GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip Coffee Maker Review

Bottom Line

The GSI Ultralight JavaDrip is a backpacker’s ideal coffee maker: it packs flat, weighs almost nothing, and you can customize the coffee strength by adjusting the size of the coffee grounds you use to make a classic pour-over coffee. 

It’s simply designed with a reusable and washable mesh fabric basket instead of the typical hard-sided cone found on most pour-over devices. That means you don’t need to pack extra filters. During camping trips in Utah, we loved that all we had to do was add grounds to the basket and pour hot water over the top. Three plastic legs outfitted with clips on the end fit onto the rim of every camp mug we tried, as well as the mugs in our cabinets at home.

It is extremely lightweight, so even ultralighters will consider switching from instant coffee. While it may not be the most durable option we tested, its affordable price makes it hard to argue with the value. If you’d like to see other options, check out our best camping and backpacking coffee maker gear guide.

How We Tested

We tested the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip for weeks, both indoors and outdoors, at frontcountry campgrounds and far from civilization. We packed it, weighed it, and brewed plenty of coffee to evaluate how it compares to other pour-over devices we’ve used and whether it should earn a place in our coffee-making kit for future outdoor adventures.

Portability

We ranked the GSI Ultralight Java Drip at the top of the list for portability for two reasons: it’s ultralight and it packs down ultra small. In fact, it was the lightest coffee maker of all that we tested at just .4 ounces. That makes it an ultralight backpacker’s dream.

What’s more, it collapses almost entirely flat, making it easy to stash in a camp mess kit or kitchen stuff sack. It takes up virtually no space in either. Plus, because it’s constructed from mesh material and flexible plastic arms, we weren’t worried about it getting bent or broken when we stuffed it in the bottom of our packs. It always bounced back when we unpacked it and were ready to brew.

Ease of Use

When it comes to making coffee at camp, it doesn’t get much easier than using the GSI Ultralight Java Drip. The design is straightforward: a reusable mesh basket attached to a plastic frame with three arms that clip onto the rim of nearly any camp mug. During testing, every mug we tried it on, from narrow to wide mouth, performed perfectly.

To use it, clip it in place on the rim of your cup, add coffee grounds to the mesh filter basket, and pour hot water over it. You need to pay more attention to how much coffee and water you’re using than with devices that limit portioning to a coffee basket size or water reservoir, but with a digital scale, it’s easy to achieve the right ratios.

Time to Brew

We found that brew time varied depending on our grind size, but on average, making a pour-over with the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip took about 3 to 4 minutes per cup. This duration does not include boiling water.

Brew time is active, which means we have to sit and pour water over the grounds for the duration of the brew time. However, make sure to keep an eye on how much water you’re pouring, as it’s easy to get distracted and add too much, which can make your brew watery.

Ease of Cleanup

One thing we appreciated about the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip was how easy cleanup was, despite not being able to remove and throw away a disposable filter. It wasn’t as fast as with some other devices we tested, but rinsing the mesh basket after use was easy and straightforward. It was even easier if we allowed the grounds to dry after use.

Because the filter is built in, it meant that if we wanted to pack up and leave right after breakfast, we had to put the filter away damp. We found that bringing along a small stuff sack for it kept the other pack contents dry and prevented the filter from picking up dirt or grime.

Coffee Strength

While the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip didn’t brew the strongest cup, it ranked somewhere in the middle. Furthermore, we discovered that it was easy to customize the brew strength by simply adjusting the grind size of the coffee grounds we used. A finer grind produced a stronger cup, while a coarser grind resulted in a weaker cup. This may make it a good option for campers who each have their own coffee preferences.

Just ensure not to use too fine a grind. Water will drip through too slowly or not at all. Conversely, too coarse a grind means water flows through the mesh material faster than it would through a paper filter, so some trial and error may be needed to determine the perfect consistency. It is also important to note that for even an average strength cup, weighing or measuring your beans and water is crucial to achieve the ideal 16:1 (water to coffee) ratio.

Should You Buy the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip?

When it comes to ultralight camp coffee makers, no product offers better value, especially considering the minimal waste it produces (there are no paper filters required). This makes this little device a shoo-in for backpackers, whether they identify as ultralighters or not.

Besides being lightweight, it’s easy to clean, making it suitable for a small group. However, preparing coffee for more than two people can become tedious. Therefore, those who regularly make beverages for the entire crew may not find it as useful.

Consider the fact that it works with virtually every camp mug, you don’t have to pack extra filters, and you can even customize the brew strength to some degree, and you have yourself a winner. However, if you prefer your coffee extra strong, closer to espresso strength, the JavaDrip can’t quite hack it.

What Other Camping & Backpacking Coffee Makers Should You Consider?

If you like the idea of the GSI Ultralight JavaDrip but are wondering if there’s another camp coffee maker out there that would suit you better, check out these options, all of which we reviewed in our coffee makers for camping and backpacking gear guide.

MiiR Pourigami Review: Still a pour-over, but more durable and, if possible, more portable. It may be heavier, yet it comes with its own travel sleeve, and cleanup is easy thanks to disposable filters.

ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press Bottle Review: For a more convenient option for one, consider the ESPRO. Brew directly in the insulated bottle using a French press-style filter and enjoy a single cup of equally strong coffee in roughly the same time.

Kuju Single-Serve Pour Over Review: All the pour-over goodness with none of the preparation or cleanup. These single-use packets make one cup of coffee each, are lightweight, and cleaning up involves throwing the entire bag in the trash when you’re done.