Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

This is an espresso machine with no plug, no battery and no pod tray. The Wacaco Nanopresso is a handheld cylinder you pump by hand, and the pumping builds up to 18 bar of pressure, the figure espresso machines like to print on the box.

The routine is short: finely ground coffee goes in the basket, hot water goes in the tank, and pumping pushes out a shot with a dense layer of crema on top. Cleaning up after each shot takes a few seconds, and the filter holder comes apart when it needs a deeper clean. It works best with finely ground coffee, so it pairs well with a grinder that can go fine for espresso.

It suits the espresso drinker who travels, camps, or works somewhere with nothing but a sad drip machine. It’s also a fun thing to pull out of a backpack at a trailhead while everyone else drinks instant. For people who keep Nespresso Original capsules around, Wacaco sells an NS Adapter separately that lets it use those pods instead of grounds.

The catch: the box holds the machine and nothing else, so any accessories cost extra. It also needs hot water from somewhere, since it doesn’t heat anything itself, and getting a good shot takes some practice with grind and dose.