Today we’re talking espresso on-the-go, but we’re not talking about grabbing a shot from your superautomatic before you run the door! Nope, in this Crew Review we’re talking about the The Wacaco Minipresso has everything you need! Portable espresso machine, cup, scoop—check!
Shot
When you first open the packaging, its compact, cylinder shape (perhaps resembling a submarine if you ask Gail!) makes you wonder, how in the world do you make a shot from this? Start twisting off each end and you’ll see the mechanics behind this machine. On one end, you have the brew chamber with a pod-like basket where you’ll add 8 grams of ground coffee. On the other side is the chamber for hot water—just be careful; if you overfill the chamber, it’ll overflow hot water! When you’re ready to brew, fill the pod with coffee and gently pack in with the back of the scoop (yep, it’s designed that way, but it’s not tamping). Once you’ve got everything secured, unlatch the piston and start pumping! Hold up—just don’t pump it too fast! Wacaco recommends one pump per second. In just a couple pumps, you'll have a delicious shot of espresso. It doesn’t really feel like an espresso machine but man it certainly makes espresso! The shot is a bit weaker than we're used to, but for a compact espresso machine with one shot, it’s pretty impressive! That’s in part thanks to the semi-automatic piston that extracts with 8 BARs—that’s on par with real espresso machines, coffee friends! No need to worry about your fingers either,the Minipresso has minor resistance when extracting while still being easy to pump.
Style
Slip the Wacaco Minipresso in your backpack’s side pocket for the perfect caffeinated camping companion (ten bucks says you’ll be everyone’s favorite person in the morning)! While it’s not as lightweight as the AeroPress, its compact, sleek design makes it easier to pack last minute. The Minipresso weighs 12.8-ounces and we think backpackers might forgo the extra weight (we know every ounce counts). But camping out of your car? Yep, take the Minipresso! Tired of weak hotel coffee? You get the idea. The Minipresso's lightweight, compact design is perfect for hiking, camping and more. One maintenance tip we’ll leave you with is to thoroughly clean and dry the Minipresso before storing. Wacaco only recommends cleaning with hot water and it’s not dishwasher safe, so clean it before it gets gunky—yeah…we didn’t clean it and were welcomed by thin fibrous mold all over the brew chamber. But we forgot so you don’t have to!
Conclusion
If you’re out in the wilderness and in need of a pick-me-up, the Wacaco Minipresso Portable Espresso Machine has got your back! Its sleek, cylinder body fits in small pockets and it weighs less than a pound (so you can bring more coffee). For an espresso machine packing 116 PSI and 8 grams of grounds, it makes a more-than-decent shot that’ll satisfy your caffeine needs. Would you take the Minipresso camping? Take a look at the Wacaco Minipresso and tell us what you think in the comments below.
