There are a number of things to consider when deciding how you’ll make coffee in your boat’s galley. No one system is right for everyone.
The only method that I don’t recommend is trying to use a 12 volt coffeemaker. Everyone I’ve ever known who has tried one, and every review I’ve ever read, says that they take way too long to brew a pot of coffee. One friend said that when she switched from a 12 volt to a 110 volt coffeemaker with an inverter, she actually used less power since it went so much more quickly.
Considerations in Making Boat Coffee
How long are you going to want to keep your coffee hot? Will you have a cup or two in the morning and that’s it, or will you want to have another cup hours later, perhaps in the middle of a watch?
How Do Various Boat Coffee Systems Stack Up?
There is no one method of making boat coffee that’s right for everyone. In the following articles, I discuss how seven systems stack up on each of these considerations, and show recommended models for a boat galley.
No Electricity Needed:
One safety issue: with any of the stovetop methods, you really need a gimbaled stove and pot restraints to boil water if the boat is moving at all – the dangers of a pot of boiling water tipping or sloshing are just too great. And for the same reason, I prefer to use a tea kettle instead of a saucepan – water doesn’t slosh and it’s easier to pour accurately.
Using Electricity:
A number of cruisers also like using an electric drip coffee maker with stainless thermal carafe — while it will keep coffee warm, it does not do as good a job as a good Thermos, but the pot is non-breakable. Unfortunately, the ones with the best customer reviews on Amazon are not cheap!
And finally, in the last year or so, several friends have begun using a Keurig single-cup brewer on their boat. The electricity needed is less than most of the other electric options, you only brew one cup at a time so there are no issues with keeping a pot hot, and it makes a great cup of coffee. The down side is the cost. The DeskPro model is smaller, has an automatic off sensor which saves electricity and only holds one cup of water — you have to fill it for every cup (I think this is an advantage on a boat; I don’t want water sitting it in when I put it away for the day).
The one comprehensive galley reference needed aboard every boat
You are forgetting one of the best, richest tasting ways of brewing coffee. Stovetop espresso makers, then adding water to make an “americano”. This coffee is arguable more rich tasting with less bitterness than regular coffee. I’ve been doing this for many years and constantly get compliments on the coffee…
Try one of these espresso makes on the stove:
Bialetti 06800 Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker
Thanks for the information! I love it when others share their recommendations . . . here’s the link:
Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Makers — it comes in 5 sizes from 1 cup to 12 cups.
Also, another reader sent me an e-mail to recommend the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker — it makes one cup at a time and is all-plastic so it won’t break.
My wife bought this for me. I’ve been using it more than a year and it works great. It’s plastic so no metal/glass and cheap.
GSI Outdoors 30 fl. oz. Java Press
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___73433
Well I use an aeropress, its plastic (so wont break), manual (so no extra power used)and makes from 1 to 4 shots of coffee at once. Boil water in the morning, make coffee, fill thermos with excess, and have a good coffee anytime during the day with no effort.
And as a bonus the clean up is really easy.
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm
That’s a second vote for the Aeropress. Thanks for the link to the manufacturer’s site — lots of good pictures and information. They also have a listing of places that sell the Aeropress, as they don’t sell them directly. I took a look at several of the online retailers listed on the site, and Amazon again seems to have the best price . . . and sells the filters as well.
Amazon: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
Another alternative would be coffee Bags. I am a tea drinker, therefore use teabags and a tea kettle aboard for convenience. My husband has been quite happy using Folgers coffee bags. He usually drinks freshly ground coffee beans, but when offshore and traveling has found the convenience of the bags a great alternative. They come in a foil pouch that I keep in a plastic sealed container and we can make a cup or a full thermos as desired for the day.
Thanks for the idea! I don’t think I’ve ever seen those outside the US, but in the US they’d be great . . . or take some in your luggage.
If you’re not familiar with these, they’re called “Folger’s Coffee Singles” (clicking on that will take you to an Amazon page where you can see them). They also come in decaf.
They’re available in most grocery stores — if you can’t find them at yours, you can buy them at Amazon in a “6-pack” of 19 bags per pack (114 bags total) through the link above.
Thermal carafes work great at keeping your coffee hotter longer. I bought one from Amazon and it works amazingly well. I highly recommend one
The first time I tried french pressed coffee was like having coffee for the very first time again! I am now spoiled and will not drink coffee any other way if I have a choice.
Anyway, I would like to suggest this ALL stainless steel, insulated model by Frieling. All parts are SS and the whole thing is very well made. It is expensive but it should last a very long time. The handle is a little wonky when you think about it in boaty terms but it actually worked out well for me. I made a little cubby for it which the handle sticks out of serving as a place to hang stuff. Most importantly, it make awesome coffee!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009ADDS/ref=oh_o03_s00_i01_details
Hi Jim — thanks for the recommendation!
We are actually looking at a toddy cold-brew system (no power needed, not even to heat the water…who wants a hot beverage in the tropics?!) but don’t know anyone who has tried it…any thoughts from you or your readers?
S/V Passage – I haven’t even heard of this, but I’d be happy to post the question to see if anyone else has any experience (if you post it, it doesn’t go to everyone). Do you have a link to the product so we be sure to get comments on the right thing?
Is this it — just want to make sure: http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/
The coffee brewing system on our boat is the simplest, I think, and I have a story behind it. I had just bought a new 10-cup SS percolator for one of my first 2-week trips on my Catalina 22. However, I didn’t quite understand how the innards worked, and I lost the screens overboard while cleaning on the first day! What to do when faced with weeks without coffee? I learned very fast that coffee grains sink after being boiled about a minute, no strainer is actually required. You let most of them sink, then pour a cup and drink carefully, discarding the dregs. After that I was hooked, and I’ve been making coffee this way for 6 years, now on a Hunter 31. So keep in mind, if all your other coffeemaking devices fail, just boil some grounds in water and wait for them to sink.
I agree with the first gentleman….stovetop coffee with the stainless steel Bialetti …. 60$ from the Bay, but it won’t break and makes great coffee and is small which is a plus for storage for small boats…ours is a Catalina 34 MK 2 so not big by any standards! Thanks for all the great tips…we also have the nesting pots you suggest and have only used them occaisionally as we are weekend cruisers, but they are great, store easily in the oven, and seem incredibly tough ( we have the stainless version – as I am a bit paranoid of non stick surfaces. )
Love boat coffee!
Hi.
I am not a fan of filters or coffee that has sat for a while keeping luke warm, so I would recommend an electic capsual system for Espresso or Cappuccino/Latte. Very fast and easy to use with no mess (no powder or grinding to deal with). Each pod is vacume sealed for one shot of espresso and is pretty much impossible to tell the difference between freshly ground and a good brand pod.
We use the Nespresso Essenza C101 machine in our office. Fast warmup (1 minute) and double shot espresso in about 40 seconds. Team this with the Nespresso 3194 Aeroccino (milk heater) and you can make a good cappuccino very fast, hassel free and no mess. This system would work well on any boat with generator or shore power.
At home I use the Illy X7.1 Machine. I prefer the Illy coffee over the Nespresso and the styling of the machine is awesome, but this machine would only work well in a larger galley in calm waters.
Cheers, Brent
Espresso Lovers should read the suggestions I just posted at the bottom. Cheers
Black and thick!
Coffee Press, boiling water, coarse ground Coffee!
I lived with an Aeropress and Hario hand grinder for a couple of years, then switched to a Breville “Barista Express” espresso machine. Sounds crazy, but there’s nothing like a nice fluffy nauticalatté, and the power budget is not too insane… I did some data logging with a Kill-a-Watt meter and I’m averaging 75WH per mug (including warm-up, grinding, espresso extraction, steaming, and letting it sit powered on in anticipation of the second cup). A bit of an indulgence, I know, but worth it! I do keep the other stuff around in anticipation of tight power budgets, however…
A good hot cup of coffee!! We use the Farberware stove top perculator and a good thermos. The thermos is a year-round thing and we have another Farberware stove top perculator at home but we use the Grind and Brew to make the daily coffee. The stove top one is for when we lose power.
I was French Press purist til they put a Keurig in at work. Holy cow I converted fast. Cost is a consideration but I fill my own and it’s cheaper and greener. Unfortunately messier too. I had wondered how much electricity the small Keurig used…as its now hard to imagine not having one.
I love my aeropress.
We simply boil water and then pour it into the coffee maker.
This:
http://www.rei.com/product/792857/rei-double-shot-press-mug
Plus this:
http://www.amazon.com/GSI-79485-Outdoors-JavaGrind/dp/B001LF3IDY
Lol @Hilary, yeah, those Keurigs are pure sin.
Coffee press for fresh brew topped with frothed milk and cinnamon. Battery operated frothier is cheap, works great on whole boxed milk and makes the morning brew something special.
I like my coffee hot and strong and lots of it, with a llittle cream and sugar thank you very much, as I usually have other coffee drinkers on board. For simplicity’s sake the French press for me,… Boiling water, coffee grounds, press…although it never seems to make enough and I wish it were insulated as it cools off fast once you start draining it. So a big, (10-12 cup) insulated French press would seem to be the ticket!
I lile my percolator!
French Press and Nescafé as a backup
I make tea
Hand grinder; fresh ground is a must in the French Press.
I have GIRD, and coffee really set it off, until I fould cold brewed coffee. I make a quart of coffee syrup, thrn mix it as I need it with boiling water. I think it taste great and is very easy! Last me about a month.
On the boat I microwave the water and use a starbucks instant pack.
we found the french press to be a good idea…except it required a lot of water to clean up. fine at home but not on a boat with limited water supply. The Aeropress uses MUCH less water for clean up. We save nut cans and pop the little puck of used coffee into the can, small rinse and done. works great. makes 4 cups
I use http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=gAHMPJfkrS4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgAHMPJfkrS4
We use a Farberware electric coffee.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bodum-Columbia-Coffee-Stainless-Double-Walled/dp/B001AIDGR0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_3 One of these with coarse ground coffee (lots of). It’s hardy (our has been flying several times) keeps the coffee hot for hours (not that it normally takes hours for me to drink it all) and holds 5-6 mugs… If we have the full 8 on then we make the coffee extra strong and water it down with another kettle full of boiled water… Excellent product that has more than paid for itself in savings from broken glass ones…
I don’t always drink coffee, but when I do I prefer the French press. Stay jittery my friends.