Best Camping Coffee Grinder 2024: Backpack Brew!

Best Camping Coffee Grinder

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Does spending a few nights in the wilderness mean that you have to sacrifice your love for a decent cup of coffee? Hell no.

As long as you throw in a few coffee brewing essentials into your backpack, there’s no reason why you can’t brew coffee just as good as you would at home.

Make sure you bring some whole coffee beans, an Aeropress or stovetop Moka pot, and a good camping coffee grinder you’ll be brewing up coffee your backpacking buddies will be craving.

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For the real camping enthusiast, what you need is a manual coffee grinder, you know, the ones that require a bit of elbow grease.

But with so many different types, brands, and price points, which will be the best camping grinders? Don’t fret because I have done the legwork for you and handpicked some of the best I could get my hands on and put each of them through their paces.

What To Look For A Good Camping Coffee Grinder?

Moka Pot laying on green grass

As I mentioned previously, not all grinders will be suitable, so the criteria for a camping coffee grinder, as far as I’m concerned, is as follows.

  • Weight: Any backpacker will tell you to always pack light, so it’s common sense to pack a camping grinder that is lightweight. So bearing that in mind, all of the grinders I have chosen won’t weigh you down.
  • Durability: The grinder has to be durable. The last thing you want is a broken grinder when you’re miles away from civilization. Grinding whole coffee beans with two rocks just isn’t going to cut it! Thankfully all of the grinders on my list are made to last, and these won’t break easily!
  • Size: Does size matter? It does when you’re packing light and have limited space. I have made sure that each grinder on the list is small enough to slip into your backpack, taking up hardly any room. To be honest, most of these camping grinders will fit snugly inside your AeroPress.

Camping Coffee Grinders Best Rated For 2024

The coffee grinders below are the best I could find for camping; they’re durable, lightweight, and compact.

You’ll be the envy of your camping buddies when you pull one of these out of your backpack!

Copco Compact Manual Adjustable Coffee Grinder

Copco Compact Manual Adjustable Coffee Grinder

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The Copco manual coffee grinder is one of my favorites. It not only looks fantastic but also works exceptionally well.

The transparent design lets you quickly see how coarse or fine you’re grinding the beans; it saves time by eliminating the need to stop and check.

The foldable handle is a unique feature that I haven’t seen in other hand grinders before. This makes it super comfortable to use and great for people who want to take the grinder on the road.

Copco Manual Coffee Grinder

The Copco is designed to work with any coffee brewer. It will cover all your brewing needs, including french press, pour-over, and the Aeropress.

The top-mounted design is best suited for long periods of repetitive motion, while the side-mounted design is better for other applications where repetitive stress may occur.

There are two extra containers with the product. There is an additional jar for storing your freshly ground coffee or your entire beans where the jars attach to the grinder. So, you have not one but two containers available with Copco.

Copco Manual Grinder is an excellent choice for anyone looking to purchase a new grinder. It’s affordable, durable, and surprisingly straightforward to clean – one of the easiest that I’ve come across.

What We Love

  • Load up to 100 grams of coffee in the hopper.
  • 40mm ceramic burr mills that produce an even particle size.
  • Very easy to clean and dismantle.

Take Note

  • Not as durable as some other grinders.

JavaPresse Portable Burr Coffee Grinder

JavaPresse Portable Burr Coffee Grinder

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If you’re looking for a camping coffee grinder that ticks all of the boxes, look no further than the JavaPresse grinder. This small, lightweight coffee grinder is built to last with its durable, high-quality brushed stainless steel body and durable ceramic conical burr.

The measuring base on the JavaPresse takes the guesswork out of how much coffee you need to grind with a handy window and measurement cup guide, so you can leave the digital coffee scale and coffee scoops at home.

The JavaPresse comes with multiple grind settings to suit almost any brewing method; simply turn the dial clockwise or counterclockwise to lock in your desired coarseness. A neat feature of the JavaPresse camping coffee grinder is the silicone lid that fits snugly on top of your grinder, turning into an airtight container to keep any leftover coffee fresh.

Included with the JavaPresse is a replacement ceramic burr, which is a great idea because, from my experience, these are often the first parts of a manual coffee grinder to break, so having a free replacement handy is a big thumbs up. You’ll also find a velvet carry bag that makes it easy to take your grinder on your travels and is also a handy place to keep your coffee beans too.

What We Love

  • Comes with a velvet carry bag.
  • Multiple grind settings from extra-fine through to coarse.

Take Note

  • No cons or negatives that we could find for this product.

GSI Outdoors Camping Coffee Grinder

GSI Outdoors Camping Coffee Grinder

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The GSI Outdoors Java Mill has an adjustable, conical ceramic burr and weighs about 9.2 oz. making it perfect for camping and trekking in the wilderness. The GSI is probably one of the most well-built coffee grinders I’ve got my hands on, it’s extremely durable, and the handle is badass in the way it locks in place!

The construction of the GSI has been made from a durable co-polyester (strong, durable plastic) rather than stainless steel. I prefer this material over a steel grinder, and I think it looks modern and allows you to see all the moving parts.

The kit includes a coffee grounds cup (the base), a grinding arm that will make you feel like Macgyver when you lock it in place, and a silicone grip that doubles as a holder for the arm when not in use.

There are a number of coffee grind settings on the GSI, all of which can be adjusted easily by twisting the lever (found in the container) clockwise for a finer grind and counterclockwise for a coarser grind.

What We Love

  • Features a foldable handle and compact nesting design.
  • Easy grind settings from coarse or fine.
  • Made from the high-grade durable co-polyester.

Take Note

  • Takes some trial and error to find the grind you want.

Handground Precision Coffee Grinder

Handground Precision Coffee Grinder

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Another great option is this offering from the team over at Handground. This grinder has had design input from thousands of coffee enthusiasts and was actually a Kickstarter project. Since its full launch, it has gained popularity as being a top contender in the world of manual coffee grinders.

It features 15 grind settings, and between each setting, there is a half step that allows you to fine-tune your grind even more. Simply twist the numbered ring to 1 to grind an espresso grind or twist to 8 for the more coarse grind, perfect for the French Press coffee maker. The built-in ceramic conical burr combined with the triple-mounted axle that stops wobbling guarantees a uniform grind every time. The hopper holds exactly 10 grams of whole coffee beans, which is perfect for the AeroPress and other brew methods when you’re brewing for one.

Cleaning this grinder is super easy, and it takes just seconds to disassemble the Handground grinder for cleaning. Simply turn the burr with the palm of your hand, and the burr mill slides out, allowing you to wash the grinder without damaging the grinding burr.

I’ll be honest, the Handground grinder isn’t cheap, but if you want the best, you need to spend some money, and I think it’s money well spent with this camping coffee grinder.

What We Love

  • 15 different precise grind settings.
  • Sleek, ergonomic design.
  • Easy to use mechanism.

Take Note

  • The grinder is a bit bulkier than some may prefer.

Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill

Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill

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The Hario Skerton is widely expected to be the grinder that other grinders try to be; it’s a classic that, although simple, churns out some of the best ground coffee at home.

The Hario Skerton is a backpacker’s best friend, and it ticks all of the boxes for grinding coffee around a campfire. The base is made of glass; now, don’t let this put you off. I know what you’re thinking isn’t glass a bad idea for camping. Yes and no, the glass is extremely durable, and to be honest, the only way it’s going to break is if it’s dropped from a height onto a hard floor.

What I like about the glass jar is that it can be doubled up as a glass for drinking, for you can also use the provided screw lid to turn it into a sealed container for holding ground coffee or anything for that matter.

Like the other camping grinders on the list, the Hario Skerton features a durable ceramic grinding burr and an adjustable dial that can be turned to lock in your preferred grind setting. The Hario Skerton is one of the best hand grinders for traveling coffee enthusiasts or even home enthusiasts on a limited budget.

What We Love

  • Excellent array of grind settings.
  • A slip-free rubber base makes for an easy grind.
  • Easy to disassemble and clean.

Take Note

  • Not the lightest on the market.

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Why Should You Trust Us
Mark Morphew Resident Coffee Expert Mark has over 20 years of experience in the catering and hospitality sector. He takes his years of knowledge and expertise and applies it to critiquing coffee equipment and brewing gear.

Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark Morphew and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.

In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
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