WACACO Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker Bundled with Protective Case Upgrade Version of Minipresso Mini Travel Coffee Machine Perfect

I hardly ever write reviews but feel that this product needs one. We purchased this in July 2018 and use it EVERY SINGLE DAY to make 2-4 mugs of (Americano) coffee. It makes the best espresso (it even has the crema on top!) for such a simple unit. We've taken it camping, backpacking, to friends' houses (who don't drink coffee), etc. With this we bought the Baristo Kit so we make a double shot of espresso and top it off with hot water. The unit is easy to clean and easy to operate (& builds muscle as it gives you a little bit of a workout!). I held off on reviewing this for some time because about a year ago I contacted the company to get a replacement gasket (the larger orange one) to have as a back-up in case the one that came with it failed. At that time they said that they did not sell this gasket separately. I was not happy as without this gasket, this product would not work (it would not be able to build up the pressure necessary), and this gasket is custom to this product so it would be probably impossible to find it elsewhere. Well, sure enough about 3 months ago, the gasket got a little horizontal split in it. It still worked but coffee grounds would get underneath it and you had to take the gasket off after each shot to clean it. Because we were taking it on/off repeatedly I didn't think the gasket would last too much longer. So I contacted the company again, though their website and lo and behold, they were now selling this gasket for $1 each. I ordered 2 of them (just in case!) and the shipping was $7. But it was coming from China so it took about 6 weeks to get here. However, it was worth the wait because it works just as it did when it was new, no having to clean under the gasket each time we make a shot of espresso. We are very, very happy with this little device and have put away or set aside our regular coffee makers & Keurig. One last comment... occasionally, the device for some reason does not build up pressure when pumping it (the pump handle just goes in & out without resistance). Not sure why this happens as it happens so infrequently and we haven't figured out a pattern. When this has happened (maybe 5 times in 2.5 years) I just unscrew all of the pieces, pump out any excess water from the main unit and repack the ground coffee in the pod. Doing all that has always fixed it in the past. But as I mentioned, this has rarely happened. Also, if the pump is REALLY hard to press, then either the coffee is ground too fine &/or you have packed it too tightly in the pod. If you decide to buy this little bit of heaven...Enjoy! ;-) UPDATE (4/27/21): Alas, it did finally die not long after I wrote the above review. I think a spring-loaded connector came loose and without a way to open the device, there was no way to see the problem, let alone fix it. However, we have loved it so much we bought another one when it was on sale at Costco.com. The first replacement we bought squeaked loudly with each press (totally unacceptable) so we returned that one and purchased another which seems to be working fine. It came with the Nespresso adapter which was a nice added feature as the espresso roast Nespresso pods make very good coffee. However, we still use the Barista double shot kit daily and our own ground coffee so it was still worth it to us to purchase another one of these. I guess when you look at it buying this vs. visiting Starbuck's 16 times for a $5 coffee (which both cost about the same price!), we definitely would choose this! Read more

Hello, I'm a coffeeholic - and no, I'm not ready to go to Caffiene Anonymous yet. I've been a barista for more than 5 years now, and giving up my delicious coffee during travel for an overpriced cup at a major chain finally gave me the push to get this machine. This works wonderfully and produces a quality shot of espresso with lots of crema and comparable flavor to my at-home Breville espresso bar! It's even smaller than a coffee mug, so very travel-friendly, and worth the investment! Here is some user advice on how to make the most of your Nanopresso: 1) before taking it on the road with you, spend some time familiarizing yourself with the machinery and tweaking the temperature of the water so you know what you'll be getting on the road. I'll admit to holding it upside down the first time I tried to extract an espresso - I blame not having my coffee in my bloodstream yet, lol XD. Ideal temperature for extraction is between 197-205* F, but I found that some heat gets lost in the transfer to the water filter, so I almost let my water get to a rolling boil before brewing. Also, if you are used to a 2-shot latte, you can try making it on here (capacity is 80 ml, which is over the 2 oz needed), but know the 8-gram capacity of the filter basket is what you'd need to be bigger in order to get your fix - if you don't mind the fuss of re-using the machine to get your second shot, great! If this is a problem for you, get the Barista accessory kit. 2) Make sure you pack everything you need! If going backpacking, take espresso grounds and a way to boil and filter water (camp stove or stand for campfire, pot/kettle, water filter, etc.). If traveling in hotels/motels, see if you will have a microwave or if the lobby has a hot water dispenser for tea. If you worry about this investment being worth it, keep in mind that a $5 coffee on the road will take ~18 days to pay off your investment, so if you travel frequently or have multiple cups a day, this is definitely worth it! Hope you enjoy your caffeine fix as much as I do! I'm also a coffee-educator, so as a disclaimer, PLEASE drink responsibly! That's 400 mg a day, which is 2 double-shot lattes or 4 cups of regular coffee. Infomercial over, enjoy your new best coffee friend, the Nanopresso! Read more