Coffee on the Go: Top Picks for Caravan Coffee Makers

While caravanning around the city or into the wild, a good cup of coffee is also a lively addition. Coffee not only packs you with important antioxidants but also works as a natural energy booster. A cup of coffee can instantly make you more cheerful throughout the adventurous trip on a caravan.

During your trip on a caravan, you are exposed to limited power and appliances facilities. It’s wise to keep a well-controlled and functional coffee machine with you for meeting your regular caffeine doses.

Nowadays a wide variety of amazing travel-friendly coffee makers are there to meet your requirements. Not all have the features you’re looking for and also you’re not going to need all the features whatsoever. This is why a proper selection of a durable, compact designed, and well-functioning coffee machine is needed for your caravan.

Short answer: Aeropress Go Travel Coffee Maker and Wacaco Minipresso are my favorite picks considering their enormous positive feedbacks from the customers. These are portable, small in size, and can easily adapt to the limited space in your caravan.

Continue your reading since the following sections have a more elaborated discussion on your favorite picks.

How do you make coffee living in a van?

If your van has got a power set-up, you can use an electric kettle to boil the water. You can also use the electric drip coffee maker through the battery system.

However, if you don’t have access to electricity, you have to adopt a power-free option.

The preparation method of coffee inside the van will depend on the interior setup. Anyone can make a great cup of coffee when provided with electricity, necessary appliances, and fresh grounds. However, in a van, you might face certain inconveniences while preparing a cup.

My ways of brewing options are listed below:

The decision comes down to the coffee drinker, whose taste preference will determine which brewing option is the most suitable. If you like experimenting, you can use brewing methods alternately with other varieties. Remember, variety is the spice of life.

If you’re not that familiar yet with brewing coffee, I have an article that can sum up its essentials. Check it out!

Can you use a coffee machine in a camper van?

You can use a coffee machine in a camper van given that a suitable heat source or adequate power facilities are available.

Pods machines are probably the most convenient method to get your cup of joe. It’s also very easy to clean and maintains the consistency between the cups.

However, the cost of pods adds quickly since you need to carry a large number of those in your journey. Moreover, they create a lot of waste and don’t produce high-quality coffee like an Aeropress or Wacaco Minipresso.

For convenient use in the campervan look for a lightweight machine, can work both with and without power, and gives a wonderful brew.

What are the key features while buying a coffee machine for your caravan?

When you’re traveling in a recreational vehicle, you must possess appliances that are portable and durable. Look for some universal features in your machine so that the whole coffee-making process becomes easier.

I have listed some of the key features that are important to consider while making your choice:

Portability

Easy portable is important otherwise it will be a nuisance to move the machine as per convenience. No matter how good your machine is if it doesn’t allow portable conveniences then better to leave it at home.

Size

The size of the machine should be compact so that it doesn’t take a lot of space inside the van. Some of the smallest machines give amazing brews so fight the urge to bring the monster-good-looking brewer into your trip.

Budget

Budget is one of the most important things to consider while buying. Amidst the wide array of amazing choices, spend as much or as little as you’re capable of for the machine that has got almost all the desired qualities. Not always, expensive screams better service.

Power

Before purchasing look for the power source you want to use for the machine. It can be electricity, gas, or a battery. Consider bringing a coffee maker as per this requirement.

What voltage is needed to use coffee machines in campervans?

Surely, it depends. Usually, a normal socket can be used for plugging the machine.

However, camper vans tend to have less space and electric settings. If you’re thinking of using the cigarette lighter socket, it usually is 12 v or 24v depending on the vehicle you’re using.

In this case, you should select a 12v coffee maker. If you aren’t using the plug-in then you need to find a heat source to warm up the contents beforehand.

Best coffee machines for your caravan

Hikers, campers, and travelers are used to spending most of their time in adventurous destinations. Whether in camping vans or classic caravans, coffee machines are one of the most basic elements that everyone requires throughout their journey.

When you’re thinking of buying a coffee maker for your ‘houses on wheels’ you need to look for certain settings that would serve you the best as per your needs.

Taking into note the convenience in portability, cleaning, budget, and service, I have listed two of the most favorite choices of coffee makers for your caravan.

Best Value- Aeropress Go Travel Coffee Maker

Quick review:

Ease of use- 4.5/5

Value for money- 5/5

Build quality- 4.5/5

Cleaning capacity- 4/5

Brewing capacity- 4.5/5

Undoubtedly the most loved customer’s favorite is the Aeropress Go Travel Coffee maker. It’s easy to hang to the technique and settings of the Aeropress. The best part is that this machine is responsible for preparing the most amazing cup of coffee.

The Aeropress system of the machine compresses all the grinds to the filter and pushes all the grounds out of the plunger very quickly, leaving no scope for unnecessary hassles.

The components of the coffee maker are well-built, compact, and most importantly reasonably priced.

Aeropress go travel brings all the necessary accessories together ad comes in an adorable compact container. The only issue that you might get is that it can serve only a single brew at once so you need to prepare every single cup.

Despite lacking brewing capacity, Aeropress is way ahead of many options available. It has got a removable plunger, a 15 oz capacity travel mug, and most importantly a smart design that ensures that your coffee is perfectly brewed every single time.

Some key features:

• Uses rapid immersion brewing process.
• Eco-friendly
• Affordable price point
• Dishwasher and microwave safe

Price range: about $32

Best Overall- Wacaco Minipresso

Quick review:

Ease of use- 4.5/5

Value for money- 4/5

Build quality- 4/5

Cleaning capacity- 4/5

Brewing capacity- 3.5/5

Wacaco Minipresso delivers a delicious cup of espresso and is very nice on your budget. So this machine is mainly for those who want a nice espresso while being on a tight budget.

This is incredibly light in weight and gives you the ease of use from its innovative design. The machine doesn’t rely on coffee capsules or drip elements. It works on the manual piston action to extract the coffee grounds. The concept of extracting coffee is simple and doesn’t require too much knowledge.

You can use any heats source for Miniprsso which is a very good point while being on a journey. However, it’s a bit less versatile than other espresso makers. If you’re a black coffee lover then this is probably for you.

Some key features:

• Gives you a 50 ml shot of extraction
• Can control the brewing strength, grind size, and temperature of the water
• Has a compact cylindrical designed body made mostly of BPA-free plastic
• Affordable and durable

Price range: about $55

Are there any good alternatives?

There are many good alternatives of coffee makers that are travel-friendly, budget-friendly, and most importantly give amazing cups of coffee. I have listed some of the most popular ones below:

• Handpresso Portable Coffee Maker
• Essenza Mini
• Keurig K-Mini Pus Maker Coffee Brewer
• Coleman Camping Coffee Maker
• Roadster Cigarette Plug Coffee Kettle
• Bodum Chambord Coffee Maker

Final Thoughts

In short, the best coffee machine for your caravan is the one that goes with your taste and convenience the most. While picking the top two picks I have considered the following important notes:

• Space and size required
• Easy functionality
• Affordable to mid-priced
• Adequate important accessories
• Durable

If you have a different set of desired features then you must do your research before purchasing one. There are so many good options available in the market. Look for the labeled information regarding the product and take note of the settings that you want.

For an easy, convenient, and wonderful cup of coffee, Aeropress and Wacaco are undoubtedly doing well in the market. If you’re thinking of bringing any of these to your caravan trip, do share your experience.

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