I Pack Coffee on Every Trip—Just in Case. Here’s How

If you know one thing about me, it’s that I am a coffee person. Pour-over, French press, cold brew, drip, I love it all. I’ll drink it all.

So you’ll understand the mild panic I experienced on a recent weekend getaway when our hotel room coffee maker broke. At 7 a.m. The high-end, state-of-the-art, shiny and new coffee maker just … broke. And that’s when I learned my ultimate packing lesson.

I had been stocking up on at-home pour-over kits anyway, mostly because I love trying new coffee and wanted to try as many as I could after being inspired by a recent Sunset story. (It comes in a churro flavor? Yes, please!) So the light bulb went off in my head: Why not try these at-home pour-over kits on the road?

What if a hotel room betrays me again? What if I stay with friends who (gasp!) don’t drink coffee? What if my parents switch to decaf and peaceful family visits are threatened? I needed a backup system, and so far, this one works wonders.

Courtesy of Copper Cow

I now pack pour-over sets from two brands whenever I travel. My favorites come in handy pouches that I can throw in a bag and recycle later, and some even come with creamer so I’ll have everything I need, as long as I have a mug. These pouches can easily be added to any duffel bag or suitcase with no worries of spillage, and made in a hotel room or at a campsite with just a mug and hot water. The pouch fits over the mug, you pour hot water over the pouch, and voila! Your own personal pour-over setup.

Some of these coffee brands were even launched with the goal of better coffee on the go, like Kuju Coffee, a company founded by two brothers looking to improve their morning brew during trips to the great outdoors. These single-serve pour-over pouches, found at REI, are even named after some of well-known landmarks, like Angels Landing light roast.

@rugged_destinations

My other go-to coffee to pack is Copper Cow, which comes with a similar pour-over coffee pouch, along with packets of sweetened condensed milk creamers, for the ultimate Vietnamese coffee break. Like Kuju Coffee, Copper Cow offers subscriptions, and it also offers several flavor varieties for those who are looking for something special for a morning coffee break. (I’m partial to Churro and Rose.)

They also partner with Tea Drops for tea and creamer packets for Thai iced tea, chai, and matcha flavors. (My latest obsession? Tea Drops’ ube latte kit.)

Courtesy of Copper Cow

A major bonus is that the filters are compostable and packaging is recyclable. And the creamer packets are under the 3 oz. TSA limit, too, so this coffee packing hack can be used for your next trip home, a weekend getaway, a camping trip, or a far-off well-deserved spa retreat. If you’re going to travel, I say why not travel caffeinated?

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