Best Portable Coffee Grinder for Camping in 2023
Which is the best portable coffee grinder for camping?
A manual coffee grinder is better for camping than an electric grinder. Electric grinders require batteries, so you will need to charge them each night and will have to run power cords through your campsite, which could be a problem.
Manual coffee grinders do not have batteries, so you do not have to worry about charging them or running them through power cords. Besides, they are easier to carry, use, and clean.
Check also: Best Coffee Cup Warmers in 2023
Five Best Portable Coffee Grinder for Camping in 2023:
So to help you find the best portable coffee grinder for camping, we have spent 20 hours creating a list of best-camping coffee grinders. This guide will help you choose the best manual coffee grinder for backpacking.
Let’s look at the five best portable coffee grinders for camping in 2023.
1. Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill – ‘Mini-Slim Plus’ Manual Coffee Grinder 24g Coffee Capacity
Hario Ceramic coffee mill is an impressive portable coffee grinder for pour-over and drip coffee. Its compact design and ease of operation are out of the box.
If you’re looking for a good handheld grinder that is durable, versatile, and easy to clean, do not look further than this Mini-Slim Plus.
For this price point, this is great with excellent functionality. It’s easy to grip with good grinding quality. However, it is not good to grind hard beans as their handle comes off while putting in more effort.
Its coarse grind consistency is pretty good; however, grinding for the filter, new press, and cold brew, you will have small particles rather than finely ground coffee.
Features:
- 24g of coffee in the hopper, but it feels like a solid coffee grinder.
- Grinder is surprisingly sturdy and has nice low-noise and high-quality ceramic burrs.
- You can set this grinder up to 10 clicks for drip, 14 for French press or cold brew, and 5 for espresso.
- Grinds coffee well with a medium-high grind.
- You can set the coarseness for your coffee beans.
- Broader opening to pour, so there is less chance of spillage.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ceramic burr | Not ideal for grinding hard beans |
| Relatively cheap | It takes some elbow grease. |
| The wider hopper feels sturdy | |
| Decent grind quality for Aeropress, Pour over and drip coffee method. | |
| Do not create any noise | |
| Slim and very portable |
2. Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill
Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill is one of the best portable coffee mills in the market that can be used for home and traveling purposes. The ceramic burrs are created to grind the beans into the most delicate details.
This coffee mill is compact, which means it can be quickly taken with you wherever you go and can even be carried in a backpack. You need not worry about how much weight you will have as the unit is very light.
Features:
- Stepped grind adjustment; you can choose the level of fineness that you want your coffee to be.
- It has a clear view through the front glass.
- Non-slip rubber base, which ensures that it stays where you put it.
- Ergonomic crank handle is detachable for easy storage.
Overall, it is one of the best manual coffee makers that you can get for your money if you enjoy drinking your morning coffee outdoors while enjoying the fresh air.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It grinds consistently in just 2 to 3 minutes | It is manual, so you must have the arm strength to operate it |
| Inexpensive | It is not ideal for espresso since of the large grind size |
| It has a conical burr grinder rather than a blade grinder for good results. | |
| Easy to use and clean | |
| Adjustable grind settings |
3. AKIRAKOKI Manual Coffee Grinder Wooden Coffee Bean Mill with Cast Iron Burr, Large Capacity Wood Hand Crank, Portable Adjustable
This AKIRAKOKI Manual Wooden Coffee Grinder is a perfect gift for those who want to enjoy their favorite cup of espresso coffee.
It is an excellent addition to any outdoor kitchen and perfect for camping, backpacking, or beach trips.
Features:
- Sizeable 55gm capacity, it is made of high-quality wood and is sturdy
- Durable and convenient.
- Wooden Handles.
- Cast iron burr for grinding, which is solid and efficient and won’t produce heat that can damage the coffee’s essential oils.
Its build quality is top-notch. You will be pleasantly surprised by how even and fine the grind is. You can use it for the espresso and pour-over method without any annoyance.
It is easy to disassemble for a thorough cleaning and is designed for compactness and portability.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best quality construction | Its adjustment settings are a bit complex. |
| Easy to clean | |
| Perfect for camping | |
| Limited lifetime warranty | |
| Unlike other coffee grinders, it does not take much effort to grind. | |
| It grinds evenly and finely rather than coarse. |
4. Best portable coffee grinder for camping (versatile): VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder.
VSSL JAVA Manual is our list’s most expensive portable coffee grinder for camping. Its versatility justifies its high price as it has an unmatchable 50 grind settings to match your brewing method.
Unlike other manual coffee grinders, it is an excellent fit for many brewing methods, including Aeropress, Drip coffee, espresso, and French Press.
Features:
- Stainless steel burrs.
- Lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum.
- Weighs mere 12 ounces.
- Carbon body looks stunning and feels modern and chic.
- Removable handles for easy storage and give you a good grip.
- Its opening is one press release so you can add beans without annoyance
It is just a game-changer for campers or backpackers whose morning starts with a delicious cup of coffee. It is made to handle any camping adventure.
You can keep it in your backpack with other stuff as it is ultra-durable and can bear a load of up to 200 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Attractive | More expensive than other portable coffee grinders |
| Lightweight and easy to carry | |
| Ultra-durable | |
| Unique 50 grind settings |
5. Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder
Porlex Mini stainless steel coffee grinder is perfect for traveling for under $100. This made-in-Japan coffee grinder has a 47mm diameter and stands up to 130mm tall.
Features:
- Ceramic conical burrs can grind a variety of grind sizes, including coarse to powder.
- Grind capacity is 20 grams it can accommodate 1 to 2 cups of coffee at a time.
- Easy to carry since it weighs only 0.5 lbs.
- Last for more than a decade because of its solid construction.
However, the real problem with this coffee grinder is its quantity. It takes too long to grind enough amount of coffee. If you add more than 20 grams of coffee to your Aeropress, you must wait for a little to get a solid shot of coffee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Superb build quality | It is a single cup grinder. |
| Consistent grind | It takes too long to grind. |
| Perfect for traveling | |
| Ideal for single use | |
| It works quietly. | |
| Elegant design |
Buying guide for Portable Coffee Grinder:
You may not realize that you need a coffee grinder to survive a backpacking trip, but it’s an absolute necessity. Without proper grinding, the beans will be unevenly ground and difficult to extract from the best flavor.
It takes some practice to learn how to grind the beans properly. If you do this, you’ll be able to make coffee in just about any situation.
Easy to use
It is a fact that most portable coffee grinders are manual, and manual coffee grinders are less ergonomic than electric ones. However, they grind coffee beans for 2 to 3 minutes.
So if you have an arm ache or any other strength problem, you can opt for an electric grinder.
Uniform and consistent grind
Portable coffee grinders with a burr type offer a more consistent grind than conical. So choose a burr grinder to get a consistent result.
Easy to adjust
Most manual coffee grinders have challenging adjusting mechanisms, as most have multiple grind settings. So an excellent portable coffee grinder should be easy to assemble or adjust to various coffee grinds.
Travel-friendly
Portable coffee grinders should be easy to carry and travel-friendly; therefore, we have selected manual ones since you are on the road.
Good capacity
The best manual coffee grinder for backpacking should have a large enough capacity to handle multiple cups of coffee without getting out of shape.
Serve the purpose
What is the purpose of a portable coffee grinder for camping? To get freshly ground beans for a delicious cup of coffee. So it should grind well to get a tasteful cup of coffee.
Lightweight
Portable hand coffee grinders should be lightweight so you can easily carry them for camping. A good camping grinder should be not more than 1lbs. in weight.
Compact
Don’t buy a grinder that is too big or too heavy. Small manual grinders are ideal for camping. A compact-sized coffee grinder easily fits in a backpack and gives you peace of mind as you do not have to worry about carrying it separately.
Durable
A portable coffee grinder for camping should be long-lasting so you can use it for a long. It should be made of stainless steel or wood.
It should also be strong enough to handle challenging grounds.
Adjustable grind
Most manual coffee grinders come with adjustable grind settings; however, you must ensure that the camping grinder you purchase can give you the grind size you need for your brewing method.
You must look into the grind settings that are easy to adjust and require less elbow grease to get a fine grind.
Budget-friendly
The price of portable hand coffee grinders ranges from $30 to $100. So a $30 coffee grinder is very functional but limited to grind sizes. You must invest more if you want a versatile manual coffee grind that can give you various grind sizes.
If you have no issue with grind size or your brewing method, like French Press or Pour Over the process, needs coarse coffee, a $30 manual coffee grinder works for you.
Bottom Line
So you’re ready to go camping. You’ve got your gear, tents and other camping stuff. So what about those coffee beans will you need to keep going for the next week?
The best solution is a Portable Coffee grinder, a portable handheld device that allows you to grind your coffee beans before making your morning coffee. That means your coffee will taste fresh and not burnt or bitter.
When it comes to a portable coffee grinder, quality matters more than anything. It would be best if you had a well-designed machine that lets you efficiently produce delicious coffee.
When buying a grinder, check the features and ensure that the camping coffee grinder is easy to carry, versatile and grinds coffee as per your brewing method.
