WACACO Picopresso Portable Espresso Maker Bundled with Protective Case, Pro-level Specialty Coffee Machine, Compatible Ultra-fine Grind, Manually Operated Travel Coffee Maker

Product Information

I take my espresso seriously. I put myself through college making espresso for others, and I even married my favorite barista. It's been a while now since either my wife or I had access to the kind of expensive Italian-made espresso machines you find in nice coffee shops, but thanks to the world of portable espresso makers, I've figured out how to make the perfect espresso no matter where I go.

Picopresso by Wacaco - Perfect Coffee Anywhere Review - The Picopresso by Wacaco - Perfect Coffee Anywhere

The flavor is still strong and potent, but usually a bit thinner than the standard espresso. But of course, this also depends on your brewing ratio. Just put in less water and more coffee, if you want it concentrated. With “Picopresso”, there are no shortcuts. Each user must master the art of manual brewing by dialing in the correct grind size, tamping the ground coffee and perfecting their pulling technique. However, these efforts are ultimately rewarded with an authentic, high-quality espresso that can rival drinks prepared by high-end machines. Add your freshly boiled water to the tank and reseal it. Twist to release the piston. Step Six: Begin Pumping

Now, when you unzip the case and remove the brewer, the Picopresso weighs 350g and is only 10.5cm tall, but has a good 7.5cm in diameter, and in true Wacaco fashion, all the additional accessories fit inside the Picopresso quite neatly. Under the water chamber lid sits your steel tamper and the dosing ring, and sitting inside the water chamber is a distribution tool and that cleaning brush. The water chamber itself will hold a maximum of 90ml of water.

Picopresso - Portable Espresso Machine | Redber Coffee Wacaco Picopresso - Portable Espresso Machine | Redber Coffee

There’s an EVA hard protective case with a strong zipper and a soft interior. This is perfect if you’re taking your Picopresso outdoors, offering even more protection to an already durable machine. Also in the box is a branded dosing funnel for the basket. Next, there’s an upgraded tamper with a robust steel base. This is a significant improvement on the Nanopresso, whose tamper is the base of a plastic scoop. Lastly, there’s a tiny WDT tool to break up your grinds for a cleaner extraction. However, if you have a small kitchen or want to dip your toes into the espresso world, it could also be worth considering. Overall, the delicious creamy espresso this compact machine produces compares favorably with machines that, in some cases, cost hundreds of dollars. Cleaning And MaintenanceThen go ahead and fill the water chamber with boiling water, and by leaving a small gap at the top, it's about 70ml of water, and this will get us pretty close to our target espresso yield of 40g out. Nevertheless, that pressurized portafilter is also the reason that the espresso the Nanopresso produces won’t be as good as the Picopresso.

Picopresso: Hands-On Review - The Coffee Chronicler Wacaco Picopresso: Hands-On Review - The Coffee Chronicler

However, we live in a time of unprecendented coffee innovation, and for that reason there are actually quite a few travel-friendly espresso machines on the market today. It goes without saying that this is an entirely different league than AeroPress Espresso. Nanopresso (left) vs Picopresso (right). It’s an easy K.O. win for the Picopresso. Who is it for?The “funnel” isn’t a funnel but does have a dual function. It is helpful when filling the basket with coffee grind but is more useful when tamping to help ensure even tamping. The new Picopresso is superior to the Nanopresso in most ways though. The basket is a standard, non-pressurized model that can hold up to 18 grams of ground coffee. It means that you can pull an excellent 50 ml double shot. The espresso quality is excellent. However, the Flair Neo is as close to a static kitchen machine as a portable one.

The 7 Best Portable Espresso Makers | 2023 GUIDE The 7 Best Portable Espresso Makers | 2023 GUIDE

The Mirage’s 53mm pressurized double filter basket offers plenty of room for error in grind size, making it a solid beginner-friendly option. The Uniterra Nomad is also not the most portable device, though it is smaller and lighter than the Flair. It puts that heft to good use by looking like a little piece of metal art sitting on your desk while cranking out an excellent, creamy espresso. Despite weighing in at 7 pounds, this machine is easy to carry due to its foldable design and carry case.Next, we're going to leave the dosing ring on the porter filter while we apply the tamp. And in this way you'll discover it guarantees a flat and even tamp every time. A clever design on Wacaco's part and great for the user as it eliminates any issues with an inconsistent tamp. Overall, this leaves the workflow of the Picopresso not just far more straightforward than you’d imagine but downright enjoyable.