GSI Mini Espresso Maker Rocks Your Camp Coffee World
Camping backpackers especially appreciate the luxury of morning espresso. Get your coffee fix with a handy backcountry espresso maker from GSI - the Mini Espresso Maker.
Check Prices and Buy the GSI Mini Espresso Maker Direct
Choose from a one or four cup design - I have the one cup espresso maker, which I like just fine, but one cup of expresso is not always enough and you must wait for the pot to cool down before you can clean it and make another cup. When your backpack is pressed for space, though, enduring that small delay may outweigh the convenience of carrying the larger pot.
You can choose from stainless steel or aluminum; the aluminum espresso makers are cheaper and lighter, but aluminum can be a long haul health hazard. Specs for the stainless steel versions:
Pack coffee ground for espresso (which means very fine) into the basket (don't pound it in, but pack tightly enough so that you can't see through the coffee), fill the pot with water to the valve level, screw the lid on and put the pot on a hot cookstove. Have a cup ready to start catching those fragrant drops, and remove the pot from the stove when it stops hissing. Let it cool before you open it for cleaning.
If you're heading into a town every day or two, get your coffee freshly ground and keep it in a film canister or two. If you're going to be away from civilization for some time, you'll have to resort to keeping it in a Ziploc bag, but the coffee's quality diminishes with exposure to light after it's been ground.
"Chocolate, men, coffee - some things are better rich."
--Author Unknown
