Mark MorphewJust because you enjoy traveling or exploring the great outdoors in your free time doesn’t mean you should miss out on your favorite French press coffee.
Sure, you can brew some instant coffee which is always convenient, but I’ll let you in on a bit of secret, you can still enjoy your coffee on the go with a French press travel mug.
These compact mugs combine two technologies: thermal insulation and the workings of a regular French press so you can enjoy your preferred method of brewing coffee whenever you may be.
This is the coffee gadget you didn’t even know you needed.
Our Top Pick: Best Value
Just like regular travel mugs, these are highly portable, easy to use, and in most cases, they don’t even look like a traditional glass French press at all.
So you can discreetly plunge your way to a fresh brew sitting at your desk, and no one will be none the wiser.
Benefits Of A French Press Travel Mug
If you brew coffee using the French press regularly at home, you will love the portability of brewing the same full immersion style of coffee out on the road.
The best travel french press typically resembles a classic thermos flask from the outside and works just like a press pot on the inside. A lot of thought has gone into the design on each of these mugs; they’re not like your average French press sat at home, far from it.
With a good quality French press travel mug, it’s almost impossible to accidentally spill coffee. The lids have been designed in such a way that they won’t leak even if you hold the mug upside down.
The insulated body of the mug can keep your coffee piping hot for up to several hours or longer. With heat retention like that, you can rest assured that you’ll be fully caffeinated all day at the office, on a long road trip, or trekking up a mountain.
These are just a few of the benefits, there are many more, but we’ll let you discover those for yourself.
How We Ranked Each French Press For Traveling
The marketplace is inundated with portable French press coffee makers suitable for taking with you when you travel.
This made critiquing slightly more challenging, and trust us, many didn’t even come close to being added to our list of recommendations.
However, we managed to weed out the mediocre coffee brewers and kept the ones that we felt were the best of the bunch. In case you’re wondering, this is how we evaluated each one.
One of the most important criteria we took into consideration was if the travel mug actually brewed an authentic French press style of coffee.
Many were marketed as a “travel French press,” but they didn’t resemble a press pot in any way or form upon closer inspection.
Next, we looked at portability. After all, this pocket-sized coffee mug is designed to be used when you’re away from home or on the road, so if it isn’t portable, it’s just not suitable.
Also, some other factors fell under this critique, such as the ability to fit inside a car cupholder, whether the mug was easy to grip and hold, and whether it was lightweight.
And lastly, we checked to see how the brewed coffee tasted. We already had a hunch it wasn’t going to be on par with coffee you would make at home, but it’s still something we considered when evaluating each travel French press.
7 Best Travel French Press Mugs
Whether you’re a newbie or a full-fledged coffee enthusiast looking to take your love of French press immersion coffee on the road, below you’ll find a list of the best travel French presses that are guaranteed to be a worthy companion when you’re away from home. (listed in no particular order)
Bodum Travel Press
The Bodum travel press is really where it all began. As one of the original pioneers of the travel French press and with Bodum being one of the prominent producers of some of the best French Press coffee equipment around, it’s no surprise that one of our top picks is made by Bodum.
Looks can be deceiving. Take this Bodum travel press, for example, it looks just like any other regular travel coffee mug, but upon closer inspection, you’ll soon discover that it hides a discreet plunger that allows you to brew French press style coffee from practically anywhere.
Coffee in this travel mug is made in the same fashion as you would with a traditional French press. You add your coffee and then push down on the plunger after waiting for 3 to 4 minutes. If you typically add milk to your coffee, you need to do this before you start to plunge.
The body of the mug has been made from a durable double-wall stainless steel that sandwiches trapped air in between, creating a vacuum that can keep your coffee piping hot for hours.
The double-wall does an excellent job at keeping the heat inside, but on the rare occasion the outside of the mug is getting too hot to hold, Bodum added a non-stick silicone rubber case to ensure that the outside of the mug is still comfortable to hold.
The lid has been designed to be spill-resistant, so there’s no need to worry about accidental spills or leaks when it’s in your bag. If you prefer drinking tea, Bodum can cater for that too, just replace the coffee grounds for loose tea or tea bags, and you’re all set.
What We Love
- Features a spill-resistant lid and easy-to-drink spout.
- Double-walled technology keeps coffee hot for hours.
- Plunger design fits right into the lid: discreet and functional.
Take Note
- The mouthpiece can peel away easily.
GSI Outdoors French Press Coffee Mug
Our second recommendation is the GSI Outdoors JavaPress French press coffee mug. When it comes to outdoor gear and travel accessories, it doesn’t get much better than the equipment produced by GSI Outdoors.
They’ve been in the business since 1985, so you’d think they know a thing or two about keeping outdoor lovers happy. Their travel french press doesn’t disappoint.
The GSI French press mug is a lightweight, durable, and shatter-resistant mug that comes wrapped in a water-resistant cloth sleeve that also aids in keeping your coffee hot.
The impressive 30-ounce capacity will keep caffeine addicts happy; after all, two cups are always better than one!
The GSI works similarly to a regular French press within the lid design and incorporates a plunger.
Add your coarse ground coffee, pour in hot water, hold the base and slowly press the plunger down. The fine mesh filter does a reasonably decent job keeping the coffee grounds out of your brewed coffee.
The mouthpiece ensures a no-spill sip, and the sturdy handle provides an excellent grip even in the most extreme weather conditions.
All in all, it functions pretty well and is a great companion to take along with you on your next road trip.
It looks pretty neat sitting on a desk too, delivering hot coffee throughout a day shift. But where it truly excels is in the great outdoors and on hiking trips.
What We Love
- The large 30-ounce size is bigger than most travel French presses.
- Durable and designed to withstand grueling outdoor conditions.
- The cloth sleeve helps with heat retention and protects your hands.
Take Note
- The seal on the press isn’t very tight, so some coffee grounds get through.
Zyliss Travel French Press
The Zyliss HotMug looks just like any other regular thermal insulated cup, but this pocket-sized French press coffee maker packs a pretty big punch.
From coffee and loose leaf tea to hot chocolate and practically any other hot beverage you can imagine, the Zyliss can do it all.
Remove the inner screen filter, add your ground coffee, place in the filter, and gently push it down. The drip-free lid then slots firmly into place, hiding the filter inside of the coffee mug. The double-wall insulation and vacuum seal guarantee to maintain your beverage’s temperature for most of the day.
Its compact size will make it easy to travel with and takes up little space inside your bag, so traveling with it won’t be a hassle. The price of the Zyliss is very reasonable, and it’s one of the most affordable ones included on our list.
Zyliss is an established Swiss company known for making good quality kitchen equipment and has been doing so for over 50 years. With credentials such as this, you know you’re getting a solid piece of gear.
What We Love
- Affordable, lightweight, and easy to pack.
- The fine mesh filter does an excellent job at filtering out the coffee grounds.
- The insulated body of the mug keeps the coffee hot for an impressively long amount of time.
Take Note
- Prone to leaking if full and left on its side.
KOHIPRESS Portable French Press Coffee Maker
The KOHIPRESS functions similarly to a French press but uses a plunger system that’s very reminiscent of an Aeropress. It still uses a full-immersion brewing style but utilizes a plunger and pressure rather than a mesh filter typically found on a French press.
As a result of this unique combination of pressure and a plunger, the brewing time is reduced significantly, which also helps to minimize any acidity in the coffee.
The KOHIPRESS lock system is also a brilliant design idea that keeps ground coffee truly separated from your coffee. So there is almost zero chance of any coffee grounds making into your final brew.
It’s pretty impressive that all of this patented technology is hidden inside a compact French press mug. It only weighs roughly 13 ounces, and the small shape fits perfectly inside of car cup holders, making the KOHIPRESS an ideal companion for the road.
It’s worth noting that all of the materials used in the KOHIPRESS are FDA approved. It’s BPA-free and 100% food safe.
If you’re looking for a small compact portable French press brewer that you can take almost anywhere, look no further than the KOHIPRESS. And by the way, it can make great tasting cold brew coffee, and it’s priced reasonably well too.
What We Love
- Features a pressurized immersion system with smart filtration.
- Easily make hot or cold beverages – even cold brew coffee.
- The flip-top drinking spout ensures a drip-free steady pour.
- Fits perfectly inside of car cup holders.
Take Note
- Overfilling can cause coffee grinds and coffee to seep and overflow.
OXO BREW Venture Travel French-Press
Not bothered about a new-fangled device but would much rather prefer a traditional-looking French press, then the OXO Brew might just be what you’re looking for.
Basically, that is what it is, but a much more scaled-down version which makes it more convenient to carry along when traveling or taking with you on a road trip.
The materials used in the manufacture of the OXO BREW have been chosen especially for their durability qualities.
For example, the carafe has been made from a shatterproof transparent Tritan material, which looks just like a regular glass carafe. Wrapped around that is a durable heat-resistant plastic that incorporates a handle.
The double mesh filtration system combined with the silicone gasket does a good job separating the coffee grounds from your final brewed coffee.
It’s worth noting that the OXO Venture Travel French-Press doesn’t feature any insulation or vacuum seal as many of the others on our list, so heat retention could be a problem if you don’t plan on drinking your coffee straight away.
The downside of opting for a traditional French press such as this is its rather bulky size due to the protruding handle and its weight of approximately 15 ounces. So packing could be difficult depending on your travel plans.
What We Love
- Very efficient filtering mechanism for a compact French press.
- Easy to dismantle and wash.
- Perfect for long road trips or sitting around a campsite.
Take Note
- No double wall insulation heat retention will be an issue.
- The bulky size makes packing more difficult.
Stanley Classic Travel Mug French Press
The name Stanley is well known in the world of thermos flasks, and they have a long reputation for making some of the best and most durable flasks around.
So it only makes sense that they would venture into the travel market with their compact Stanley travel mug.
If you plan on using your travel French press for hiking or other adventurous activities in the great outdoors, this Stanley travel mug, with its green color and sturdy design, will be a perfect partner.
The hard-wearing 18/10 stainless steel body combined with Stanley double-walled technology ensures that your coffee or any other hot beverage stays hot for over 6 hours.
Prefer taking a cold beverage with you? The heat retention technology also keeps cold drinks cold for over 20 hours.
Apparently, the Stanley Travel Mug can withstand drops of over 400 feet. We’ll have to take their word on that as it’s not something we wanted to test; not really a big fan of heights.
However, the downside due to the robust construction is you will have to carry around a bit more weight. The Stanley Classic Travel Mug weighs about 1.15 pounds with the cap on and the strainer inside.
Other notable features are the leak-proof lid, carry loop that slots around your wrist, and its size and shape fits perfectly into stand cup holders.
This is an excellent buy for any adventurous individual.
What We Love
- Robust construction can withstand knocks and drops.
- 18/10 stainless steel body and double-wall vacuum insulation.
- Easy cleaning each section of the travel French press is dishwasher safe.
Take Note
- If not fixed tightly, the lid can leak.
- Heavier than others.
BruTrek Double Shot Travel Coffee French Press
The last French press recommendation for taking with you on your travels is the BruTrek.
Designed by Planetary Design, which is best known for its airtight coffee storage canisters and other coffee brewing paraphernalia, the BruTrek is a great piece of kit. It can easily withstand the elements and at the same time make some great-tasting French press coffee too.
The BruTrek features a patented Bru-Stop ultra-fine mesh plunger screen that does a great job filtering out the coffee grounds while keeping your coffee flavorful and not too bitter due to over-extraction.
The lid design is surprisingly good, and we found it to be completely leak-proof. Even when you hold the mug upside down, we’re confident that it won’t leak even when left on its die in your backpack.
The laser-welded handle looks like it belongs on a mountaineer’s rope clip; BruTrek claims the handle is virtually indestructible, but the jury is out on that.
A feature well-liked was the hidden compartment at the bottom of the BruTrek that unscrews and conceals your ground coffee or tea bags. It keeps them locked away, airtight, and away from the outdoor elements. It also doubles up as a cup so you can share your hot beverage with friends.
Just like most of the others on our list, the BruTrek French press has been constructed with a durable and hard-wearing stainless steel interior combined with vacuum insulation that keeps both hot and cold beverages at their ideal temperature for extended periods.
Overall, the BruTrek is perfect for long morning commutes and camping and well suited for long mountain treks.
What We Love
- The large size and robust build make it the perfect partner for outdoor adventures.
- Built-in storage container doubles as a mug.
- The Airscape lid is leak proof and tight-fitting.
- The lower section fits inside standard cup holders.
Take Note
- Its large size might not be suitable for everyone.
Conclusion
If you’ve gotten this far, you probably have a good idea of which one is your favorite.
But If we had to pick just one that ticked all of the boxes and met our strict criteria, it would be the BruTrek Double Shot 3.0 Travel Coffee French Press.
Coming in a very close second, we really like how the Bodum Stainless Steel Travel Press performs.
Many fell short and didn’t make our top-rated list. However, whichever travel press you pick, rest assured that those listed are worthy of your hard-earned cash and can withstand the wear and tear of traveling or any rigorous outdoor adventures.
FAQs
? Can You Travel With A French Press?
Yes, you can definitely travel with a regular French press coffee maker. However, their bulky size and less than robust build don’t make them the best candidate for taking with you when you hit the road.
It would be far better to invest in a more durable and shatterproof travel coffee press such as one of those listed above. They can still churn out delicious coffee and they’re better suited as a travel coffee maker compared to regular French press.
? How Do You Use A Travel Mug In A French Press?
Most of the best travel French press coffee makers are designed to be both a mug and a press. They generally have a plunger with a mesh filter incorporated into a leak free lid.
Apart from the slight designed differences, they tend to function in precisely the same way as any regular French press.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
