Picopresso

I haven't had mine long. But I love it so much I bought two! One to keep at work. I'm not a trained barista or massive coffee connoisseur. But I appreciate good coffee. I doubt there is a better way to get a decent espresso shot for cheaper than this. I got my first one on prime day and ended up paying £75. That's really hard to beat. Especially as it's still good value at £119. The Instagram friendly packaging was nice... but completely wasted on me, as it just got ripped open and responsibly sorted into the appropriate bins for disposal ;) I got the IMS basket for it. Maybe it's better... people who know more than me seem to think so, so why not. The original basket definitely fits better, although the IMS works fine despite the awkward fit. I can't speak to how well this will last, there is a lot of plastic, so it could crack I guess, but this doesn't seem to be a thing just yet, looking at other reviews. I think this is a brilliant coffee tool, it allows just the right amount of engagement and experimentation to be intriguing and dare I say, fun to use. I have definitely been able to impress people with the quality of shot this can produce. There is a "but" though... you need a good grinder. It's very sensitive to grind size and quality. You'll be able to squeeze a decent tasting shot either way. But if you're after a decent crema, you need to dial in your grind size. I initially ground too coarse and had no crema, then I ground too fine (Turkish) and it wouldn't push water through, there is a pressure bypass, so it will just cycle water back into the chamber if there is too much pressure in the pump. Then I hit the goldilocks and got some beautiful golden crema. Very happy. I feel like the trick is short, quick pumps to build good, consistent pressure. To sum up, it's pretty affordable (though that's subjective) it's easy to get great results. But if you invest some time and effort, you can really produce some amazing espresso - which can be very rewarding. Making this a great purchase in my opinion.

The Picopresso is absolute genius and the closest I can get to a portable device that delivers barista quality espresso. I own multiple portable espresso devices and this one leaves them all standing. I also have a pretty hefty espresso setup at home (yes I know a bit sad) and I therefore have high expectations when it comes to my daily shot or two. The Picopresso if used correctly can deliver trully exceptional results. When my home machine went in for its service a few weeks ago I used the Picopresso every day and was more than happy. However ,there are a few howevers. You need a good quality espresso grinder for your (fresh - dark/espresso roast) beans and preferably some scales so that you use the same amount of grind every time. I use approx 15g. You can go up to 18g but thats a matter of taste. Properly tamp the beans with the funnel removed from the basket. Ideally replace the supplied basket with a 51mm full size basket (La Pavoni Europiccola baskets fit) - but only if you are as fussy as me. Most importantly pre-heat every element before you make your coffee otherwise the results are going to be lukewarm. Avoid getting water inside the plunger. There's some great youtube videos out there. It's a bit of a faff when you start but well worth it once you get used to it. I regularly take mine to work with my coffee pre-ground.

It took a while to be able to produce a proper espresso mainly because my coffee grinder was unsuitable. Once I got a grinder designed specifically for espresso bingo! Lovely crema and perfect extraction. The good points are 1) small size so you can store it in a drawer and not have it staring at you all day from the worktop 2) small enough to take it with you on trips. But but but you will have to have access to hot water so camping trips and B&B are ok but one day hiking trips will require lugging a stove and a kettle. It may not be an issue for you. Overall, very happy with my Picopresso. Way better espresso than I get from most coffee shops in London. It also compares favourably with Nanopresso. Go and get one if you can.

This is 2nd I've bought (first had a sealing gasket broken). They are mostly great, with some notes - top lid is hard to fit (i'm not using it -- a bit risky, but less risky then fumble with the lid) - bottom rubber mini-funnel is now not staying in place when fit the usual way: the answer is to invert it - 18G filter is a bit too much even for hard-core espresso lover like me; have to buy 12G separately - most ground coffees on marked are too coarse for this machine Overall, a solid little coffee maker, a bit of a hassle to handle and a bit expensive, but worth it.

This absolutely will not replace your at home espresso solution, however it doesn’t claim to. What this does do is make incredible espresso on the go. Basket sizes are fairly standard and you can brew according to your usual ratios for the most part. As long as you pre heat the chamber and keep your water at temperature the results that this can make will blow your mind. Absolutely worth the purchase if you travel or want coffee away from home frequently

Very good quality, more complicated than I expected, this is a travel coffee machine, where do you get boiling water if you are travelling, put boiling water in a flask I suppose. Only good for one cup. Colin Rate.

Just pulled my first shot and it was rich and textured. I can already see/feel/taste how to improve it further. Very easy to use and simple to clean. I bought this to replace my previous set up . The base model of the other manual kit is much much more expensive. No downgrade in shots so the value proposition is brilliant. This makes good coffee from good beans ground properly and thats all you can ask for.

Ive had the minipresso GR gifted a long while ago. It was good, and I did enjoy it. But having to manage overpressure (once I had to dismantle the whole unit as a tiny gasket move off its place).. plus the low 8gr beans espresso capacity, ultimately sent it to the back of the cupboard. The Picopresso is a different beast. Its wow. Regular 17gr capacity. Really easy to build pressure, the only time you have to think of it its in order to match espresso times. Great real crema. Overall a little shorter but girthier than the minipresso. Pair it with scales, a 1zpresso X-Pro grinder, some beans, some sort of portable stove and you have espresso or latte (with a frother) in the mountain tops or on holiday same as at home. Add an ultra lightweight Tetra Drip and some filter papers and you have yourself lots of options. The picopresso really is espresso on the go.