Wacaco Coffee Maker

Wacaco started with one bad hotel espresso. Founder Hugo Cailleton, an industrial designer, wanted a real shot on a business trip and could not get one, so he built a handheld machine that pulls one. The Minipresso launched in 2014, and the Nanopresso and Picopresso followed. We've been stocking Wacaco for years. This page covers the full lineup: espresso makers, the Pipamoka and Cuppamoka brewers, the Exagrind hand grinder, and every case, adapter and spare basket.

How a hand pump makes real espresso

Espresso needs pressure, and pressure is the part most travel brewers skip. James Hoffmann makes the point in The World Atlas of Coffee: a person pushing a plunger cannot replicate the very high pressures of an espresso machine. Wacaco's answer is a patented piston pump. The Wacaco Nanopresso reaches up to 18 bar (261 PSI) on hand strength alone, and it needs about 15 percent less pumping force than the first-generation Minipresso. That is what puts crema on a shot pulled beside a tent or at a desk.

What these makers do not do

None of the manual models heat water. You fill the tank from a kettle, a thermos or a camp stove, and the shot is only as hot as the water you bring. The electric Pixapresso is the exception: it heats, controls and extracts in one unit. The other honest steer is grind. GR models take ground coffee and reward a fine, slightly tamped dose; NS models take capsules and remove that variable entirely. We've tested every model in this range on our own bench in Pagewood, and we know which one to hand a first-timer and which one belongs with someone who already owns a bottomless portafilter. That second one is the Wacaco Picopresso, covered below.

Which Wacaco espresso maker suits you?

Three families, three levels of involvement. Start with how much fiddling you want to do, then match the model.

• Minipresso GR2 and NS2: the entry point and the one that started it all. The Minipresso range comes in a GR2 version for ground coffee and an NS2 version for Nespresso Original capsules. Hold it with two hands while pumping, rinse the cup and adapter after each shot, and keep it out of the dishwasher. The NS2 case carries up to eight capsules, a coaster and a towel.- Nanopresso GR: the model we point most people to. Ground coffee, 18 bar from the patented pump, quick strip-down for cleaning, four colours (Black Charcoal, Red Patrol, Orange Patrol, Yellow Patrol). It is also the most expandable: the Barista Kit adds larger baskets for bigger shots, the NS Adaptor takes Nespresso Original pods, and the DG Kit takes Dolce Gusto capsules. The Medium Case fits it with an adaptor or Barista Kit attached; the Small Case fits it bare.- Picopresso: the prosumer pick. Wacaco calls it the specialty coffee espresso machine because it borrows the naked portafilter from professional machines and shrinks it to palm size. The standard basket is 18 grams, a 12 gram basket is available for lighter shots, and the add-on pressure gauge gives live feedback while you pump. Pair it with the stand and a grinder that can go espresso-fine. If you cannot grind fine, skip this one.- Pixapresso: the electric option, currently on backorder. It heats its own water and takes grounds or capsules, so it suits someone who wants the fewest steps between waking up and drinking.

Not everyone wants espresso

The Pipamoka is a pressure brewer you brew in and drink from, built for long commutes and hours of hot coffee. The Cuppamoka is a cup-sized pour-over with a built-in dripper that uses cone paper filters for a clean brew. Both sit comfortably alongside the rest of our camping coffee gear.

Grind matters more than the pump

A portable espresso maker is only as good as the grind you feed it. The Wacaco Exagrind is 14.3 cm tall, holds 20 grams, and runs a 38mm burr, which is enough coffee for a pour-over or a double espresso. If you are travelling with a Picopresso, budget for a grinder before you budget for a case. Once the grind is dialled in, the rest of this range is very forgiving.

Your complete Wacaco travel kit

We've packed these for road trips and campsites, and the same few extras come up every time:

• A grinder: the Exagrind, or any hand grinder from our Wacaco grinder range that reaches espresso-fine.- A scale: the Exagram PRO has a built-in timer and backlit display; compare it with the rest of our coffee scales.- A case: every maker has a fitted one, and the Pipamoka EVA case weighs 100 g at 210 x 90 x 78 mm.- A cup: the Octaroma Lungo is a 300 ml double-wall stainless mug with a leak-proof lid.- A mat: the Large Silicone Coffee Mat is heat resistant and doubles as a drying rack.

Browse the wider portable brewing range if you want to mix brands.

I came to Wacaco sceptical. A hand pump the size of a torch making espresso sounded like a gimmick, and I have pulled enough bad shots on the road to expect one more. Then I tested a Nanopresso next to a thermos on a drive down the coast, and the crema was real. We know what espresso should taste like; my dad has been chasing it since 1999. This range earned its place because it delivers that taste where no machine can go. Bring hot water and a decent grind, and it does the rest.

— Pedro Lara

Frequently Asked Questions