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Best Travel Pour-Over Coffee Makers (**Buying Guide**)

Want great coffee on the go? In this review, learn more about the best pour-over coffee makers for traveling that you can buy.

Traveling is exciting, but it's super stressful when I don't have my morning cup of coffee.

No coffee? I'm a big-time grouch with a migraine.  

top travel pour over coffee makers

Luckily, there is a solution to this problem with a quality travel pour-over coffee maker.

Pour overs are so easy to use and are the best at getting all that coffee goodness out of your coffee beans. And you'll be so fancy to your friends and family when you whip out your sleek portable pour over set-up and crush it.

Unless you're this guy... Who is clearly crushing the pour over coffee and life partner gig by making his own portable pour over set up:

pour over coffee hero set up

In this post, I give you finding tps so you can choose a pour-over coffee maker for your travels. You also get my favorite on-the-go pour overs (they're super affordable too).

ImageProduct
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Coffee Gator Paperless Travel Pour Over Coffee Maker
  • Thermal travel mug keeps coffee fresh on the go
  • Paperless, no coffee filters needed
  • Easy brew, without mess
  • Thermal travel mug keeps coffee fresh on the go
  • Paperless, no coffee filters needed
  • Easy brew, without mess
View on Amazon
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Osaka Coffee Pour-Over Dripper With Built-In Travel Thermos
  • Also has a built-in thermos
  • Brews enough for two servings
  • Even includes a storing compartment for ground coffee!
  • Also has a built-in thermos
  • Brews enough for two servings
  • Even includes a storing compartment for ground coffee!
View on Amazon
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Maranello Caffé Pour Over Coffee Dripper with Cup Stand
  • Minimalist design
  • Light weight
  • Super affordable
  • Minimalist design
  • Light weight
  • Super affordable
View on Amazon
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Stainless Steel Pour Over Coffee Dripper With Stand
  • Stand feature keeps coffee residue and grounds off of your cup
  • Can be used with our without stand
  • No paper filter needed
  • Stand feature keeps coffee residue and grounds off of your cup
  • Can be used with our without stand
  • No paper filter needed
View on Amazon
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IKA KITCHEN Reusable Hand Drip Stainless Steel Pour-Over Dripper
  • Includes coffe measuring scoop
  • Quality stainless steel design
  • Features a double filtration system to keep grounds out of your cup!
  • Includes coffe measuring scoop
  • Quality stainless steel design
  • Features a double filtration system to keep grounds out of your cup!
View on Amazon

Top 5 Travel Pour Over Coffee Makers

Tips To Choose The Best Travel Pour Over Coffee Makers

If you want to have a cup of your favorite coffee when you are thousands of miles away from home, there’s only one certain way to have it, you need to make it yourself.

I know, it's easy to drive through a Peets or a Starbucks or whatever, but if you're like me and on a budget, those to-go cups can add up, fast.

And honestly, especially in the wild, it's awesome to brew your favorite coffee in the morning.

A portable pour-over coffee maker makes all the difference.

brew to impress with travel pour over coffee makers

The pour over method of coffee brewing has a lot of devoted followers, and some startuppers have been working on automating the pour over process for a while now.

If you ask me, pouring over by hand is the best way to control the experience, and is the whole point.

Watch this quick video to walk through the basics of how to make a great cup of pour-over coffee while camping (super easy): 

What Is A Travel Pour Over Coffee Maker?

A travel pour over coffee maker is a compact, manual coffee making system that sits on top of your mug.

Usually cone-shaped with a filter attached or room for a disposable filter, the top of the cone is open to let water pass through ground coffee slowly.  

It's like a drip coffee machine, only you heat and pour the water "over" your coffee by hand.

Gravity pulls the brewed coffee drip-by-drip into your mug. 

Thanks to the filter, you get a clean cup of coffee, without the chance of grounds or other contaminants mixed in.

Pour over coffee science is an awesome chemistry lesson. The water mixing with the grounds at a certain temperature and steady pour creates reactions that make your coffee delicious. 

Everything from water temperature to coffe grind matters in pour over brewing. 

What Are The Benefits of a Travel Pour Over Coffee Maker?

Pour-over coffee makers for traveling have a lot of health benefits, just like most coffee. But pour overs have practical benefits too.

The most obvious one is that you can enjoy your favorite drink wherever you are.

Here are a few other reasons why you should get a portable pour over if you love coffee:

A clean-tasting drink every time

The pour over filtration method doesn't let any ground coffee into your drink, or as my husband calls it, "the dirt".

No dirt in your cup of joe, folks. This is key. No one likes to chew their coffee, unless it's chocolate covered...

Brew quality control with pour over coffee

You have full control over temperature, coffee strength and drink size. No wasted coffee grounds or brewed coffee.

You can experiment with the amount of grounds you want to use to get the right strength for you.

And most importantly, you can control the water temperature so you don't scorch your beans or brew.

Stable and uniform pouring makes a difference in the taste of your coffee drink, believe it or not. 

Travel pour overs are cost effective

You can find good, quality travel pour overs under $35, easily. Enough said.

Portable pour overs are compact

A pour-over coffee maker for traveling won’t take up much space in your backpack or in your kitchen.

It’s easy to find a spot for it no matter how small you pack.

Easy to clean a travel pour over

These are simple funnel devices people. One way in and out. A travel pour-over coffee maker does not need any maintenance.

It’s enough to wash it with some water and some dish soap after use. Many portable pour overs are dishwasher safe, these days. 

Pride of making your own coffee by hand

Sounds cheesy, but it feels so good to be fancy and camp hero when you pull out your portable pour over kit and make coffee magic happen for yourself (and your people).

Brew to impress!

travel pour over coffee maker ceramic

What Are Disadvantages of Travel Pour Over Coffee Makers?

Let’s be honest, there is no ideal coffee maker that would appeal to everyone, and pour-over coffee brewers are not an exception. This device has some drawbacks you should consider:

Pour over process is manual

With this coffee maker, there’s no button you can push. You will need to do everything on your own, which can be annoying for some people.

If you're not a hands on kind of person, pour overs are not for you.

Requires boiling water to pour over

Whether you are in a hotel room in NYC or in a tent somewhere in the Canadian mountains, you will still need to get a kettle or a pan of boiling water for your coffee.

You might need to take more camping kitchenware with you. You also need the right brewing temperature.

You're usually going to be fine with the temperature of your water, but I like about 207°F for medium to light roasts, and about 10° lower for dark roasts

I get that you may not care to sit there and take the temperature of your water, so maybe save the pour overs for the fanatics (me).

Pour over coffee brewing takes time

So you have to be patient. Making a perfect cup of pour-over coffee takes time. You need to wait till the gravity does its work. If you try to rush through the process, you'll just make a mess.

Your target total brew time is about 2.5 to 3 minutes for dark roasted coffee, and 3 to 4 minutes for medium to light roasted coffees. This includes the dripping time after you stop adding water.

A grinder defines your pour over results

To make a tasty flavorful cup of coffee with a pour-over, you need to grind your beans right. What I'm about to say is totally not scientific.

To achieve a perfect taste, you need to ground the beans not too coarse and not too fine, just about average. So this means you're going to go through an "adjustment" period where you test and learn the perfect grind for your pour over tastes.

As a general rule of thumb: If your coffee tastes weak, you're probably grinding too coarse, so try a finer grind the next time around.

If your coffee tastes too strong, next time use a little less coffee, or just add a bit of hot water to the finished brew to taste.

Either way, this is something a lot of folks don't want to do, so they don't get whytheir pour over coffee is just meh.

What Types of Travel Pour Over Coffee Makers Exist?

Travel pour-over coffee makers differ based on their size, material, capacity, accessories and the manufacturer.

Nearly every pour-over coffee maker is very compact and can be easily taken on a trip. But some are better than others, and less delecate.

Some pour-over coffee makers come together with a carafe or a cup, others don’t. Here, the choice depends on your needs.

In terms of capacity, you need to decide how many cups of coffee you you want to make at once with your device.

Pour overs take time, so you might want to consider choosing a bigger device if more coffee lovers travel along with you often, or you're like me and you want 3 cups to yourself at once.

The material of the coffee maker matters a lot. While some might be cheaper, they might also pose a threat to human health.

It’s better to stay away from aluminum, according to recent studies.

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Products Reviewed

  • Thermal travel mug keeps coffee fresh on the go
  • Paperless, no coffee filters needed
  • Easy brew, without mess

Pros:

  • All in one. The kit has everything you need to make a hot cup of coffee away from home. There is a stainless steel mesh filter, a thermo mug and a cover for it.
  • High-quality material. Coffee Gator has a military-grade 304 stainless steel coating that keeps your drink hot longer while preserving its taste and flavor.
  • A dense filter allows you to make the strongest coffee you wish.
  • Environment-friendly. With this cup, you will not need any paper filters anymore. The stainless steel filter can last for ages.
  • Minimalist stainless steel style to fit every look.
  • Fits standard cup holders in cars.
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee. The manufacturer backs up all of its products with a money-return policy.
  • Spare lids on request.

Cons:

  • Requires careful handling, which is not always possible during traveling. If you drop the lid on a hard surface, it might crack.
  • A bit heavy when full. The grip might be uncomfortable for a smaller hand.
  • No silicone band for better grip.
  • Also has a built-in thermos
  • Brews enough for two servings
  • Even includes a storing compartment for ground coffee!

Pros:

  • Stainless steel double-walled insulated thermos will keep your drink hot for six hours.
  • Laser-cut mesh filter dense enough to keep all the coffee ground out and let all the coffee oils get into your drink.
  • Enough for two servings. Osaka has a spacious 13.5 oz thermos.
  • A storing compartment for ground coffee. You can take your grounds with you to treat yourself to the freshest drink.
    The bottom grip prevents the thermos from falling over.
  • Fits a standard car cup holder.
  • Suitable for hot water and cold drinks.

Cons:

  • No hole for drinking. You need to remove the lid entirely to take a sip.
  • It can leak when rocked.
  • Bulky and uncomfortable for a small hand.
  • The filter starts to unlock from the bottom of the cup easily over time.
  • No spare lids on request.
  • Minimalist design
  • Light weight
  • Super affordable
Sale

Pros:

  • Dual brewing system.
  • High-quality material. The filter is made of 18/8 stainless steel.
  • Fits most mugs thanks to the 4-inch base.
  • Lifetime guarantee. 90-day money-back guarantee.
  • Effortless use and cleaning.
  • Environmental-friendly. You will not need to purchase plastic or paper filters that harm the environment anymore. No K-cups and pods to mess with anymore.
  • Dishwasher safe.
  • The product comes with tips on how to use it and make a perfect cup of coffee.

Cons:

  • Takes about five minutes to make one cup of coffee.
  • Requires thorough cleaning after every use. Otherwise, it will get cluttered and the pouring process will slow down dramatically.
  • Difficult to check the coffee level unless you're pouring into a glass cup.
  • Very small grounds can still get through the filter.
  • Not fit for espresso, operates best with coarse coffee beans.
  • Stand feature keeps coffee residue and grounds off of your cup
  • Can be used with our without stand
  • No paper filter needed

Pros:

  • Sturdy two-piece unit for making coffee anywhere you are.
  • Can be used with and without the stand.
  • Keeps the coffee ground residue off your cup or pot.
  • Environmental-friendly. You will not need to purchase plastic or paper filters that harm the environment anymore. No K-cups and pods to mess with anymore.
  • Easy to clean. All you need to do is rinse it with hot water.
    Comes with instructions on how to get a perfect coffee with it.

Cons:

  • Not fit for espresso, operates best with coarse coffee beans.
  • Gets very hot during the process of making the coffee. The rubber on the handle heats up as well.
  • The handle on the side of the device is small and uncomfortable.
  • Water runs through the filter so fast that the coffee you get has little flavor.
  • Includes coffe measuring scoop
  • Quality stainless steel design
  • Features a double filtration system to keep grounds out of your cup!

Pros:

  • Comes with a built-in stand and a measuring scoop for your coffee.
  • High-quality measuring spoon.
    Safe for your health. Chemical-free kitchen-grade stainless steel.
  • Environmental-friendly. You will not need to purchase plastic or paper filters that harm the environment anymore. No K-cups and pods to mess with anymore.
  • Double filtration system prevents any ground coffee residue from getting into your cup.
  • It is capable of making two to four cups of coffee at a time.
  • Dishwasher safe.
  • Good heat retention (compared to similar plastic and ceramic devices).
  • Easy to clean. The grounds don’t get stuck in the mesh.
  • Comes with a small operation manual with useful tips.
  • You can see how full your cup is without lifting the filter.
  • Lifetime warranty.

Cons:

  • The base is not removable.
  • The base is too small for large mugs.
  • Requires careful handling.

The clear winner of my roundup is the pour-over coffee maker from Coffee Gator. I love this travel pour over so much! It comes at a price of about two stainless steel pour over filters, but you get so much more from its design. Coffee Gator is an all-in-one solution for having your drink on the go anywhere you need it, be it a busy day with kids, camping in the mountains, or a hotel room across the country. 

One of the best things about it is that it keeps your drink hot for hours because of the thermal travel mug design. It also matters a lot that all the materials are safe for your health and do not interfere with the taste and flavor of your drink. Easy to wash, and durable. This Travel Pour Over Coffee Maker is a must for all coffee lovers. 

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