Coffee to Go: 9 Things You Need to Brew and Drink While Traveling

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

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E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.

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If you can’t imagine a road trip without a cup of coffee in the cupholder, or a trip to the airport without a coffee stop, you know how necessary a good brew can be to a trip. Save money and time spent waiting in the drive-through line by bringing your own java along. The following nine items that make it easy to brew and take your coffee to go.

Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Perfect for vacation rentals, road trips, or simply making coffee ahead of time, the Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker is the easiest way to make cold-brew coffee. Simply add grounds and water, let steep overnight, and then flip a switch to get a powerful and smooth cold-brew concentrate. Despite the name, the Cold Brew Coffee Maker can be also used to make hot coffee or to brew tea.

AeroPress

Check any camping coffee-lover’s backpack, and you’re likely to see an AeroPress inside. The AeroPress is one of the smallest and most portable coffee makers on the market, and it can make a cup of coffee in about 30 seconds (not counting boiling the water). No batteries or power are required for the AeroPress, which makes it great for the outdoors.

Able Brewing Disk Fine Coffee Filter

The AeroPress is great but requires a disposable paper filter to strain the coffee, which creates a lot of waste (and adds up financially over time). Invest in Able Brewing’s Disk Fine Coffee Filter instead, which is designed to replace the AeroPress paper filter. Made from stainless steel, the Disk is easy to clean and will last a lifetime. Unlike the paper filter, the Disk allows more oils (and flavor) through to your cup of coffee, without being contaminated by any papery taste.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Mug

Too scared of spills to toss your travel mug inside your bag? There’s no need to worry with the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Mug which is legitimately leak-proof. The lid locks and can’t be opened accidentally, but flips open with just one hand. The nine-ounce mug uses vacuum insulation to keep your drink hot for up to six hours, while the outside feels cool to the touch.

Bodum Travel French Press

The Bodum Travel French Press is a French press and travel mug in one, so you have one less dish to wash after making and drinking coffee. Add your coffee grounds and hot water to the mug, steep, and push the plunger—your coffee is ready and already packaged to go.

Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug

Does a cup of lukewarm coffee ruin your day? Get the Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug and never let a good cup go cold again. The rechargeable mug pairs with an app on your phone that allows you to set and maintain the temperature of your drink. It will stay at your ideal temperature for an hour, or you can use the included charging coaster to keep it warm all day long.

UniTerra Nomad Espresso Machine

Coffee on the go is pretty easy to make, but a legitimate shot of espresso? That’s nearly impossible without a professional espresso machine. At least it was until UniTerra’s Nomad Espresso Machine came along. This portable machine can be used anywhere, as it’s hand-powered by a small lever to create enough pressure to make a perfect shot of espresso with a true crema. The eye-catching design looks good on your counter at home when you’re not out making espresso in the wild.

Cafellissimo Paperless Pour Over Coffee Maker

Pour-over coffee is trendy right now, but many coffee shops charge exorbitant prices for it. Do it yourself with no waste, with Cafellissimo’s Paperless Pour Over Coffee Maker. The stainless steel cone is made from a fine mesh that filters out grounds and has a base that fits most mugs, so you can make your coffee right into your cup. Just add grounds and hot water, and you’ll have a perfect pour-over coffee in less than a minute.

NowPresso

Don’t want to boil your water separately? The NowPresso does everything for you—just add cold water and it will boil it for you as it makes your espresso. It even makes the espresso right into the attached cup, so you can just unscrew it and drink. The NowPresso uses Nespresso Capsules, or you can use your own grounds in a reusable capsule.

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Caroline Morse Teel’s coffee to go order is a double espresso. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline for coffee and travel photos from around the world.

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