My Go-To Portable Espresso Maker for Travel — Wacaco Picopresso Review

When you’re camping, on the road, or working remotely, finding great coffee is nearly impossible. I was looking for new and more portable ways to make great coffee outside.  Then I met the Wacaco Picopresso; its more robust build quality and seemingly more serious demeanor have sparked my curiosity.  And does this small built-in hand pump espresso machine really work?  The result is, surprisingly, Picopresso makes real espresso with thick crema and rich flavors that rival anything you’ll find in most third-wave coffee shops. And it does so while fitting in the palm of your hand. 

I made coffee with the Wacaco Picopresso for over 12 months to test how easy it is to use, how flavorful its shots are, and whether or not it’s actually worth its price of $130.   

The Tests

Espresso Quality Test

What I learned during an espresso extraction, I found a bit of tinkering is required to achieve good result.

Key points are;
Grind: I did first time using coffee ground was bit too coarse, and the espresso tastes watery. If the grind is too fine, pumping becomes difficult and the shot tastes muddy.
Water temperature: Since portable brewers can lose heat quickly, preheating the Picopresso’s components and using freshly boiled water is necessary.
Pumping: Pump until you reach a 1:2 ratio — 18g of coffee in, 36g of espresso out. This is very important.
Once I dialed in a consistent workflow, the results were incredibly satisfying. The resulting shots were flavorful and aromatic, with noticeable crema. This is exactly what I want when I travel.

Usability Test

At first, you may seem overwhelmed, for the Picpresso has many parts: a filter basket, shower head, tamper, scoop, brush, distribution tool, and funnel. But they all fit into the body of the machine, which is your palm size; it is incredibly compact and comes with a protective case for traveling.

Probably the primary challenge is the pump during the brewing process. But once you get used to it, you are all set. Just do not use too fine coffee grounds, and I did once and felt like it was almost impossible to press the pump during the brewing process.

The same experience in my Moka pot; just espresso did not come out when the coffee was too fine.

Clean up Test

Cleaning up the Picopresso is incredibly easy.  

These 3 parts—basket, shower head, and portafilter—come apart quickly after each use and clean up in seconds under warm water. Just make sure you don’t lose any of the small parts. 

The Build Quality Test

Using the Picopresso for over 12 months, and almost every day while traveling, at home, the body and its parts are still in good condition. There are no cracks or worn-down parts. 

The Verdict

Wacaco Picopresso Potable Espresso Maker

If you’re looking for a travel-size espresso maker and espresso is your caffeinated drink of choice and making coffee is more your speed, the Wacaco Picopresso is the perfect one that makes proper, complex, creamy shots on the go.

It takes some tinkering to really find the sweet spot, but once you’re adjusted in, it rewards users with café-quality shots.

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Key Specs