Customer Reviews

MSR Mugmate Coffee/Tea Filter

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This little filter makes great coffee when you are backpacking. It is very durable and light weight and the fine metal mesh easily filters out all of the grounds. I have found the best way to use it is to make cowboy coffee by boiling your grounds and then use the filter when you pour the coffee in your cup. Depending on the size of your pot, you can make coffee for a few campers at the same time. Suggestion: The Finum Teeli Permanent Tea Filter is EXACTLY the same thing for half the price.

I've tested many loose tea brewers and this is the best (I've never used it to brew coffee so look to other reviews for an evaluation of how well it does that). The problem with most loose tea brewers is that the mesh is too coarse, letting through flecks of tea. This brewer has a very fine mesh. I'm not a camper, but I was in REI to buy some shoes and I spotted this and decided to give it a try since I'd never found a really satisfactory tea brewer. I was delighted. That was a couple years ago -- I've been using mine a couple times every day ever since -- So I feel MSR is missing the mark here -- they should be marketing this in kitchenware stores, not just in camping stores. I bought my second one from Amazon so I can have one for me and one for a guest. (I don't like to brew tea by using the same tea leaves for two cups -- the second cup is never as good as the first -- each tea drinker deserves a cup of tea made from fresh leaves, not leaves that have been used to brew another cup before theirs. By having two of these, I can brew two excellent cups of tea at once.)

For loose tea, I recommend alltea (for excellent tea with good value -- try their English Breakfast tea -- very hearty) or Upton tea (for an amazing variety of high-end teas). Have you ever tried Rooibos tea? -- give it a try!

Light, small, fits in a cup and if you bring fresh ground coffee on your next trip, you will be in heaven. Excellent item.

Needed a way to make coffee while backpacking and this works. It is way better than that plastic stick thingy that you have to stir around and let sit in your mug for 10 minutes in order to get any flavor out of it.

I actually bought this product elsewhere, but wish to recommend it because it makes such a great cup of coffee. I bought it at a local outdoor supply company, although it seemed to be a bit overpriced, just to try a different way of making coffee. Immediately with the first cup of coffee, I was surprised at how much better the coffee tastes with this method. It does not get any fresher than this. I can vary the strength of the coffee easily and the clean up is a snap. In addition I waste less coffee by only making what I need at the moment. Of course when I have guests over, I get out the coffee maker. Now I frequently get requests from family members and guests to make them a cup using my single cup method because they too like the flavor better this way. Now I have two of these. They are very durable and easy to wash by hand. They should last for years. You will not regret getting one. I enjoy the unique flavors of different coffees more so than ever before. Buy one and try it.

I use it at home every day (with lavazza). I've never used it with tea. Once you get the hang of it you can make excellent coffee consistently. You make your coffee in a mug, tip the dregs out, rinse, and you're done. No filters, no faff. In my experience, it beats the quality of paper filter coffee or a coffee plunger. If the coffee tastes funny, you probably haven't cleaned/ rinsed the filter properly. It's small and light, I take it on trips and on holidays. I conservatively estimate that mine has made over 1,500 cups and it's still going strong. Note that the Finum brewing basket looks like the same thing for half the price.

If coffee is important to you, and particularly if you're mobile, this item can change your life for the better.

I've had one of these for 15 years! I make coffee with it every day. No paper filters ever.

I know it's a bit pricey but you WILL use for a long long time! Pays for itself because you don't buy filters.