Coffee is essential in the outdoors whether you’re backpacking, camping, road tripping or just waking up for a dark start on a big day hike. I think so, anyway. After all, if I start my day without it at home, why wouldn’t I in the outdoors?
The problem is that making coffee can be a hassle if you don’t have access to a kitchen. There’s water to boil, grounds to produce, milk to heat (if you’re into that sort of thing), and no electricity. Which only matters if you’re a drip coffee maker type of person–as you may remember, we’ve reviewed backcountry espresso makers that don’t require electricity.
Which leaves two options (if, like me, going without isn’t on the table):
- Instant coffee (which is easy but not usually the best)
- Or more involved setups (that can be bulky and convoluted)
We’ve outlined plenty of ways to brew camp coffee before, including sharing some of our favorite setups, from espresso makers to pour-overs, but there’s one thing we’ve never really talked about: how to grind fresh beans when you’re in the wilderness.
After all, everyone knows freshly ground beans produce the best coffee, so coffee enthusiasts typically don’t think twice about skipping this step. However, electric grinders aren’t an option when you’re far from home. Fortunately, a portable manual coffee grinder is the perfect companion to your camp coffee setup. We tested several to help you pick the right one for you.
How We Test
You’ve probably heard us mention it before: both of us at Terradrift (Josh and Alisha) are former baristas. We’ve both been trained extensively at reputable independent coffee shops (re: not Starbucks) and are life-long coffee fanatics. We’re super particular about how our coffee is made and very judgy about it (maybe you gathered as much from that jab at Starbucks…). 😅
Perhaps just as importantly, we’ve tested and used dozens of camp coffee makers over the years, have a slew of devices we use regularly at home, and know what makes good coffee. Are there folks who know more than we do? Absolutely. But I’m guessing they’re not reading this article for tips and advice. You are. Which means you’re probably on the hunt for quality gear to up your backcountry coffee game.
We tested each of these manual coffee grinders with different coffee making devices, from pour-overs to French press to manual espresso makers. We packed them, traveled with them, and used them at home, on the road, and at camp to see where they shined and where they fell flat.
Manual Coffee Grinders: The Contenders
These are our favorite grinders, from best to worst (or at least our most favorite to least). The best choice for you may vary, of course depending on what type of coffee you like to drink, whether you prioritize fast grinding or compact size, and how much eight you’re willing to carry.
Most of these are hefty. Naturally, you can backpack with them, but ultralighters will likely want to steer clear. But for campgrounds and road trips? These portable coffee grinders are all reliable, durable, and functional.
AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder: For AeroPress Die-Hards
If you use an AeroPress (it’s one of our favorite versatile coffee makers at home and outdoors), chances are, you’ll want to consider this shiny new manual coffee grinder before anything you try anything else. It’s sleek, portable, functional, and is designed with baristas in mind.
Grind: Grinding was quick, smooth and easy thanks to the titanium-coated stainless steel conical burrs. Sure, the reservoir is small, so it can only handle enough beans for one or two cups at a time, but it makes quick and even work of them.
There are more than 60 grind settings, which is probably way more than most folks need. What’s more, the “more than 60” is kinda weird because the twist dial labeled with the numbers 1-12, but the dial keeps turning and it’s not clear without doing a test grind what grind you’re actually going to end up with. That’s not an issue if you only ever use one grind setting, but if you swap coffee making devices occasionally, it can be tricky to relocate your favorite settings. What’s more, you can keep spinning past both 1 and 12 several times. (1 is courser, 12 is finer, btw.)
That said, this grinder could handle everything from a course cold brew grind to a super fine Turkish coffee grind, so no matter what you like to drink, the AeroPress grinder can do it.
Portability: One of the most appealing features of this grinder is its packability: it fits inside an AreoPress (yup, even the portable AeroPress Go) for ultimate space-saving portability!
The handle is repositionable: pop it off and flip it around to grind using the palm-sized knob, then slide it back on the body of the grinder and it clicks back in place. The handle stays flush and securely on the side of the grinder via magnets. It’s slim, sleek, easy to use, and doesn’t come apart when dropped in a backpack or a camp kitchen box.
Another bonus: because AeroPress has its finger on the pulse of the coffee community, they’re aware of the hacks some of us occasionally employ to speed up the grind process. Included with the grinder is a drill adapter so you can use an electric drill to get the job done in seconds 😂 (it also comes with a really nice cleaning brush).
How it’s sustainable: Made of mostly recyclable metals. Lifetime warranty for the burrs, one-year warranty for everything else.
- Weight: 19.7oz
- Dimensions: 1.9″ x 7.3″
- Capacity: 25g
- Grind options: 60+
- Price: $199
MiiR Coffee Hand Grinder: Fast Grinding for Pour-Overs
Simple, fast, easy-to-use. That’s the MiiR Coffee Hand Grinder in a nutshell. It’s the largest we tested, but certainly not the heaviest, and may be the ideal grinder for folks who don’t require dozens of fine-tuned grind settings (but prefer a grinder that makes quick work of lots of beans).
Grind: See that unique hourglass shape? That means there’s more room for beans and grounds than the other options on this list. Additionally, the burrs inside are larger, which makes grinding fast and easy so you can process lots of beans fast, like if you’re making coffee for a group or filling a large French press.
As for grind options, there are fewer than the other grinders we tested: Just 6. But we found the finest setting was perfect for pour-over and French press, even a Moka pot. That said, if you prefer espresso or Turkish coffee, you’re out of luck; it doesn’t offer a fine enough grind.
However, that limited choice and simplicity made it extremely easy to dial in the right grind setting for coffee, especially when switching between devices as we often do from home to the campground. Just twist the base and change as needed.
Portability: Of course, this grinder is not the most compact option we tested thanks to its hourglass shape, but it does look extra sleek on your coffee bar or counter top if you use it at home in addition to in the wild. Plus, its stainless steel body is lighter than some other options (but still feels highly durable), which will appeal to weight-conscious outdoorists and travelers.
The lid is plastic and is easy to pop on and off and clean, plus the grind handle folds over the top and clicks in place so it doesn’t flop around in transit. That also keeps beans from spilling out if you’re storing some in the top compartment.
How it’s sustainable: Lifetime guarantee, take-back program, Certified B-Corp, The Climate Label Certified, donates to various non-profits via a give-back code on every product.
- Weight: 16 oz
- Dimensions: 2.83″ x 6.48″
- Capacity: 45g
- Grind options: 6
- Price: $130
VSSL Java G25 Coffee Grinder: The Happy Medium
Located at a convenient intersection of price, portability and functionality, the VSSL Java is a solid, reliable choice for coffee lovers who are passionate about getting the perfect grind every time. Perhaps the most elegantly designed of all the grinders we tested, it’s also durable, dependable and well-machined.
Grind: When it comes to grinding, the quality of this grinder really shines. Stainless steel conical burrs and dual bearings make fore reliable grinding. They are smaller than some options on this list, though, so it took a bit longer to grind a similar amount of beans. However, when it comes to grind options, there are a ton of settings. But they’re not well marked. It’s more of a “coarser/finer” system, so takes a bit of experimentation to find the right starting point for any given brew type, especially when switching between coffee making devices.
The actual grinding action and handle/lid combo was one of the most secure we tested. It all locks together so we never worried about the top popping off mid-grind (the top has a push-to-release button). The connection points and threads are all well-tooled and super smooth to screw on and off, which is a huge plus. It may be the grinder on this list that feels the most expertly and elegantly crafted.
Packability: It’s the most compact manual grinder we tested, specifically height-wise. But that also means it holds slightly fewer beans at a time. Bonus: It’s small enough to nest in the AeroPress Go, which we have had for years and love. The only thing we didn’t personally love was that the grind handle requires disassembly for the most compact storage: You must pop the knob off it’s magnetic mount, place it inside the grounds basket where it twists to the grind selection dial, collapse the handle, then screw it onto the lid.
This all means you have to assemble and disassemble it before and after use for maximum packability. If you don’t, the top just swings around freely. When secured, the handle does function as a built-in carabiner, but we’ve never used it as one over several seasons of testing, so that feature feels a bit over-engineered in our opinion.
FYI: the model pictured above is the previous model and does NOT fit in an AeroPress. The newest model doesn’t have the protruding ring at the bottom and top, which makes it slimmer. It also nests with other VSSL products like the Pour Over Kit.
How it’s sustainable: Made of durable aluminum and stainless steel, limited lifetime warranty.
- Weight: 15.2 oz
- Dimensions: 6.3” x 2”
- Capacity: 30g
- Grind options: 50
- Price: $165
Wacaco Exagrind: The Most Budget-Friendly Option
If you haven’t heard of the brand Wacaco, allow us to introduce you to one of our favorite portable espresso maker brands. From our first Nanopresso to the newest Pixapresso (it heats water for you!), we love the quality of espresso that comes out of these devices. So it plays that we’d also be fans of the Exagrind portable grinder (we also love their Exagram Pro portable scale).
Grind: The Exagrind offers plenty of grind options for every type of coffee and coffee maker, from Turkish coffee to cold brew and everything in between. The dial is easy to adjust, but it does seem practically endless. That meant we were able to fine-tune the grind to perfection, but since it is a coarser/finer dial system with no set size markings and just keeps turning around and around, it takes a bit of time to find the right starting point.
It was also trickier to adjust settings when switching between coffee making devices. On the upside, there is a silicone sleeve on the body of the grinder to aid in grip slightly. On the downside, the lid and handle are plastic, so feel less durable and since they’re not secured to the body, would occasionally hop off during grinding.
That said, actual grinding was smooth, the burrs were more than capable, and it can handle at least one or two cups’ worth of beans at a time.
Portability: The Wacaco is compact but capable, though portability is where we subtracted some points and why this grinder isn’t closer to the top of our list. Because while the handle comes off and flips over for easy use and storage, it doesn’t attach securely, so we couldn’t store beans inside the device during transport. What’s more, we had to fish around in the bottom of our camp kitchen box many times after the lid/handle fell off in transit.
It is petite, though, so if you’re low on space and don’t want to spend upwards of $200 on a grinder, this is a solid option.
How it’s sustainable: Durable aluminum body with stainless steel burrs. Limited one-year warranty.
- Weight: 16.2 oz
- Dimensions: 5.6″ x 2.1″
- Capacity: 20g
- Grind options: 60
- Price: $119
Bottom Line: For Coffee Enthusiasts Only
Naturally, not everyone wants to take a portable coffee grinder into the wilderness on every trip, not even me. We’re ultralight backpackers here at Terradrift, so on multi-day trips, it’s all instant all the time for us (but, like, good instant, such as Alpine Start). Grinders are still bulky and heavy, after all.
But that’s a personal choice. And folks who don’t care about packing a little extra weight for excellent coffee outdoors may not bat an eye at the extra ounces.
But when we go car camping or take outdoorsy road trips (whether we’re camping or hoteling–we don’t want that hotel coffee swill), you better believe there’s a portable manual grinder on board. After all, it makes starting every day that much more enjoyable. And the ritual of rising, grinding and brewing makes us feel at home anywhere.
So you do you. Just don’t settle for sub-par coffee.
