KINGrinder P1 - https://www.kingrinder.com/store/products/p1

I daily drive it and use it for both AeroPress and espresso. It is relatively cheap and reliable, you can get it off Amazon or AliExpress.

1Zpresso Q or Q air - fits in Aeropress plunger

Knock Aergrind. A bit spendy but built like it's for aerospace. I'm not sure at the current price though.

I love my Comandante X25. It's just like C40 but is specifically built for outdoors. So it handles travelling well.

Timemore C3 / C3 Esp / Pro.

What’s your definition of breaking the bank? I got my C3 Esp Pro for $60 on aliexp

I have a KINGrinder k0. It cost me $33 on US Amazon after the coupon. It has the same burr as a Timemore C2, but with better build quality, and an adjustment dial with numbers, and more granularity. Since they're sold by the company, they're much less likely to be counterfeits compared to the Timemore sellers, of which there seems to be thousands.

They also have a line of 6 other grinders, mostly differentiated by the burr they have, if you're looking for something with a nicer burr. The K4 and K6 also have external adjustment, and a bigger hopper.

As for light grinders, made of plastic, I don't know if any better than the Harios. Though any of these grinders with a metal burr will probably be better than the ceramic burr grinders.

I recommend the kingrinder - I’ve got the K6 - it’s around $100 (maybe less this weekend give the sales in the US).

Super easy to adjust, big enough to accommodate 30g easy, it’s a quality build so super easy to travel with - you can just remove the top (handle and lid) and put it side by side - sure it might get some superficial scratches, but it’s sturdy and feels good.

Personally it’s what I’d go with.

Definitely don’t get a Hario skerton or anything with a cramic burr as they suck big time.

If you’re looking for something less than $100, you can get the Timemore C2, or the C3 for a little more money. If you’re willing to push it to $100, the 1zpresso Q2 is an extremely solid choice. You can find all these for cheaper on AliExpress.

There is also the Turin H40, a very good grinder for not much money. It’s not very popular though. The same factory that makes it also produces it under the name “iCafilas grinder”. Can be had around $50-60 if you look around enough in AliExpress.

If you’re looking for sub-$50 grinders, you can look around AliExpress and find grinders with fully metal body and stainless steel burrs for as cheap as $20-30, quality can be spotty though.

1Zpresso Q2 if small size is your most important consideration.

It’s small enough to fit inside an Aeropress.

If you don’t mind something a bit larger (some actually prefer this because it’s easier to hold), look at the X-Pro (this is what I have). I went with the X-Pro over the Q2 because it has external adjustment, which is more convenient.

Both have the same burrs, and now the latest version of Q2 has heptagonal burr set just like X-Pro.

Get a Timemore C3. Its $50, light but robust enough to travel, and makes a reasonable coffee (and doesn't take forever to grind).

The coupon is built into the Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/KINGrinder-Adjustable-Aeropress-Consistency-Stainless/dp/B098SLK9FG/

I've run into enough serrated block knives at B&B's and stuff.

No, I don't bring a hone. I do bring a paring knife and a chef knife from home. Quality, but relatively inexpensive. I also bring my coffee maker, or at the very least, a French press.

If I did bring a hone, it would probably be a Smith's soft Arkansas pocket stone, but I like that other fellow's credit card sized dmt stone idea. Unfortunately it won't work very well on a set of serrated cutco knives.

Bought a Sharpal 156N doublesided diamond stone for that exact reason, quite portable, 325/1200 usually does all the jobs in an airbnb. Comes in a travel case that also acts as rubber base for sharpening - quite nice actually.

Worksharp guided field sharpener is your friend. It has a coarse and medium diamond plate, ceramic rod and strop. Sharpal also has that 11in1 rod thing with everything you need to get stuff sharp.

I often use the uncoated bottom of a ceramic bowl.

It's not fast and messy. But I can usually get an edge to cut tomato skin cleanly in around 5 minutes.

it is an amzing stone and if you have a 3D printer there is a case on thingivers.

I had a look and it's most likely what I'll go with... Thanks for sharing

I recommend the AeroPress dues to small size while making a decent cup of coffee. However, it is not going to make espresso. I take my AeroPress with me in my RV. I also take my Moka pot and induction heater sometimes if I know that I want something closer to espresso.

Take a look at the HydroFlask French press.

Aeropress

https://preview.redd.it/fb6brunrg5qe1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05fde6fc7d05e62fda564f21819d7447bd2d20a7

I use a Vinci for travel and home

Under $50 for travel espresso is gonna be tough. I’d personally recommend the Picopresso

For the grinder, I have a timemore chestnut. For dripper, a v60 suiren. For scale, ikape mini.

That plus beans and filters fits into the pack that came with my kinu (which replaced the chestnut).

If I'm unsure if the kettle situation, I'll pack a melodrip, or switch to a fellow stagg flat bottom brewer. But if you're rocking an aeropress you don't need to worry about that.

1zpresso - pick what you prefer taste wise

Cup style digital hot water kettle - digital so you can see the temp and pull it at your desired number

Aeropress, v60, or clever dripper Hario air if needed Amazon coffee scale

1zpresso J-Ultra and a picopresso 🤷‍♂️

You may want to check if your hotels have water kettles in the room. This will likely dictate if you must bring a small kettle. 

Love Q air for travel (its also my regular funky/blendy grinder), if I have room in my bag actually bring my pietro in a camera lense case, otherwise if you’re doing v60, zebrang is crazy packable and if you’re fancy orphan espresso has a ultralight v60 too, otherwise deep27 or any plastic brewer that you can shove in works but also using the aeropress and not plunging is basically a flat bottom brewer

For kettle I use Hario air and a thermos thingy that has a built in water heater, of if im traveling light just a standalone water heating coil (all generic brand off amazon), you can also just bring a melodrip and use whatever thing to boil water you can find

For water i just find good tasting bottled water, 7/11 has icelandic water that tastes really good, if its a roadtrip distilled and tww or lotus could definitely be a move

This is the right answer.

My hand grinder always gets flagged for a full bag search when i travel with an aeropress (or now the oxo rapid brewer).

If im checking in a bag its not an issue, but if im pregriding coffee for an aeropress, single origin instant just tastes much better than staling coffee after more than 2-3 days.

Theres also the option of paper drip bags or coffee bags ive successfully used recently too

https://stitch.coffee/collections/coffee-drip-bags

Second the aeropress! (Would go for the standard size) Even if you buy a bag of coffee from a nice shop, and have one at accommodation before going out for the day.. will still save money!

I usually see coffee out as the price of admission for travelling and part of the experience. Like I budget for coffee out and in my favorite cities I have coffee shops I go back to. I do usually bring a travel mug and a lot of places do a modest discount for that

I came here to say this too. Travel aeropress + small bag of coffee. Super compact. Some cou tries you can also get single packaged drip coffee with little fold out arm things to go over your cup that actually make pretty good coffee.

I think one of travelling's pleasures is seeing how the rest of the world drinks their coffee - no matter how good or bad!

AeroPress Go Travel version.

All the components store neatly. The downside is you will also have to pack ground coffee you like, unless you’re willing to risk trying coffee from wherever you travel. Also, make sure to pack enough paper filters.

Aeropress travel 4tw. There’s also a travel mug French press thing, but the aeropress is superior.

I had no idea gourmet instant coffee existed. I will pick some up for my next travel adventure.

In the 90-150 range somewhere you’ll start to hit diminishing returns. You could get a timemore c3 or so(as low as 63) and it would perform at about a 6 or 7/10 or double the price for a 1z at 7-8/10 (if a 2 was a blade grinder, and a 8 was a comandante). 9-10 being something wildly unimodal like a ek. They are better, but diminishing returns. So ask yourself what your goals are for traveling: I personally prioritize something that I won’t mourn too much if it’s lost/stolen. Are you brewing pourover or aeropress? Because steep&release brewers are pretty damn tolerant. Do you need to eek out every last drip of quality? What about weight? User experience REALLY matters for your travel gear

1ZPresso Q2! It fits inside a standard Aeropress chamber!

If I have only my backpack I go with Aeropress GO and Aergrinder by Knock. The grinder fits inside the aeropress plundger

Using the Q2 right now while abroad with both an aeropress and Orea v3!

1zpresso zp6 for pour over

I bought the K6, I love it. I wanted to mention that if money isn't really an issue (it wasn't for me but I didn't want to spend a lot on a hand grinder without knowing if I'd like it) get something expensive. I'm kinda jealous of the Comandante C40 but I'm not buying a second hand grinder since I have the K6 already.

1zpresso!!!

I have a Timemore C3S Pro. I can’t compare to other grinders but what I can tell you is that I couldn’t believe the build quality when I first tried it, especially considering the price point. There is absolutely zero play anywhere and everything feels like it’s on roller bearings. The action is incredibly smooth and the knurling gives a good grip. I can get 26-27 grams out of it comfortably in one grind. In addition to pourover and AeroPress I use it for espresso on a Picopresso, so with a traditional non-pressurized basket and it grinds fine for all of them. The collapsable handle is also perfect with tolerances and the action is as smooth as a quality pistol slide. I have a small pouch where I keep the grinder, a small scale, a tiny spray bottle and a small brush. It’s always in my bag regardless of which brewer I am bringing. Right now I am on a 2-week holiday with a pourover brewer and use this daily for a 25-26g to 450-480ml pour for two cups for two persons.

So no comments on other grinders but I can recommend the C3S Pro for portable use.

I’m currently on the Timemore C2 and love it.

K6 if $100 budget