I wanted to find a way to make espresso without buying a full coffee machine, so after some research I went with the Picopresso since it’s compact and fit my budget. After using it for a few months, I still really like it. It does take some trial and error to dial in a good espresso base. I usually preheat it with hot water once, use 18g of coffee with the provided basket, add hot boiling water, and pump quickly to build pressure. This gives me about 40ml of espresso with a really nice, dense body. I also appreciate that it provides a true hands-on espresso experience, complete with the included tamper, portafilter, and metal WDT tool.

That said, I’ve only managed to get real crema once when I used a dark roast my friend gave me. With lighter roasts, it’s much harder to build enough pressure for a consistent layer of crema. Still, after a few months I’m continuing to use it regularly, and when I pair it with my SUBMINIMAL NanoFoamer, I can make a nice latte with decent latte art. Overall, it’s been a fun and satisfying little setup!

My new favourite espresso machine

Perfect tool for great coffee on the road.
I am pleasantly surprised at how well designed this device really is. Even the way the dosing funnel, tamper, etc are stowed away inside the body for it's compact size.

Unreal, this little beauty is super easy to use and makes a great shot. I would love for it to brew a double shot, but other than that this is the best space saver I’ve purchased. I use it at home and work and it’s also a fun conversation piece- can’t wait to take it to the mountains.

After watching and reading many reviews I decided to buy this machine for camping and it is truly amazing how good the result is. With some fine tuning and refinement of the prep method, I can see it approaching being as good as a full espresso machine result. Seems to be built very well, with a solid feeling weight. Highly reccomend for a portable and affordable espresso machine.