I’ve blogged about the joys of a grinder and thermal mugs, and even about adding a bedside shelf for morning coffee. What else could there possibly be? To coffee geeks that’s a rhetorical question 😉 or one to answer at great length and detail. But I’ll cut to the chase and introduce my new French press, durable and super-functional.

Ever since I got a Teardrop camper, I’ve used a standard, single-serve glass press pot for brewing coffee. It’s simple, works great, and no filters to keep stocked. A year ago I broke it due to bad packing. It was on my homeward journey so no biggie, it’s easy enough to get a replacement carafe, but it got me wondering—what if the unthinkable were to happen on a remote road trip and no easy way to get a replacement?

I know, first-world dilemma heh. And, yes I could just change the grinder to coarse and make “cowboy coffee”. But that didn’t stop me from keeping my eyes open for a metal French press. But the ones I saw were either too large and/or had some type of plastic lining rather than all stainless steel. Even if it’s Lexan or whatever hi-tech plastic, the idea of letting boiling water sit in it for 4-6 minutes then consuming it doesn’t sound good to me.

But then a couple months ago, I came across what I consider to be the perfect French press coffeemaker for teardrop trailer camping… unbreakable and with the unique property that it can be used to boil the water and brew the coffee.

Here’s what I like about this particular press pot, not all of which may matter to you but in any case some considerations when choosing a coffeemaker for camping:

• All stainless steel – There is a silicone lip at the top (can be removed for for occasional cleaning) but otherwise it is stainless steel inside and out, and has volume markings to measure water.
• Enough for two – Whether that’s two people, or two cups of coffee for one java junkie, it’s more flexible than having a single-serve press pot.
• Compact – Short and squat (about 5½” tall, 4” wide) and with fold-around handles, it stows easily in a teardrop trailer galley.
• Silicone Rim on Plunger – If you’re picky and don’t like grinds or sludge, this helps keep them out of your coffee cup.
• Boil & Brew all in one – The container can be used directly on a stove to boil water then add the coffee and leave it to steep. One less item out to make coffee, and better heat retention than transferring water from kettle to French press.

One thing I had to work around was that the grate opening around my camp stove burner was larger than the diameter of the press pot so it sat right on the burner, which is no good. But I found a small round trivet I could place on the stove grate to support it, or alternatively one could fashion metal cross bars from some scrap.

So, that’s how I do things with my Teardrop Trailer but by no means the full story or the best way. What about you? Add your own methods, ideas and experiences using the comment box below for the benefit of all readers.