My husband and I both work from home, and every now and then, we pack up the car and head out on a road trip. We usually only have a vague itinerary as we like the idea of “going with the moment”. There is a sense of adventure and wonder about those unplanned stops along the way. Whenever we find a pretty spot, we can have a stop, pull a nice espresso shot, have a sip, and enjoy the view.
We have a picopresso. We like its build quality, and it makes great shots. But on the road, we hate having to find boiling water. Then there’s the preheating, measuring out the grounds, pouring in the hot water, pulling the shot, cleaning it all up. It’s all too much when traveling. We still use the picopresso at home, but for traveling, we prefer a self-contained unit.
That’s when we decided to have a self-heating espresso maker. There is a compromise on some quality, but the convenience of having a built-in heater is not to be underestimated. It takes both pods and grounds, and is so much easier to manage on the go. We’ve taken it everywhere: roadside stops, hiking trails, and even those business hotels with sad excuses for coffee. It’s compact, easy to clean, and comes with a built-in travel cup.
The battery lasts long enough 3 brews if we’re using cold water, or up to twenty if we’ve got access to hot water beforehand.
It’s not perfect, but it’s enough to make those little moments—a pause by a scenic lake or a quiet morning on the balcony—feel complete.
So, is it worth it? For us, absolutely.
In short, below are the pros and cons of this self-heating espresso maker in our opinion.
- Pros:
+ Very convenient. No need for kettle. This coffee machine also has a built-in travel cup, so you don’t need to bring your coffee mug.
+ Take both Nespresso pods and ground coffee.
+ Shot quality is more than acceptable.
+ Battery: If we use cold water, battery is good for 3 brews; if we use the room kettle or have access to hot water, we’ll get about 20 brews.
+ Compact design. Easy to carry.
+ Easy to clean.
- Cons:
+ Don’t expect that a portable coffee maker will produce the same results as a countertop machine. However when we are on the go, it does just fine.
+ Possible to produce only one shot at a time
Interested in giving it a go? Check out this handheld coffee maker here, and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
