Travel coffee maker options

[pezheadmeg]

I'm a full out Keurig devotee when it comes to my am coffee. I don't know how I ever functioned without it. However, come August I'm doing a week at All Star Music, and I've realized buying a single cup Keurig just to bring on vacation is a little too much. And I've tried instant coffees and for me they just don't do anything.

So for Disney I can't decide between buying a French Press pot, a 4 cup drip pot, or a small Percolator. Which one is the easiest to pack in a suitcase? What one requires the least work to get a cup in the am?

Does anyone even still use a Percolator anymore?

 

[debf]

We are bringing our Keurig with us in Aug. I don't think I could go that long with out it. You can get the mini at Kohls with the 30% off coupon code. To me it is worth every penny. We love our Keurig.

 

[Imzadi]

Starbucks has decent instant coffee packets. Although, I've used 2 packets per cup. I like my coffee really strong.

Or sometimes I get coffee enclosed in filter packets, that I can immerse in a cup of hot water, like ex-large tea bags. I bring a little portable immersion coil with me that boils the water.

 

[pezheadmeg]

Starbucks has decent instant coffee packets. Although, I've used 2 packets per cup. I like my coffee really strong.

Or sometimes I get coffee enclosed in filter packets, that I can immerse in a cup of hot water, like ex-large tea bags. I bring a little portable immersion coil with me that boils the water.

I've given the Via multiple tries--that was my original plan. Since I quit my daily Starbucks dependence, any of their coffees just don't do it for me.

If I was staying in a room with a coffee make it would be easy. I would just pack a bag of Dunkin Donuts and filters.

 

[Imzadi]

This is my usual set up when I know there isn't going to be a coffeemaker in my room:

Coffee Filter packs. You can see in the picture that the coffee is all wrapped up like a huge tea bag. No loose coffee needing a different filter.
http://www.meijer.com/s/maxwell-house-grnd-coffee-filter-packs-rich-3-boxes-10-filters-packs-ea/_/R-125985#

OR: http://www.communitycoffee.com/product/Our-Traditional-Coffee/Travel-Packs/Medium-Roast-Travel-Pack?productid=12408&channelid=FROOG


To boil water: Immersion coil heater.
http://www.amazon.com/NORPRO-559-Immersion-Warming-Liquids/dp/B000I8VE68/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307761076&sr=8-1

I bring an ex-large ceramic mug (make sure it's heat resistant,) to boil the water in, and to immerse the coffee filter pack into once the water has boiled. You want the mug larger than normal size, as the filter pack takes up some space. It only takes about 3 minutes to boil the water.

It doesn't matter that the filters say they are for 4+ cups. I only steep the filter for a couple minutes (like a tea bag,) until I think it is strong enough. Then, I usually pour the coffee into a Styrofoam cup that the hotels usually supply in each room, as the coffee mug gets too hot to drink out of.

When I'm packing, I stuff the coffee filters & immersion coil inside the coffee mug, so they don't take any extra room inside my suitcase. Place it all into a Ziplock bag, and it's good to go. It takes up very little space in my suitcase.

 

[bellebud]

I bought the mini Keurig and always take it w/ me. It's put away when we're home (I have a big Keurig and a Tassimo), but the mini Keurig is worth it to have for vacations.

 

[jaminmd]

I vote for the Keurig mini as well. It's gone with me to several cities throughout the country.

I keep it in my office at work but it comes with me on vacation in my carry on. I have to have my coffee when I get up which is usually between 3-4 am. When I've used the Disney coffee pots in the past, the entire pot was given a thorough cleaning by me since you never know what was done to it before using it. Especially when some folks do "coffee pot cooking" while on vacation.