WACACO Picopresso Portable Espresso Maker Bundled with Protective Case, Pro-level Specialty Coffee Machine, Compatible Ultra-fine Grind, Manually Operated Travel Coffee Maker
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100 reviews for WACACO Picopresso Portable Espresso Maker Bundled with Protective Case, Pro-level Specialty Coffee Machine, Compatible Ultra-fine Grind, Manually Operated Travel Coffee Maker
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Yulia –
This is a portable professional tool. Don’t buy it if you just want an espresso machine, get a Breville Bambino instead. Don’t buy it if you just want good coffee, order Cometeer. Buy this one if you like to tinker and spend half a bag of coffee to dial in a perfect shot.The package is great:- only slightly tapered basked, it can take 16-19 grams of coffee- naked portafilter to watch extraction- a little funnel and a compact tamper that can be leveled on said funnel, this is amazing- even a tiny WDT tool to break up your clumps!- everything can be disassembled and cleaned easilyWhat you absolutely need:1. Accurate scales (I use TIMEMORE Plus)2. Good grinder (I use Normcore V2)Difficulty level:1. Dark roasts: not very difficult, start with those.2. Medium roasts: hard, you need everything to be as hot as possible and pull longer shots, I do 16 grams in, 40-42 grams out.3. Light roasts: impossible.Your beans must be fresh, BUT NOT TOO FRESH! At least 1 week after roast, this is important! At most 2 months.This is my process (medium roast, pretty fine grinds):1. Preheat the main unit pouring boiling water in it and close the lid. I don’t attach the basket.2. While it’s preheating, grind coffee (I use lower dose about 16 grams) and put it into the basket.3. Break clumps with the WDT tool and tamp over the funnel for good leveling. Can be tamped one more time without funnel if you want better compression. Don’t forget to put on the puck screen. Portafilter is ready.4. Boil the kettle one more time.5. Pump at least a little bit of water from the unit, so hot water retained inside the pump. Then unscrew the lid and replace the water with freshly boiling.6. Screw the portafilter in, pump 10 times and wait 20-30 seconds.7. Pump evenly so the flow is constant until the end (40-42 grams in cup).Don’t forget that the puck screen can also be disassembled for clean up, the rubber comes off.
drewman118 –
Previously experimented with the Aeropress, in addition to its Prismo and Joepresso attachments. The results were OK. Great crema from the Joepresso, but a somewhat acidic taste from the espresso itself.I decided to invest in the Picopresso, and have been pulling excellent quality shots ever since it arrived! Tons of crema, and pristine extraction of essential oils from the grind, with a very smooth finish on the palate.Follow the instructions to the T, and you’re good to go. Water straight off the boil, finely ground quality espresso beans, tamping, and chamber preheat are the most important Can play around with water and grind amounts, depending on your preferences.The outside of the chamber does get hot when it’s time to brew, and I simply wear gloves to resolve. All said and done, a barista worthy shot of espresso that you can take anywhere. Got a car kettle water heater to go with this too!
Payton Akin –
This machine is awesome! Totally blown away. I mentioned in the catch line that it isn’t stand alone. Why?Well-Opinion commentary here:To do this correctly you will need a scale, a great mill, and (obviously) a kettle. Whole beans-dark roast.So, that cuts down on portability for me. Although, of itself, the machine is small and portable.What else? So…There are MANY parts. All well machined and finished. Perfectly so, in fact. But, all the same, there are many parts that all interrelate. If my littles were to find this, I can see it losing some vital parts quickly, such as the distribution tool, the funnel ring, or any of the protective rubber caps. Even the tamper. All of the parts interrelate, as I mentioned. You could use non proprietary tools to get the job done, but the supplied ones were designed to fit.Why did I buy this?I bought this to keep at home in the kitchen for me time/self-care time/art of making a good shot totally manually (along with all my other ways to make coffee in small batches). I bought this as a person who has reduced caffeine intake to the bare minimum of enjoying the making of/brewing of/taste over quantity experiences.I won’t be making me and the missus each a shot to have at the same time. I won’t be using it more than two times in one setting. It’s just to make for me because anything else would be impractical from a time perspective.Why? It takes a while to get it working. Prep. Timing. Pre-warming. Clean up.I bought this for the ritual of making a double shot with great crema. A task that it performs perfectly.The machine does it beautifully. I can’t believe the thought that went into this design and the care with which it is produced. First rate.If you are thinking you are trotting off on the PCT with this and will have great espresso every morning…doable. Maybe. Brave. Cleanup will be…no. Wait. You could do it. It’s durable. Cleanable. Mostly completely breaks down (except for pump internals). Would just need to have some extra components. But would you? I think Illy would work…the grounds are fine enough. Recommend experimenting a bit. You could maybe get away without the grinder and scale.But for me. 7 minutes of prep (going slow-weighing/grinding). 3-4 minutes of action during brewing (pour, prime, empty, fill, pre-extract, extract), and 10 minutes of cleanup for a total of 20 minutes-TOTALLY WORTH IT! Just not on the road or trail (surely, this says more about me than the picopresso).Love this machine. Yes, it performs and feels just like what I expected for the cost. The manufacturer didn’t cut corners. Use premium, well roasted whole beans. Grind them ultra fine (don’t go as far as Turkish coffee fine, though). Weigh it out. Use filtered water. Pump at the right interval and YOU WIN.Payton
DIY Hero –
This device surely represents a new level in portable espresso creation. What a massive innovation over the previous model, the Nanopresso, which was already a very nifty little device. But this is something else. The Pico will create true espresso with luscious crema and a thick, viscous body. It will pull out all the those nuanced flavors from your blend. Judging just on the quality of the espresso, this device rivals my $2500 prosumer machine. Of course, the prosumer machine is superior for many other reasons, but quality and taste of the shot alone? They are nearly equals.Here’s how the Pico is different from the Nano and why it is capable of creating such good espresso:1. A true espresso portafilter shower screen and basket, made from stainless steel and precisely machined.3. beautiful, grippable metal portafilter. No more struggling to unscrew parts.2. A robust, larger pump with smoother action and response, capable of generating more pressure and pushing out a larger flow of water.3. Rubber seals and durable threads throughout. You’ll never worry about water leaking or threads wearing down on the Pico.4. The water tank is now integrated into the pump housing. This saved a lot of space and also further eliminates the possibility of hot water leaking out of the machine and burning you. The volume of the water tank is perfectly measured for a double shot of espresso.One caveat: YOU NEED A GOOD GRINDER. This device, like any good espresso machine, requires precision coffee grinds of uniform coarseness. You will likely need to go finer than what you get from preground stuff like Illy or Lavazza. Invest in a good manual grinder, like 1Zpresso JX Pro or J-Max. They are amazing devices that will last your lifetime.I’m not going to bother addressing any of the “problems” identified by negative reviews. If you are intrigued by the possibility of creating sublime espresso from a device that fits in the palm of your hand, and you understand and appreciate the artistry of pulling a great shot, this machine is for your you. If you just want some caffeine, don’t bother.
Alexandra England –
I have both this and a Flair. I love both, but this is much more convenient to transport since all of its accessories fit so nicely in the espresso maker itself. It’s also much easier to preheat, though I could see it having a hard time reaching the temperatures needed for very light roasts. It’s a sturdily built and cleverly designed thing. I was originally worried about the difficulty of pressing the pump, but even with small hands, it’s not a problem at all. It fits 18 grams of coffee and I easily get an output of 40 grams of espresso. The coffee has been delicious thus far as well.
FactionMan –
You need to be willing to put a little bit of work into getting this guy to it’s full potential.Firstly you need fresh quality coffee. I’m talking coffee shop fresh not grocery store fresh. I had to play with the grind before I found what gave the best results. If you are willing to put the time in you will get amazing results. If you aren’t as invested in tinkering I’d suggest the Nanopresso as it is much more forgiving and passable as a portable espresso device.Looking through the reviews the ones who rated it poorly were not the intended consumers for this particular espresso maker. If you want to tinker a lil and become a bit more of an espresso snob…Go for it.Also, super important…don’t put your wet machine away. A week in the cupboard with a lil water in there and you will start to get some serious funk
Payne –
I really expected this to be sort of okay coffee for the road. It’s absolutely terrific.Great espresso comes out of it. I make Americanos on the road (hotels, camping) and once you get the hang of all the little pieces and make a routine of it, the thing works perfectly.The build is solid as a rock. This thing is like a brick. I wouldn’t pack it if I was concerned about weight in my pack (not my kind of camping anymore), but this thing won’t break.Tip – the grind really matters. Make sure the use a pretty fine grind and you’ll get pretty fine results!
Ashley Giles –
I have a Rok Espresso and I ordered this Picopresso as was without my Rok for a few months due to relocation. The first thing that stood out is the attention to detail throughout the product, everything you need comes with the device and fits neatly into the body of the device, a beautiful case is also included. There was clearly a lot of careful consideration into the design.Using the device is a pleasure except for one thing; it gets very hot when using it. I preheat the picopresso and therefore the body is almost but very nearly too hot to hold, sensitive users may want to hold it with a towel or wear gloves in use.Taste – the taste is on par with my rok espresso owing to the same basket size. I feel getting the right pressure is more consistent with the Picopresso and I tend to prefer using this device now. I grind my own beans but I have used lavazza espresso grind and have found that this grind is not fine enough for this device.Cleaning – Very easy, the only thing that could be improved is the shower screen which is silicon and metal, it can be a bit fiddly to separate.Overall – I love it, its beautiful, fun to use and makes great coffee. I also think the price is very reasonable. Highly recommend it!
Chaz –
Es un gran producto para completar mi colección de métodos de extracción de café, está hecho para preparar un café fuera de casa, en el parque, en el bosque, en la playa o en tu cuarto de hotel, muy recomendable tener un buen molino de café que te de una molienda para espresso.Sin embargo yo lo uso de vez en cuando en mi casa ya que es diferente la extracción a la de mi maquina principal, y el gusto de experimentar nunca termina ☕️👌🏼
Lee Stohr –
As another reviewer said, this takes some fiddling to get good espresso. That is, the grind and dose have to be dialed in. Too fine a grind and you will get no flow. You can’t pump it harder to get more pressure and flow, because there is a pressure relief valve inside. Too course a grind and you’ll get a watery shot. But it doesn’t take long to dial in your grind and dose. It really does make decent espresso. Especially if you like a bit of milk and sugar. I doubt most people would notice the difference between a cappuccino with 1/2 spoonful of sugar made with this unit or a $1000 espresso machine.
Eric –
If you are an espresso snob like me and weigh you beans, time your shots and weigh the extraction to get that perfect shot each time, then this will deliver for you. If you just want a quick caffeine fix look elsewhere as this takes some time and knowhow to get good results. I have nice Alex Duetto E61 paired with a Niche Zero grinder at home and have been looking for something to use at work and found this. For work we have a hot water kettle and I have a Bartza Virtuoso that I have been using for pour overs and French Press, but have been longing for my Espresso in the afternoon, now I can have it! You will need a capable grinder, hot water, a scale and a bit of time. Your efforts will be rewarded with quality shot and a bit of clean up to do, but it will be well worth the time and effort. The only place this falls a bit short is that after you are done with making your shot the clean up take a little effort, in particular the rubber seal on the shower screen takes a little fidgeting with to get it back on after it is removed for cleaning.
Ferrstein –
Really cool machine that makes fantastic, nuanced espresso shots. It is picky about the grind quality, so pair with a top-rate espresso grinder. You will be rewarded with great espresso on the road!
Amit –
Very happy with my purchase. Solid build quality. They have included everything that you will ever need to carry it as a portable espresso machine.The functioning is really simple. After putting coffee in the filter basked and hot water in the compartment, press the pump 8 times, wait for 10 seconds and then start pumping until the espresso shot is delivered.The coffee tastes amazing. I found it even better than professional espresso machines, and all this while you are traveling and all you have to find is hot water and ground coffee, the machine will do the rest.I do an americano with this. The basket can take 18-20 gm of coffee grounds and you can draw a stiff double espresso shot. Add some hot water to it and you have Americano that will make you bright eyed and bushy tailed in no time!I get me some hazelnut flavored coffee, grind it with my 1zespresso JX pro grinder and start brewing it with this machine, and within a few seconds, every soul in your 25 ft radius knows that someone is brewing some good coffee around there…Making coffee with this thing has become a morning ritual. I love it.
Katrina –
My family and I went off to a camp this week and I knew the large scale brewed coffee would not work for me. Brought this, a kettle and a ceramic burr hand grinder and made a couple shots every morning. I didn’t even miss my large machine at home.There were a few things I noticed: beans had to be fresh and freshly ground. I kept mine in a metal, double walled insulated food container. It seemed to do a great job! Considerably better than when I took beans out of the non-air right hopper of my home machine when I was doing test runs.Also, it does not dry out all that quickly. I could leave it out to air dry since we were in a cabin, but if one were camping with it, I imagine it would get repacked while still wet, which doesn’t seem ideal.Overall, 100% worth the purchase. I’m probably going to spend considerable time looking for excuses to use it. Quite satisfying to get a good crema with my own hands versus an automatic machine!
MAH –
I own the Nanopresso and Picopresso. The Picopresso is far superior in every way! From a shot perp perspective, the Pico is easier to tamp and knockout and in turn easier to clean. This means you save tons of time shot to shot. I can’t stress this point more! Two shots with the Nano takes me more than twice as long.
Sergio Vargas –
El producto es excelente, preparé mi mi primer taza de café y realmente extrae todo el sabor de grano, prácticamente salió un café fuerte, denso, de aroma intenso y ligeramente aceitoso, sin espuma ya que me imagino que es por el tipo de café, todo esto con los 18 gramos que recomiendan preparar, ahora comprare la cesta de 12 gramos ya que creo que se adaptará mejor a mi gusto, es decir menos intenso, realmente vale la pena para los que amamos el café….
carguy22 –
Review is of the Wacaco Picopresso. I’ve had coffee and espresso from nearly every contraption imaginable and get my daily dose from a full-automatic counter top machine. But I NEED to brew on the road and this is where the Picopresso beats everything else I’ve tried. I hand grind each dose from beans from a cheap, but good quality travel grinder, and preheat the Pico with hot water. I use Lavazza Grand Reserva Espresso beans. The shots I get are super rich and flavorful without any edge or harshness and the crema has tasty body to it too. It took me a dozen or so trials to get the grind and dose where I want it, but I’m happy with the consistency now. And the shot size it delivers is just right for a morning wake-up in camp before I “kick the tires and light the fires” on breakfast for the rest of the crew. I love my Picopresso!
Lauren Schiff –
I love it. It is truly portable and makes a great espresso.I really, really like espresso. I am meh about coffee. So I got this so that when I travel, I can make espresso. I bought a hand grinder.2 things to know.1. You have to use a very fine grind. It will work okay with a cheap grinder but use the finer setting.2. It takes a lot of pumping. It gets tough to squeeze. If you have arthritis or other problems with your hands, this is not for you.But it makes a surprisingly good espresso with a thick crema.
Maxim Novikov –
The upper (water tank) lid is not thought out well. The device works even with the lid removed so it’s not a big deal, but screwing it on, plastic on plastic thread, is not nearly as easy as the lower, pressre chaber, metal one. I regularly spill several drops of hot water on my hands. Again, not a big deal, just annoying.Otherwise, the device is great and makes better coffee than my tabletop Longhi.
BLUHULK –
I’m not a coffee snob, but I love good coffee. Most espresso machines are bulky, pricey, and need maintenance. Budget isn’t an issue for me; however, form factor is. I wanted something small that won’t hog cabinet or counter space. Although it has multiple parts, it is easy to clean and also gives you a sense of pleasure pre and post pressing. I highly recommend getting the normcore 51mm puck screen and IMS filter basket from verybarista. Pro tip: run a plain hot water press to warm up. Load the coffee grounds, 10 pumps, wait for 20-30 seconds, then slowly start pumping for a rich flavor. This thing makes Cafe Bustelo taste like golden 😀
Emma –
I use this as my daily espresso maker at home because actual espresso machines are too expensive and take up too much counter space. I am super impressed with the quality of espresso shot it can pull. It took me a couple tries to nail down the best grind size and grams of coffee, but now I get great-tasting espresso with a nice layer of crema every time. There are two things though that prevent me from giving this 5 stars. One is how hot it gets when you’re pumping it. It gets so hot I can’t hold it with my bare hands and I have to wrap it in a towel. Personally, I would trade some of the compactness for slightly better insulation and a safer temperature. The other concern is how difficult it is to clean. It’s difficult to fully get all of the water out of the chamber after using it and rinsing it out. I set it out on the counter to dry until the next morning but if I were putting it away immediately I would worry about possible mold/mildew buildup. But those are very minor complaints and I would still highly recommend this little gadget. It’s hands-down the best portable espresso maker I’ve ever tried.
chrysoutdoors –
This little guy is my favorite purchase of the year. It makes excellent espresso. I take it to work with me for a fun, mid-morning treat! The only problem is that it leaks a little, no matter how tightly I screw it together, so I have to be careful. However, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
Donald F. Philips –
Very portable for small trailer/camping, easy to use and the coffee is delicious. We’ve tried it all: percolators, pour overs, instant, French press – this by far the best. I tried grinding the coffee myself, but espresso ground coffee works as good. It does get hot when holding so use a small towel or something to not get your hands too hot when holding. Definitely recommend it and don’t leave the house without it.
mike guskea –
Excellent product. If you are a coffee snob and admire a well pulled shot then this is your go to portable machine! It produces a shot equal to my home Rancillio machine. It produces a Thick crema and extracts favors well.This is my first week with the picopresso. Once you get the process down it gets easier and faster.Get a good manual grinder and you’re all set.
P. Nguyen –
For me the thread at the bottom of the picopress failed over time. Im not sure if the plastic couldn’t handle the pressure or the heat from the metal of the bottom bucket caused it to go bad but it’s an expensive fail for me. I’ll be on the lookout for a flair expresso
Danielle Taber –
So, this is a tuff one for review and I’ll give you the good, bad and ideas. Definitely portable, warm to hot to handle, small water reservoir and makes a great espresso or lungo and this is how. Make sure you have espresso grinds. I picked up a good hand burr grinder to go with this machine. Grind and fill to top with funnel ring on and tamp it down. Put the bottom on and remove top lid. Fill to full mark with hot water. Place over cup and pump 15 times. Remove lid carefully and top off keeping the picopresso above the cup as a little will be dripping out. Put cover back on and pump with a purpose! When done pumping flip it over and set aside. Enjoy, Best espresso I have had!
Ki Y. Kim –
So, I got this thing for my camping trip but I ended up just daily~ing this bad boy for my personal use at home. Given it’s price point I could assume that people might think this is pretty expansive and as did I.But after further research on the web and on youtube and just using this product everyday almost, I could tell you this is probably the most affordable espresso machine you could buy. This is actually pulls shots. And honestly I bought different brand 51mm baskets but the stock basket pulls shots just fine, even the medium roast. just have to mess with your ground size.Everything about this is great!Here are two cons ~ still great for the price but here’s the cons.1 ~ Temp control, I have to pour in a hot water and warm up the machine before my actual espresso pull.Hence you will waste water and it will take you longer time.2 ~ Assembling and disassembling it to clean is a beach. But I am a neat freak so I was this every single time I use it. Like the whole thing. If you are not a OCD you don’t have to worry about this but if you like to make espresso your probably is OCD?Anyhow this review comes from a person who never used a actual espresso machine so I don’t know how that cleaning process works or even how long the prep work is before initial shot is pulled.But good entry to making espresso at home and outdoors. And if you are upgrading this to something better in the future you could always keep this around for camping or for work.
Nobody Home –
I’ve used this at home for making espresso and it does a fairly good job. It includes a good quality brush, distribution tool, measuring cup, ring and tamper. All nest together for compact storage. However, after about 6 months of daily use, the lid’s thread has stripped and the pump handle leaks hot water when pressurized. I would not recommend this as a “daily driver” due to the plastic threads and pump. Instead, I bought an espresso machine (Gaggia Classic Pro) to replace it.
JayQ –
I would say it is the best travel expresso maker. I have flair but that is too heavy and big for carry on. Picoespresso can surprisingly make espresso at very least. In any standards, it is ESPRESSO — not those junk dish washing liquid from nespresso machines. It is small enough to fit in a small corner in luggage or backpack, and then I can carry it to many other places with my grinder of course. It might take like 5 minutes to grind then prepare the espresso, but nevertheless it is espresso. I was actually surprised to see that it can produce espresso.The taste of espresso isnt the best compare to those I make from the home, but they are qualified to be called espresso. Compare to flair the best part is how portable it is — you can hold the entire thing in one hand. It does not have temperature control nor pressure measurement so there might need some trial and error to find the best routine. It is great for travel! I highly recommend it. I carry it all the time if I travel. Few draw backs: the container might get too hot and the cleaning process is a bit more difficult. But overall it is a worthy purchase.
Namba –
I had higher expectations for the Picopresso, but also noticed that good results seemed to be difficult. After trying both machines several times, I decided to do a comparison. The two machines preheat at the same time, use the same ultra-fine coffee powder, and pre-infuse 9 presses at the same time and wait for 15 seconds. Picopresso can hold 15 grams of ground coffee, so the final liquid is a bit more than Staresso under 1:2 ratio. Apparently, the cheap little machines beat out the more famous big names. The Picopresso’s espresso is slightly stronger, but I’m not sure how the experts would judge it.
An –
Very cheaply made. The cap for the water reservoir cracked in half the SECOND time I used it. I bought directly from their site and reached out to customer service and received ZERO response. Terrible customer service once they get your money they run with it and don’t care to stand by their product. I paid $130 for a piece of plastic junk. Don’t waste your money on this.Edit******** the company reached out to me and replaced the lid. Adding two stars for that but still docking two stars for not making the lid out of metal. But hey at least they’ll stand by their product and fix their wrong.
BMAN –
This is an excellent mini espresso machine. It takes so little room; yet, it makes very good coffee. I even enjoy the completely manual espresso making process that takes 5 minutes. This has become my morning ritual. The build quality is very good with high-end materials. I can feel the smoothness and the precision of the pump.. Overall, I give this product a 95/100. I will change it to 100/100 if the next edition is less hot to hold when pumping coffee.
Kyra Allison –
This is one of those products that shouldn’t work. An espresso machine that fits in one hand, costs a little over $100 bucks, and most importantly makes good espresso shouldn’t be possible, and yet here we are.It’s not particularly easy to use as there are a lot of steps and small pieces but that’s part of the charm. Pieces tightly fit together with satisfying precision, you’ll want to make espresso just to marvel at this little machine.Be sure you pair it with a quality burr grinder rated for espresso, you’ll want it just a tad coarser than what you’d use in a professional machine.
art_ist85 –
I have a Breville Barista express and this tiny portable thing makes better espresso. I grind the beans using the Breville, the portafilter is the same size too. Its great, washing it after every use is a bit tiresome but I usually do it as I drink my cappuccino (foam the milk in a glass jar by shaking it for a minute or two when on the go). Overall I would highly recommend for everyone, especially if you travel to places with questionable coffee shops or only gas station coffee or off grid.
Vrso2 –
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I like idea of making a espresso while camping or fishing. But…If you pre-heating espresso machine, it gets too hot. It’s not comfortable to operate while your hands burning…Also, fancy box is making this product more expensive. Fancy box became useless once you remove unit from it. Packaging could be more minimalist (apple like).And lastly, zipper on protection case is splitting open…Other than that, i like this product. Once you start using it more often, you gonna love it ;)Honestly, took me some time to figure how to make great espresso, but now, i feel like a pro! 😉
Stephen Leskow –
I’m a true beginner in the espresso world, but after watching a few YouTube videos I have been able to make a better cup of espresso at home than I can buy for 5$ at the local coffee shops. It takes some time to get your workflow down, but once you get it you’ll be able to make a good espresso consistently. I have the grinder made by the same company, use it on setting 13, with 16 grams of beans. Comes out good every time! Would recommend it to anyone on the edge of buying!
J. A. Ortiz –
I purchase this brand new and it broke after the third use my first day owning. I had it in my possession for a total a 2 hours before it broke. The unit is almost entirely plastic, and the one of the tabs that holds the piston in place snapped off, making the piston itself come off completely. This brewer is clearly not intended for long-term durability, which is unfortunate because that there are so few alternatives in the category. Given the $130 price point, this is very overpriced; the quality is just not there. If you don’t care about durability, and you just want something portable then you may be happy with this. In my opinion, this is way too much money for something that is likely to break on you. Look elsewhere if you want a quality product.Pros:- Very easy to use if you already know how to dial in espresso- Extremely compact- Makes solid espresso- Comes with everything you need, including tamper and distribution toolCons- Cheap construction; not built to last and lacking in quality control- Overpriced for what it does- Pump can be a little tiresome- Cleanup is a bit of chore
Maricar –
My daily (now) is the Flair 58 using the high-flow basket. However, I had the Picopresso as my first “machine,” and I learned a lot from how to turn a sour shot or bad shot into a “good” shot (back then, it was amazing, but the Flair 58 ALWAYS produces an “amazing” shot so expectations have changed), recipes, and techniques.Now the Picopresso is only used for traveling. The Picopresso with the single origin beans (ex Columbia from Aponte Village or Hulia) and a hand grinder (ex K6 hand grinder) beats all the 3rd wave cafes and 2nd wave cafes (ex. Starbucks) out there.So the catch…I mentioned you need the right fresh and delicious single-origin beans. An “excellent” espresso hand grinder. The other is a high-flow basket (ex 51mm basket here in NiceShine), and a 51mm puck screen. Also, do not forget to use the included WDT as part of your workflow.The other missing piece is you, the end user, willing to learn, research, and improve to extract that 100%. It will be tough with the Picopresso, but very possible!Also, this thing is tough for being all plastic. I have dropped it so many times at work and traveling. The only way it will break (the weak point is the piston) is if the end user doesn’t know what they’re doing, “cough”grind coarser, not finer”cough”.EDIT: Want to include. If there’s no crema on your shot from the Picopresso. You’re using light or medium roast beans that is over six weeks old, but the good news is. No crema is better, as the crema contains the “yuck” sourness or bitterness. However, if you insist on chasing that crema, get dark roast beans roasted on the same day (for maximum CO2) for that thick dark “Hollywood” crema. Grind finer and extraction time comes into play as well. Grind when you’re pulling a shot, do not buy ground coffee, as ground coffee gets stale within 30 minutes.
Armon –
PURPOSE:This product serves a niche but growing market: the espresso aficionado (such as myself) who doesn’t want to give up life’s simple luxuries while on the trail (I am an avid backpacker who doesn’t mind the extra weight of a portable espresso machine+grinder+beans) or back home visiting the folks in a town where the “espresso” most coffee shops serve is either burnt-tasting, sour, or otherwise completely over-/under-extracted. Note: YOU WILL NEED PRACTICE AND PATIENCE TO DIAL IN YOUR SHOT.FLAVOR:This handy little gadget will absolutely NOT be replacing my Breville Barista Express (plus associated accessories) anytime soon, however it definitely (as mentioned above) can make much better espresso than is available when I am away from home. I prefer a ristretto (1:1 ratio) that comes out in 25-27s on my Barista Express but that is not possible with this considering the pressure/piston limitations on this device, so I have to settle for a slightly coarser grind setting and longer shot.GRIND SETTING: I used it in conjunction with the 1Z-Presso K-Max manual grinder. If anyone else has this combo I recommend a grind setting of between 2.75-3.00 for an input of 18g medium-dark roasted beans (you’re welcome – this took me many frustrating attempts to figure out).BUILD QUALITY/USABILITY:This thing seems to be built with very high quality materials – not as good as those of a $500+ home espresso machine but pretty close. Love that it comes with a case as well. Certain things are mildly-moderately frustrating but overall this thing is pretty well built:- Piston mechanism digs into the hand a bit and is slightly difficult to balance the device over a cup while pressing as it requires quite a push once pressure has built up.- O ring on the water reservoir side is a bit difficult to get back into place after removing.- I cannot stress enough the two things that gave me the biggest headache while dialing in: DO NOT TAMP HARD OR GRIND TOO FINE. (Yes I know…hard to define what this really means..) More on this below..TROUBLESHOOTING:This is where I felt the need to dock a star (and if it weren’t for the fact that there is no other device this portable that produces this level of espresso quality, I would probably have docked two). If you tamp too hard or grind too fine, the pressure required to extract will be too high and it will become near impossible to obtain your shot. The device will subsequently seize up, and you will have to wait 10-30 minutes for it to slowly release before you can unscrew the portafilter. This is NOT your typical home espresso machine, and the tamping should feel relatively very gentle (you may barely start to see the imprint of the rings in the puck). As they note in the manual, you keep the dosing funnel on while tamping. Even with the funnel in place while tamping however, if you grind too fine you will still have these issues. My advice is to dial in before you’re stuck on the trail not knowing what to do, and just be patient and allow it to depressurize if this happens. The most annoying part here is that they don’t say ANYTHING about this in the manual other than mentioning the automatic depressurizing valve in the water reservoir. When the device seized up, I tried opening this valve further using the distributor tool and I believe this hastened the process slightly, but it still took a long time before I could unscrew the portafilter.SUMMARY:Sorry this is so long but I felt it was important to mention these things. Definitely a step up from the Nanopresso and recommend purchasing this if you want a portable espresso machine, as long as you are willing to put up with the initial frustration of figuring out how to use it properly.
Reanna –
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This little Wacaco is so easy to use and works perfectly while we are traveling & camping… but also for everyday use without the need for a giant & expensive espresso machine. Everything included wraps up into itself to all be self contained in its travel pouch which is really convenient.
Miss fancy yoga pants –
I bought this 3 months ago and I’m still obsessed with this today as I was the day I received it. It is easy to operate, fun to use and makes a mean espresso with a nice crema.Look up videos on how to prepare the coffee and you won’t regret it. The instructions are hard for visual learners but with the extra advice from others in how fine the grinds need to be…. Absolutely amazing!I get compliments on it at the office.
tesilab –
If you already know how to make good espresso, you’ve got this.The quality looks great, packaging amazing. Basket quite decent. Tamper, dosing funnel etc. are nice.The dosing funnel is just adequate height, but filter and collar are not quite robust enough to tap out all the grounds from my kinu grinder bin.I recommend using a real WDT tool, rather than the included pin for declumping, prepping grounds before tamping.[I have edited this review. Initially I had trouble with level tamping, but it turns out I was using a less than ideal surface. I used a kitchen counter with decent height and had zero issues. I also never tamped with the collar in place]You really MUST preheat this, running VERY hot water through it, to avoid thermal loss. If you preheat it correctly, it will be probably be too hot to hold in your bare hands to pump. Its easy to burn yourself pouring water in, and handling till the cover is on.A note on pumping: If you push the plunger all the way in while pumping, you’d better use a little torque while pumping to keep the plunger from locking itself closed position with every pump. [Update, this issue disappeared the after my first use, however pumping seemed more difficult after a couple of days, exasperatingly so, but then I have small hands, am not the youngest, and this really needsI was able to use exact same dose and grind size (17-18g) that already works in my Gaggia Classic Pro.The ability to control preinfusion is of course wonderful, and probably necessary.I bought this to take on vacation, it’s of course much fussier to use, but it is perfect for the purpose, and can get delicious results. [Note having used this on vacation for the last four days, my palms are sore from pumping about three of these a day, But now I have well developed pectoral muscles]
Jesse –
Great for traveling, I use it at home to make lattes because I’m poor. It’s great all around, easy to use and clean, closest thing to espresso you can make with a hand held. And if you don’t agree with me watch James Hoffmann review haha
NiceShine Customer –
If You are an expresso lover, You have to own a Picopresso. Wacaco made excellent products at very high quality. My only suggestion is that the company makes water adapters for long double-shots. Own two Nanopresso and Picopresso and love all of them. Excellent products!
Haitao –
Really like the product but the case zipper kept opening by itself. Minor annoyance on the great product…
Jacob M –
I miss my high end machines and very popular/busy coffee shops I owned but I had to take a new and better career… I have had multiple at home machines (although never wanted to splurg for a rocket or high end brand as i travel a lot and rarely home) I have followed wacaco since their first machine but at the time was working in coffee 7/days a week so had no need for my own at the time. I finally gave in after missing making my morning espresso from a decent machine and wanted something to travel with. Boy am I impressed!!! This pulls amazing espresso especially considering its size! I even brought this on a 10 day backpacking trip and woke up every morning looking forward to my espresso! My picopresso has now gone to 5 different states with me and countless camping and ski trips. Of course I knew everything there is to espresso so set up only took a few tries but also this machine has shown to be more consistent than some of the industrial machines I owned for my shops! Highly recommend as a starter or just someone who appreciates the steps for a good espresso and a fraction of the cost for a rocket or Marzocco! Also gotta point out that I find the picopresso a better machine than breville barista express for espresso
L.L –
not sure why people aren’t talking about this brewer more. at $130 there’s no better way to make real, fresh espresso than this. my only gripes are that sometimes a little hot water can spill out of the lid when brewing if it’s even slightly too full. also, switching to a new bean and dialing that grind size in is difficult: since the brewer relies completely on being able to push the piston, if the bean is too oily and ground too fine, it becomes extremely hard to push water through and make your espresso. it’s not a problem once those beans are ground coarser, but it’s worth mentioning as it can create some frustration.I should mention that I exclusively use it at home and on indoor trips.overall, this thing was well worth the price of admission for me, who had never made espresso before I bought this. be sure to pair it with a good grinder and scale
EliJ –
This machine is very good but the only flaw is that after use, if you want to clean it, its a challenge to open it as its too hot.So you get a good coffee but you may need to wait or be careful to make the next coffee
Seth –
Overall I like this little unit but it always wondered how much use I would get out of it before the plastic broke. I’ve been using it for the last 3 months, making about 2 shots a day and it’s been pretty good. My main complaints are:1. It is hard to get the shower screen out when the unit it still warm2. Top seal is prone to leak scalding water if the air temperature is cool and you fill it to the brim.My biggest worry for this unit was it’s plastic construction, and finally after about 200 total shots a plastic tab broke, sending the pressurizing piston flying out of the unit.
Kristopher –
Dang, this thing is a design marvel! The inventor of this espresso shot device is a genius without a doubt as it is sleek and makes a decent shot. Only complaint is the setup which takes a few try’s to remember and master. Overall strong recommend.
IPLoya –
Awesome unit. Incredibly compact and capable of making really good espresso, if you know about dialing in grind and selecting good coffee. Before our trip, I dialed in and ground a pound of my favorite espresso beans on my home grinder for a 14g dose. Results in hotel are amazing. The material selection is a perfect combination of metal where needed structurally and rubberized plastic to keep handling surfaces from getting too hot. High-quality product, well worth the price. All you need is some source of boiling hot water, preferably a kettle if you’re staying somewhere indoors.
Phinsup –
So I bought the picospresso, the outin and the flair pro 2.The pico was my second favorite but at the end of the day it’s 95% plastic. While I am sure the plastic is food safe, etc. you’re heating plastic to like 212 degrees for a decent amount of time, I just don’t see this unit holding up long term, so I sent it back.Assuming you can get past the plastic construction, of the 3 I tested, this came in 2nd. I pulls a pretty good shot that is pretty consistent if you pay attention to the details. You want to use freshly ground espresso, every finely ground, weigh out 18 grams and preheat the pico. If you follow these steps and you pump at a fairly consistent but slow pace you’ll get a dang good shot of espresso.So it does make a decent espresso so that’s why I gave it 4 stars. The pump mechanism to me doesn’t seem like it’s going to last.versus the outin, depending on what your plan for usage is, the pico makes a better shot. I ended up sending the pico and the outin back after using all three for a bit the flair was hands down the winner, but the trade off is complexity and mobility. The pico shines as far as weight and space it takes up in your bag. For some applications, assuming you can get past the heading of food safe plastic to above 200F part this might be the travel espresso machine for you. If you’re going to be away from power, ie camping etc, the outin starts to make some sense.All in all I can’t fault the pico, it’s a great design, it’s lightweight and relatively expensive. How long it will last is hard to say, but reading through the reviews I think you can expect to use this occasionally while traveling and probably last a while. It’s very well thought out with everything fitting into the small package, Greta for traveling with limited luggage space, but I don’t see a ton of upsides besides that aspect.
W203 –
I had used the Nanopresso before, but there had been a lack of taste caused by underextraction because of too low pressure.The Picopresso is much better at it. The extraction is pretty good, but not as good as a real portafilter espresso machine (like Rancilio Silvia). I use it every day in the office and on vacations. Compared to the Nanopresso it’s much more convenient to fill the Picopresso, both the water tank and the filter.I can’t complain and would buy it again.
Christopher Pacleb –
Makes good espresso! On 1zpresso JX-Pro, most medium-light roasts work well at 1-8-0. I’ve had good results with dark roasts at 1-4-0 or so. The recommended brew method of 10 second preinfusion seems to work well.Order an additional basket or two if you want to make back-to-back shots.Preheat for medium and lighter roasts, but dark roast works with water just off the boil. For extra light roasts I preheat the basket and shower screen and portafilter by setting them (fully prepared) on top of the water chamber right after filling it with boiling water. The steam preheats the basket etc. These shots will still be on the acidic side.Still in great condition after frequent use for 3 months!
NiceShine Customer –
So far I’m very pleased with this! It is very nicely packaged (kinda reminds me of “Apple quality” packaging.) Product is well build and all the accessories stack nicely in the whole unit. It works really well too and it’s fun to use! Perfect for camping/ or Rving or just any small space.I’d say the only con is there are a lot of small bits to clean but if you’re unlike me and have easy sink access (mine is at my office) thank you won’t have a problem.
Joseph –
I enjoy making my own double shot/americano each morning and wanted to be able to do that when not at home. This device, along with the separate manual grinder from the company, allowed me to do that. The device is easy to use, easy to clean, small and durable, and most importantly pulls the same quality shot as my breville barista express. Highly recommend.
Brenda –
I got the picopresso after six months of using the Minipresso NS2 as I prefer a real shot of espresso and I must say that I am not as thrilled with this one. It makes good espresso, with a lot of dialing in, but not great or at least I haven’t got it there yet. It isn’t the most intuitive thing to use but it gets the job done and makes a better shot than any chain I can stop at. The portability is the key advantage, and why I bought it, though. My one concern is longevity.Anyway, if you really want the best espresso in a portable package at a decent price, I think this is a winner. If you are looking to use it at home daily, like I have seen some do on forums and elsewhere, I think it might be a little more work than most are willing to put in. But if you just want a decent coffee on the go with little effort, I still think the NS2 is a wonderful option.I will say that this came with a number of good accessories, the materials seem top notch and came in some of the best packaging I have ever seen. Anyway, to sum up, it is great for what it is but understand what you are buying. I did and I am happy with it.
Patrick –
Exactly as advertised, very high quality manufacture, great espresso. Some things to consider:1. there are a LOT of parts that will be hard to remember how to assemble at first. It would be nice to have a printed blow-out illustration of assembly order on the inside of the holding case. A bit fussy to assemble/disassemble/clean.2. you have to twist the edge of the pump plunger to get it to pop out. The edge is very thin and made of slippery material. If this were ridged it would make twisting it much easier.3. if you have a home espresso maker / grinder you will find the Picospresso needs an even finer grind, sometimes labeled as “Turkish coffee”. You really MUST have a quality burr grinder to get this fine. I pre-grind with my home grinder when I’m on a trip so this is not a problem but you may need to invest in their hand grinder, which I did not try.4. heavier in the hand than you might expect — fastidious backpackers may complain but for my travel via car/airplane it is not an issue. On the other hand it is because it seems very well made and of high quality metal and silicone.5. The carrying case is very nice but tight and I worry that the zippers might not be up to the task for the lifetime of the product, even though they are made of sturdy stainless steel — not plastic ones.6. I have heard the pump action described as “a bit stiff” but I found it quite smooth and easy to use. It is two handed but unless you have strongly arthritic hands you should have not problem with it.7. A real portafilter basket, nice. Does NOT use pods — ugh!8. obviously you will need a source of boiling water. If your hotel only has electric outlets and no microwave, you may need a portable hot water maker.9. perhaps obviously it does not steam milk.I love the Picospresso and am a picky espresso drinker. This will make my travel (6-8 weeks per year) so much more enjoyable. Good espresso on the road is spotty at best and now I probably won’t bother looking.UPDATE:I’ve now used this one a few trips an it does make incredible espresso! However I find two problems.1. It is like solving a puzzle each time I re-assemble it. They designed for compactness but sacrificed in the somewhat ridiculous complexity of packing it back up.2. When I traveled with another espresso lover I found that pulling the second shot will lock up the device. The portafilter becomes extremely hard to push water through AND it was impossible to unscrew after the (difficult) second shot. I had to wrap it in a plastic bag (it will leak) and pack it with grounds still in the device – then disassemble and clean at the next opportunity. From now on I’ll wash the bottom section, the one with the portafilter, in COLD water before trying to pull the second shot. This should help with both problems like it does in my home machine.UPDATE 2:Some design suggestions after extended trip usage:1. The plastic lid on top contains the hot water. It has no grippy texture like the portafilter tightener. Be CAREFUL, if this is not on TIGHT you’ll get boiling hot water dribbling on your hands when you pump. It would be great if this lid had a grip texture. Same for the screw-out pump handle locking mechanism – it is very thin and slippery when wet, when locking it down for storage.2. The pump is a bit hard to use – you have to squat or contort to cover some cup or glass receptacle and compress using your chest muscles, not your hand gripping muscles – all without splattering hot coffee everywhere. I eventually found a plastic insulated cup the fit tightish around the bottom of the picospresso. This allows me to hold it in a way where I use my gripping muscles. The bottom has a flat rubber cover, why not make an accessory rubber cup-sized cover to solve this problem?These tweaks would make it easier and safer to use and less messy.UPDAYE 3:Broken! In cold weather the plastic tabs the hold the plunger from comeing out of the side of the unit broke mearly by releasing the pump piston. This is how you are supposed to release the piston so clearly another flaw in design materials. I’m very disappointed so tried a Nanospresso to replace this but the coffee is dismal so trying another Picospesso. This device is the ONLY true espresso you are going to find on the road/camp so despite all my issues above it is the only game in town so far.ADVICE: EASE OUT THE PISTON! don’t let it pop out or you may end up with a handful of metal parts and a broken piston.Five stars for espresso quality and size, far less for plastic part qualty.
brian –
I have tried many different brew methods and anted to go back to espresso, but without buying large equipment to take up counter space and can be taken to and from work.Decided on this one as it checked marked on portability, technical specs (like an actual espresso machine with a non-pressurized basket), and durability. There was also the compatibility of using different baskets and puck screens that also gave it an advantage.Transitioning from my durable Aeropress, i was surprised it was able to produce true espresso shots. The “dialing in” process becoming a fun experience as now i can make espresso anywhere anytime and not just in my kitchen.
jesse paulo duran –
I really like this setup, I have been enjoying fresh Mocca/capuchino/latte with the coffee that we bring directly from the farm.The Picopresso is really well engineered, compact and will last a long time.
Maggie –
Got this for my friend who likes to camp and she loves it. Obviously it’s not ideal for backpacking but she takes it with her backpacking Still and doesn’t notice a big difference. She says it makes great espresso and would recommend
Matt Z –
It’s a really great little device. The quality of espresso is amazing. One of my new favorite travel and camping companions.
Kyle –
To give this thing a fair shake – its fine. It makes decent coffee. Nice unboxing experience. All the metal pieces are well machined and the plastic ones are high quality with tight tolerances. It is easy enough to use but maybe finicky (more on that in a moment). It fits together well and packs up great for travel.The problem is that its in the sphere of espresso, and in particular marketed (Especially on places like YouTube) to specialty coffee enthusiast. It makes good coffee, but I struggle with the idea of calling it espresso. I know that by all technical definitions it is espresso, but it lacks a lot of the texture and taste of espresso. Over a day of messing around with it, shots consistently had a mouthfeel between an AeroPress and a moka pot. in truth i prefer the moka pot. Despite dialing in grind and distribution on my mignon silenzio shots were consistently weak compared to a gcp. There was no crema to speak of either. While the coffee was good (good coffee in= good coffee out) it did not deliver what I was after. I bought this looking for a good travel espresso machine. Its okay, and in truth if i had spend $50 less on it I might have been happy. But real human I-worked-for-this-money dollars, I would have rathered a $20 moka pot. Additionally, its small size means that while you can fit 18g into the portafilter basket, you can only barely fit that much water into it making the end of the shot constantly a mess.This device lives in a no-mans-land between an AeroPress and Flair. Slightly richer and deeper than an AeroPress, and about halfway to a Flair. But at 3-4x the cost of an AeroPress (which I was intending it to replace), you are not getting a 3-4x closer to quality espresso.The biggest problem here is the expectation. If it was marketed as a high quality robust premium AeroPress competitor, I could see it having a logical value. If it is marketed as a cheaper more portable espresso maker like the flair, it falls very very far short. In the end if you are looking for the second it is not worth it. If you are looking for the first it may be worth it.—Also entirely a side note, all the silicon (and there is a lot in this thing) smells so new that the chemically smell is overwhelming and I spent a lot of time just trying to clean it off without really succeeding. id recommend the company try to air it out a bit before they sell it.
milo303 –
Super fun to use.I would say it produces a quality of extraction between an Aeropress and a Flair 58. It’s a great addition to an arsenal and truly makes high quality coffee wherever you can get ground beans and hot water.
Sasanian –
Awesome espresso machine, very easily create you great expresso shots with great taste and lots of foam with no mess and easily can be cleaned…. Highly recommended.
wraak –
i am shaking right now. 3 minute extraction of seattles local ladro medium roast, week old coffee. again roast date is a week old. that’s important. extra fine grind using virtuoso. filled the portafilter with fine grind espresso including up to the top of the portafilter filler thingy. medium hard press for compaction. boiled water. start pumping with two-5 seconds apart for the first 10 pumps. then maintain a high pressure you’ll feel it in the pump.
Mark –
This review is to let people know about my great customer service experience I had.I dropped my picopresso right on the tile floor on the second test use. I was pissed at my self . But I sent an email and Sherry immediately got back to me and told me the cost and process to replace the broken lid. So being that it was my own stupidity that caused the smashed lid I braced for the quote. $3 plus $8 shipping. Yeah! So I paid the $11 through PayPal . So easy. I am very pleased with the customer service. I was so pleased I bought another picopresso to hold me over until the lid comes. By the way you can track its progress . I will have two working picopresso’s when the lid comes which will be great because I break all my toys. I am so happy with the response from wacaco .
Jon Birdseye –
This was a gift for my wife, she loves it. For travel, it’s very compact, easy to use, and makes a great shot.
Frank L –
Perfect traveling espresso kit. It makes great espresso. Plan to take it on a vacation.
melomanus –
Tenía mejores expectativas del microespresso, pero cumple su función básica
Fernando –
Gran producto
Zennia –
Produces the perfect expresso. If only it could steam milk too !!
Juan carlos mego caballero –
Buen acabado y calidad
Eric Skoglund –
Buen producto, desde luego no es una máquina siquiera semi-profesionla, pero está muy bien para lo que está proyectada; eso sí, TODO DEPENDE DE UN MUY BUEN MOLINO PARA ESPRESSO. Muy recomendable.
Christian Blem Charity –
I’ve used this portable espresso maker for around 1.5 years, and I must say it makes an espresso as good as an expensive machine! I would recommend to anyone who want to make delicious espresso/latte on the go!Also 5 starts for the amazing customer support, who have made a stellar effort when I had to get warranty help.Overall 5/5 stars!
Virgilio –
Útil, práctico, PORTABLE, que te permite obtener expresos de buena calidad, pero se deben tener en cuenta múltiples variables que llevan a tener una curva de aprendizaje.
scott anderson –
This little hand held manual espresso machine makes the BEST espresso. We love it, and it is easy to use, clean and take anywhere.
technicalnoodler –
I have an espresso addiction, but also travel frequently, so that meant I needed a portable way to brew my favorite espresso while on the road. This thing works great for that, just need hot water. Before purchasing I read a few reviews that said the process of making espresso in it was tedious, and that it was hard to clean. I found neither of those to be the case. Making espresso in it requires almost the same steps as making espresso in a proper machine, the only additional step that I can think of is the pre-heating of this one, and boiling your own water. Clean up, despite reviews to the contrary is super easy, knock out the puck, rinse everything well with hot water, and allow to dry, its that simple!! Also, the pumping action is not hard at all, even with my arthritis, I am able to use my palms to pump the plunger.The only reason I wrote this review is because I was almost discouraged by the reviews that stated those things, I am glad I took a chance and tried this espresso maker out, it works great! I do feel that the price is a bit high, especially when you can get an Outin Nano, which will make the espresso for you with no pumping required (I also have one of those for the office, just needed this unit for ultra portability) for only slightly more, though it only does single shots without purchasing the separate basket plus. Though I understand this is a very niche market, and that is the reason for the pricing, like all niche items.
apextc –
LOVE THE PRODUCT but the rubber seal on the product gets loose after 6 months, and the espresso comes out like running water, NO creaminess. Poor product design on manufacturers part. I had to use my insurance to get a replacement, but overall, great product.
Brandon Cadorette –
Was a little worried because the first time I used this it leaked – but after contacting support and making some of their recommended adjustments (slightly more coarse of a grind and less pressure when tamping the espresso) I got it dialed in and I am enjoying some great espresso this morning. 👍🏼
Jo Theart –
I bought mine to spoil myself with great espresso on backpacking trips and love it. After two years I stripped the threads on the coffee pressure chamber. I contacted Wacaco and after sharing more details on the failure in two prompt emails, they sent me a replacement. I’m sold. That’s the review- but for espresso nerds, if you get a good grinder, you can play with grain size and extraction time/pressure in the wacaco. All by trial and error, but who cares. I now use my Wacaco at work as well to cook up my own espresso.
Alexandre Akira Takamatsu –
I wanted to like this product. At the beginning I was getting ok shots. I even created a portable kit to take it to work. A small leakage started through the pump. I was not bothered at the beginning, but started to get worse through use. I reported customer service that demanded a video before replacing the unit. I tried many times but it was very difficult to get a good video shot against the black background and pumping at the same time. I endup buying the Flair Espresso that was definitely a pleasant upgrade giving me better shots and no plastic parts to fail. I believe the pumping system is the product Achilles Heel. Can’t really recommend also because the reluctant customer service that made me feel that I didn’t know how to operate the product.
Jon H. –
I’ve used my Picopresso for almost three years now and I still am pleasantly surprised by how well it works and how good the espresso is that it produces. I still get a chuckle out of bringing it along to a hotel and pulling a very decent double shot – it still feels too good to be true.I’ll go some weeks using the Picopresso multiple times a day, then I’ll waffle over to the Aeropress for a while and then back to the Picopresso. Just switching up flavors. I say this to highlight that I’ve been putting it through regular use for nearly three years and I haven’t noticed any degradation in performance.The one drawback is temperature, it’s really hard to hit a good hot brewing temperature. I will pump through two tanks of boiling water to preheat the pump, then I’ll fully-assemble it with grounds ready to go and balance it above my boiling kettle for a minute or so to heat up the metal components, then I’ll fill the tank with boiling water once more and pull the shot. Works well enough but still ends up tasting like the espresso wanted hotter brewing water. This is simply a limitation of the form factor and is the compromise one has to accept for a <$200 hand-pumped brewer.The Picopresso is actually my only espresso-brewing device. I keep thinking about getting a more powerful machine for home use and dedicate the Picopresso for travel, but then I see the price tags on actual quality espresso machines and always end up deciding the Picopresso is plenty good enough. I can't bring myself to shell out $600++ on something that will do just 10-20% better than this little gizmo I already have.Highly recommend. It's fun, it feels like a hack every time I use it, and used properly it's way better than it ought to be.
david –
I was informed when I bought this that it was ok for everyday use. Well I used it everyday and in less than a year it just does not function properly. The pump gets stuck and it has air leaks and hard to build proper pressure to get a good shot. I thought this was a miracle product for awhile but in less than a year it has died on me.
NiceShine Customer –
Fácil de usar, compacto, buen precio.
Josef Kasperovich –
It took me a bit to dial it in, but it works great. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but there is with any espresso maker.
josiah –
If you’re looking for entry level espresso, look no further!This is the perfect way to get into espresso without spending too much on a machine! Great taste, makes a double shot, quick, and built like a TANK! I’ll have this for years to come.Start here, decide if you want to go the espresso route, and go from there! Keep this as an espresso maker on the go!
Leo –
I really wanted to give this product five stars since most of it appears and feels solid and very high quality. BUT the 2 rubber piece the cover that is supposed to sit in front of the porta-filter and the second cover that is suppose to protect one end of the unit, both DON’T fit.I thought it was just a bad unit, so requested NiceShine for a replacement, the second unit appeared to be an open-box item with clear signs of usage and scuffs BUT the important bit is, the two rubber pieces don’t fit in that unit either and were just packed next to the item in the bad.I made first two cups of coffee and while the taste was decent, there was no crema, as advertised and shown in review videos. But I will take that on my lack of experience and will continue to experiment and dial-in the recipe, grind size, etc.Again a product that deserves to be five but is just not, the two pieces could have easily been designed slightly differently to fit better and more reliably. It does make me worry, what other design weaknesses may exist with potentialpoints of failure.
Camille S. –
It took some trial and error to find the optimal grind size on my hand-grinder, but it was very rewarding. Picopresso is well-built, it feels very satisfying to use and I’m very pleased with the espresso I’ve been able to make with it. Highly recommend.
rjl9 –
Life saver for when I travel and can’t bring all my coffee gear with me. Makes an excellent espresso when paired with a quality bean and grinder. It feels very well made and not cheap either.
Arturo –
Portafilter cover material is stiff and does not latch on. Great product, but for the price, this is unacceptable. Will return.
Orlando –
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Genial el producto es súper bueno logré calibrar un expreso muy profesional está muy práctico y lo llevaré a todos mis viajes
Tomas Aguilar –
If you are looking for travel friendly, initial start in the espresso machine technique or a whimsical experience, I highly recommend.
Adam –
Takes a few trys to perfect but then makes great shots, good creama .. from a gand pump.
SDD –
After nearly two years of use, hundreds and hundreds of shots drawn, I can’t find anything to complain about with this little guy. It is very particular about the grind and amount of espresso used and takes some tinkering to get the best shot. I bring a small scale and weigh out 19.2 to 19.7 G of very fine ground beans. High quality parts, intuitive design, I’d like the nanopresso, but the Picopreso is so much better!
Joanna White –
Excellent Products. Well Made. Helpful. Great Price. Fast Delivery. Thank You.
NiceShine Customer –
The best coffee on the road! I’ve traveled 7,000 miles on 1 trip (along with many others) and this is the only coffee I drink!Pull into a rest area, Flash boil & hand grind some beans & the PicoPresso makes an amazing espresso in 5 minutes.I use a simple pre heat procedure in the Pico while I perform the grinding of the beans. In short, this thing is Magic!
davis –
Pump pump coffee
LuiggiePastor –
Buen producto
Julia Roa Perez –
Quite capable of a delicious espresso