Coffee Makers?

[dwh]

How exactly does that Moka thing work?

Works like an old fashioned percolator. Fill bottom with water, add desired quantity of espresso ground coffee and perc.

Sorry, but no. That is a common misconception and completely wrong. They are totally different.

A percolater boils the water, which then bubbles up through the capillary tube and spreads out over the basket and drips down. It then gets boiled and recycled until the coffee grounds are fully leeched out and maximum strength is achieved.

A moka pot boils the water in the lower chamber under pressure to make steam. This is why moka pots have a safety pressure relief valve on the lower chamber. The steam is forced up through the grounds under pressure then through a capillary tube into the upper chamber. One time through, no reboiling or recycling the brewed coffee.

Steam, forced through the grounds under pressure - that is the definition of "espresso" (express). Moka pots absolutely do make espresso.

Properly tamping (packing) the coffee basket to achieve the right resistance to achieve the right steam pressure is a bit of an art, but is as important as the proper fine espresso grind. You'll know if you packed it too tight if the pressure valve vents steam.


(And Starbucks is horrid. My personal opinion is they must achieve their signature flavor by simply overroasting the beans until they achieve a nice uniform state of being burned. Then it always tastes the same...burned. Oh, I'll drink it if there's nothing else...and try not to gag.)

 

[aggiejon]

I have to have my coffee, but i typically just prefer a simple cup. Camping, regardless of the method...camper, tailgate, kayak expedition, backpack...I use a 4 cup percolator that i bought for $2 at a garage sale years ago. Durable, easy to clean, will work on a Coleman stove, a MSR whisper jet stove, electric or gas stovetop, or a campfire. It leaves some coffee grounds occasionally. But that just makes you feel alive!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[gdlals]

For us either boiled water and French Press or 500W inverter and Delonghi Moka Alicia if I dont want to boil water on a stove

 

[CSG]

I'm not sure if this may be too "basic" but I just bought the new Nespresso Expert by Breville espresso and coffee machine a few weeks ago, and I'm loving it! It makes great espresso. I'd say it's about 99% close to the real Starbucks taste. This is a pretty basic machine, it uses pods, and makes espresso in 15 seconds. Now you did mention you were looking for a grinder too, so this may not be it. But if you are looking for a simple, great working machine that makes great espresso, I'd highly recommend it. And, it's only $330.

But starbux espresso is terrible for anyone who know what great espresso is.

 

[Martinjmpr]

After trying percolators and a French press I've gone back to a simple pour-over Melitta filter. Unlike the French Press which requires more time and requires cleaning, with the Melitta I just put the filter in the drip cup with ground coffee in it, pour in hot water and voila: Coffee! Clean up couldn't be simpler: Just throw the filter away with coffee grounds inside and wipe out the drip cup.

Is a French press 'better'? Well, define "better." The Melitta is good enough for me, takes up very little space and requires zero maintenance or cleanup.

I'm not a coffee snob anyway, I was in the Army and Army coffee doubles as paint remover.

 

[CSG]

After trying percolators and a French press I've gone back to a simple pour-over Melitta filter. Unlike the French Press which requires more time and requires cleaning, with the Melitta I just put the filter in the drip cup with ground coffee in it, pour in hot water and voila: Coffee! Clean up couldn't be simpler: Just throw the filter away with coffee grounds inside and wipe out the drip cup.

Is a French press 'better'? Well, define "better." The Melitta is good enough for me, takes up very little space and requires zero maintenance or cleanup.

I'm not a coffee snob anyway, I was in the Army and Army coffee doubles as paint remover.

IMO, there is no better brewing method for standard coffee than pour over. An inexpensive Melitta filter works as well as expensive ones made by other companies and better than all I've tried. Dealing with wet grounds is a deal breaker for me. Even at home, using my Moka pot is a PITA even though the coffee is good. Cleaning those wet grounds out of the basket is too much of a nuisance. A French press is a waste of life and the coffee isn't as good as properly prepared pour over.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I tried a percolator years ago on a Coleman stove. It works great but just too much space. Although for clean-up it's not bad. City Market/King Soopers (and I'm sure most supermarkets) still sell the flat percolator filters. I probably have several hundred of them. I can't seem to find where I leave the package until after I need them and buy another package each time we do a hut trip.



Went to a French press and clean up is a huge PITA, no go. I barely use a press even at home anymore.

I've done pour overs but I can't seem to not make a mess using my Hydroflask (it's got a narrow neck) and keep the coffee flowing through the filter. But a few filters and a fold-up holder take up no space so it's always there.

At the moment a Moka pot is my current favorite. The grounds come out in a dense hockey puck so it's like a press with almost no mess. I don't need to waste any water really cleaning anything. I have a 3-shot that fits perfectly on top of a Snow Peak Gigapower, too. My M.O. is wake up, pack the truck, throw a burrito under the engine cover and drive for an hour or two. Stop to make an espresso and eat breakfast.

 

[spressomon]

Orphan Espresso just released an interesting super compact pour over filter holder: http://www.oehandgrinders.com/Flatpack-Travel-Coffee-Dripper_p_122.html

 

[DaveInDenver]

Orphan Espresso just released an interesting super compact pour over filter holder: http://www.oehandgrinders.com/Flatpack-Travel-Coffee-Dripper_p_122.html

Do what can be done quite acceptably for about $10 in plastic and boom, it's now a $70 expocool device using titanium, artisan Japanese filters and waxed canvas! They out Snow Peak'd Snow Peak's $30 one.

 

[Lucky j]

This is what I have and love it. But, since their is always a but with anything in life and don't beleive someone who says everything is perfect, it leavs so e wasted water in the bottom. Hate to lose water like that when camping.

did someone say espresso? Even froths milk! I use it with a propane single burner stove. Just have to watch it closely, it will over pressure and release steam if not watching close enough:

 

[DaveInDenver]

Orphan Espresso just released an interesting super compact pour over filter holder: http://www.oehandgrinders.com/Flatpack-Travel-Coffee-Dripper_p_122.html

I was thinking about this more @spressomon, since the fancy overland'ing one you linked does have an interesting feature being silicone. Obviously the titanium disk and canvas envelope are IMO silly (perhaps use aluminum and shove it in a fake leather pouch for 1/4th the price?). Still not being plastic and storing flat are useful. Sea to Summit makes a collapsible filter holder that is $20 and might be an alternative.

 

[spressomon]

I was thinking about this more @spressomon, since the fancy overland'ing one you linked does have an interesting feature being silicone. Obviously the titanium disk and canvas envelope are IMO silly (perhaps use aluminum and shove it in a fake leather pouch for 1/4th the price?). Still not being plastic and storing flat are useful. Sea to Summit makes a collapsible filter holder that is $20 and might be an alternative.

View attachment 511508

I'm not a pour over brewer but with a flat bottom on the SeaToSummit device and cone shaped filters how does that work?

 

[DaveInDenver]

I'm not a pour over brewer but with a flat bottom on the SeaToSummit device and cone shaped filters how does that work?

No idea, I've never seen it in person. Just found it in a web search.

 

[spressomon]

Ok, the SeaToSummit is designed to BE the filter too.

Ok reviews on REI: https://www.rei.com/product/115648/...-LNn9daxvQRiM2GTJ4wHkYzTCcWo0CicaAvzHEALw_wcB

But for dirt camping I'd want the easy and less water intensive cleanup of...paper filters.

 

[DaveInDenver]

But for dirt camping I'd want the easy and less water intensive cleanup of...paper filters.

Those are my goals, too. At the moment I'm satisfied using a moka pot. About 99.3% of the grounds pop out in a semi-dry puck and I don't bother washing any of it over the duration of a trip. At home I rinse everything and let it dry before putting back in the chuck box.