Can a Portable Espresso Maker Stand In for a Countertop Machine?
Summary
Only on the road. Wacaco's Picopresso and Nanopresso are pumped by hand and don't heat water, so they need a kettle nearby, and the OutIn Nano heats its own water from a battery but gets five brews per charge when it starts from room-temperature water. All three top out at 80 ml of water per brew, which is one drink at a time.
Three portable makers compared
| Wacaco Picopresso | Wacaco Nanopresso | OutIn Nano | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.90 | $64.90 (list $69.90) | $149.99 |
| Heats the water | No | No | Yes, 2,500 mAh battery |
| Water per brew | Up to 80 ml | Up to 80 ml | 50 to 80 ml |
| Coffee | 18 g in a 52 mm basket | 8 g as standard, 16 g with the Barista Kit | Ground coffee or Nespresso Original capsules |
| Pressure | 18 bar max, 9 to 12 bar during extraction | 18 bar | 20 bar |
| Basket | Not pressurized | Pressurized | Not stated |
| Weight | 350 g | 336 g | 670 g |
Where the hot water comes from
Wacaco is blunt about it: the Picopresso "does not heat up water," and the Nanopresso needs its tank filled with hot water before brewing. That makes both of them easy in a hotel room with a kettle and awkward at a trailhead without a stove.
The OutIn Nano heats cold water when you hold its button for 2 seconds, or skips heating if you press it for 5 seconds or twice quickly after adding hot water. OutIn's own lab figures show why that matters. A full charge heats 50 ml of room-temperature water to 92°C five times, and makes more than 200 brews if the water goes in hot. Heating also needs at least two of the battery lights showing. On a weekend camping trip where two people each want two shots a day from cold water, that's four brews a day against five per charge.
The Picopresso expects espresso technique
The Picopresso's 18 g basket isn't pressurized, and Wacaco ships it with a tamper, a distribution tool, a funnel, and a protective case. Wacaco's brewing steps begin with adjusting your grind. The Nanopresso takes the other route, with a pressurized portafilter and a single 8 g basket as standard. Its $32.90 Barista Kit adds a 16 g double basket, and a $21.90 adapter lets it use Nespresso Original capsules.
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Sources
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.