There’s nothing quite like a good cup of coffee in the morning, especially if you had a long night or are getting ready for a long day ahead full of touristy activities.
Some destinations have plenty of great coffee choices, and at Modern Traveler we do our best to highlight these and often choose our hotels based on the coffee offerings. But in some destinations that don’t have a strong modern coffee culture, there just aren’t so many options.
Instead of ordering an overpriced cup from your hotel or queuing at a coffee shop for less-than-impressive coffee, you might want to just brew a pot on your own.
But to do that, you’ll need coffee tools. A French press can be a good simple option that’s handy and reliable enough to produce a good cup of coffee and can save you from packing multiple filters, funnels, and other gear (although, I confess I still sometimes bring these when I can fit them in my luggage).
With a plethora of choices in the market at varying quality levels, choosing the best performing French press can seem overwhelming. So we’ve put together a list of the best travel French press coffee makers to narrow down your choices.
| What To Expect: Types of Travel French Presses The 5 Best Travel French Press Coffee Makers – Stanley Classic Travel Press – AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press – ESPRO P1 Double Walled Stainless – SteelSisitano 2in1 Travel French Press Coffee Maker – Bodum Travel Press – KOHIPRESSFrench Press Coffee Maker |
Types of Travel French Presses
You probably already know what a French press is, but let’s do a quick recap to differentiate your options. We know that a French press is a plunger-slash-strainer tool for making coffee. You infuse boiling water with coarse-ground coffee, press it down into the container, and strain the coffee grounds by trapping them at the bottom of the pot. The result should be a full-bodied cup of Joe.
- The Classic French Press
With the classic French press method, you pour the coffee produced into a separate cup. Yes, you’ll need a mug or a cup (unless you want to chug down the coffee straight from the pot). Most hotels provide coffee cups in your room, but it might be a different case when you’re hiking or camping.
- French Press Travel Mug
Since portability is essential in most travels, a variety of handy French presses are built that can double as the mug you drink the coffee from. French press travel mugs are like normal mugs, but there’s a lid with a plunger running through its center. Aside from that, most of them also keep your coffee hot over an extended period. These are really great for travel.
A Summary of our Favorite Travel Coffee Presses
| Image | Product | Details | ||
| Best Overall |  | Stanley Classic Travel Press | – 16oz With Carry Loop – Stainless Steel– BPA Free – Great for Camping and Travel – Dishwasher Safe | Check price |
| Best Coffee Press |  | AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press | – Portable – Makes 1–3 Cups – Makes Delicious Coffee, Espresso, and Cold Brew in 1 Minute | Check price |
| Premium Choice |  | ESPRO P1 Double Walled Stainless Steel | – Double Walled – Vacuum Insulated – 12 Ounce – Sleek Design | Check price |
| Most Budget-Friendly |  | Sisitano 2in1 Travel French Press Coffee Maker | – Portable 11.8 Oz Tumbler – French Press for Ground Coffee & Tea Leaves – Coffee Mug for Trips, Camping, Work & School | Check price |
The 6 Best Travel French Press Coffee Makers
1. Stanley Classic Travel Press: Best Overall
Our top pick is the Stanley Classic Travel Press, a portable stainless steel French Press coffee maker. With over a century of making quality steel flasks, the Stanley brand has become a household name in the outdoor gear industry. And this Hammertone green travel press lives up to our expectations. Made of strong fine stainless steel, its mesh plunger keeps the grounds out of your coffee.
Aside from letting you make amazing coffee, this travel French press also acts as a mug that keeps any liquid hot for up to 4 hours. Designed with two layers of BPA-free stainless steel, this mug provides superior vacuum insulation. This is perfect for hiking, camping, and long road trips. You can make coffee in the morning and soup at night.
Specifications:
- 9.33″ x 5.83″ x 3.35”
- Makes 16oz of Coffee
Product Highlights:
- BPA-Free
- Leakproof
- Dishwasher Safe
2. AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press: Best Coffee Press
Our next pick, the AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press, features a mug with a lid that you press into, drink out of, and use as a traveling case. This portable and versatile product is not exactly a French press, but it deserves a spot on this list.
To put it simply, the AeroPress is like an upside-down French press. You also infuse water and ground coffee in a container, but you press a solid piston down from the top to push the coffee down through a paper filter into a mug.
This process also produces full-bodied coffee but without the bitterness that usually comes with the steep time required by the French press. You’ll get something similar to espresso. Another thing we love about this product is its micro-filters that ensure your coffee is smooth and grit-free.
Specifications:
- 3.7” x 3.7” x 5.3”
- Makes 6-8oz of Coffee (Around 1–3 Cups)
Product Highlights:
- BPA-Free
- Portable and Versatile
- Makes Coffee in 1 Minute
- Includes 350 Micro-Filters
3. ESPRO P1 Double Walled Stainless Steel: Premium Choice
Our premium choice is the ESPRO P1 Double Walled Stainless Steel. Its sleek, stylish design and range of features justify its higher price. It’s like your personal mobile cafe that lets you brew and sip coffee anywhere. You may use it as a travel French press to make 10oz of coffee or as a travel mug to hold 15oz of already-brewed coffee.
Built durably with insulated double-walled stainless steel, this portable French press will never break nor leak. It also does a fantastic job of keeping your coffee hot for several hours. This coffee press also features a patented double micro-filter that keeps your cup free of grit and sludge.
Specifications:
- 2.83” x 2.83” x 8.06”
- Makes 10oz of Coffee
- Has a 14oz Capacity As Travel Mug
Product Highlights:
- BPA-Free
- Leakproof
- Insulated Double-Walled Stainless Steel
4. Sisitano 2in1 Travel French Press Coffee Maker: Most Budget-Friendly
Are you looking to save money? The Sisitano 2in1 Travel French Press Coffee Maker is an affordable and lightweight option. Although it’s only made of plastic, it does its job as a French press for ground coffee and tea leaves. What makes this item more budget-friendly is that it’s also a tumbler and a French press rolled into one.
This 2-in-1 tumbler is compact enough to fit into your bags. The product also features a non-slip sleeve for added comfort and safety. There’s a vacuum seal to help lock in the heat of your coffee or tea, too. Don’t expect your hot beverage to stay hot for hours, though. So firmly close the snap-lock cap to keep the coffee warm for longer.
Specifications:
- 11.1” x 3.11” x 2.91”
- Makes 11.8oz of Coffee
Product Highlights:
- Value for Money
- Compact Design
- Easy To Use
5. Bodum Travel Press
Another trusted name in the coffee brewing industry is Bodum. Their Stainless Steel Travel Coffee and Tea Press is vacuum-sealed and double-walled to maintain your drink’s optimum temperature (whether hot or cold) for several hours.
Its durable design features a spill-resistant lid, a built-in plunger, and a silicone non-slip grip. Despite weighing only less than a pound, this handy French press is ideal for those who are always traveling or on the go.
The French press is also easy to use. Just add hot water to your ground coffee and seal the lid for a delicious, freshly pressed cup of Joe.
Specifications:
- 3.6” x 3.6” x 6.2”
- Makes 13oz of Coffee
Product Highlights:
- Double-Walled Stainless Steel
- BPA-Free
- Dishwasher Safe
6. KOHIPRESS French Press Coffee Maker
The KOHIPRESS French Press Coffee Maker by Pressopump lets you make a rich and smooth cup of coffee. What we love about this product is its patented advanced isolation mechanism. It uses a very fine micron filter that separates your brewed coffee from the coffee grounds. Hence, removing the bitter taste most conventional French presses may leave.
Similar to the AeroPress, the KOHIPRESS also features a pressurized plunger press that reduces filtering time. Because of the short brewing time, the acid level is also much lower than conventional brewers.
You may assume that because of its sleek, sophisticated design, this coffee press may not be durable; but the opposite is true. This travel French press is made of highly durable industrial-grade stainless steel. It also has double-wall insulation to keep your beverage warm for longer.
Specifications:
- 2.7” x 2.7” x 10.6”
- Makes 12oz of Coffee
Product Highlights:
- Double-Walled Insulated Stainless Steel
- Leakproof
- BPA-Free
Buyer’s Guide:
Not all travel French presses are made equal, so how do you sort through your options and find the best model? Below are a few points to keep in mind.
Size
Size matters all the time when traveling. We want to keep things handy and lightweight to avoid excess baggage fees and sleepless nights due to intense back pain.
As much as you love freshly pressed coffee, space is limited and every little bit of it counts. Thus, size is one big consideration that you have to look into before deciding to purchase a travel coffee press. Since space is limited, opt for the smaller options.
Durability
Another important factor to consider is durability. It’s best to check the materials, too. Generally speaking, travel coffee presses made of stainless steel are far more durable than those made of plastic. The latter is cheaper than the former, but steel is obviously more durable. If you want something that will not leak and not break during your rigorous outdoor activities, stainless steel is your best bet. Not only are stainless steel more heavy-duty, but they also have more insulation. This means they make your coffee or tea (or soup!) warm for longer.
Leakproof
Will you be making and drinking coffee in your room or will you bring it with you to go? If you’re taking it with you, invest in a French press that doubles as a travel mug. Also, make sure that it’s leak-free and fully sealable.
The Verdict
All the items listed here are great and serve their purpose. They wouldn’t be on this list in the first place if they didn’t. We always make sure that we recommend the best products for you.
However, if we were to choose our top picks, we’d have to choose two. The Stanley Classic Travel Press and the AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press are both excellent choices. With their useful features and top-quality materials, you’ll surely get cafe-worthy brewed coffee even when traveling.