of coffee — hey, no judgment here!). We pull this big guy out and set up a central coffee bar on trips where we have multiple family and friends joining us.
Like the other Stanley presses on this list, expect nearly bulletproof ruggedness and a double-vacuum-insulated design that keeps your beverage perfectly hot or cold for several hours.
While you should always use coarse coffee grounds in a French press, that’s especially true with this model. Perhaps because of the large volume of liquid, grounds seem more likely to sneak past the filter.
Use the right grounds and take the time to fill the camp French press precisely, and you shouldn’t have a problem. The steel plunger/filter piece does completely disassemble for easy cleaning, which is a subtle but really handy feature.
Level-up Your Campsite With an Outdoor French Press
Whether you’re an avid tent camper, an adventurous backpacker, a vanlifer, or only venture out a few times a year, a rugged camp French press belongs in your gear arsenal. Whichever one suits your needs and tastes best, we guarantee this small device will totally change your camping experience!
Which outdoor French press is your favorite? Do you have experience with any on our list? We’d love to hear from you, so comment below or connect with us on social media! And don’t forget to pin this post for easy reference later!
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