Knowing that there are more than a few duds to choose from when it comes to one-cup and two-cup coffee makers I didn't want to wait until the last minute to start testing products for my hike. The one-cup coffee makers leave a lot to be desired in regards to overall taste and leakage but for me the small eight ounce size is the biggest con. I will be hiking mostly by myself but you never know when you are going to meet up with someone or want a double dose of caffeine. Even though it is made mostly of plastic it is sturdy; the plunger needs to get cleaned after each use or it will start to drag when you use it. The tall cylinder shape of it allows it to fit in the side pockets of backpacks or in cup-holders in vehicles but it lacks a rubber gripping area so if your hands are wet or it is raining you could easily lose your grip on it. One of the nicer points of this unit is the flip open spout closes with a strong, loud snap; that's perfect if you are going to be drinking and hiking or driving because you'll know that it's sealed perfectly. If you temper it before filling it you can get about two hours of heat; they do sell a sleeve that you can put this into that will keep the contents hotter for a longer period of time but you will need to make sure the sleeve is the correct one for the tumbler styled 1505 model. Having the ability to brew something soft and smooth or strong and eye-opening is something that coffee junkies will appreciate.

AlexFortune

Pittsburgh, PA

I'm all for making coffee on the go and I received this as a gift before I went to college so I could "brew" coffee in my dorm room. While this was a great idea it didn't quite live up to expectations. I liked that you could just add grounds and coffee to the cup and you're good to go - no coffee maker needed. However, it was a little trickier than that. First, the water can't be boiling. It has to be hot, but not boiling or it will crack the cup. Second, you have to use coarse ground coffee. That sounds okay, but you have to actually get it specially ground at a coffee store or at the grocery store. When you're living in a tiny college town that's just not an option so I had to have my parents buy me coarse ground coffee and mail it to me which was just silly. Third, this does work to brew coffee, but it does allow some grounds through. So, this is a great idea and a nice, cheap way to get a good tasting cup of coffee on the go but it does have the drawbacks of having to drink a few grounds (and checking your teeth for grounds afterward drinking!). This is also not fun to hand wash. I'm sure it's great in the dishwasher, but trying to hand wash it in the dorm bathroom sink was not ideal.

capers01

Vernon Rockville, CT