jredknapp11

I've finally gotten into the coffee thing and I've become a junkie for my own brand. I don't do the Starbucks thing as I don't care for their coffee or prices and frankly it sucks seeing one on every corner of the globe.

I've become a fan of a particular brand that I can make at my home and I'd like to start bringing it with me. I'd rather not use the in room coffee makers at hotels as they are germ traps, so I've started to look for something that is small and light and would let me brew my own coffee.

Any suggestions as to what I should be looking for ? All in all I'm after a simple small brew station that will let me take my coffee co-op taste experience on the road with me... any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated

try2cook

The AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker is supposed to produce smooth coffee and espresso. It's available on amazon for $24.41:

http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coff...2273021&sr=8-4

I haven't tried it myself yet. I'll be interested in your opinion if you try it. I'll be especially interested if you compare coffee from the AeroPress with New Orleans style coffee. That's where you soak ground coffee overnight at room temperature. That I've done a lot of. Both methods are supposed to produce smooth coffee with low acidity.

I'm trying to be less obsessed with coffee, both to reduce consumption and save time. How'd I do?

scunnered

I use a stainless steel coffee press, or cafetiere, and a travel water heater. Doesn't take up much room, fairly easy to clean. You can carry coffee along or pick it up at any supermarket or 7-11 along the way. Also good for tea. Hard to beat. Makes outstanding coffee any strength you want. I have found that alternatives made of plastic don't stand up to travel. I thought about the Aeorpress but there are a lot of mixed views and having used the coffee press solution for a couple of months, I am hooked on it now.

Bodum-Stainless-16-Ounce-Vacuum

NORPRO-559-Immersion

oldpenny16

Has worked for me for years! I also carry along my own disposable cups.

MAN Pax

and it does make a passable espresso! Plus points are the use of Pods, so you always get fresh coffee.

Downside is the use of pods, so you're stuck with what they put in them.

http://handpresso.com/

I'm thinking of getting the much cheaper Aeropress and seeing how it works for me on the road.

cordelli

The wife loves her coffee on the road, and hardly ever travels without a french press and one of those plug in immersion coil heaters. I believe she's using a travel press that's plastic.

freecia

I use the french presses for tea and they do fine for the most part, with the exception that the water is hotter than I'd like due to the metal and vacuum, plus mouth and seal use plastic parts that can degrade more quickly than the metal.

Friend of mine picked up the ceramic drip cone and clever dripper. She likes them.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmari...ltercones.html

MichaelCharlie

I use the plastic version of the self-drip cone - ceramic seems like it would be heavier and more fragile. I also use the hotel coffee maker to heat the water but I always run at least one pot of water through (and discard it) before actually heating the water I make my coffee with. I also always use bottled water for the coffee - tap works fine for the rinse-out.

I just checked out a You-tube video that I got to from Sweet Maria's about the Aeropress -- that looks like a really good option! (Thanks for the link to that site, Freecia!)

MelesMeles

This is a good handheld machine for espresso that doesn't require the use of the proprietary "pods".

However, downside is that it requires compressed air canisters, which may be tricky if you want to bring it in luggage. I don't know the rules on compressed air in checked luggage off the top of my head, but I'm guessing it's a no-no...

cicimo

With regard to the AeroPress mentioned above, I have two. I bought one for work, then bought the second one for travel and camping when I learned how well it works. I use it everyday at work to make a surprisingly good double espresso with a nice topping of coffee foam.

It's made by Aerobie, the company that also makes that Frisbee-like throwing ring. It's made of a durable plastic and is basically a hand-operated piston with a disposable paper filter that sits in a perforated screw-on base. The plunger makes a water-tight seal, so no leaking around the edges when the piston is pushed down to make the coffee. The thick plastic of the cylindrical housing also insulates so not hot to the touch when handled. For pictures and drawings, check Amazon.com. Leave it to a toy-maker for a better mousetrap... coffee maker.

brunotattaglia

^ I think this is as far as I could go. I just can't imagine lugging more stuff around while traveling.

Also, as a coffee drinker I like finding new cafes wherever I travel.

roo

Oh, thank you so much for sharing that! I'm ordering one right now

dandan

The aeropress is actually quite decent and remarkably sturdy and well-made for a plastic product. I prefer french press coffee personally (I like the murkiness), and a small personal-size french press isn't unreasonable to carry around.

brunotattaglia

the immersion heater sounds like a great idea and I don't see why it wouldn't work.

On the other hand, I own the Bodum individual mug and it is pretty frustrating to use. read the reviews before spending your $20

scunnered

Just to add a couple of points to my original post.

1. The immersion heater works on 100V - 250V. So if you try it in the USA you might be a bit disappointed in how long it takes to boil a mug of water. It does get there in the end, but you do have to plan ahead. In Europe and other parts of the world with 220-250V, it works twice as fast.

2. I gave a link to a Bodum press because I assumed that was what I had and Bodum seems to be universal. But I see that mine is actually a Starbucks model, and given that it has none of the problems encountered with Bodum, obviously not made by them. It works great, the filter is riveted to the shaft and cannot come off and the seal is great.